Any recommendations for what oil to use in my interim oil change before the 15k mile dealer change? I plan on Castrol Synthetic, but MiniUSA web site indicates a variety of weights... It's a daily driver and I live in Michigan so summer's on the way -- no sub zero temps for a while :-)

Thanks!

 

Your likely to start a holy-war with a question like that.

Safest way to get an oil that meets the manufacturers spec is to buy the MINI or BMW labeled product from your friendly MINI or BMW dealer.

 

I'm doing the same thing with our JustaClubman. The owner's manual recommends MINI oil or Castrol. I'm going with Castrol Syntec 5W30. That's what's in my JustaCooper. O'Reilly Auto Parts has it currently on sale for $4.99 a quart. (Holy War )

 

full synthetic only

 

+1 - I'm using the Mini recommended Castrol Syntec 5W30 as a CYA measure changing it about every 5000-5500 miles. It seems to do just fine here in the desert.

 

Yes this is a very hotly debated subject here.

One thing i can tell you is that if you have a problem with in the warranty period and it is suspect of being an oil problem and they check the oil (they do do that) and find that it is not a full synthetic you will end up paying for the repair. Especially since they do the oil changes for free during the warranty period, they can claim you used an inferior oil that voided the warranty.

The real problem here is that there is only one oil that actually meets their standard here in the USA/Canada and that is the oil that you buy at the dealership. Al the other full synthetic oils that are sold in this country do not meet one of the multiple specifications of the oil itself. So if MINI/BMW really wanted to push the fact they could.

Just be aware they can mess with you.

 

Hmm, Castrol Syntec was my plan, 5-30 sounds good... Looks like it's fully synthetic...

I appreciate the heads up on the warranty issue, will keep it in mind.

Funny it's a hotly debated topic -- I couldn't find a singe thread using the search feature on this group...

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...archid=5231391

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-schedule.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...with-pics.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...r-r56-mcs.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il-change.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...l-changed.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...frequency.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/clubman-talk-2008/163265-oil-change-for-2009-clubman.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...questions.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/clubman-talk-2008/156773-oil-change.html

Now that is just a few of the over 150 that came up when i searched the second gen forums for "oil change"

 

-- note of appreciation from the search impaired, 'course I was searching for 2009 non-S version...

Thanks!

 

You can safely use any full synthetic oil with the weight recomended in the owner's manual and satisfy warranty requirements. You do not have to use MINI OEM brand oil. My '08 owner's manual actually recommends Mobil1 as one possible non-OEM synthetic that can be used.

 

Here is the official word from BMW/MINI

http://www.bimmerfile.com/wp-content...hetic-oils.pdf

BMW has taken down the link to the LL 01 Oil specification on their website so i can not show you where is states it has to meet the AECA A3 test specification, but if you look at all the oils listed in the above document that are approved they meet that spec.

The following Mobil 1 oils are NOT approved for use in the MINI.

Mobil 1 Extended Performance - any grade
Mobil 1 grades - 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30, 15W-30
Mobil 1 High Mileage any grade
None of meet the AECA A3 Testing as required by the BMW Long-life rating LL-01
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...s/Mobil_1.aspx

Non of the Castrol oils sold at least in New England meet the AECA A3 Testing as required by the BMW Long-life rating LL-01

Pennzoil Platinum made for the US market do not meet the AECA A3 Testing as required by the BMW Long-life rating LL-01
http://www.pennzoil.com/documents/Platinum%20Full%20Synthetic%20Motor%20Oil.pdf

Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30 MST and SAE 20W-50 are the only two now that meet the BMW Long-life rating LL-01 and I have never been able to find or even order them in New England. All other vlavoline oils do not meet the specs.

No back to my original statement. Okay i did go a little over board by saying It really should have read:

The real problem here is that there is only one oil that actually meets their standard here in the USA/Canada that is resonably available and that is the oil that you buy at the dealership. 99.9%+ of the other full synthetic oils that are sold in this country do not meet one of the multiple specifications of the oil itself. So if MINI/BMW really wanted to push the fact they could

My appologies for slightly exagerating the real world.

BTW - As of 3 months ago when i last checked the ONLY oil available in my local area or the surrounding 100 mile radius. Is the BMW Long Life LL 01 from the dealer. None of the ather approve oils are available.

Now with that said there are other full synthetic oils that state they out perform any other oils and many people on thes forums have tried thema and posted the test results. Yes the test results show that they did out perform theoirginal and ohter oils taken and tested from MINI's but those are special order oils and not sold ni retail stores and run a very hefty price tag.

Now go check out the local auto parts store to see if they have any oil that meets the AECA A3 standard as required by BMW/MINI. it is doubtfull you will find one.

 

This meets AECA A3.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...l_1_0W-40.aspx

 

Actually, if you check the MINI manual, they recommend only OEM MINI oil, and only recommend other approved oils be used to "top-off" your OEM MINI oil. However, these are not requirements, they are recommendations.

MINI requires full synthetic oil of the proper weight and API service grade, currently "SM".

 

This legitimate question will indeed spawn a wide range of responses! From an engine wear point of view, it probably no longer really matters what brand of synthetic you put in your engine, as long as you stick to reasonable oil change intervals (5-7.5K miles). However, it might make sense to run the dealer's Castrol 5W30 in your car until the warranty period is over, just for peace of mind in case of warranty issues. You can get this oil at either Mini or BMW dealers, and it's relatively cheap compared to other full synthetics. I've recently decided to go this route with our '09 Clubman S, even though I swear by Redline 5W40 and use it in our other BMWs, including our recently deceased (but out of warranty) 2002 MCS. No problems with startup even in cold Rochester winters, and a little more engine protection with the 40W.
Good luck with your Clubman,
Ian
'09 Clubman S
'01 BMW 325xiT
'76 BMW M2

 

Okay, if I'm going to merely top off with the Castrol then, I have the following question... how do you read that dipstick? Number 1: it does not look like that shown in the manual and Number 2: after pulling, wiping, dipping and pulling the thing out again, there seems to be a coating of oil over the entire caramel colored tip of the stick. The old flat oil dipsticks on my 4 other cars are easy enough to read... can somebody hold my hand on this one? :-)

 

Valvoline Synthetic 5W30 is one of the 'allowed' oils in the US. I am going to use that. If you go to the Mini Owners lounge, you will find this oil type, and some others, but for the Northeast where I live, I need the 5W 30.

See this thread. Its a good one for the entire oil change process for a newer mini.


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-pictures.html

 

Thanks for the heads up, your comment led me to find this PDF:

http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/SynPower.pdf

This has a table on the second page that clarifies the approvals as they relate to the MINI requirements and the Valvoline products. We have two BMWs and I have used the BMW brand oil in them before but wasn't really happy with the look of the stuff after 7500 miles No telling how bad it would be at 15,000. So far in the BMWs, the euro formula Mobil 0-40W has appeared to hold up the best. However, I never sent any in for testing.

 

Castrol Syntec 0W-30 ("European Formula" aka German Castrol) meets LL-01 and is available at Pep Boys.