Today I checked my brake fluid level and it is below the max line. I will need to top it off at some point before it gets too low. I understand the brake fluid has to be DOT4 type. Any recommendations for a specific brand other than MINI/BMW branded brake fluid? There is no MINI dealer in my town but there is a BMW dealer. They probably sell some BMW-branded brake fluid there.

 

How many miles on your car, and how many miles since your brake pads were last replaced? The level of the brake fluid in the reservoir is roughly an indication of how much the brake pads have worn since the reservoir was last topped up. Take this opportunity to inspect the brakes, and if replacement of the pads is indicated, do not top the fluid until the pads have been replaced. You may discover that you don't need any new fluid at all, and if you top up the fluid and then try to replace the pads, you may end up forcing the excess fluid out of the reservoir and onto a painted surface of your engine compartment, which is not a good idea as brake fluid is corrosive.

 

I have about 4700 miles on the car so far. The brake pads were never replaced. The service indicator is showing 9000 miles to go for the front brakes and 13,000 miles to go for the rear ones. I drive in a lot of stop-and-go type traffic so I think my brakes are wearing down faster than normal. Also, even in city traffic, I like to accelerate the car whenever I get a chance but then I have to hit the brakes quite often to slow down because of the slower-moving traffic ahead of me.

 

Just about any parts store will carry DOT 4 brake fluid. Castrol LMA meets the DOT 4 spec while it absorbs moisture very slowly. For a street car it's great. ATE Blue and Type 200 can stand even higher levels of heat that one might find on the track.