Sure it does.
It doesn't give a specific timetable but it does say, "As with fuel economy, oil consumption is directly influenced by your driving style and vehicle operating conditions." Pg 98

and, "Only top up oil when the oil level has dropped to just above the lower notch of the dipstick. However, never allow the level to drop below the lower notch." Pg 99

It is surprising, with all the CYA statements re: tires, fuel, etc. that they don't tell you to check it at every fill-up (not that anyone would!)

On that note, though, it's interesting that no company has come out with a 'low oil level' light. I suppose that would be due to false positives any time one parked (or even drove) on a hill.

 

Tell me something.

How often do your mothers check the oil? My mother would most likely never pop the hood unless there was a light telling her something was wrong, and even then she'd probably call someone to help her out. Don't you think it's a bit odd how the oilservice was 9000km wrong? Ok if it was like 100km wrong, but come on, 9000!

 

im gutted for you mario...i cant see BMW replacing your engine though im afraid under warranty.

The oil sensor in MINI sumps test the quality of the oil and then converts that into miles left for your next service

 

Not to hijack the thread, but someone posted the warranty INFO. what is the warranty on the runflats in the U.S. I went to the dragon

 

My mother NEVER checks her oil. That's why she had me.
Neither do my wife or the 78 year old lady down the street. Me to the rescue. I'm an oil checking machine.

Not saying that you did anything out of the ordinary by not checking, and I wouldn't expect that a new car (rotary engines excluded) should NEED regular checking. But that doesn't get you off the hook.

It still sucks, and I would pursue the dealer WRT the recent service done. If it wasn't leaking/burning oil before the service, tranny/clutch work shouldn't have affected it. It's doubtful you could have burned through three quarts of oil in a month without noticing. Then again, it's doubtful the car would run for two months if it had no oil.


Note: I don't believe there is a sensor testing the quality of the oil. More likely an algorithm based on cold starts, miles driven, and RPMs, and there could be more parameters.
As stated before it has NOTHING to do with the oil level. Oil service is designed to change the oil, not replenish it.

 

Actually, they did. It's called a dipstick.

 

 

This is awful! I'd like fj0 to post more about MINI of Sweden's warranty info and what, if any, local laws apply to his situation there.


Clover

 

I believe most owner's manuals tell you to check the oil level and tire pressure at every fill up. Is MINI's book different?

 

I'm afraid to ask, but what would it cost for a new engine?

Someone posted that a new power steering pump was $700.

Please wait till we are all sitting down, have our eyes closed and our hands held together in prayer!!!

 

If you do't get any satisfaction, park it in front of the dealership with a big sign stating the car is a POS. That'll get their attention

Do they have consumer type reporters on news stations in Sweden as here in the States? If so, contact a TV station and make your case. Maybe they can apply some media attention to the problem and get it rectified.

 

OMG, I am so sorry! I am a girl, and I admit that I am almost to the 10,000 mark, and I haven't checked the oil once - or other fluids besides windshield fluid. I've just assumed that it's all good. I am making my appt. for my 10,000 mile change, and I guarantee that I will check the oil before AND after the change.

Sometimes technology cannot replace good ol' fashioned common sense thinking (which I totally lack). My grammie goes to the only full serve gas station in town when she's at 1/2 a tank and tells the guy to fill it up and check the oil.

I do have to believe however that the warranty is indeed expired. But it certainly doesn't hurt to try...good luck to you...

 

Warranties, warning lights, and oil monitors, are NOT a substitute for car owners making sure that a car is maintained properly. Extended oil-change intervals require that the car owner check the oil level frequently. While it may not be unusual for a car to go 3000 miles between oil changes and not need the oil tooped off, it would be a rare car indeed that could go 10 - 15,000 miles without needing some additional oil. Remeber the generally accepted threshold for "acceptable" oil consumption is somewhere around a quart every 1000 miles. If you go 15,000 miles between oil changes, you may be expected to add as many as 15 quarts of oil. Regardless of monitoring system, low tire pressure indicators, etc. it is still up to you to maintain your car. The flat tire monitor only alerts you to the fact that one tire is lower in air pressure than the others. If all of the tires are equally low on air, due to the normal pressure reduction that happens over time, the tire monitor will not alert you. You could essentially be drivng on four "flat" tires and the monitor would say that everything is fine.

Warranties are in place to protect you against deffects, not against poor maintenance. Car owners need to accept some responsibility for caring for their cars, it is part of driving. Gas stations used to check these things for you, but consumers decided they would prefer the lower prices offered by "self-service". Part of self-service is checking the car for oil and other fluid levels, tire presure, tire wear, etc. If you don' want to maintain a car, don'buy one. It's pretty simple.

 

Shame on you I'm a girl and check the oil (as well as everything else) religiously. My last car (Audi A4) used oil...didn't use a drop up to 3,000 miles after an oil change, but then would drop 1/2 quart from 3,000 to the 5,000 mile mark (did this after every oil change).

I will say that the dipstick on the MINI sucks so bad, that checking it is a bit of a pain, but hey, you get used to it.

Check your oil sista!!!

 

What HASKINDMH said, with some additions....

You say that there was engine and clutch work done only a month or so prior to your failure. You should ascertain if that work required the engine oil to be drained. Review the work sheet closely and look for comments on any fluids used or charged.

Depending on your driving style and mileage, it is possible that there was no oil put back in the car after your last trip to the dealer. A car that uses synthetic oil from inception can have the ability to run for some time with NO oil, providing the contitions don't cause excessive heat build-up.

No car would burn ALL of it's oil in two months. Even my 230,000 mile Mercedes burnt a quart every 560 miles. It had a 5 quart capacity and the 'check oil' light would come on about every 2000 miles. That was about as bad as any car can get and it blew blue smoke out the tailpipe constantly.

Now the hard part: getting the dealership to agree that this may have happened. First, nobody will admit to their mistakes unless you have some sort of proof. Second, if they admit to this, they have to pay, not BMW.

If you continue to look at the worst case scenario, here is a ray of hope. I bought a car off a friend in February; she had not checked the oil for 14,000 miles and it just ran out of the stuff. The engine had 102,000 miles on it so had some wear. Anyway, the engine was toast and had smashed a con rod after spinning a bearing.

I bought the car for $300, located an engine from a Salvage Yard and installed in over a weekend. The engine (with only 42,000 miles on it) cost $600. Now I have a beautiful Mazda Miata that is worth $3,500.

So, start looking for totalled cars ASAP and tracking down an engine. Figure paying up to $1,500 providing the transmission and clutch are attached. The more ancilliaries attached like generator and such, the better. Once you have such a beast, start getting quotes for the transplant. Although the dealer would be the best bet, you need other quotes for a reality check.

If andf when the swap is done, arrange to pick up the old motor and take it home. Then start diamantling it and selling the parts on eBay. I managed to sell the clutch, header, cylinder head, intake manifold, mass air flow, oxygen sensor and cam angle sensor off my Miata engine for a total of $340. This will assist inkeeping costs under control.

For the engine transplant expect to pay up to $1800. It's not an easy job on a MINI.

So, for $3,000 you can be up and running again. A new engine installed will cost at least double this number.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

 

Actually a car can burn all of it's oil in a very short time, if something goes wrong. But I doubt if this were the case here, otherwise a lot of smoke would be pouring from the back of the car or, in the case of a gasket or seal failure, the back of the car would be covered in an oil mist. Best advise for those who don't check their oil on a regular basis--do it. A warning light to indicate a low oil level should actually say "Your engine is now trash".

 

I edited your quote

They did the oil change 7000 kilometers ago and you still have 9000 kilometers to go till next change due? You haven't made it half way so it seems to me the dealer screwed up and did not fill the oil. Just a guess but that's the way I would play it.

Earl

 

I would play that...and play it HARD...they totally screwed up...and they need to replace it...

strange co-inky-dink no?

 

RenaultF1,

You are my kind of woman!


Well who is it, Fisi or Alonso?

 

It seems as if it will be worked out through insurance since this yelling and argumenting would probably take weeks if not months.

It has been promised by the head mechanic that it will be finished 'til next thursday.

 

What kind of insurance covers this? Not doubting you, I'd just like to know more about it. Anybody know if it works this way in the US?

 

This story is really fishy to me.

 

It's like a whole different COUNTRY over there!

I know that my insurance company (AAA) offers 'mechanicals' insurance for newer cars. I never get it, 'cause I'm not going to bet my car breaks (and it's not cheap!), but I would think others offer it as well. We'll have to wait for word from the man.

 

Ahah! It would be interesting if true, but it's not. There are plenty of cars, including others from the BMW group, with oil level indicators. However they're all in higher price ranges than the Mini.

It's an interesting point though. Now that recommended oil service intervals are so much longer (in the US the first is at 10K miles, then every 15K miles after that) it's going to be necessary to add oil, probably several times, between changes. In the old days of 5K intervals that might not have been the case. Maybe the extra expense of an oil level indicator would now be a wise measure?

That said, maintaining proper oil and coolant levels has always been every car owner's responsibility. Unless it can be shown that the lack of oil was due to some defect or to negligence by the dealer service people then I think this owner is SOL.

Neil
05 MCS

 

ha my a4 had the same problem. an oil monster!