My wife and I bought a 2010 Clubman with 11000 miles. went to check with Flow Mini of Raliegh NC.to see if they could remove a Hunai sticker from where we bought it and found that it was time for all the fluids and filters to be changed, the removed the sticker, washed it,sold us front and rear rubber mats for half of what I see advertised,replaced an arm rest piece that our grandson broke for warranty. We got out of there for $78.00 the price of the mats. I have only good things to say about those folks. Just hope someday I can aford a newer one to play with. I play with a 2002 Cooper all black.We are having an issue with it that it won't start. Time to go try and figure this one out.I use to have more time but now days work comes and comes first. I guess thats a good thing!--------- Charley from Newport, NC

 

Bob Smith MINI - Calabasas, CA. $200.00

 

W T F ! Is that just for oil and a filter?

 

That is nuts!

 

That is absolutly ridiculous.

 

Wow, do we need to get re-calibrated! My GMC dealer charges me $40 for my Yukon, and that includes rotating the tires. No way am I doing it myself for that - do you know what those wheels weigh? Granted, the Mini uses more expensive oil, but get a grip!

 

Knew they were out of their minds when I walked into the dealership and this confirms it. Saves me a phone call and glad I didn't buy mine there.

 

Just call Danny @ Minicorsa. :thumbsup

 

Love my dealer, MINI of San Diego. Here's their internet specials page:

http://www.miniofsandiego.com/MiscPage_8

Oil change is $70. Includes topping off fluids, etc. They wash the car. And they have good coffee. :-)

Check around, then ask your dealer to match the best price you find. Or go to an independent MINI mechanic and keep the receipts.

 

Thats actually very reasonable. I've paid $8 for a quart of oil at my local store before. For a dealer, you are not getting ripped off. But for someone who does oil changes on their own, you are. Of course.

those places have morons working there. I remember when I first got my MINI my father went to a few shops and some of them even said they dont do MINI oil changes. Finally after finding one, the first time I ever got my oil changed was at a "60 minute oil change" place and they couldnt even get the filter off. They tried telling me my oil was so old it "glued" itself onto the filter and they broke the bar to get it off! Meanwhile my DIY friend has ZERO problems getting my oil filter off. After I saw how easy it was it blew my mind at the sheer stupidity of the "mechanics" at that shop.

Changing the oil on a MINI is NOT hard. This is an R53 owner talking thouhg, I don't know how it is on an R56.

 

An oil change is not hard but done properly will take a long time on a R56S.
To drain the oil it needs to warm. To change the filter the coolant and turbo needs to be cold.

 

I just do the oil change myself. Save on the extra cost for labor. Maybe I should get money back since I did the change myself!

 

My local BMW/MINI independent shop charges $50 for a MINI oil change using OEM filter and oil. And they are 15 minutes from the house VS 45 minutes to the dealer. AND they have a nice leather couch for me to sit on while I wait.

 

Local MINI dealer charges $70 for oil and filter,$100 labor and $5 to write service order.

 

Mini of Tempe has a special right now - $70 for an oil change, rotation and wiper inserts.

 

Well for me I have changed my own on the wifes clubman which I do get to drive when I get a permission slip. There is no way I would pay 100.00 got any oil change. I just cannot do the recommended 15,000 mile oil change that mini recomends. First change at 1500 and another at 4000. I will then go to 10,000 and when the light goes on I will take it in for warrenty and have them do it for free. Other than that I'll take care of it and know it done right. I will admit that the filler on the 55 is a b*tch to get to.

 

I get the MINI branded oil at the dealer (because I know it meets the BMW LL-01 spec- not all synthetics do!) and at about $8.20 a quart it's only a few cents more than Mobil 1 0W-40, the other BMW LL-01 spec oil I have found. I use Mahle filters from Minicarparts.com so I come out with an oil change for less than $50 or so. I go with the 15k/countdown oil change intervals, but that's because I use BMW LL-01 oil.

Val

 

I just had an early oil change @ 10,000km (12,000km left until the first scheduled oil interval) at a MINI dealership for CAD$107+taxes. They charged me for an "early oil change" which is maybe why I wasn't charged the usual $150+tax. Not too bad I guess but I think the next time I will try myself. I had a couple warranty items so it was convenient for me.

 

Get this. Its just over $7 a quart at the dealer for my 06 S. Just yesterday I payed $9.20 for a similar Castrol full synthetic 5w40 "bmw, benz, vw approved" oil. I'll stick with the dealer.

 

MINI branded oil is not a bad deal at all. What I may start doing on our low mileage grocery getter - is change just the oil at 6 months - then have the stealership do the annual or CBS scheduled services. That way I won't have to mess with the oil filter again. I have changed both oil and filter myself. Not impossible, but that canister filter is interesting.



5 mo @ 5,000 miles changed oil & filter myself.

12 mo @ 10,200 miles dealer service, oil and filter.

17 mo @ 13,900 miles dealer service, oil and filter, brake flluid, air filter, micro filter, water pump recall, timing chain tensioner "service action".

They don't reset the CBS at 1 year, so your next service comes up quicker. CBS was showing less than 1,000 miles and a month out yet, but I called and what with the water pump recall, they did it a month early.

 

hey guys does anybody know where i can get all the seals and what not for the supercharger?? im bout to do an oil change on it but they said i should redo the seals and im stuck not sure what to buy and what it needs..

thanks!!

 

My dealer (Mini of Stevens Creek)has a printable coupon for a $49.99 oil/filter change right now,not too bad!

Taking ours in on the 21st.Beep Beep will have about 7500-8000 miles.
Had the oil changed at 1K and it is looking black now.
No oil usage found.

 

Wow! seems like you guys are getting the shaft on your oil changes :(

Mini of Orlando only charges $50! guess im getting a deal!

btw, there is a button sequence for resetting the oil life counter, (at least on the R53 minis), the dealer should be able to tell you what the necessary sequence is.

 

R50's and R53's are about the easiest oil changes I've ever done, just remember to unscrew the canister filter and leave it the heck ALONE for 5 minutes so it drains. Oh,. and replace the ^%$# 13mm polymer-sealed Mini oil plug with a "real" plug (use one from a VW, they're 19mm and have a copper crush washer, the heads won't strip and the copper crush washer won't swell and stick the oil plug closed. Or... spend the $25 and get a Fumoto).

R56'ers, yeah, you have to move the washer bottle, but that's one bolt and a little finagling. Oh, and the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan so you may get oil up your arm if you're not careful, and you can't use a Fumoto - but really, not THAT difficult!

$10 filter and $25-30 for the 5-quart bottle of synthetic and you're done. Don't forget to check the washer fluid, bulbs, tire pressure (yes, even with TPMS, some would say ESPECIALLY with TPMS), and the all-important blinker oil...

Important to NOT change the oil too soon after purchase as the engine should "break in", there's general agreement (with some vocal and widespread dissenters) that break-in oil oughta be in there a couple thousand miles or so to let the parts all "marry" each other.

 

I'm getting ready for my first non-MINI service contract oil change. I don't like having to mess with oil disposal, etc., so I have others do the dirty work. I decided to call around.

First, I priced having my local general repair shop do it (they let me supply my own oil and filter, as they don't sell Mobil 1).

Local brakes'n tune-up shop:
Oil, 5 qts Mobil 1 0W-40: $35. Filter, Mann: $15. Labor & Disposal: $12. Total: $62

Second, I called a local independent MINI-BMW repair shop. Using the same Mobil 1 0W-40, and a factory filter, and topping off/checking all fluids, and perhaps a general inspection (?): $120

I have two MINI dealers 50 miles from me in opposite directions, both owned by the same famous national auto operation.

Third: One of them keeps pushing text messages to my phone about their monthly oil/filter change special. Regularly $150, on sale for: $90

Fourth: I called the other one to schedule a warranty visit (my hood scoop has arrived!), and asked about an oil change. MINI oil/filter change: $60

We have a winner. When I take the car in next week for the hood scoop, I'll have them change the oil and filter.

Yes, it's worth $10 extra (over the cost of materials) to me to have someone else change it and dispose of it easily and properly.