Thank you both for the recommendations and compliments!

@malibujoey will pickup up some oil to keep on hand for topping up, good advice. I've heard about timing chain issues (death rattle) on the n14, but good to know about the aux water pump and thermostat housing.

Are you running a turbo timer on your JCW or doing it manually? When I had a WRX I knew some guys with heavy mods that used automatic timers. Definitely going to keep the engine stock, already happy with the sound and performance.

Waiting on a quote from the Mini dealer I picked it up from on the 100k warranty, but sounds like I'll end up pulling the trigger regardless...

 

 

 

Thanks! At first I wasn't a huge fan of the black wheels but they've definitely grown on me. Not a fan of the stripes so will keep it looking as it is for now.

Will pick up some 5W30 Mobil 1 and pay attention to oil levels closely.

Are you using any sort of gauges or ODBII monitoring on your JCW? I was surprised at the lack of an oil or coolant temp gauge on the car when I first got in it...

 

I don't know that it makes a heap of difference from an engine operation standpoint, since the factory oil is MINI's 5W30 synthetic; but the 'approved' Mobil 1 oil for these engines is (oddly) the 0W40 Euro formula. Other 'approved' 5W30 oils include, I believe, Castrol's synthetic. Somewhere around here is a thread with a list of (or link to) the approved list of oils.


I only mention this not to start an argument about oil weights, but to point out that not using 'approved' oils in the engine leaves a legalistic 'out' for BMW/MINI (or the holder of an extended warranty) to deny warranty service for engine-related problems. Just something to keep in mind, I guess...

 

Good to know Tim, thanks for the feedback. Will search around for that thread of approved oils and see what my local independent Mini mechanic recommends.

 

A heads up for everyone that I just learned - the Mobil 1 0W-40 is no longer certified for the BMW LL-01 (longlife) program that MINI also uses as of 11/2015. From what I've been reading, this is because of different testing requirements by BMW and a slightly different formula of the oil. The BMW LL-01 certification means the oil should be good for up to a 15k OCI, which is much longer than common sense and experience dictates, so in my mind it's not going to stop me from continuing to use the 0W-40 oil. Additionally, Mobil 1 makes quality oils and the 0W-40 is still certified for many VW/M-B specifications so I would not take this as a sign of deteriorating quality.

 

No worries!



That's good information! The practical upshot for those of us who change the oil in our MINIs more frequently than the recommended interval is there shouldn't be any issues in continuing to use Mobil 1 0W40.

 

I have 2 jcw's. The 2010 does not like 5w30. I need to add a quart every 2 weeks. but with 0w40 consumption slows down to about half of that. my 09 has more miles and less consumption. I still switched to 0w40. No change in gas mileage. I change it every 7500 (half of the recommended interval) making this type of choice less critical.

Some comments above about the lack to temp and boost gauges. There is a cheap way to do it. All you need is an OBDII bluetooth reader and a free app on your cellphone called "Torque" and you can add those gauges and a whole lot more. The reader only costs about $8.99 on amazon. Here is the one I got and it has lasted many years and works on every car I have tried it on ( I go to car auctions quite a bit so I mean everything from old Ford F150's vetts Honda accords Dodge charger mercedes Benz you name it). and the Torque app does gauges and scans and reads codes and it also reads the code and tells you in english what the fix is. Amazing value for 8.99.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0E493O?psc=1

You will eventually need a hands free holder for your phone to view those col gages. Get the one that can go in the CD player I got mine at Amazon too but now they are everywhere. You can put it in the CD or it also fits between the glossy dash trim and the top leather panel quite nicely

https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Universa...phone+cd+mount

 

Funny all the oil talk. For topping off couple hundred ML, I use Mobil 1 syn. 5-30 It's fine. Not going to void your warranty. lol Sure the Mini dealer uses the Mini oil they get in a drum shipped special to them from Germany.

But thanks HZ for the tips on the OBD app and phone holder. Never saw one works with CD player that's brilliant since I never use the CD player. I'm using one that works with the vent and it falls off. But the app is only Android. Unfortunately.

 

27 (28 next month).... I love my JCW. Its become part of the family. I tell me current gf that I would pick the car over her anyday of the week. haha

 

46 came from a........let's see M3, ctsV, prior to those SRT8 GC
absolutely love my 2013 GP jcw

 

I'll be 31 Saturday, just scooped up my first JCW last weekend, an 08. It shares the garage with my 05 GTO and I come from a long line of camaros and firebirds.

 

39 - first JCW, 4th Mini

 

Im 24, and its my 3rd MINI, 4th in the family!

 

26- first mini but had a 2001.5 S4, 2005 Ram SRT-10, 07 mazdaspeed 6, 2001 Volvo c70 t5

 

42.

Chili Red 2013 JCW Hardtop. A return to Mini for me. Previous owner of an Electric Blue 2005 MCS.

 

58 and it's my first mini. Sold my Jaguar XF strictly for the fun factor. I race spec Miata for the fun factor lol

 

30
No JCW. Im rolling a 11 R60. And LOVE it.
Alwyas thought MINI's were different once I
took one for a ride it was OVER.

PM

 

43
2013 GP2
This is my second mini. The first was an 09 JCW. I missed it immediately upon selling! Glad to have the opportunity to be back in another mini again years later. I have some other fun cars too. However, even in the company of some really fun cars the mini still is special to drive.

Jack

 

35 in an '11 JCW. First Mini.

 

My wife is 69 and loves her '14 R58 JCW Automatic, I'm 71 and my daily driver is my '15 R58 JCW Manual. I bought my 1st mini, a "B" reg, RHD '64 back in '68. Brought it back to the states. I've owned 6 more since then. Yep... we like minis, but will not buy a newer than Gen2 unless they regress design!

 

We got our JCW in the summer of 2008. Hilla is 9 years old and I'm 57.

 

I was going to say most are late middle age 13 year olds. hahaha in paunchy bodies with beards.



Mini turbos are poor man sports cars.