I just called my dealer because my computer says I don't need an oil change till 3/2009 (car purchased 3/2007). The tech informed me that new cars only required oil changes every 2 years, not 1.

So I called MINI, since the manual says change oil at least once a year. The genius there told me that the computer will readjust itself depending on conditions. So I asked why it would readjust downward, since despite how many miles I drive, I'll be due for an oil change by at least 3/2008. Hmmmmm...

Called the dealer back and he admitted the prior tech was wrong, and my computer was probably set wrong initially.

I'll probably show up for my oil change next March, and get some story about how they can't do it, because my computer says not to.

You'd think with so few dealers in the country (mine is 60 miles away), the ones they do have would know what's going on....

 

My car says 3/2009, too. Purchased 4/17/07 and it has 7500 miles on it. I keep expecting it to wake up one morning and have a reasonable date on it.

 

I feel sorry for folks who take delivery of a 2008 MINI on 2/29/08

 

The manual says you get a change every year, regardless of mileage and what the computer says.

 

That is correct. You get an oil change once a year regardless of service date or mileage and I've had it done so I know for a fact.

 

The manual say's hill assist comes with ASC and it does'nt .

 

Really?

 

No it does'nt if you ask they'll give you some convaluted rap about Europe Mini is different from US Mini but same manual for both.....

 

The manual also says you get a jack with your car, and mine didn't. There's plenty of incorrect info in the manual, and lots of asterisks...

YMMV

 

? you didn't get a jack?

I got a jack and a screw driver, a tow hook, a breaker bar and a key for the wheel locks, all under the truck carbet in a black kit.

did you get the tow hook? cause the threads are like 8 Threads per inch on a 14mm bolt....very odd thread. And may be difficult to tow other wise.

 

The failure of a factory monkey to put something into your car prior to shipping isn't proof positive that the manual is faulty.
Since 2002 MINI has operated the oil changes on the service indicator OR once a year regardless of mileage.

 

I got the tow hook, screwdriver, allen key (for the sunroof), but no jack, no lug wrench, and no wheel chocks. When I called MINI, since I couldn't believe a $30k car came without a jack and thought it was a mistake, they told me that it was no mistake, and didn't need the jack because I had 'roadside assistance', and they refused to give me one even though the policy had since changed.

Thankfully my dealer came through and gave me the missing jack and lug wrench (props to Spencer at MINI of the Main Line in Philly for this).

 

Read my last post.

 

The manual is sometimes wrong (Hill Assist is listed as a function ASC and also of DSC). Having worked on software manuals, I know that it is difficult to keep them contemporary with a quickly changing product. Someone probably just forgot to remove Hill Assist from ASC when it was moved to DSC.

The dealers are often clueless. My MA asked MINI for training on the NAV, but nothing was provided. My NAV was the first one he had been able to play with. There have been numerous reports of dealers not understanding how to properly update the OBC software.

Posts in forums often have errors...

I've heard the minimum of 1 per year from my MA, probably quoting the manual. I would be very surprised if the dealer didn't honor what the manual says. If I couldn't convince them, I'd certainly do it myself.

 

Yeah I think you got fed a line by MINI USA because EVERY R56 I saw on the lot from the time of release had a full kit in the back.

 

There was a time when the MINIs with runflats were not getting jacks. This changed sometime around April builds. Mine (delivered in California on May 10) came with a jack. Perhaps jascooper's dealer hadn't gotten the message. Dealers often seem to be the last to hear about such things.

 

I got no Jack Jack !

 

I'm surprised my dealer can even recognize a Mini, let alone actually know something about it.

 

Wrong-O!

Why do you think there are options they get in Europe and we can’t get here? There is a difference in a MINI built EU spec and one built for US spec. Even the limited GP had EU seats and other things not on the US editions. And this was a very limited run of MINIs. If they use the very same manual there are going to be discrepancies.

 

Seems like if it's a different car they should have there own manual .

 

I am with you on that, most car dealers have no idea about anything technical other then what the paper says and even at that, somtimes they just tell you what they want to hear.

when i was looking for a car the Gti dealer told me that the car had helical LSD and a wishbone suspension...i had to explain to him how wrong he was, and then felt bad that he might have told others that.

My MINI dealer at leasts never says yes or no until he checks it out and then tells me the answer.

 

Yeah. I guess it was stupid calling MINI. I should have gone around checking toolkits in all the cars on the dealer lot to get the real truth.

Honestly, did you actually check the toolkits on every car on the lot since February? Time to find a new hobby...

 

I saved about $500 on my car because the MA didn't know that the iPod adapters had changed in the 07's, and both the price and install costs had gone up.

And then there's the reason I started this thread. My CBS system said my oil change wasn't due until 3/09, and the dealer tech confirmed that false information.

Instead of teaching them about the cars, MINI just gave them a title that made them seem smarter, Motoring Advisor.

 

The date shown, early on, is, essentially "fill." As the miles to service indicator shows much lower numbers, the date is adjusted to a more realisitc figure. Until it gets a considerable amount of miles under the belt, it really can't estimate a date.

 

If you buy a car in March 2007, and MINI requires yearly oil changes, how can the date possibly be later than March 2008? It doesn't matter if you drive 50 miles or 50,000. Computers are stupid. They can only go by what's programmed into them. Obviously some software programmer failed to consider this. Or if it is set manually at the factory, someone couldn't read a calendar.