I bought one of those cheap siphons at Harbor Freight, with a rubber tube at each end. Then we had to step down the tube size by using something from the plumbing department, that reduced the bigger tubing to a smaller diameter, plus a couple of feet of small tubing. Sorry I don't have a photo of the little reduction thingy. If your oil is hot, it will soften the tube quite a bit, and can burn you when you handle it. But it's easy to pump it out like this.

 

If it's in the middle of the two blubs it's fine. The lower blub is the minimum level and the top blub is the maximum level, so if you are under the top blub you don't have to drain any out.

FWIW if I had someone else change my oil and they over filled it, I'd take it back to them and have them correct it. Maybe even ask for something for my trouble (like a freebie next time). The service manager really needs to know when his/her employees aren't doing their jobs right.

Then again, you may not ever want to use that shop in the future!

 

Not quite true. You do get a dash warning when the oil is low. On my 2011 328i you can also visibly display the oil level by toggling the stalk. It will display a bar graph that shows the actual level. When the level gets down to the minimum or below, you're advised to add not more than 1 qt of oil and then recheck the level. The engine has to be warm and running to do the check. I'd really prefer a usable old fashion dipstick but apparently BMW thinks otherwise.

 

If you are checking the oil after the engine is cold, you should be aware of the change in volume of the oil as it cools. The following post gives the effect of this on oil level reading. Since the full operating temperature of the generation 2 MINI's is approximately 220 F and the oil can reach even higher temperatures, the volume change per temperature can be significant. For example, the difference in volume of oil at 212 F and 68 F is:

Volume Change is 4.28 liters -4.01 liters = .27 liters = .28 quarts

The correct volume of oil for generation 2 MINI's is 4.2 liters (4.4 qts).

A .28 quarts difference is over 1/4 the distance between the bulges on the dipstick.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...584-post1.html

Morris, 2011 MC, PW/B

 

I modified my dipstick as BlackIce showed on the following posts. I was expecting the change to make it easier to read the oil level. It surprised me how much it helped. Great job BlackIce.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...50-post11.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...68-post17.html

Morris, 2011 MC, PW/B

 

The only way any of these methods, modifications. or new dipsticks will work correctly is if the oil is not overfilled. The correct amount of oil for all 2nd generation MINIS is 4.4 quarts. Pulling the dipstick out, wiping it off, and leaving it out at least a couple of hours lets all the oil drain from the dipstick tube. You can only reinsert it once and take your reading with the stock dipstick. Of all the methods discussed, I have found doing it this way is the most sure fire. If the oil has not been overfilled, you can see the level very clearly. If the oil has been overfilled you can also see that it is over the top bulb. When my dealer overfilled the oil, I used this method to see the amount of overfiill. I used the pump described in the link below to pump the oil out through the dipstick tube. Many dealers are overfilling the oil, some putting in as much as 5 quarts. I suggest that you tell the dealer you do not want any more that 4.4 quarts added.

Morris, 2011 MC, PW/B

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...56-post26.html

 

Is this an issue for pre 2011 Minis?

 

Yes

 

I absolutely agree with byron h.
Oil seems to be 'everywhere' on the stick when overfilled.
After the oil solenoid fix my dealer replaced or topped up the oil. I removed at least 3/4 litre since the oil was above the top of the bulb.
Now it's easy to read, towards the top of the flat part, every time.
My last d-i-y oil change was 4 litres including the new filter not 4.2 as usually assumed.

 

lol gotcha.. why is the thread titled specified to 2011+?