It looks like the dipstick indicates that I am at half level I guess new cars do burn quite some oil Does this mean that I have to add exactly two and a half quarts of oil to make it full? I have owned the car for six months now, and the onboard computer claims that I still have 12000 miles until the next service The car currently has 11000 miles... I don't have the time or the trust to let someone other than the dealer change the oil, so it's not getting changed until it says so (or 12 months pass)...

Anyhow, where can I find the Castrol 5w30? Maybe wal-mart, or autozone?

 

With the oil level on the dipstick in the middle of the 2 metal rings, you are half a quart low. The manual indicates a 1 quart difference between those metal rings. So at the lower mark on the dipstick, the car still has approximately 3.4 quarts or more left.

The dipstick reading of "half" does not indicate that half of the 4.4 quarts is missing.

I found Castrol Syntec 5w30 at the local Autozone or Kragens.

 

Ok so I'm not in too bad of shape then... thanks for the clarification! I will grab some Castrol tomorrow morning.

 

Wait, is there a typo in there??? My OBC says that I have 13,000 miles left and I only have 2,600 on it. I know the oil MINI uses is extended life but I can't imagine running on it for a total of 23,000 miles

 

Yep not bad at all!

 

(13,000 + 2,600) that would only be 15,600...
either way, that is still alot.
Walmart is the cheapest for 5w30, $19.95 for a 5qt jug.

 

MSteadman was talking about the first post in the thread. The OP says that his car has 11,000 miles on it, and that the OBC is telling him he has 12,000 more miles to go before an oil change is due.

If he's had the oil changed recently, those numbers would make sense, but if he's on the factory oil, that would mean that his first oil change isn't "due" until 23,000 miles, according to the OBC.

 

Note - I believe we're to use synthetic oils spec'd to ACEA A3/B3 & LL-01. USA Syntec 5W-30 is not spec'd for this.

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/gener...tentId=6006933

Hence, I've used German Castrol 0W-30 and Mobil 1 0W-40 in both my MINI and 330i. They meet that spec requirement. Both can be obtained at your local Autozone.

Good oil info here:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...s.php?ubb=cfrm

 

The Castrol 5W-30 sold by the BMW dealership indicates it is ACEA A3/B3, but no mention of the BMW LL-01 on the bottle. I've read that the Euro blend of Castrol 5W-30 meets the dual spec requirement, the US flavor doesn't. Go figure.

Any rate, I'm not in the camp which takes my oil to full term. I do make out of interval changes. No way am I pushing oil to 12-15K miles. 7,500 max. Generally around 6K. (but that's another thread). Sorry, not trying to jack the thread.

best wishes,

-Jav

 

I wondered the same and since there is a sticker on the engine that has the Mini USA toll free number on it for any questions...they said the Castrol Syntec available in the US is just fine.

 

0W-30 Syntec IS available in the US, and does meet the specs. But it's made in Germany. (if you choose that, make sure it says made in Germany on the bottle). Though our cars say Castrol on the fill cap, it's ok to put Mobil 1 (0W-40) or any oil that meets the ACEA A3/B3 & BMW LL-01 spec's.

Do what you gotta do. Change that oil. But as I mentioned, I'm not in the camp to take that oil to full term. I change it halfway through. Your call. Many on this site will say it's nonsense, and a waste to change the oil before term. I say fine. Whatever gives you peace of mind. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Live long and prosper. Enjoy that MINI and Motor on!

 

Im definitely not going to wait the entire 15k miles before an oil change... i mean the oil may be fine, but for the sake of the filter!

also, i buy my oil at walmart, i found them to have castrol for the cheapest in the 5 gal containers.

 

For my purpose (just adding half a quart until the first oil change), the US spec Castrol should be just fine.

There was no typo in my original post... the computer apparently wants me to wait until April of 2009 or another 12000 miles. That is absolutely not right. I'm not sure why, I don't really understand how that's measured... I usually give 'er hell when I drive, so not sure how it gets those numbers.

In any case, it's getting changed after 12 months, or when the OBC says so in order for it to be covered by the maintenance program.

 

That 2009 is a glitch in the software, I believe. You should probably take it in for a software update. I picked mine up in May and have the same problem. Also, voice recognition isn't working. So, it is scheduled for a software update in Dec.

 

I can already hear them on the phone, telling me not to bring it in until the OBC says so or the one-year mark hits. I guess it won't hurt to call... I have some other things that I need them to look at.

How's the color of the synthetic oil supposed to look? Mine was rather dark, didn't look very good at all.

 

I'm glad to have read this -- my previous cars haven't had extended drain intervals, so I've been in the habit of not ever checking the oil, as I'd drive 5000 miles in 3 months and need an oil change anyway.

 

At 12k on mine it still says sometime in '09 or 11k from now for the first oil change. I've already changed the oil once, might do it again before the OBC says it's due.

Some free service these dealerships give out, huh? One free oil change during the first 36k miles.

 

We're in the same boat.

 

Any of those places will have your oil....spend some time on here looking at the oil change threads.....there are conflicting recommendations...but I've seen some tear downs on the wet with 10-12k oil changes that were a mess....oil changes of 15k miles is under ideal conditions. Main issue is air and fuel quality along with your normal driving conditions....just like your lungs....smoke and dirt don't do that little 1600cc hummer any good. Of course driving traffic every day with lots of stop/go sh-t....runs the temps up and can cause early breakdown of your lubes.....I change it every 3K miles...just like our ML500 which has a 10 qt crankcase.....keep it clean to keep it mean

 

First, the oil level:
My 07 MCSm has been approximately at the 1/2 mark since the day I took delivery. Yours probably has been, too. I check it at every gas fill. It has gone down almost imperceptibly since day one, and the odometer is approaching 13,700 miles. It does not need more oil. The most important concern, as I understand it, is not to OVERfill the oil.

Second, the service interval:
The need for an oil change is determined by Conditions Based Service. My drives are almost never less than 7 miles. I rev the engine above 3000 RPM only occasionally, and I've never approached redline on the tach. This means the engine always warms up and gets rid of contaminants and seldom works very hard, so the CBS says I have 10,000 miles left before service. You probably have similar driving conditions.

The service manager says to bring my car in for service at 15,000, regardless of what the CBS says. Apparently this oil is rated for 15,000 miles. I say okay. You know the car and its needs better than I do.

Don't panic. You're good.

 

Come on...let your mini breath and stretch it's legs...have some fun!

 

Naffets, I have had nothing but fun with this li'l gal -- a lot of it in your state Could you move a few of those mountains to Iowa

 

6 months and you only checked the oil now??

 

I don't know about the MINI's engine, but some engines need to be rev'd on occasion to keep from building up carbon in the combustion chamber. Not sure whether that applies to modern direct injected engines, though.

 

My dad used to say he had to take the '56 Buick out once in a while to "blow the cobs out," but with the MINI's computer-controlled mixture, ignition timing, and valve timing, I don't think it's an issue.

Nevertheless, Molly does get to stride long and breathe deeply. It's just not an every-takeoff kind of thing. 75 mph is 3000 rpm. She likes that. She also likes 110. We haven't seen 139, but I think she'd like that, too. I wish we had a safe, legal place to grant her this wish