So I take me car in to get my left front strut replaced and they tell me my car's due for an oil change... My OBC flagged a "check oil" message this past week and it says it's due 02/2010 but with 8,000 miles to go. My oil was just changed this past July 09 with 7,500 miles on the odometer at my first year anniversary because I didn't have enough mileage but was at my first year. So right now I'm at 11,500 miles and they're changing the oil... Strange, I didn't know they would go by the date and/or miles which ever comes first. I'm not complaining, it's free but has anyone seen this before? Where did that due date come from?

 

Are you sure the dealer is saying it is due for an oil change or is it due for a service? There are other services that are date based. E.g. mine is indicating a service due right now because it is supposed to get inspected.

 

Yeah, he said we're doing an oil change because the date says it's due even though I have 8,000 miles to go...

 

That's wierd, my '08 and even my '09 didn't want me to change oil until about 17K miles. (of course, I changed it at 1200, 5K and every 5K after that... I'm getting ready for my 5th oil change shortly)

If the dealer is doing it for free, go for it... just wierd though.


Mark

 

I have sort of the opposite issue. I bought my '09 MINI last March. Right now, my odometer is around 13K and the service mileage indicator indicates I have aother 7K to go but the service date indicated is 3/11 (2011 ?). (Anyway, I changed just the oil myself at around 9-10K.)

When I bought my MINI, they indicated I should make my appointment for bringing it in well before it is due (ie. 2-3 weeks ahead of time.) That is because their service department was normally backed up. That probably has eased a bit since they opened another MINI dealership in our area. However, I plan to go to the dealership after work today or sometime after this winter storm that is moving in tomorrow eases up and then find out what's what. My feeling is that the service time indicator is wrong since it appears it was programmed in for a 2 year period (March '09 - March '11). Since I have another 7000 miles to go before mileage-wise I am due for the service, my 1 year anniversary comes first which is next month. I'll find out what the story is when I go to the dealership today or by...next MOnday/Tuesday.

In your case, if they want to change the oil more frequently, so much the better...except it means time at the dealership. Well...it's an excuse to see the new models they have in the showroom.

 

Actually Larry, ,your's is normal. My '08 was 18-19K before it thought I should have my first change. (even though I followed my previously posted changes)

I think 17-20K is about normal (according to the ECM)

Mark

 

Yes - Based on the commuting I do, the 20K to an oil change is probably about right compared to what others have also experienced with the service mter. But I would have thought that the time based maintenance would indicate 3/10 and not 3/11 based on picking up my new MINI in 3/09. So...I am going to ask them about that. I suspect it was set up wrong. They obviously have my purchase date on record. There is no way I am going to wait till 3/11 or to 20K for the first "official" oil change. (Also will be due for state inspection.)

 

The on-board computer (OBC) does not indicate the need for an oil change based upon any dates or elapsed time. There is a 2-year service for brake fluid flush, and that's probably the reminder you see.

The OBC oil change interval alert is a mileage-only countdown, although the MINI manual recommends, and the warranty will cover, an annual oil change.

As far as I'm concerned, MINI has a product defect when it comes to the OBC oil change interval countdown, since the OBC does not alert the owner to the annual oil change interval recommended in the manual.

For a low-mileage owner, 2-3 years or more could pass before the OBC indicates the need for an oil change. I wouldn't want to have that oil in my Clubman!

 

I agree and I believe the OBC on MINIs funtion the same as on BMWs. Here is the explanation that I received from my SA about the OBC and alerts when it comes to oil changes for low mileage drivers:

In the free scheduled maintenance, you are entiltiled to one oil change/year even if the OBC does not call for it. The OBC is not reset after a low mileage oil change because it would throw off all the other service reminders. This means that you can get an oil change and 2 months later the OBC could indicate that you need another.

This is basically a system for people who are unconscious when it comes to the maintencance schedule for their car.

 

Well they changed my oil and there was definitely a due date plus a mileage countdown in there for the oil change. My MA said they'll do it when either the date or the mileage comes first. I changed it at 3500 then had a Mini Annual oil change at 7500 and now a scheduled Mini oil change at 11200 even though I had 8000 miles to go. I was going to change it at 11500 but my OBC beat me to it... Still think it was strange, my dealer thought it was normal... Oh well...

 

MINI goes to great lengths to explain that the OBC maintenance reminder is the best way to determine any needed service, neglecting to mention that it's only half the story when it comes to even the minimum MINI recomended oil service.

You really can't blame someone who believes what see every day when they start up their MINI and the "oil service countdown" comes up. Not everyone's as involved with their MINI service as the regulars on NAM. It's a shame that MINI has not adressed this issue.

Of course, if they did add the "low mileage" oil changes to the OBC, it would mean a lot more warranty costs. I don't believe that the OBC was designed in error, it was probably a deliberate decision to keep down MINI's expenses.

 

If your OBC had a due date for an oil change it's unlike any OBC that anyone else has on the 2nd generation MINIs.

 

When you look up your service info on your OBC, you should see each of the displays seen on the attached picture. As you can see, the oil one shows miles to go and a due date (red arrow). I just don't know what drives that date...

 

My apologies, I did not know that there was a date and a mileage indicator in the service info. I stand corrected, thanks. I'll need to check this on my Clubman tonight!

As you asked, what happens if you get to the date, but not the mileage countdown? Does the dashboard indicate service is needed, or does it still just say "xxx miles to go" when you turn on the ignition?

 

And they missed including the ATF fluid change at 100k in the OBC as well. My dealer set the oil change reminder at 2 years (last year)! So **I** had to remember the oil the needed changing this week. They are just trying to keep costs down, hoping you forgot the *required* (if under the mileage of OBC) oil change every year then they probably would void the warranty on the engine since you didn't follow the MINI guidelines. I am just cynical!

 

I don't think the oil change at one year if mileage hasn't been reached is a required oil change.

 

According to my 08 warranty/service booklet, it is required every year.

 

Thanks strobey. Looked at my manual. It indicates "The MINI Maintenance Program covers all factory recommended maintenance, as determined by the Condition Based Service (CBS) system". Then later it says "Time intervals should be followed using the maintenance interval as indicated by the Condition Based Service data." Then it gets to "The maintenance requirements for your vehicle are determined dynamically by the Condition Based Service system." (emphasis added)

After all of that, they then throw in, connected to a blurb about changing the oil at operating temperature, "Note: Change oil at least once a year." Granted, they did at least put it in bold, even if it is not standing by itself.

I think they might be hard pressed to support a claim denying a warranty due to failure to change the oil at least once a year. No doubt some dealers would try to do so and if pressed, any trial might be a toss up.

 

Hey, if we have trouble with it then it has to be confusing. I admit, the yearly or mileage thing confused me, and add in the date thing on the OBC and it's like WTF? To be honest, I more or less hate the "free maintenance" thing, and you can bet it's anything but free. I had a 88 BMW that I got new, and it had this OBC that was new and way high tech. The problem was finding someone who could reset the stupid thing after they changed my oil (I live 100 miles from the dealer). I think the some hitech things are good, but the OBC thing isn't one of them (and it's probably no better than it was in 1988). Just look in the stupid manual and do the service work. Just my .02.

 

No problem... Yep, I reached the due date but not the mileage and the "service needed" indicator popped up. It said "check oil" so that's what I did, I thought the oil level was low. It was good to go and I was just going to disregard it because I still had 8000 miles to go but I happened to take my car in for a strut change and they caught it and told me I needed an oil change because of the due date. So moral of the story, keep an eye out for service due dates as well as mileage due dates ....

 

Yeah, my 96 Z3 has that same system, it is very nice the Cooper can be easily reset yourself after service with a few special button presses.

I also think the free maintenance is the perfect excuse to stretch the intervals out way too far, cutting into long engine life for those of us that love getting 200,000+ out of the cars.

I can definitely tell you the CBS is not strictly mileage. My wife drove the Cooper the first year of it's life and I have driven it the second year. The CBS indicated the oil needed to be changed at almost half the mileage for her than me (as I have a long 70+ mile highway commute). Where her commute was shorter and involved stop and go traffic.

 

I depended on truth, and technology! Now I read on this site that my oil should have been changed much more often than the warning signals alert me to. I called the dealer to ask how much, $130...I ask if I can come get my oil changed now under warranty. I have until July under warranty but my car is not due for an oil change right now. I said, well this web site is saying I need to change the oil much more often than that. What kind of car do you have? I answer, MC-S turbo and was told, "Oh yes, after the warranty goes off we do recommend that you get the oil changed more often." Am I crazy or what? I can't get my second free oil change for another 25 days, or if the mileage is enough, they can do it now. How many miles is enough for the free change? They don't know until I bring it in and they read the computer. Maybe I will just park it and ride the bus for a month. I have 26,000 miles on the car and have only had one oil change. It makes me ill to think of it. On another thread someone said to another person, "Have you ever owned a car before?" My answer to him is YES I have owned a car for 40 years, and always got my oil changed! I depended on truth and technology! ugh!