For years I have been living with 10-15,000 mile oil changes on regular oil, not synthetic. It was only when I came to the USA that suddenly every one is changing oil at 3,000 miles!!. So what gives? Are you all obsessed?, is the oil substandard over here?, is the driving more demanding?
I will change the oil at 1,500 miles, but then will hang on for 15,000, like the good book says

 

MINI requires synthetic oil. As for changing it earlier, some people just want the peace of mind.

 

Marketing

 

If you do that to your MINI, you'll be able to change his name from Smudge to Sludge.

Minzila

 

That's bull. The 15k service interval is what it's designed for. You want to do it sooner, that's great. But, it's bull to claim the oil will be sludge.

 

You went 15K (miles I assume, not kilometers) on regular oil?
I've always done 3-5K - I think my owners manuals have recommended 7500, or 5K in 'severe conditions'. For the $, it makes me feel better to see clean oil than sludge - and I've seen nasty stuff come out at 4K... CRX still going at 204K... Not to mention the $ I've saved by finding blown out CV boots early.

 

My 2 cents worth on the topic are that the vehicle is designed with these oil change intervals in mind. BMW wants their vehicles to be reliable and durable and would not do such long service intervals unless there were safety margins built in. My last car was a honda civic and my mechanic told me that to change synthetic oil at 5k intervals is a waste of money so to keep it under warranty i used regular non synthetics. I also have a BMW 3 series that has 15k intervals and 40k miles on it and has had zero problems.

 

AARRRRRRGGGGGGGGG here we go again!!! Its basically personal preference. My 97 honda civic ran conventional oil and followed the factory recomended oil change interval of 7,500 miles. I sold it at 200,000 miles over 4 years ago, and I still see it around today (has over 300,000 now).
My Mini has just over 146,000 miles on it now and I've been following the OBC as for when to do oil changes. I think 6 total so far, yet that means 15-20k between changes. One of these days I will pop of the vlave cover to see what it looks like, but from what I can tell it looks fine. No build up like those pictures in the "other" oil threads.

It all boils down to what you are comfortable with. If I were tracking the car, then the changes would probably come sooner. As I've said in other threads - I'll let you all know when my engine dies, and if the cause was from following the recomended oil change schedule. I think you will have to wait for some time though.


Nik

 

i've only personally seen 2 vehicles sluge up. both were chrysler products (i work in a nissan/chrysler shop) and neither vehicle changed their regular oil in about 30k miles (factory oil fill and filter). by that time the oil looked like yogurt in the valve cover and timing cover and they came in complaining of noise.

if you dont mind spending the money then change it when you want otherwise get it changed when the OBC tells ya. i personally change it about every 7k and it comes out alittle darker then it went in but not by much.

 

This is the answer ... marketing.

Just think about it. If fast lube oil shops started advertising ...

"3K miles changes are BS, come in when your car maker recommends" how much money would they make?

 

This is what I thought, however people in England with turbos would change the cars oil more often because of the oil cooling the turbo

 

+1 xsmini. I change mine usually when the indicator says so unless harder driving has been involved since last service. Me personally I worry more about the filter than the oil. With my Saturn on Conventional oil it was every 7500. 11 years 289000 miles. The important thing is that it gets done.

 

hi all- new member here,.. Do i need to change my oil before first 10k?
AFRAID to take to regualr oil place.. i hear dealer will not do earlier change?? 6000 miles now..

 

 

Don't take it to a regular oil place, but this is a great time for you to test drive some local independent BMW/MINI mechanics. Someday your warranty will be gone and you'll want someone better and cheaper than a dealership mechanic to work on your car.

 

 

I would change the oil after 100 miles . you will see in the oil metal from the bearings. and rings . If you don't chang the oil. It will seat it self in the bearings. and at 500 miles and all the metal will not show up in the next oil change. pepboys has oil filter for 07 mini $7.00 and auto zone has 0w30 castrol. $6.20 QUART. good luck!

 

Hi there-- thx for your reply. Did you mean i should change at 100 miles?? Yikes!!! I'm way behind already!

 

THE ENGIN IS THE HEART . WITH THICK BLOOD . HOW LONG WOULD YOU LAST.I WOULD CHANG OIL 5K MILES WITH OUT DEALER ON THE THEARD TIME TAKE TO THE DEALER FOR FREE ONE.

 

Autozone - Yep, GC Castrol 0W-30. Both ACEA A3/B3 & BMW LL01 rated. Good stuff!!!