I see you are changing your oil every 3K miles. Do you do lots of hard driving? Have you done a used oil analysis to see how the oil is holding up? I was thinking of going 5K between oil changes but I do lots of stop-and-go type driving plus I like to drive hard whenever possible. I might drop my oil change interval to 3K as well. I finally located some German Castrol at my local Autozone and plan to use this oil at my next oil change.

 

^ Do they have the 5W-30?

 

Yes they have it, but I don't think it meets the MINI/BMW requirements. Only the 0W-30 does. Also, only the 0W-30 grade is made in Germany, the other grades are made in the USA. My understanding is that most people are crazy about the German made Castrol.

 

IIRC, in the USA, the only 5W-30 Castrol that meets ACEA A3/B3 is the MINI branded, and BMW branded Castrol 5W-30. This was specially blended for BMW by Castrol. If you want to buy other brands, typically you have to use 0W-30, or 0W-40. Just makes sure they meet ACEA A3 if you want to use the grade and quality the engine was designed for.

 

Valvoline's full synthetic MaxLife meets the A3/B3. It is the only one I found other than the MINI / BMW oil. It also cost as much or more than the MINI branded oil.

I am running it in my Subaru Outback though.

 

I change every 3K for piece of mind.No I have not sent any used oil for analysis although some owners have from longer intervals and posted results in this forum.I have the AT but almost always use the paddles to shift(two previous were manuals) for more power control and engine braking.Having gone through two sets of tires and one set of brakes at 25K in 5 months I would say yes I do lots of hard driving.All said I haven't had ANY problems(knock knock) with my Cooper.My plan is to pull the motor at 50k for a breakdown analysis and engine swap. At under $50 a change It's worth it to me.Until it's proven that changing oil too frequently can damage an engine it's every 3K!

 

I'm rapidly approaching the magical 1200 mile-mark. I've decided to go with Castrol Syntec 0W-30 (European Formula). I just bought 5 quarts from Auto Zone, along with various tools to help complete the job. Looks like I'll be changing the oil this Saturday or Sunday. I'll probably go with every 5,000 after the first oil change. This oil is pretty good and rated for much more than 5K. Plus, I don't drive it all that "hard".

 

I use Mobil 1 0w-40 European Formula in my wifes Audi TT and am planning on using the same oil in my Clubman S. I follow the book on the TT for intervals (10,000 mi.), haven't had any problems with it. I'm planning on changing the Clubmans every 7,500 mi.

 

Is there any difference using the 0W-30 or 0W-40 as opposed to 5W-30? I am in Southern California.

Thanks

 

FWIW German Castrol 0W30 is quite viscous for SAE 30 and M1 0W40 is very thin for SAE 40. So their viscosities are really quite similar.

Unless the ambient temperature is -20 F, from the engine's point of view, there isn't much difference between 0W and 5W.

 

How about 110F ambient temperatures. Is there a difference between 0w30, 0w40 and 5w-30?

 

nope.

That ambient temperature is nothing compared to the temperature you oil sees. The low temp number is important for cold start.

 

so basically 0W is better than 5W for low temperature engine starting then?

 

Depends what is meant by "better". All other things being equal, a 0W oil should be thinner than the 5W oil for cold engine start at ambient air temperatures in Death Valley or Alaska. But is the difference in viscosity between 0W and 5W going to make much of a difference in cold start engine wear for you in Corona CA? IMHO it's going to be negligible. At 212 F (100 C), around engine operating temps, the 0W30 might be slightly thinner than the 5W30 which may translate into slightly better MPG, but IMHO, the wear protection would be about the same.

Here is an interesting little tidbit someone showed me from the specs. M1 0W40 is more viscous than GC 0W30 at 100 C; we expect that. But at -20 C the M1 is actually slightly thinner than the GC. Go figure.

 

Where are you finding M1 0-40?

All I see in these parts is 5-30?

 

What I mean by better, is that not only does it do basically the same as the 5w-30, but it can use in colder areas, not that it matters to me, because it doesn't really snow where I am.

 

Wolfgang80 - Mobil1 0w40 is sold at many auto stores, and at WalMart, at least the Walmarts here on Long Island. It's about a dollar more per quart than the Mobil1 5w30.

 

OK, from what I understand, it is OK to use Castrol 0W-30 or Mobil 1 0W-40 for my MCS, then?

 

I've never done an oil change myself, nor do I know much about different oils and so forth. Why would one not just use the Mini Synthetic oil that is available at dealers? It seems to be cheaper than the oils that meet the same A3/B3 requirements at stores like AutoZone right? I live in NJ and was wondering if there was any benefit from using these 0w-30/40 oils.

 

That is exactly what I am doing. The MINI oil is about $6.50 from my dealer. The Valvoline 5W30 that I found that meets A3/B3 after starting this thread was more than that at the local auto parts store. I then went and bought enough MINI oil to do three oil changes. The Valvoline is a MaxLife product that is designed for vehicles over 75,000 miles. I am now running that in my Subaru Outback that has 130,000 miles on it.

Also, if you are going to do your first oil change be sure the dealer gave you the correct filter. They gave me the R53 filter for my R56. I am 5 hours from my dealer. This can create a problem. MiniMania has a pretty good deal on OEM filters for R56. They also have a low profile socket for the oil filter cap.

 

From reading this thread, it seems to be that unless you're concerned about really cold starts or the 'Cold Start Chatter', there's no reason to not use the MINI 5w-30 oil if it is available to you. BTW, is it possible to buy the MINI branded oil online?

 

That's a good idea. I know that Morristown Mini in NJ offers online discounts for accessories. Might check them for the oil. Check MiniMania as well. I have enough oil currently for two more changes, but some shopping will be in order after that supply is gone. The shipping is what might get you on the oil.

 

Morristown Mini does not have oil available for sale online. Neither does MiniMania (at least not the MINI OEM oil).

 

For some, it is a matter of convenience. My dealer is about 100 miles away, but so far, I've planned far enough ahead that I bought oil when I was there for other reasons.

BMW dealers sell a BMW branded 5W-30 synthetic oil. I would be very surprised if it was different than the MINI branded oil. However, some BMW dealers charge higher prices for it. Seems to vary from place to place.

 

Off topic, on the track I see 280-290 degree oil temperatures, on the street, usually around 210-220 .