Thinking about it, but I expect it to cost me.

Maybe will wait to see if any little items need to be tweaked by the dealer.

 

Usually with a new car, some manufacturers put an additive in the oil to collect metal shavings, etc. At least Honda does, and they say not to change oil for first 5000 miles. Does MINI have anything like this?

 

Some of this 'break in oil' is urban legend. Many manufacturers put magnets in the oil pan to collect shavings. Not sure if BMW does.

 

We had an earlier thread about how to break-in our F56s. One post included some guidance from Popular Mechanics where the PM writer said: "...change the oil in a new engine after about 20 miles, and again at 1000 or so."

Just have been curious if anyone followed any of the suggestions discussed earlier.

 

Don't know about MINI but Audi does the first oil change at 5K then every 10k after that.

 

I picked up my new MCS 6MT on Saturday and bought an oil filter from the parts dept before I left. I'm probably going to change oil around 500 miles. I must say I could watch the engine break in as I drove home. I watched the instantaneous gas mileage climb from 23MPG on staright and level to around 34MPG as I got home. On the way to work today I averaged 35, all done in Mid mode.

 

Surely MINI dealers can give an official response regarding the first oil change. Did no one here talk to their dealer?

 

My understanding is that Mini doesn't have an early/first oil change policy from my discussions at my dealership. Their stance is that it should done like any other. I plan on taking mine in for an oil change at 1000 miles (which should be soon). I am going to ask to have my original oil filter returned to me as well to see what if any shavings are present in it.

 

Guidance from Popular Mechanics, good for 54 Ford Flatheads.

 

I'm sure it's the same as my 2007: the dealer will change it at one year or when the Maintenance light comes on. They changed that interval a few years back. It could go 15,000 miles before it came on which a lot of owners didn't like. I think it comes on closer to 10,000 miles now. It doesn't matter if the car is brand new or 4 years old.

 

i dont have an f56 but i pretty much did this for my r56, changed the oil right around 500 miles, and again around 1000-1500

 

How many quarts of oil does the F56 hold?
Is it Tough to get at the drain and filter location?

 

I want to change my oil at 1000 miles so I'm looking for capacity and weight specifications for the 2.0L engine?

 

I don't understand why you would change the oil that early on. It's a year or roughly 10-15k per required maintenance no?

 

I drove my Mini the 75 miles home and I could watch as the engine was breaking in over that period by monitoring the instantaneous gas mileage. It started around 23MPG on staright and level and end around 34MPG. That says to me that as the metal surfaces were wearing in to one another and minute little particles of metal were going into suspension in the oil. I don't care how good the filter is and I don't care that Mini won't pay for this, I am just not leaving that oil and filter in there for 12 to 15,000 miles. A $30 investment into the longevity of a $30,000 car seems a no-brainer to me. This is just my opinion and I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do.

 

Could you send the oil to a testing facility and share the results?

Data are good.

 

Ooh interesting. Mmm. I might think about that next time. Although I've only done scheduled/yearly on my '11 and have had no issues after 35,000 miles. What issues might develop?

 

12 to 15k also seems excessively long to me. Our 2014 Mazda manual says every 6 months or 7500 miles -- WHICH EVER COMES FIRST. My wife averages 7k a year, so she would be changing at about 3500 on that Mazda. Excessive the other way!
Just like my MCS, the Mazda also uses synthetic oil, and I'll bet an oil change and filter are $60 or $70.

 

Really, MINI recommends only change oil every 10,000 miles or yearly? That's crazy. What are these car manufacturers smoking? A long time ago on cars, it was every three months or 3,000 miles, then 5,000, and now 10,000? Personally I wouldn't go past 5,000 miles or every 3-4 months for every oil change. Someone please explain, if I'm missing something here.

 

I think your MINI will tell you when it's time, but remember this is not your father's motor oil. This is synthetic stuff. Gasoline is burning cleaner, too -- fewer contaminants..

 

Has anybody found the oil change capacity FOR THE F56 MCS yet? The owners manual lists the various approved grades and spec. but no where does it say how much it takes. I certainly can measure what I take out but seriously it has to be listed somewhere. I've checked all sorts of BMW sites about the new B48 engine with the same negative results. Sooner or later the warranty will run out and folks like me will be changing their own oil. Give me the facts Mini -

 

I'm with you 100% on this.

I don't own a new F56, but if I did, I would change the oil within the first 500 miles for sure. As you said, it's a very minor out of pocket cost investment for a ~$30k car.

 

How hard is it to change the oil yourself on this car?

 

Just for FYI. This very same argument has been running on the boards since the R-53 came out. I have had my 2009 (delivered in 2008) R-56 justa for six years and ready to turn 100K. I had the oil changed at 15K (at the dealer) until 2012, when they said 10K and switched to that interval. I have had NOT one single problem, failure, mishap, glitch or engine problem of any kind. It seems to work, so I will do the same when I get my F-56.