When I bought my 2006 MCSC new, it came with a 4/50k free maintenance period. (The extension from the normal 3/36k period to 4/50k was an "apology" freebie from MINI NA because of a factory error.)

I just came due for "Inspection II" at 73,000 miles, and I got to thinking about the car's service history. Turns out, the only OBC-recommended services that were covered by the service agreeement were the first oil change (12,500 miles) and "Inspection I" (33,200 miles.) The second oil change didn't come due until 53,000 miles, so the service agreement had already ended. I did also get a free brake fluid flush at two years, though.

Since I put a lot of miles on my car, I never qualified for any of the "low mileage" oil changes, I'm still on the factory clutch and brake pads, and the service agreement ended before the coolant flush came due.

I found it interesting that nothing came due between 36k miles and 50k miles except for the brake fluid flush. I'd have been pretty upset if I had actually paid for the extension to 4/50k, since I think the extension cost something like $700 at the time.

So has anyone else gotten very little out of the free service agreement period?

 

To me the entire maintenance program is worthless. I'd rather do it all myself. It's not worth the amount it adds to the price of the car.

 

I agree completely. Plus, you get to know your car better if you are changing the oil, coolant, and anything else that can be done without specialty tools.

If you're up for it, do it! It's not too bad if you have a few tools.

 

I got an new wiper blades, an oil change and a brake fluid flush. My car only had 14,000 miles when the maintenance program expired and the computer is saying another 9500 miles before Inspection 1. Wonder how much the program added to the cost of the car....

 

bought my car with 35k, now at 73k and have had brake pads, 3 oil changes, clutch, brake flush, coolant flush, inspection II all under maintenance warranty.

well worth it to me

 

Three low mileage oil changes, new wiper blades, cabin air filter and a brake fluid flush.

 

I guess you purchased some kind of extended maintenance plan when you got the car? When I bought mine in '06, I think the only maintenance extension option was to 4/50k, but I've heard of some people being able to extend it all the way to 100k.

 

Insp I includes an oil change, micro filter, air filter and brake fluid flush. So at 53K you had the 3rd free oil change.

Still 20K+ is way too long for an oil change. Would love to see an oil analysis done on 20K+ oil out of a MINI.......



2010 Seattle area Dealer Service prices ref:

1) Oil Change ($95)
2) Micro Filter ($90)
3) Transmission Service ($300)
4) Brake Fluid ($90)
5) Coolant ($150)
6) Air Filter ($80)
7) V-Belt ($180)

 

True - my post wasn't clear. I meant the first "oil service" OBC event and the second "oil service" OBC event, as opposed to the "Inspection" OBC events. You're correct that my second "oil service" event was actually the third oil change.

I have no idea what MINI oil would look like after 20k+ miles, but I'm sure it wouldn't be pretty. I've had a bunch of Dyson analyses done on the MINI oil and have found that it's pretty much shot by 10k. I've been doing oil changes on my own in-between the OBC-recommended ones but didn't want to include those since they weren't relevant to the thread.

Oh, and "Inspection I" only includes the brake fluid flush if the fluid is more than two years old. Fortunately, if the fluid isn't due for a flush when Inspection I comes due, you can bring the car back at the two-year point for the brake fluid flush - you don't have to wait for the next OBC-recommended service.

 

Now that our MCS is out of the service agreement and warranty, a local BMW independent shop charged me the following:
1. Oil Change-$59.00
2. Transmission service-$81.00
3. Brake fluid-$82.00
4. Coolant-$83.00
5. Serpentine belt-$70.00
6. Total cost-$375.00

All fluids were OEM. I DIY'd the cabin filter for $20 and the air filter with an Amsoil brand for $54. I really lucked out finding this great shop with Mini trained techs. This further convinces me that you can save $$$ sevicing a Mini with OEM quality aftermarket service and parts.

 

Help me understand this logic. How many miles do you drive before adding another quart of oil to your engine? In my new Clubman S, it was after 2,000 miles or so, I noticed I was a quart low. If I added a quart every 2,000 miles, then in 20,000 miles I'll have add 10 quarts or about two times the capacity of the oil pan. Would the oil really be shot since it's being replenished?

I would think you'll have the sludge of the oil being burnt mixed with the new clean oil, so I'm not saying that oil changes wouldn't be necessary, but just thinking that it would be impossible to go 10K or 20K on the same oil without adding new oil don't you think?

Side note, on my tuned R53, I was adding a quart every 2 weeks.

 

Other than having to add 3/4 quart during the initial break-in, I'm not burning near that much oil. I usually have to add one quart over the course of 10,000 miles.

After 10k miles, the MINI oil was pretty degraded - the TAN was outstripping the TBN, the flashpoint had dropped by over 100 °F, and the fuel dilution was up around 2% (that probably contributed greatly to the lowered flashpoint.)

If you're adding a quart every 2k, then longer intervals probably won't be as hard on the oil, as long as the oil filter is up to the task.

 

Hmm ok. I haven't had my Clubbie long enough to know how much oil I will be adding, but my R53 ate oil like mad. Good point on the oil filter.