my car has just passed the 10,000 miles should i take it to service and by how many miles should i change the brakes and rotos im planning to get the jcw brakes i have a regular cooper

 

Take it in if you have had it for a year.

When you start the car, watch the digital readout on the tach. How many miles does it say? When it gets to zero, is when MINI wants to do the first maintenance. The default is 15,000, but can change with different driving styles. Lots of short trip city driving and it can decrease. Lots of highway driving and it can increase.

Many of us believe that is wise to do your own oil change at around 1,200 miles (just after break-in), and again at somewhere around 5,000 to 8,000 miles after that. Use an ACEA A3/B3 rated oil and a factory oil filter. MINI branded oil is available from your dealer for a reasonable price. A3 oils are a little hard to find in the USA.

 

I've got about 11K on the clock (its an Aug 07 build)... brought it in for an oil change and they said I don't need it until Aug 2009. (that is not a typo)

 

Robin -
Will the dealerships not to an oil change just after breakin? My MINI has just under 1200 and i'm not sure where to find on the computer, when it's due.

 

they will do an oil change, but it's not included in your 36,000mile warranty so you pay for it.

 

do you know what it typically costs to be done by the dealer?

 

I've heard anywhere from $80 to something like $160. Depends on the dealer. I used to take my Integra in for an oil change because I didn't want to be bothered. I do the MINI myself. With a catch pan that doubles as a container, and following the proper techniques for removing the filter, it is pretty easy and not very messy. Doing it yourself costs around $40 for oil and filter.

Oh, and stay away from the quick change places. I and others have had bad experiences.

 

So, sorry for all the questions but --
is it necessary to do a change after break in? If so, why isn't it covered by the warranty if they cover all of the other changes?

I'm just trying to figure out what I need to do to take good care of Zoe =)

 

It's not necessary but there has been some discussion on the forums about it. It's just peace of mind, I have read some of the arguments about having it done, and personally for $74 I just had the dealer take care of it when I was in last week (at around 1174 for a bad battery).

 

i have 19,200 on the clock and im just about to go in for my first OBC scheduled maintenance

 

its not necessary but at around $30 DIY, why not?

with old cars it was quite necessary as the engine would have a lot of metal shavings from the initial break in period... i think there is still bound to be some even with todays modern engines.

It also doesnt hurt to change it every 6k-ish miles.

btw, dont reset your OBC maintenance counter after a DIY oil change.... that will only increase the time between free oil changes from MINI.

also, beside the large socket you need to remove the filter, the MINI is one of the easiest cars to change the oil in. Its also not very messy since the way the filter is mounted doesnt cause a rush of oil all over the engine when you unscrew it.

 

True, a DIY wouldn't cost much but not everyone is capable of changing their own oil. For one, being in a condo w/ a parking garage, i dont have a way to get the car off the ground enough to do it. And two, i'm not a car person (er, mechanical car person)... I dont change oil. :-P
$80ish for a MINI oil change just sounds crazy though!

 

My car just got a free oil change at one year. there was some error on my march 07 build that said it didn't need one until 2 years or when the obc counter went down. it still says i have 4800 miles

 

It does?

parts: $30
1/2 hr labor at $100 / hr (average going rate): $50
total: $80.

What am I missing?

That's why I do it myself, because the only other alternative is jiffy lube..which may be cheap but I care about my car... Surely you have a friend with a driveway? Rhino ramps are about 20 bucks, that's about all you need. Changing your oil is good for your health, and you'll feel better afterwards knowing that you can work on your car. Go for it!

 

Well, maybe it's not that much for a MINI - just in comparison to my old crappy car, it's a lot for oil change.
And actually, no, i dont know anyone in my area with a driveway.

Thanks for the info though!