So there is not a MINI dealership that's really close for me, so I decided to have my MINI serviced for an oil change locally. When it was done, I met with the service manager and he told me that it was serviced with a regular oil, not a full synthetic, which is what I mentioned to him when I dropped off the car. He told me that he checked the manual and tech specs and said it did not require a full synthetic. I told him I thought he was wrong, but he said he double checked...

So I left and realized that my MINI was not himself...then received a phone call shortly thereafter from the service manager saying that he was wrong, he checked himself and it did take a full synthetic. Told me to come back in and he would change it out. So I went back and they changed it out and said it was good to go.

Then I drove it for a day or two and went on vacation for two weeks and left him here. In those two days, and now being back, noticed an odd noise coming from somewhere under the hood. I can't really pinpoint it and wasn't sure what it is.....

Does anybody know if that regular oil would make some kind of difference or affect the car in any way? I am worried that something is wrong. Any input would be great!

Thanks!

 

If it was the proper weight of oil and the proper amount (did you check your dipstick before leaving?) then it's highly doubtful that something due to the oil would have happened in 2 days.

What oil brand did the service manager use? What brand oil did you intend for him to use?

Despite misleading marketing, there are relatively very few true full synthetics on the market. Neither Castol Syntec nor today's Mobil1 are true full synthetics.

 

How long was the regular oil even in the car? Less than 25 miles? Oil is oil, I have to say. The benifits of synthetic come in longevity, heat breakdown resistance, and, under wide open throttle and high rpms, shear resistance. You didn't drive it like you stole it with the regular in there, did you?

 

Don't fret about it. All is well.

Motor on.

 

Same weight, less than 3k, you are fine, synthetic just breaks down less over the long run.

 

The noise could have been there all along. You are probably just hyper-sensitive right now because of the worry of damage to the engine. Regular oil for that short of time will cause no problems: no harm, no foul.

 

Oil is oil? hmmm
if that was the caes why would they "maker of the car" tell you to put a specific oil in it? why would they spend the extra money?
you forgot one other advantage of sythentic oil (which is not the same as regular oil). It is slicker, which in return lets the piston to piston wall wear at a much slower rate, also, sythentic runs cooler. cooler temp = more power.

now back to your original question. will using non sythentic oil for one change as short a time as you had it hurt anything? No.
you have nothing to worry about. the noise was either there and now your listening to the engine with fresh ears, or it just happened to start at that particular time.

 

It's a conspiracy. The automakers have secret deals with the oil companies.

 

conspiracy? here in the U.S. of A??