I called Castrol they said the Oil for a 2008 Mini Clubman is OEM only, and Strongly suggested I only purchase it at a Dealer. I called Mobil 1 they said they only have two synthetics that meet ACEA A3/B3 and API SL/CF it is Mobile 1 Extended Distance 15W50 and Extended Mileage 0W20.
Can someone confirm this?
Maybe I asked the wrong questions?
Can anyone recommend a particular Mobile 1 or equivalent brand Part number? Man I didn't realize there were so many Codes, Wherre are the days of 30 or 10W30 only?

 

I thought that Mobil 1 0w-40 (european fomula) met the specs for the MINI.

 

According to the Mobil 1 website their 0W-40 meets the requirements of the BMW Long-Life Rating of LL-01. Also BMW does recognize this in a PDF form the BMW website.

Now i do realize that this is BMW information but i am sure that as BMW owns Mini that the ratings are very very much the same if not exactly the same.

Here are the links.

BMW PDF -
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/BMWCurrentListing_of_SyntheticOils.pdf

Mobil 1 website - http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/...l_1_0w-40.aspx

Mobil 1 0W-40 Spec Sheet - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il_1_0w-40.pdf



Edit: You may need to paste the BMW Current listing into your prowser to get it to work.

 

The MINI and BMW-branded oils are variants of Castrol. Really, any oil that meets ACEA A3 standard would be fine. If you want to go even further, find an oil that meets the BMW Long Life standard.

 

Does anyone have an updated email addy for ClassicMini? mkost@classicautocampus is failing as undeliverable.

 

Oh, and another question..has anyone used the Mann oil and/or air filters, and if so your opinion?

 

I used Mann oil and air filters in my vintage Mercedes and was very happy with the fit/quality. I haven't used them on the MINI, though. As inexpensive as the OEM ones are, I haven't had the motivation to explore the alternatives.

 

You couldn't get me into a Jiffy Lube to save my life!!!
I guess that for an 'average' car, they do serve a purpose.
However, I would not trust my MAGILLA to them.
I have a reputable mechanic who has taken very good care of my cars . He will be doing my "between schedule" maintenance a lot cheaper than the dealer. He is also 40 miles closer to home.

 

Fixed link for you. It was missing a slash.

 

I have an 08 Clubman, 3500mi, used filter kit 11-42-7-557-012. Paid $12 from a local supplier (no shipping, waiting, or driving 97 miles to the dealer). It came with the Rubber O-Ring, and Crush washer. I finally decided on Mobil 1 0W40 European formula ($6.46Qt used 4.5qts). It meet the ACEA A3/B3 and API SL/CF specs.
All went well except I made a mess when the filter was removed.
The Oil Drain plug was not a Torx, but the T50 fit very well. I torqued the Filter to 22ft/lbs and drain plug to 18.5 ft/lbs.
I didn't have any problem with the reading the Dip stick. Laid it on a paper towel and watched for the wet spot. Everyone was correct that clean Oil is hard to see. I was actually supprised at how dirty the oil looked. I ran it thru coffee filters and put it back into the Plastic bottles to use it in my mowers. I didn't see any trace of metal fragments or other solid particulates.
In comparison to doing an american car, I think it was easier.
The Little Red Wagon took it so well, I gave her a great Wheel scrub, Wash, and Glass Cleaning. Lookin Good...
Almost hate to get her dirty again. (Almost).

 

I am not a DIYer generally and I just performed my first ever oil change on my older BMW and can emphatically say it's easy. Except for free dealer-services I would not hesitate to change the oil on any of my cars. I already drove my MINI nearly a year without an oil change so I'm just gonna wait until Feb for the first change on the dealer's dime. If you've got a hard on for an oil change just do it yourself. It couldn't be easier.

 

According to the Clubman owners manual, Mobil1 5w30 and Mobil1 5w40 are both recommended. These are the only recommended non-MINI oils mentioned in the owners manual. You will find lots of opinions on the best oil to use, but a recommendation in the manual is good enough for me.

 

I think, only the Mobil 1 0w-40, is the only one that meets the BMW LL spec.

 

The miles are fly'in by! Now at 9000+ as of today (Aug 1st delivery).
I FINALLY got around to the oil change today! Found Mobil 0-40 'European Formula' Synthetic at Wally world ($6.72), but they only had 4 qts...so I went to Kragen for the final quart ($6.99). Used a Torx 50 on the drain plug, but discovered it wasn't a Torx, an 8mm hex socket would have worked fine. I ordered and used a Mann filter ($~7 shipped), which has an O-ring, but no crush washer. I left the washer attached/stuck on the oil pan, and just snugged the plug once the oil was finished draining, and no leaks. I'll let MINI do the new crush washer on the scheduled change. Added 4.5 qts. total, and cussed the dipstick ordeal, and snugged up the oil filter cover with a 1-1/16th socket, no leaks. Old oil was dark and dirty, but surprisingly still translucent. Could it have gone another 8-9K miles? I dunno...and wasn't about to find out! Oil was the limiting factor..I had to read the thread mentioned above several times, trying to find the elusive ACEA A3 oils in the store (took 3 visits total, as the one's I set out to get weren't in stock). I found Mobil 1 'High Mileage' met ACEA A3, but also has stuff in it for keeping seals/o-rings swelled (for 75K+ mile engines), but I couldn't bring myself to put that in the crankcase. After I had my first 4 qrts, I discovered Castrol Syntec actually meets ACEA A3 as well, but I'd already gotten the Mobil 1. /sigh I have to agree with an earlier poster..this was the EASIEST oil change I've ever had: jacked the driver's side wheel up, rested it on a jack stand, the rest was easy breezy..no tanks in the way for me! Took about 1/2 hour in total, and I was in no hurry whatsoever...glad to have it done, after worrying about it TOO long!

 

Thanks for this information folks! Day late and dollar short to the thread but great info for folks that have JUST received their MINIs!

 

Coming up on 37K miles, just short of another 'scheduled maintenance' point @ 38K. Doing my own oil from here on out, dealer only did the one (~19K). I noticed on my last rant/dealer service, they replaced a 'microfilter', which I assume is the cabin filter...so I need to hunt down part numbers, brands for that too, since I drive heavily in the central valley, where tractors/combines/harvesters are constantly causing dust clouds along the freeway. Anyone got any pointers on filters, or How-To's? I was hoping to make this thread a one-stop for Clubman owners (and will likely alter the first post with regular updates..a good idea?) for post-freebie dealer service, with all the particulars for DIY maintenance.

 

Don't everyone jump in all at once! Has no one replaced their own cabin filter? No part number? Where to access, how many screws or clips to remove,etc,etc.

 

Found this by searching - cabin filter - hope it helps.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tive-here.html

 

On a similar topic..

We've had the Clubman since February and have about 2500 miles on it.

Should I get the oil changed based on time only or continue to wait until we approach the "scheduled" 15,000 mile mark? The car is telling us that we won't get there until November 2010.