Ok hit first 1000 miles. I'm supposed to change the oil now right?

 

I did, and I slept better because of it. Did it make any difference in the way my car has been broken in? Probably not, but I just couldn't make myself go for 10K miles prior to an oil and filter change. I run my MCS the way God (John Cooper) and Paddy Hopkirk intended it to be driven. I religously change my oil and filter every 3,000 to 4,000 miles, and always use 100% synthetic motor oil. You probably won't have any problems if you don't change now, but if you need the peace of mind that comes with frequent oil changes, go ahead and do it.

 

Here's something interesting. I had my 05's oil changed at 1500 miles and the shop that did it (Euroquipe, St. Charles IL) opened up the stock oil filter for me.

If you ever want to convince your self to change the oil at around the 1000-2000 mile mark cut open your used oil filter. It is quite disconcerting to think that all those metal particles would be clogging the filter for another 8,000 miles or so.

My filter was literally strewn with metalic deposits(some small, some a little larger, but all very visible). They even mentioned that mine had a rather small amount of metal shavings in it, and that others before mine had considerably more.

I think Mini is a little off their rocker on a 10,000 mile first oil change policy.

Peter

 

i felt the same way about having the oil changed at 10000. so i changed mine a little earlier, at about 6000.

 

I changed my oil at 2200 miles, cut open the filter in bright sunlight, looked VERY close for particles... Nothing:smile: . I think, since you did find particles, I would change again in another 1500-3000 mikes and cut open filter again. Hope you don't find any particles again.
BTW: I now use Redline 5w30 oil.

 

I would (and did) change it after 1k.

 

Depending on how you've broken the MINI in, you might want to wait a little longer. I wouldn't change it before you've done a few runs up into the 5k rpm range because you might get some more junk in there. I'd definitely change it by 2k miles. Once this change is done, you should be fine till the dealer 10k mile change. Synthetic oils (especially better one's like Mobil 1) can easily take 10k mile intervals as long as you don't race or do lots of stop and go driving.

 

I changed mine at 5K. Waiting until 10K, synthetic or no, goes against my auto shop instincts.