>>(by driving it hard or in stop and go traffic a lot)

Guilty on both counts.

 

>>Sounds about right. So if you get crappy fuel economy (by driving it hard or in stop and go traffic a lot), then your maintenance will be sooner.

I don't know about that... I consistently get 22-23 MPG (pretty crappy compared to what a lot of people have posted) and right now I have just over 8,000 miles on the car. The service indicator says that my next oil change is in 3000 miles, so that would put my first service at 11k miles, not 10k.

 

I have a somewhat related question.

Can anyone tell me why BMW chose to use this particular type of oil filter ? Is it more efficient?

Spike

 

how much does the inspection1 cost anyway?

thanks. :smile:

 

I take mine in for service #2 Friday. Racked 27800 miles (Friday the indicator will say around 200 mi to go). I've checked oil and other fluids periodically, nothing---its holding up. I got a long list of niggles to fix (usual misc. rattles, Cooper 5spd stutter). Think I mention the clutch (feels soggy). But thats it.

Scheduled inspections are FREE. (why the list for the long haul)

_________________
-goin440 IB/IB MC

 

The inspections (approximately 11k and 27k) are covered under you free maintenance.

Additional oil changes run about $50-$60 depending on your dealer.

 

My oil change cost exactly $72, and they checked and filled all my fluids. Did it at 6K, just couldn't wait til 10K, no way.

BTW, it was great to hear about the MINIs having timing chains and not belts. Never had a chain fail, but our Prelude was on number three at 120K miles. Last one went and the car was never really the same even after $2,000. Second one went after only 20K miles. Apparently they are real picky about dirt & oil.

Just for our info, the chain has a tensioner - to keep it in tension! So most wear will be negligible until replacement way above the 60K mile mark. My MGB has a double row timing chain, overengineered just in case.

 

I changed my oil for the first time after the break-in period ended at 1,212 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic (and then proceeded to take it on a spirited drive and take her up to redline a few times), right now I have 1,7XX and plan on changing the oil again at 5,000 miles and then take it in for regular service and oil change at the dealer at 10,000 miles. For those of you saying it's "wasteful" to change this often, I would always recommend changing the oil after break-in to get the metal particles out of the oil ASAP after it has been properly broken-in. BTW, on every other car that I've changed the oil on, whether they be running synthetic or not, the oil was visibly dirty and darker after 5,000 miles. Oh yeah, and how "wasteful" is it? I can spare another $35 here and there, it's pretty cheap insurance for a car I plan on keeping a good 10 years.

 

I don't know about you guys but after every oil change I have done, the engine has felt much smoother, especially in the top end, I truly feel the difference (no placebo) and the miles I get to the tank is immediately improved everytime, even though I am driving it the same (if not harder since I know the oil is fresh).

 

Several people have talked about how crummy they thought the Castrol, (MINI), synthetic oil is. Anybody know why someone would think this?

As far as changing oil is concerned:

WE KNOW IT'S SYNTHETIC OIL!!

Still gets contaminated, still turns dark and still loses some of it's effectiveness as the miles pile up. For me, I think my 3.000 mile changes I have always done with non-synthetics is probably a little to soon. Gonna change mine every 5.000.

Saying, "I went 10,000 miles with absolutely no problems," is meaningless. What was expected? You could probably not change the oil for 30,000 miles with absolutely no problems. Oil changes manner in the long run. For those of us who plan on keeping our cars for 100,000 plus miles I believe it will pay off. Less wear means a better running MINI for a longer time. It's an easy choice.


R.E.

 

>>Several people have talked about how crummy they thought the Castrol, (MINI), synthetic oil is. Anybody know why someone would think this?
>>
>>As far as changig oil is concerned:
>>
>>WE KNOW IT'S SYNTHETIC OIL!!
>>
>>Still gets contaiminated, still turns dark and still loses some of it's effectiveness as the miles pile up. For me, I think my 3.000 mile changes I have always done with non-synthetics is probably a little to soon. Gonna change mine every 5.000.
>>
>>Saying, "I went 10,000 miles with absolutely no problems," is meaningless. What was expected? You could probably not change the oil for 30,000 miles with absolutely no problems. Oil changes manner in the long run. For those of us who plan on keeping our cars for 100,000 plus miles I believe it will pay off. Less wear means a better running MINI for a longer time. It's an easy choice.
>>
>>
>>R.E.

Oil does get contaminated but you would have to have a pretty faulty engine to cause a quality oil to have to be changed sooner than 10,000 miles. See my analysis. The time a engine has before the oil needs to be changed has a lot to do with the capacity. That said there are many manufactures that have change intervals 30,000 miles and beyond for diesel!
In passenger cars the viscosity degrades well before contaminates become a factor when using synthetic lubricants. I had CooperFlags's MINI oul (Castrol) tested at 10,000 miles and it was not all that bad. It was on the verge of becoming a 20WT but the wear metals were nil. The alkalinity level ws lower than desireable but still within spec.

You see, it's the lubricants industry that has made you think there is significant contamination at 5000 miles which is not true. Lower cost dyno oils do little to lubricate and are not able to keep engine temperatures down as well but if you have been involved in oil analysis most oil at 10,000 in passenger car use isn't even near 40% of it's maximum nitrate and oxidation levels. Synthetics hold up to much higher perssures in the oil ring thus even less "blow-by" contaminates.
Contaminates lower the TBN. That alone is a good measure of contaminants. Not what the oil looks like.
If you are on the fence on this issue, how about when you get to 5000 miles just changing the filter then topping off? The MINI is a bad example for this as you don't loose enough oil when you pull the filter but most cars you can add enough oil to increase the TBN back up 2 points.

If people stopped buying into the 3000 mile hype we would reduce millions of drums of oil monthly imported and even less that goes into the ground water.

If you see on my site, I change oil once per year or 35,000 miles.

Did you know the average engine temperature today is 25 to 50 degrees higher? Synthetics address this issue.

I do my own scheduled maintanence. Belts and brakes are items I expect to pay to repair unless I can do it myself

My Analysis:
http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com/Cooper_Analysis.htm
I will have to add Matt's from Cooper Flags so you can see how well the Castrol really works at 10,000 miles.

 

Zappa,

Thanks for your reply. Sounds like you know what you're talking about. The following quote from your post is, however, good enought reason for me to continue to overkill my oil changes:

>In passenger cars the viscosity degrades well before contaminates become a factor when using synthetic lubricants. I had CooperFlags's MINI oil (Castrol) tested at 10,000 miles and it was not all that bad. It was on the verge of becoming a 20WT but the wear metals were nil. The alkalinity level ws lower than desireable but still within spec.<

"Not all that bad, on the verge of becoming a 20WT and lower than desireable" all sound like a good reasons to continue changing at 5,000. As far as saving oil, I take the old oil to Wal-mart or Auto Zone and I hope they recycle it into something useful.

I'm a good example of how difficult it can be to teach an old dog a new trick.

I'll go to your web page and check out your analysis.

Thanks,

R.E.

 

But also (at least I know GM tests to this), when the weight of the oil changes (And viscosity properties, to some extent), the properties of lubrication in extremes change a bit. I think the 10,000mi interval is high, but not too absurd. My friends dad has a 2002 Carrera S that uses synthetic, the service interval for him is 10,000mi, dealer spec. So I guess we about on par? 15,000mi, tho, I think is pushing it. I'd say 7,500mi oil changes should put you in pretty safe territory. I also plan on a 3,000mi "breakin" change.

No offense to the longshoremen and folks who load/unload cars. But when working at a logistics co for a summer (traveled to NYC). You car isn't exactly babies as it's moved around. Can't be good for the engine a new engine. Flipside is, they have many many cars to move daily, so I guess they have good reason to haul azz...

cheers, -Matt

 

This is my first post here, so please take it easy, but I feel I am slightly educated in this subject. I am a Mercedes-Benz technician. Say you bought a hmmm new CL65.. 604hp, twin turbo V-12. What would you say if the soonest that MB would have you bring in the car for an oil change and minor service is 15k miles? Engines have much smaller clearances now. Synthetic oil now lubricates instead of taking up space. 10k miles is nothing, 15k miles is fine. There is hardly any wear in an engine anymore if lubrication is used... ie synthetic oil. If you do a syn oil change now every 5k miles what are you accomplishing over 3k changes?? Just spending a lot more money for no added protection. Syn oil was designed to save people money, and especially to save people the hassle of going to the dealership or their local service center. If you want a more educated and studied source try http://www.bobistheoilguy.com. He has many studies done on many different types of oils...

Jason

 

wantanmcs, I hope you soon haveanmcs. :smile:

Thanks for your input on oil changes. I'm going to check out the website you provided now.


R.E.