I'm just looking for a little more info/advice from factory JCW owners about the recommended oil for factory JCW MINIs.

The recommendation as far as I understand it is to use one of the following:
Here is what I'd like to know:

1. What oil/weight comes in the car from the factory?
2. Can anyone comment on brand advantages/differences (Mobile 1 vs Castrol etc)?
3. What weight is optimal for the turbocharged platform (0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30)?

Thanks in advance for the input?

 

Mobil 1 here as recommended by MINI.

Lots and lots of threads and opinions on this already........

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il-to-use.html

 

I really have scoured the forum for the answers. I promise. I haven't found much recent discussion on this topic SPECIFICALLY in the context of how it applies to factory JCW cars. I'll assume that I haven't found anything on this because the differences between the JCW engine and the MCS engine aren't significant enough to require anything special in terms of oil.

So here is my next round of questions:
Since it appears MINI uses a A3 rated 5W-30 would it be best to try and find an A3 rated 5W-30?
Can an A3 rated 5W-30 be easily located outside of BMW/MINI dealers? For example is does A3 rated 5W-30 Mobile 1 exist and is it commonly available?

 

My next oil change (two weeks from now), I will be using Royal Purple 5w30, it is apparently extremely high quality fully (actually fully) synthetic oil

 

The closest thing to MINI 5w30 is Castrol Syntec 5w30.

 

Cant go wrong with Royal purple 5w-30 I use it religously every 5k in my 1st. Gen. MINI. You dont have to change it that often but I do just because thats me.

 

biggripper,

You will want to stick with weights by brand as recommended by MINI. There are variances in the brands which is why some are 5w-30 and others are something like 0w-40. If you decide to go outside the MINI recommendations, you'll have to do some more research. I imagine anything you can find for and MCS will be true for the JCW.

From what I found, you'll want to stick to A3. As I understand it, the LL-01 is only required if you are planning to stick with the extended oil change intervals.

With that said, I'll add I'm also a 5w-30 RP user on a 12k interval. I made the switch to RP after my warranty expired - up to that point I used the MINI oil (Castrol). As far as availability, around me the RP is pretty easy to find as is the Mobil1. The others are more of a challenge.

 

I got my oil from the dealership and it was the same if not cheaper than buying at a parts store.

 

Same here. I have done 3 oil changes on my own and the dealer has done 1. Each time I have purchased the filter and 5 qts of oil from the dealer.

 

Hey Onefish2,

How often do you change your oil? I am going to start changing mine myself too...

 

For those of you considering Royal Purple, I contacted them last year concerning my 2010 JCW and received this reply from Christopher Barker in Tech Services;
"For an API SM rated oil, Royal Purple SAE 5W-40 of SAE 0W-40 will suit your needs. Royal Purple SAE 5W-30 woulsd also work great, but it is an API SL oil and would not be warranty compliant. Since you live in the deep south (Gulfport, MS), I don't think an 0W-xx viscosity is needed. Our recommendation, in order of preference, is shown below:

- Royal Purple SAE 5W-40
- Royal Purple SAE 0W-40
- Royal Purple SAE 5W-30

After initial break-in and refilling with Royal Purple, we recommend that you go to an extended oil change interval of up to 12,000 miles, with one filter change at the mid-point."

Hope this helps.

 

Like others have said, it depends on how you're going to use the car and how often you intend to change the oil.

It's different if you're going to track the car and change the oil every 5000 - 7500 miles than if you intend to follow the MINI recommended computer based service schedule, which can mean changes at 18 - 20K mile intervals.

Like a few others, I buy my oil and filter at the dealer while it's in warranty, once it's out I'll probably switch to Mobil 1, but I will continue to use the factory filter. I change mine twice a year or about every 7,500, and I do a couple of track events each year.

 

RP recommended the 5W-30 to me with a 12k OCI for an MCS.

 

Gothm you should check out the topside change http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TCUd...layer_embedded

 

Castrol OW-30 Euro formula. Compliant with the specs, including extended life. Likewise I know on the VW/Audi side, it is 503.xx compliant, which many high volume synthetic oils are not. Mobil 1 0W-40 also is. That spec is another extended interval one in part, and I regard either MB or VW oil specs (and other fluids generally) as more developed than VW/Mini seem to get to.

Meanwhile, the OW gets you start up lighter viscosity relative to 5W, though both are pretty light. Oil manufacturers cite stats like 90% of wear occurs around start up, particularly cold ones. And same 30 the other direction for higher temps. Net on my MCS, i plan to run either the Mini oil or the Castrol Euro oW-30 in winter months, and the 0W-40 for changes overlapping heat of summer. The Castrol is in it now.

 

I've always used Mobil 1 0W-40....its good stuff.

If its the recommended oil by Porsche for a GT2...can't go wrong

 

So do we know what oil the factory puts in the JCW?

 

Most likely BMW / MINI 5w30. The ones they sell at the dealer.

I've been using Royal Purple 5w30 for around 30k and so far so good.

 

If the question is who actually makes the MINI branded oil, I believe it is Castrol. Personally I use Mobil 1 0w-40 for my DIY changes.

 

So they don't put in non-synthethic oil at the factory? :(

 

I think biggripper had it right....it is the ACEA A3/B3 rating is the most significant. We are talking about a engine that has the oil circulating through turbocharger bearings that get up to 1200 degrees F. Why would you want to use an oil, regardless of brand that doesn't meet the manufacturer's recommendations and ratings? At least stick with the recommended list published my MINI USA through warranty so you don't mess up your warranty protection......just one person's opinion...

 

So 2 years between posts is not bad is it?

I'm curious to see where this thread has led the OP. Mobil, Castrol or RP? Curious as I'm about to do the first oil change on my 2013 JCW HT. I see you can buy Mobil 1 synthetic 0W40 at wally world, 5 qts, for about $25.

I note that Mini recommends Castrol...but they used to recommend Mobil 1. Did Castrol outbid Mobil for the rights to endorsement?

I know everyone has their favorite oil and brand, and I could start a 2 year discussion on it...so rather than that, has anyone had a bad experience with any of these 'better' oils?

 

I just buy the Mini branded oil from the dealer. It's actually not very expensive. Have been changing it out every 7500 and so far the UOAs have come back very positive. The car gets driven very hard. It's becoming less and less of a street car and more and more of a dedicated auto-x car so I'll probably start doing 5k OCIs instead.

 

Ha Ha Ha
2 years old?
Original post was 2011
He might not even have a MINI now.
But just like Zombies, not thread ever dies on NAM.

Maybe PM the guy directly?

Good Day

 

I've used the MINI branded Castrol for about 50k miles, the Royal Purple for about 50k miles, and the Mobil1 for about 50k miles. No issues with any of them. I had a short stint in there with Pennzoil and will go back to that if I can ever get my oil leak stopped (too hard to get the Pennzoil with an active leak).