We go to Walmart buy our Mobil one oil & order a filter from Mini. Then we have a friend who owns a repair shop do the change for us.Works for us.

 

"Oil drain pan: about $15 for a nice one that won't leak oil all over the place
Oil filter: $8 at moss mini. I think you can get them cheaper elsewhere
Oil: I use mobil 1 which is $6 a quart, so $30 for 5
Fumoto Valve: $20."
My mini cooper--- priceless ...
sorry couldn't resist.

 

yes, verify if that is an oil change or an inspection I. also, if you do it yourself, you won't be able to reset the service indicator.

does anyone have a reasonably priced service indicator reset tool out there?

 

$70 for the oil change. $190 to reset the oil change counter.:impatient

 

Castrol Syntec is fully synthetic. They have Castrol Syntec Blend that's a synthetically designed oil with a crude oil base that's a little cheaper than Syntec but still not as good as Syntec. However, I still prefer Royal Purple.

 

Well now, that explains it all.

 

Topside oil changer , everyone must have one !

 

I believe Royal Purple ( definitely not Castrol) is the only aftermarket oil that meets BMW factory oil standard requirements for our engines. I use the Factory stuff (oil & filter) and change it myself as I still have some warranty.

 

I had to call and see what was included in a $260 oil change. Well they told me the OIL SERVICE is $260, which includes, new wiper blades all around, all the filters, and oil. There was something else but I forget.
Now if I want an OIL CHANGE, that's only $90. Still very high IMHO, but more reasonable.

 

60 has been the most I've paid so far, once they charged me $30 extra
to check the brakes.

 

Just got mine done at the dealer-first one out of warranty.
Along with the usual safety checks and fluid top-offs, it cost:
Filter element.........$5.30
5 quarts oils...........21.95
Labor....................32.74
Total...................$61.81

Clearly not as cheap as DIY, but not feeling that I was taken by any means.

To each his own.

 

What dealer (what part of the country)? Downtown Mini here in Orlando is where I got the quote I mentioned.

 

I'm betting JimmyRacoon used Motorwerks Mini. Thats the only dealer around here.
$61 sounds spot on what I Was quoted.

As for resetting the service interval indicator yourself, there's a writeup on Mini2 for performing that task.

 

yup, Motorwerks it was:

1300 American Blvd W, Bloomington MN 55420-1039,MN
(952) 830-4800 Phone, (612) 886-6363 Fax
www.motorwerksmini.com

double check you are only quoting an oil service.

good luck

 

I am not a mechanic by any strecth of the imagination and changed my oil yesterday. Took me a total of 30 mins. I will never take the car in to get an oil change again!

 

I got mine changed at the BMW dealership, and it was $70.

 

Thanks, I did. Oil service is $260, oil change is $90.
Was sitting outside looking at the car, enjoying a cigar, and think I'm going to start doing my own oil again. Will have to find a recycle place for the used oil.

 

disposing of oil is really not a problem anymore. You can take it any number of places: Autozone, pep-boys, and many other auto shops. They all dispose of this for free!

As for the fumoto caps, have you guys experienced any troubles with the thing hitting the ground? i know it hangs down a bit more than stock, and it looks like its waiting to be ripped off my a speed bump or something.

 

I don't think the fumoto valve hangs below the pan itself. Not sure but even if it protrudes past the pan, it's not lower than the powersteering pump fan.

edit: yep, just went out and checked. Because of the way mine is oriented, with the lever is down, it is lower than the pan, but not lower than the power steering pump fan. My girlfriends has the lever on the top and the fumoto only protrudes a millimeter or two. You really don't have to worry about it getting ripped off unless you do something really stupid and, if you did so, you'll have alot of other things to worry about..

 

You don't need a reset tool... there are simple instructions on here. It is merely a series of pressing and holding the trip reset button. I found the directions on how to do it on NAM, so just do a search of it!

 

Nope, not true. Mobil 1 0W40 and German Castrol 0W30 are both ACEA A3/B3 & BMW LL-01 certified.

 

Yep. And my 2005 owner's manual recommends either Castrol or Mob1.

 

You can look and see what standards apply to what vehicles and their manufacturers, but when it comes to oil and the protection of your motor,all synthetics will protect your motor far better than conventional. Castrol and Mobil 1 meets the standards of all motor vehicle manufacturers(of which include BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Porsche, etc.). If I remember correctly, all fully synthetic motor oils will meet the specifications drawn out by BMW; Castrol is just preferred - this does not mean you HAVE to use it...Just like Daimler-Chrysler recommends Mobil 1 for the Viper (good stuff Mobil 1 is), but I've even put Valvoline Synthetic and AMSOIL in a couple Vipers because that's what the owners wanted. Royal Purple meets and exceeds those standards that motor vehicle manufacturers set for oils to be used in their motors. Other good oils are Red Line (from what I've heard - I've never used the stuff personally) and GReddy (yes, GReddy has a high performance oil). I personally prefer Royal Purple, considering I've got a couple cars I use for drifting and one for racing, and it works great for me. The motors run smoother, I get more power than when I used Mobil 1, and its purple!!