I see that!

I think that would be a good idea. That way people could get some basic answers without starting a new thread.

 

If I was going to get anything, this would be it:
http://www.castrol.com/castrol/produ...tentId=7027054

CASTROL EDGE SPORT 0W-40

Product Features
Highest refined ingredients and additives
Works in extreme conditions
Improves thermal control (cooler running)

Product Benefits
Maximises protection in high performance engines
Easy to start in all weather
Protects the engine against wear at high speed, providing peace of mind

Technical Specifications
ACEA A3/B3/B4/C3
API SM/CF
BMW Longlife-04
Daimler Chrysler MB 229.31
Porsche

 

Page 96 of the owners manual

 

Yep - good stuff. Don't know if we can get the "Edge" oils here in the U.S., though. (Perhaps it's marketed under a different name here?)

 

well, it was $91 on eBay for two 4L jugs.

 

Good stuff yes, but is a 0W, i thought it would be better to stick to 5W.

Why would Mobil 1 full synthetic not be good for the MINI, when Porsche recommends it in their cars?

 

Mobil 1 is a "Base III" oil, which is not a "true" sythetic. Most of the oil over in Europe are PAO (Poly-Alpha-Olefin) oils, or Esters. These generally hold up better than Base III oils and are better suited for longer life.

 

So I need to change every 10K miles then? For me it is easier to keep track that way than to look at the OBC, and once the OBC says is time to change, I can always take it to the dealer for the free oil change.

I have a toyota corolla that uses regular oil and i change it every 5K miles.

 

Don't forget that the *quantity* of oil is important as well. To use the Porsche Boxster as an example, the recommended oil is Mobil 1, and the recommended interval is 15,000 miles, but the Boxster also takes TEN quarts of oil for an oil change. In fact, 9-11 quarts is a fairly-typical quantity for Porsches, and has been for several decades (although some of the air-cooled 911 models take up to 14 quarts!). To use another example, my old Mercedes took 8-9 quarts for an oil change.

When you have that much oil, you're going to be able to go longer before it breaks down, all else being equal.

 

OK, now this is getting even more confusing. I guess I'll settle for a list of oils that I can use.

 

Bingo!

 

What's your basis for this? There is no documented evidence to support this other than conjecture and SWAGs.

 

http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/Pu...deOverview.asp

http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/Pu...Sales_FAQs.asp

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html

 

The "true" synthetic debate aside, the reason not to use Mobil 1 is that it only meets ACEA A1 standards. It does not even meet A5. A1 is for fuel economy. A5 is both economy and for high performance engines. The MINI branded Castrol meets A3 standards, which is also high performance but is a higher viscosity at temp than A5.

So, we are assuming that is best to use an A3 oil in our MINIs.

The other issue with Mobil 1 is that it is not rated for 15,000 miles. You will easily find that rating on Mobil 1 Extended (A1/A5, not A3), but not on Mobil 1. They are a little cagey about the Mobil 1 life rating and usually don't say anything, but somewhere I saw 5,000 miles.

 

Yeah, sorry for getting off on a tangent, but Like Robin said, a A3/B3 oil is the best choice for the mini because of it's requirements of long-life and use of a high performance engine. Using a A3/B3 oil means that the oil is less likely to cause sludge or varnish build-up, it can withstand hotter running engines and passing through the bearings of the turbo, it has the ability to stay within spec for extended drain intervals without breaking down.

This is the definition from the ACEA about A3/B3 oils.

For further reading: http://www.acea.be/images/uploads/pu..._LD_and_HD.pdf

 

OK, so the MINI needs A3 spec because of high performance and because It will last 15K miles, but if I use it for 10K miles, would it be OK to use either Mobil 1 or Mobil 1 Extended?

Porsche engines should be high performance and I think they also use Mobil 1. For how many miles before the oil change, that I don't know.

 

None of these say Mobil 1 is group 3. They could be making it out of pimple grease for all I know, but that's just it, there's no proof mobil 1 is group 3.

 

I wouldn't use Mobil 1. What part of this did you not understand?:
The Porsche is an entirely different engine than the MCS. It was designed differently, uses a different qty. of oil, and in many cases is not turbocharged. Where did you find the Porsche recommendation for Mobil 1. I found one for 1998-2001, but Mobil 1 isn't what it used to be. Does Porsche recommend it in 2007?

I found this while Googling Porsche oil requirements:
"Although having been more sensitive to emissions and the environment than American standards, we find the European ACEA A3 and B3/B4 classifications, which place a cap on P levels at 0.10-0.12%, to be better in taking into consideration wear and engine longevity while limiting emissions and protecting emissions control devices. ACEA A3 sequences require higher high-temperature high-shear (HTHS) viscosities, stay in grade sheer stability, and tighter limits on evaporative loss, high temperature oxidation, and piston varnish. This makes oils meeting these ACEA standards that much better for your Porsche, especially since wear limits are much more stringent for valve train wear, 1/6th to 1/4th the wear allowed in the sequences for API's newest SM or CJ-4 standards."

Mobil 1 doesn't meet A3 or B3/B4 standards.

Edit: Also, A3 is not a 15k mile rating. That is a separate rating. If you are going 10K it would not be OK to use Mobil 1. Mobil 1 Extended would meet the 10k requirement, but it does not meet A3. So, if you care about engine wear...

 

Well, the factory-fill on all Porsche models is Mobil 1 (regular, not extended life) 0W-40, which meets the A3 specs and the BMW LL01 specs. Interestingly, it appears to be the *only* variety of "normal" Mobil 1 that meets these requirements.

Except for their "high mileage" 10W-30 (not the "Extended Performance"), I couldn't find any other Mobil 1 oils that even meet the A3 spec.

It's strange - Mobil 1 has exactly *one* flavour of oil that meets the Mercedes spec (229.5), is on the Porsche approval list, meets the BMW LL specs, as well as VW and GM LL specs, and is also an A3 oil.

But when you hear that Mobil 1 is "recommended by Porsche", I think you should mentally translate that to "Mobil 1 ** 0W-40 ** is recommended by Porsche - it doesn't appear that any of the other Mobil 1 oils meet the same specs.

EDIT - I found the Porsche "Approved Oils" list here, and there are about a half-dozen approved Mobil oils, but they're all 0W-40, 5W-40, or 5W-50 weights. I don't know if it's because not all weights are available worldwide, but the only one from the list that I could find on Mobil 1's website is the 0W-40.

 

I happened to be poking around at Amsoil's web again, and unlike many of their competitors, they have service life listed as well as base stocks used.

Amsoil's XL series oils are Group III. Unlike their PAO (Group IV) oils, the XLs have relatively short service life: 7500 miles/6 months.

Does this mean that PAO's are inherently better? I don't know. I don't care. In my own car, I will find and use ACEA A3 5w30. I mentioned earlier in this thread (or, perhaps another) that I do not have any antipathy for Group III mineral stocks, myself, even if I am appalled that in the U.S. the words "Full Synthetic" can be legally used to market them.

 

It would appear from this thread that the if you don't want to drive to the dealer to get Mini Branded Castrol the next best thing would be to get the Valvoline Synthetic meeting the A3 spec. On the product info sheet you can download it is an OEM approved oil for BMW.

One question I have, the preponderance of folks in this thread seem to be MCS owners. Obviously the turbo puts more demands on the oil than the normal MC. I have a normal MC and have changed oil using the US branded Castrol Syntech A1/A5 spec. I change at 5000 mile intervals. Would that be acceptable?

 

I learned that one too

Way back I had the transmission serviced on my mustang
by precision tune. I don't know what grade they put in.
I figure the not good kind. They also put in almost
3 quarts extra.

A couple months later I was having the transmission rebuilt, $1300.
And that wasn't that many miles it was my second car.

 

List of preferable MINI Oils based on A3/B3 requirement specs:

Castrol

Make sure it says “Made in Germany” on the back of the bottle.

http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...syntec_usa.pdf

The 0w-30 is also a thicker oil, closer to a 40 weight than a 30 weight.

Mobil 1

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

Valvoline

http://www.valvoline.com/products/Synpower.pdf


Other information regarding BMW oil and preferred oils

http://bimmer.tribe.net/thread/cf7e7...a-d7c8ab637182

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/oil.html

I think the moral of this story is you can run any oil that you want and change your oil when ever you want. It all depends on how picky you are with your oil. Just know that you will get the best benefit of engine protection and longevity from BMW/MINI approved oils that meet the A3/B3 and BMW Long-Life 01/04 specifications.

 

Got a quart in front of me. BMW 5W-30. "High Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil". No word about forbidding sales outside the USA. Does indicate it's made in the USA, with foreign and domestic components. Meets API SL/CF and ACEA A3/B3. Nothing about BMW LL-01 though...

As you've noted, I'll have the dealer perform their "free" change with the 5W-30. Then I'll change mid-way with Castrol 0W-30, (GC flavor only!).

 

Mobil 1 0W-40 does meet ACEA A3/B3 AND BMW LL-01. But I prefer the German Castrol 0W-30 over the Mobil 1. A tad higher shear rating. Both are fine oils. I don't take the GC 0W-30 beyond 7,500 miles, nor push the Mobil 1 0W-40 beyond 5-6000K.