the passenger control arm and some of the frame is coated with oil
drivers side is clean. i can really tell where its coming from.
is this normal? PCV?

 

It is probably oil from the motor mount on that side. It is a silverish metal canister - check to see if the fluid/dirt is below the canister on the frame. There are many threads on this issue - MINI has a large failure rate with motor mounts in the R53s.

 

do you change your oil on your own or get someone else to do it? I know I made a mess when I changed my wife's oil last time (taking teh canister off drops a little oil), perhaps this its just a bit of oil from a sloppy oil change.

 

i am pretty sure it isnt the mount.
unless someone cleaned all of the evidence from under the mount. it looks fine. anything else prone to the minis that would end with oil on the lower CA?

 

Didn't hydrolic motor mounts come into the picture after 2003? So a 2003 built car would have a mechanical mount?... i.e. no oil to leak form the mount.

 

You are correct.