Could someone give me the MINI part number for the special light needed to read the R56 dipstick? I know they must have one, as the human eye, with conventional lighting, can't read the danged thing!!! (perhaps once the oil gets really dirty)
Please don't say it's just me...

 

I agree ,try a white cloth ,pull it out and lay it on the cloth in the palm of your hand .

 

What's the dipstick look like? (sorry just curious. I don't have a new mini)

 

Looks like a tightly wound spring all the way from the handle to the tip with a metal ring clamped at the oil level mark and a pointy tip. As the oil gets dirty its easier to see on the dipstick.

We could always add dye to the oil.

 

Pull the dipstick out and lay it on a paper towel. Roll it a little so you can see where the stain lines up with the marks on the dipstick. Use the paper towel to wipe the dipstick clean. Return it to the engine.

 

Wow - that sounds even worse than the 1st gen MINI stick - which is TERRIBLE....

 

it is.

 

Besides what Robin Cassidy said, another trick is to not try to read the stick while holding it nearly horizontal (as is normally done). After removing it, wiping it and reinserting it, pull it out just to the point where the "arrowhead" is visible at the top of the tube. Keeping the stick nearly vertical, look down it and you can see where the oil covers the rings on the stick. Once you get used to it, it's very easy.

 

What I did was take a black magic marker (permanent) and colored in the area between the low and high marks. I can read the oil a lot easier now than before.

 

I guess I am in trouble. I have 1300 miles on the car, and the oil is dark enough to make it easy to read.