Is there any reason that i shouldn't take my mini to my normal garage for an oil change provided that i have the mobil 1 and the mini filter/ O-ring already? It's not really a unique oil change is it? thanks for the help in advance.

 

Sounds like you're a 36mm socket and a drain pan away from doing it yourself. The canister filter has a bit of finesse to re-assemble. The filter element may need pre- seating to get a proper fit. The canister is tricky to start threading.

My point? A mechanic not familiar with the procedure may damage something or take a shortcut creating a leak or forcing a part on. Lots of good information on this site maybe print out the steps as a guide for the shop.

Not unique but certainly not a conventional spin-on. Me, I've had such bad luck with hacks that I do what I can myself, not being cheap, being a control freak.

 

The canister is similar to many BMWs. Any place that has experience with them should have no problem with the MINI.

Changing the oil yourself is really easy, and I highly recommend doing it yourself. Many oil lube place will recycle your used oil for free.

 

>>Is there any reason that i shouldn't take my mini to my normal garage for an oil change provided that i have the mobil 1 and the mini filter/ O-ring already? It's not really a unique oil change is it? thanks for the help in advance.

No problem, just write down the mileage when you did it and take note. You can still have the dealership change oil at the normal service interval.

I changed my oil to Mobil 1 at about 6000 miles and then about 10,000 miles the dealer changed it.

 

If you are able to do it, you should definitely do it yourself. I wouldn't trust most mechanics to do stuff like that. Only take it in to the dealer for the absolute warranty work (transmission, engine, replacing faulty equipment). Less stress on you and you won't have to be away from your car :smile:

 

Thanks for posting this question since I've been wondering too. There's a privately owned shop here, the owner works on BMWs and own one himself. He also likes Minis. Sounds like he'd know how to do it right when I get to about 6,000. I'm still adjusting to the no change needed until 10,000 even though this guy even said, "that sounds about right".

 

I can only see two problems...

1) If you miss the dealer for the 10,000 change, you might also miss any BMW-issued service bulletin issues that would also be done to your car at that time.

2) If you get your oil changed before 10,000 miles (or when your oil change indicator indicates the need), you're simply wasting your money and putting extra pollution into the waste stream.

But if you're personally OK with all of that, sure, anyone can change the oil.

 

Ha well I drove to the place just now (it was a tire center) and just didn't like the looks of it and got nervous about the whole situation...i guess i'll do it myself though i fear messing something up myself...once every 5,000 miles doesn't seem excessive to me...esspecially for the first change after the break in period...i'm at 4,600 right now...

 

If it's the 10K service, or another regular interval, go to the dealer and take advantage of the freebie.

If it's not a regular service, someone with BMW experience that you trust should be OK. I wouldn't take it to Jiffy Lube or someplace similar.

The MINI oil filter is a little unusual, in that it uses a canister that attaches to the block. You remove the canister, take out the filter element and put in a new one, and then replace the canister. Most cars have spin-on filters, where the filter is a single piece that gets replaced.

Here's a pic from the oil change I did myself this weekend:



That's the canister on the left.

This thread has a good how-to, if you want to do it yourself.

 

>>If it's not a regular service, someone with BMW experience that you trust should be OK. I wouldn't take it to Jiffy Lube or someplace similar.

Point taken given that even my BMW loving mechanic friend said it's alright to wait until the 10,000 mile warrenty service. But it still just feels so weird to wait so long. Old dogs and new tricks and all that stuff.

 

Sorry to bring up such an old topic, but I just didn't see the need to start a new thread.

I'm about to do an oil change soon, and I have all my materials ready. Since this is my first time doing an oil change myself, I'm clueless on how to recycle the oil..

What kind of container should I dump it in after I drain the oil to the oil pan?

And, would any garage take the oil for free, or would they charge me couple of dollars?

 

Good question . . . In Texas, retailers that sell oil are required to collect it for recycling. I have saved two empty gallon jugs that windshield washer antifreez came in. They are heavy plastic and have good screw caps. I drain into a black plastic oil catch basin and then transfer to the plastic jugs. After I have completed the oil change, I go to AutoZone, recycle the old oil, buy the Mobil1 for the next change and I'm good to go.

Our Wally-world also accepts used oil, it's just always a pain to find some one to unlock the used-oil area, so I gave up on them. I do try to buy my oil at the place where I recycle.

 

Folks, there is no way in hell that I'm going to crawl under my car to change my oil. Maybe I COULD do it, but I'm not going to try. The people who work at oil change places do nothing all day other than changing oil. Surely that know how to unscrew the bolt, drain, put the bolt back on, and refill. And they do it better than I could because they either have a lift or below-ground access. If you can trust a mechanic to work on the complex parts of the car, the oil should not be an issue. I know there are horror stories of the quick change places forgetting to refill the oil or put the plug back in, but my guess is that's pretty rare or they would all be out of business. I've been going to oil change places for years - they are cheap, and I've never had a problem.

You make a good point about the Mini filter insert, however. I believe most new cars (2005) are using inserts rather than screw-on filters for environmental reasons. I don't know whether the oil change places are stocking all of the different filters types, and I don't know how familiar the employees are with putting on the new filters. But given that you all know how to do it, it's hard to imagine that those guys - doing nothing else every day - wouldn't be able to do it.. I would call and ask whether they have experience with the BMW/Mini filter system before letting them change the oil.

The last issue is whether to change the oil more often than every 10,000 miles. There was an interesting study on the internet about synthetic oil. The study found that older synthetic oil actually protected the engine better than fresh new synthetic oil. The guy went something like 40,000 miles on the same oil, and had the oil scientifically tested every few thousand miles. The oil didn't break down at all. He changed the filter more often, however, and added additional oil because of the loss from the filter. In any case, the point is that 10,000 miles for true synthetic oil should be easy. The real issue is whether the filter is cointinuing to do its job for 10,000 miles. I have confidence that the engineers at BMW/Mini made sure that it does. So unless someone has some evidence to the contrary (other than superstition), I plan on following the mini guidelines.

 

There are some cars out there with aluminum oil pans, I do believe the minis oil pan is aluminum. It doesn't take much to overtighten the plug and strip the pan. Or to cross thread the plug. Many oil pans have baffles and the oil needs to drain longer for a full drain.
Most of the people doing these changes are not "real" mechanics and don't care about torque specs or anything else.
It is also good to get under the car and see if there are any other problems.. like leaks or bent pieces... etc...
Nobody will take better care of your car than you... It's not a big deal to do and its cost effective..
Some have no choice but to have it done somewhere... its always good to let the people know the torque specs and that you care about the car...

 

I'm trying REALLY hard, but I just can't figure out why someone would take the time to change a filter but NOT the oil...

 

You have more faith in BMW mechanics than I do. Unfortunately, few MINI dealerships have dedicated MINI-service areas. If all were so, I'd feel more confident about them, but so far the anti-MINI sentiment amoung the BMW/MINI dealerships near us has forced driving 2+ hours for better service at a stand-alone dealer. I can change the oil myself in 1/4 the time it takes to drive there and back.

I also went to quick-change places for years. Until they stripped out the oil-pan on my car, replaced the drain-bolt with a universal rubber expansion plug, and didn't even tell me. A $350 oil pan later, I haven't been to a quick-change place since...

Additionally, I've been making a habit of regularily inspecting the underside of the engine for leaks and what-not. I'd like to catch them when they are new and relatively easy to spot.

For oil changes, I recommend the type of pan that is its own container. It will hold 2-changes worth of oil before needing to be emptied.

 

Same goes for MA, and I would guess NJ as well. The container type doesn't matter as long as it holds oil; they just funnel it into a drum anyway.

I use one of these things, which have a funnel to collect the oil built in, and which can easily be recapped and brought somewhere to dispose of the oil. They just dump it and hand it back to me.

 

You make it sound like changing oil is a tough, dirty job that you might be overqualified for. It's easy, it saves money, it allows you to look at the underside of MINI for any signs of leaks or other problems. Maybe this seems weird, but I actually enjoy changing oil in my cars. I guess that's fortunate for me because I currently own five. I have saved thousands of dollars over the years and had the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right.

The secret to doing the job right isn't knowledge, anyone can do it, it's caring if it's done right.

 

Crawling under my car is not my idea of a good time. If you enjoy it, come on over to my house!

You're all right about caring more about your own car than anyone else will. I'm just not mechanically inclined, and am probably more likely to strip the threads than the oil change people. With that said, I'd sure like to find a good, reliable, honest mechanic in my area. If I had the ability to fix my own car, I probably would (although changing and disposing of the oil does not sound like fun to me).

 

but is your a$$ when they morons at the oil change place put in 1 quart too little oil and you dont notice it until you have to replace a burnt up motor because you dont know how a dipstick works.


toughen up, get a few jack stands and a piece of carpet and a wrench and change your oil!

 

It's a long way from Arkansas to New York but if you'll pay my expenses I'll be there soon.

 

Man, you guys make it sound like our cars are ultra-exotic. Most of us spent less on our Mini's brand new than what a used Suburban goes for. Sheeesh, an oil change is an oil change no matter what the car is. Change it yourself if you think your up to the task, it's not difficult at all, it's fun lying on your back w/ no clearance w/ dirty oil running down your forearm Don't get fooled into thinking you have a vehicle that no one except a "certified" BMW mechanic can work on. I'd be willing to bet most people on this site who have done any work themselves are "certified shadetree" mechanics, but can still work on these 4 cylinder hatchbacks. Not to take anything away from those that are qualified for diagnostic and the more involved workings of the vehicle, they are invaluable to us, but come on, maintenance is pretty basic on a 4 cylinder car, even one w/ a cramped engine compartment such as our Mini's. I digress, good luck w/ your endeavors and may you succeed in whatever you undertake.

Later

 

...as opposed to what, a 4-cylinder sedan or truck, which are somehow more complicated, or more worthy of specialized care? The more Americans use "hatchback" with a derogatory connotation, the fewer cool cars like the MINI will ever make it to our shores.

I never changed my own oil until I bought a MINI. Now I do everything myself that I possibly can. The price tag of a car shouldn't dictate how well you care for it. To me, my Cooper is the best car I could ever possibly want to own, and I want to baby it in every possible way, so that I can have it for 10 years or more.

 

I'm glad you see my point...if you can do the work yourself then more power to ya'. And no, "hatchback" isn't a negative term, it's the truth. We all are driving 3 door hatchbacks. Again, the truth. Albeit they are really cool and fast and fun and so on and so on, but call a spade a spade. Right.....

Here's to all the wrench heads out in NAM land I'm one too.

Later.

'05 MCS w/ self installed CAI, Pulley, wheels/tires, but not the stereo..I
don't do stereos.

 

Answer to the question: "why would someone change the filter but not the oil." According to this interesting article, fresh oil does not protect the engine as well as older oil: "Engine wear actually decreases as oil ages. This has also been substantiated in testing conducted by Ford Motor Co. and ConocoPhillips, and reported in SAE Technical Paper 2003-01-3119. What this means is that compulsive oil changers are actually causing more engine wear than the people who let their engine's oil get some age on it."

Take a look at the test.

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html


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