I went to do my first oil change on my new to me R53 and the oil pan drain bolt is completely rounded off (this from a 100% dealer serviced car...) The nearest Mini dealer to me is a 200 mile round trip (or I would just go and buy one), but there is a nearby BMW dealership. Is there a BMW oil drain bolt that is the same as the R53's?

 

A quick perusal of realoem.com seems to indicate that BMW likes to use a 12 mm oil pan drain bolt in all the models I looked at,
and the MINI R53 and R50 uses a M14 x 1.5 pitch one (14 mm thread 1.5mm pitch) - it's also 14 mm long from the gasket/flange to the tip,
and the head takes a 1/2 inch socket, not a 13 mm one. Part number is 11137513050.
You can probably find a suitable generic one at an auto supply store. You could use one with a separate gasket rather than
the integral rubber one on the oem bolt if you like.

Some people like the Fumoto ones with a drain valve. ( http://www.fumotousa.com/main.htm ) The F106 model goes on the R50/52/53.
If you're near an Audi (S4) Acura, Honda, or VW (pre 1999) dealer, some of theirs are about the same size
(as they also use the F106 Fumoto plug, along with as a slew of assorted domestic car models).

 

yes - the plug is a VERY common size - any auto part store

 

Thanks for the replies, I ended up just going to Autozone and finding a replacement. The size M14x1.5 is spot on if anyone ever needs to know. I eventually got the bolt out of the pan (that was a blast) Time for a frosty one after the longest oil change I have ever done and a special thanks to an unnamed Mini dealer.........

Moral of the story, don't always just the dealer to "do it right"

 

+1
After the second change, found oil on the garage floor and found the plug finger tight.
After the next change, I discovered they had stripped the threads on the (admittedly ****-poor designed - a whopping 2-3 threads of contact) oil temp sensing drain plug.

 

+ 1 on the Fumoto valve its a time saver.......works and built perfectly get the one with the nipple and drain oil on side of car instead of under pan with appropriate hose attached to nipple.....