R56 Oil On Sale
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Sarasota, FL
[
OK, that's all I know/believe about oil and like I titled it - it's likely more than you ever wanted to know!
Mark[/quote]
Mark, that is an outstanding post. You may be a banker but you know your machines and what keeps them runnin'.
OK, that's all I know/believe about oil and like I titled it - it's likely more than you ever wanted to know!
Mark[/quote]
Mark, that is an outstanding post. You may be a banker but you know your machines and what keeps them runnin'.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
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From: Paradise
That is the best thing to do.
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5th Gear
Joined: May 2007
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From: Coopersburg (really), PA
It depends. If you use an $80 bottle of Tequila to make Margueritas, do what Robin says. If not, get whatever's on sale that is the equivalent of what's in your crankcase now, which in the case of an R56 is Castrol Syntec 5w30. The only difference between that and MINI branded oil is the container it comes in.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
Likes: 5
From: Paradise
It depends. If you use an $80 bottle of Tequila to make Margueritas, do what Robin says. If not, get whatever's on sale that is the equivalent of what's in your crankcase now, which in the case of an R56 is Castrol Syntec 5w30. The only difference between that and MINI branded oil is the container it comes in.
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
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We've been over this many times. The SYNTEC 5W-30 you buy at a store in the USA is not the same as the MINI branded version. They have different ratings and different viscosities at operating temps. The MINI branded meets ACEA A3/B3. The store-bought stuff doesn't. I don't know what you pay for SYNTEC, but I pay $5.40 per qt. for the MINI brand. That is not equivalent to $80 Tequila, and less than I would pay for an inferior quality of Mobil 1.
It depends. If you use an $80 bottle of Tequila to make Margueritas, do what Robin says. If not, get whatever's on sale that is the equivalent of what's in your crankcase now, which in the case of an R56 is Castrol Syntec 5w30. The only difference between that and MINI branded oil is the container it comes in.
I love my Mobil 1 Margarita's & so goes me MINI.
kraigster414 Geez, I am totally confused from reading all this. My question is simple..... all I want to know is what oil do I use to top off between scheduled oil changes? I have a 2005 MCS automatic?
Last edited by Crashton; Jan 6, 2008 at 09:10 AM.
Autozone has A3 B3 Castrol!
I found 5W40 that has all the specs
I've read all of the posts herein and done a significant amount of web surfing and have verified most of the info that has been shared here. Finding the 5W-30 weight that also meets the ACEA A3/B3 specifications is not possible at my local auto parts outlets. I like to change my oil and filter every 5K miles regardless of synthetic oil or not...seems like cheap insurance. I went to my local MINI dealer and the factory fill oil was $5.75/qt. and the genuine filter was $12. So after about $43 (including 7.75% sales tax) I had all that is required for a oil change using genuine parts and lubricant. For those of us who do our own maintenance this doesn't seem like an excessive cost for the piece of mind that you are using the same stuff the MINI dealer charges about $120 for with labor.
Last edited by JPMM; May 20, 2012 at 03:12 PM.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Paradise
+ 1
I love my Mobil 1 Margarita's & so goes me MINI.
My answer which is of course wrong to some, would be to use Mobile 1 full synthetic 5w30 or 5w30 Castrol Syntec. I'm at 33,500 miles & have used Mobil 1 with no problems. As you have seen others have differing opinions.
I love my Mobil 1 Margarita's & so goes me MINI.
My answer which is of course wrong to some, would be to use Mobile 1 full synthetic 5w30 or 5w30 Castrol Syntec. I'm at 33,500 miles & have used Mobil 1 with no problems. As you have seen others have differing opinions.
A1 is a rating for fuel economy. A3 is for high performance. A5 is a compromise between performance and economy and has a lower viscosity than A3 at operating temps. Mobil 1 5W-30 is only rated A1. It doesn't even get an A5 rating. MINI branded oil is A3.
If you used Mobil 1 0W-40 you would be on spec.
0W-40 has the BMW Longlife-01 rating. 5W-30 does not. 0W-40 is also recommeded for Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and VW.
5W-30 is recommeded for GM, Ford, and Chrysler.
You can compare the specs of Mobil 1 5W30 and 0W-40 on Mobil.com.
Thanks for the info Robin. My oil doesn't stay in the crankcase more that 5,000 miles. That's hardly a long life for synthetic oil. My SA told me that Mobile 1 5w30 synthetic was fine to use. As far as fuel mileage goes at 28 mpg I don't think my Mobile 1 5w30 is helping much in that department. I'm not worried about using it, but I'm guessing at the next oil change I'll be filling with Mobile 1 0w40.
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5th Gear
Joined: May 2007
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From: Coopersburg (really), PA
We've been over this many times. The SYNTEC 5W-30 you buy at a store in the USA is not the same as the MINI branded version. They have different ratings and different viscosities at operating temps. The MINI branded meets ACEA A3/B3. The store-bought stuff doesn't. I don't know what you pay for SYNTEC, but I pay $5.40 per qt. for the MINI brand. That is not equivalent to $80 Tequila, and less than I would pay for an inferior quality of Mobil 1.
Now you're coming up with stuff about A3/B3. Did you actually read this on the container of the oil you bought? I sincerely doubt that MINI has specially made oil and that the only likely difference is the container, and the oil is exactly the same.
Even if it is A3 rated, changing your oil at reasonable intervals will more than override any advantage that the A3 spec will.
If it's not too much trouble, could you please post a pic of the oil you use showing the ACEA specs? I'd be surprised if it doesn't show A1 and A5 in the small print. Since Castrol doesn't make am A3 spec oil in 5w30... They do in 0w30 or 5w40 or 10w40 but not 5w30.
Last edited by jascooper; Jan 7, 2008 at 02:03 PM.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
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From: Paradise
The last I remember was earlier in the thread where you thought your oil was made in Germany and was devastated to find out that it was US made, not 'true' synthetic oil, just like the Castrol Syntec I got at a discount.
Now you're coming up with stuff about A3/B3. Did you actually read this on the container of the oil you bought? I sincerely doubt that MINI has specially made oil and that the only likely difference is the container, and the oil is exactly the same.
Even if it is A3 rated, changing your oil at reasonable intervals will more than override any advantage that the A3 spec will.
If it's not too much trouble, could you please post a pic of the oil you use showing the ACEA specs? I'd be surprised if it doesn't show A1 and A5 in the small print. Since Castrol doesn't make am A3 spec oil in 5w30... They do in 0w30 or 5w40 or 10w40 but not 5w30.
Now you're coming up with stuff about A3/B3. Did you actually read this on the container of the oil you bought? I sincerely doubt that MINI has specially made oil and that the only likely difference is the container, and the oil is exactly the same.
Even if it is A3 rated, changing your oil at reasonable intervals will more than override any advantage that the A3 spec will.
If it's not too much trouble, could you please post a pic of the oil you use showing the ACEA specs? I'd be surprised if it doesn't show A1 and A5 in the small print. Since Castrol doesn't make am A3 spec oil in 5w30... They do in 0w30 or 5w40 or 10w40 but not 5w30.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...8&postcount=63
I was not "devastated" by the knowledge that the MINI branded oil was "Made in the USA with foreign and domestic components." I was a little surprised because the MINI oil seemed to what others were describing as the "Made in Germany" SYNTEC. I don't really care where it is made, as long as it is the correct stuff for the MCS.
Here are some photos I posted in the other thread. Note the A3 spec.
An oil cannot be A3 and A5 because they have different viscosities at operating temp. This means it is a different oil than the 5W-30 SYNTEC you bought. The there is more to the ACEA A3 spec than the life of the oil. It is also a high performance rating. Where it differs from A5 is in the Viscosity
at high temp. & high shear rate. A5 is lower than A3. So, changing the oil more frequently wont make up the difference.
A1 is an fuel economy rating. It is not a high performance rating. If your oil is only A1 rated, it really isn't up to what the MINI MCS needs. If it has A5 it is getting closer, but is thinner at operating temps than what MINI spec'ed.
BTW, this is probably the same oil you can get at a BMW dealer, but the BMW version has a BMW label, rather than a MINI label. Reports indicate that the BMW version may cost a little more, but that seems to vary from dealer to dealer.
at high temp. & high shear rate. A5 is lower than A3. So, changing the oil more frequently wont make up the difference.
A1 is an fuel economy rating. It is not a high performance rating. If your oil is only A1 rated, it really isn't up to what the MINI MCS needs. If it has A5 it is getting closer, but is thinner at operating temps than what MINI spec'ed.
BTW, this is probably the same oil you can get at a BMW dealer, but the BMW version has a BMW label, rather than a MINI label. Reports indicate that the BMW version may cost a little more, but that seems to vary from dealer to dealer.
3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 186
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From: Michigan
That was a different Castrol product, jpmm. Castrol Syntec 0-W30 made in Germany is A3 rated. Castrol Syntec 5-W30 is not, and that is the issue which continues to sow confusion.
In brief:
The Castrol brand (owned by BP) makes a lot of different products under their own brands (such as Syntec) or with OEM branding, using varying base stocks and additives, globally. The brand doesn't matter. The specification does.
In brief:
The Castrol brand (owned by BP) makes a lot of different products under their own brands (such as Syntec) or with OEM branding, using varying base stocks and additives, globally. The brand doesn't matter. The specification does.
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2006
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I posted this somewhere, maybe this thread. If you go to Castrol's web site, go to technical advisor and type in a question about use of Castrol with BMW's you will get a reply that says that is not the correct oil for BMWs and that could void your warranty. It says that they make a special formulation for BMW and recommends that. I didn't buy Mini oil, I went to the much closer BMW dealer (not a mini dealer) and bought their 5W30, it has basically the same back as the one Robin posted.
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