Hi, just got a well maintained 2008 Clubman from my brother (he's not mechanically inclined). I was wondering:
1. Do I have to use premium gas? The OM says they recommend it but if it doesn't knock, lower high quality gas is ok. I've heard no knocking in the 3 months I've had it, here in MN in the winter. Should I expect to have to use premium in warmer temps?
2. The sunroof won't open. It "tries" to open when I push the toggle switch but it just clunks while trying to open, and then jumps back to closed. Is this a known problem? Can some lube fix it? Ideas?
3. This car has 118,000 miles and starts and runs fine, but seems to use oil. I've seen a few drops on the garage floor but nothing major. After my dealer oil change at 117,000 miles it looked to be down 1/2-2/3 of a quart (very hard to read that dipstick). Is this typical? It takes 0W-20 I believe, so if I went to 5W-30 could I expect less oil consumption?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

I'll take on 1 and 3 - I don't feel qualified to speak on the sunroof. You also didn't say if you have a base or S model.

1. This is something I saw on Reddit a while back and thought this was the best explanation for premium fuel:
"It takes premium fuel for a reason - because of the high compression ratios created by the [engine] and the physics of how fuel combusts. Not running premium kneecaps your car’s performance because the computer is constantly backing off the ignition timing to keep it out of predetonation. You also risk long-term, premature engine wear and damage from preignition. Use premium. It’s what it calls for. You’ll get slightly better gas mileage too."
3. If your Clubbie is only going through 1/2 to 2/3 of a quart per oil change, you're doing a lot better than most of us. Using 1-2 quarts every 5k miles has been pretty typical for me, I check and top off every 2-3 weeks. Also, very sure that your R55 should not be using 0w-20, 5w-30 is what is called for typically but the BMW LL-01 (US) or BMW LL-04 (Europe) specification is more important. I've found it in 5-30, 0-30, 5-40, and 0-40. If you're looking for an improved dipstick, Way Motor Works sells a ClearView dipstick that I have found to be much easier to read.

 

1) I would err on the side of caution. I use premium and change my oil every 3-5K (I use 5-30 or 0-30). My last Mini went 242000 and the engine burned minimal oil. The engine will adjust timing to allow for regular, but there is a chance of knocking, which will shorten engine life.

2) Check for obstructions in the sunroof track, especially if you park outside. Lube the tracks with silicone or lithium greaseReset the Sunroof:
Turn the ignition on, but don’t start the engine.
Press and hold the sunroof button (close position) for about 20-30 seconds until you hear a click or the sunroof begins to move.
Release the button and test the sunroof.

If none of this works, try manually opening the sunroof (Google the process. If you can't find it. I'll post here).

3) 1/2 Qt in normal, especially if you drive a high speed or at high revs.

 

You should ALWAYS use premium in it. Been working on these MINIs for 23yrs and I can tell you cars that run premium fuel and get regular oil changes end up with less repairs and flat out run better. You will also get better mileage.

Will need to diagnose the sunroof issue.

These cars do tend to use some oil so good to keep an eye on it.
We do also have our new dipstick which is much easier to read:
https://waymotorworks.com/clear-view...7-r58-r59-r60/

 

Thank you, Josh. On #1, my confusion came from the manual itself which indicated regular gas could be ok. Guess I'll try a fill of premium and see what I think, since we're only talking a difference of about $3 per fill nowadays. I might've given the wrong impression on the oil consumption: it burned at least 1/2 quart in the last 1000 miles so I guess you're saying that's typical. I am sure I'm using the right weight cause I checked the manual and it's what the dealer put on the counter when I asked for an extra quart.
As for the sunroof, I'm not hoping is is just a bit bound up from low use. After finally getting it open by pushing up on the back glass panel it seems to be working increasingly better. Hope so. Thanks.

 

Great info. Thanks for taking the time to post. I'll absolutely try the sunroof reset...had no idea that option even existed! TY!

 

I'm sold: I'll switch over to premium from here on out.
My oil check process: drive the car till engine is at full temp, park on a level service, wait 3-5 minutes, check oil, take action as appropriate then. Do you agree? (Some on here say check cold, others hot, etc.). TY.

 

You are right! I see that in the manual now. Right after I bought the car I took it to the dealer for an oil change. I asked them for an extra quart of oil just so I could top it up as necessary. What they gave me was 0w-20 so I assumed they knew what they were doing. LOL.

 

Great advice. When I got the car I switched over to Regular to save money and didn't pay much attention to performance b/c I was just listening for knock. Jump ahead 4 months and I filled up with 92 octane and--even for a non-gear head like me--I immediately saw a performance improvement. Especially in first from a complete stop. It was like the engine was more powerful, easier to control the clutch and get going. I'll be using Premium from now on. Thanks for the advice.