So I checked my engine oil a few days ago and it was proper dark and about half full (the mileage 9200ish, mind you I got the car with 8800mi - it was sold as new for the cash for clunkers but had been used by one of those MINI executives for a few months, the deal gave me a phenomenal price with some nice upgrades included).
I'm peeved b/c isn't the dealer supposed to change the engine oil prior to selling it?!?! I realize I should have checked it prior to driving it home that day (near the end of August) but still...

http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/x...c/IMG_0832.jpg

I gave my MA a ring the other day and inquired and he said repeatedly that I don't have a scheduled oil change/service until 15000 miles. I explained to him it should have been done on the day prior to pick up. And once again he repeated about the scheduled 15000 or 1 year service.
Opinions??

 

He's right, you or they don't have to change the oil until the OBC tells you it's time and that's usually about 15,000 miles. You can pay to have it changed or do it on your own like most of us here have done way before the 15,000 mile mark but "officially" it doesn't have to be changed until then...

Oh, and If I were you I would get the oil changed. You don't know how this guy was driving the car before you. First thing I always did when I bought a used car was change the oil.

 

+1

 

The MINI maintenance schedule for oil change is when the OBC countdown odometer says you need a service (can be anywhere between 15,000 and 25,000 miles) or one year--whichever comes first. I suspect your year will be up before the mileage.

The annual oil change is little more than just an oil change. The OBC service includes other things like brake fluid flush, and fresh air filter.

Many of us think that running a car 15,000+ miles on break-in oil is insane, and suspect the accountants have over-ruled the engineers on this one. I changed my own oil and filter at around 1,600 miles. I did a second oil change at around 6,000 miles and sent a sample off to Blackstone Labs for analysis. The results indicated that and interval of 8,000 miles between oil changes would be good for my driving style (mostly country roads).

If you do it yourself, see the DIY threads here with tips and photos. Be sure to use a synthetic oil that meets BMW LL-01 spec, or ACEA A3. I think Castrol Syntech 0W-30 European Formula would be a good choice. Your dealer has a MINI branded 5W-30 that was formulated for BMW by Castrol. At my dealer it was only $5.40 per qt. which made it the least expensive LL-01 oil I could find. OEM filters should cost anywhere from $10-15. The MINI is pretty easy because the oil filter is accessible from the top.

 

Oil changes are cheap. Do it about every 8k miles like Robin said.

 

Oil may last that long but.........THE OIL FILTERS DO NOT !

Never heard of ANY oil filter which would effectively last more than 6K miles......my 3 cents.

 

Two items that nobody has said...

1. You can't tell anything about oil by looking at its color.
2. Half full on the dipstick means that it is within normal range. There is nothing wrong with that.

As for the filter, well, I disagree. The OEM filter is rated to last the 15+ of the oil or the long range on oil would be pointless. We Americans get crazy with oil changes but that is only because it is cheap here. In Germany a liter of oil is about 35 USD and an oil change would cost you about 200 USD outside of a dealer. Heck my BMW change was 210 Euro and I supplied the oil! Because of this, many Europeans demand that their cars go as long as they can before requiring an oil change thus the extended times. I know many people there that follow BMW guidelines and services and put their cars at a much higher cruising speed than we do. They have had no issues.... Now, if you track the above does not apply. You guys have to change more often due to the driving style.

 

1. is complete BS. You can definitely tell what shape or how old the oil is in by looking at the dipstick.

2. Is personal preference. I like to have mine a little more to the top. That's just me, but I figure having more is better than having less.

 

I'm having mine changed at the Dealer every 6mo., I pay for one and the Dealer pays for the other. I'll get one more Freebie (04/10) out of the Dealer before my 3yr/36,000mi. Free Maintenance is up.

 

No, you can't.

edit: Talking about color here. Consistency is a different story.

 

I think this has changed with synthetics. Beyond telling whether it is brand new oil, used awhile, or turned to tar,I don't think you can get much specific info out of it.

With only 4.5 qts in the system, this is (from what I've read) a bit more important.

Best to keep it topped up, I think. Dealers are often over-filling them with 5 qts. Since many of the (mine included) use dispensing machines that are easy to control to a precise amount, this has to be intentional. There was something on MotoringFile.com awhile back about the R56 engine having some oiling problems (might have been related to the cold start issue). There is some speculation that the over-fill might be a quiet way to try and mitigate oiling problems.

 

I believe that's what he meant. I certainly factor in how my oil looks(along with a smell test) in all my cars as to it's condition regardless if it's before the recommended change period. For example I checked the dipstick in my mothers '96 Volvo 960 today and it came up with chocolate mousse. This was after changing it two weeks ago with no signs of coolant contamination. Still no complaints after 260k and I had planned to overhaul it anyway.

 

Sorry, but you are dead wrong. This might have been the case with Dino oil, but not with synthetics. Color means nothing and most oils will turn dark or black after a few runs. I am talking about color, not consistancy or contamination. Just because it is dark does not mean that it needs to be changed. Also, the amount of oil that the car has is irrelevant. As long ad the pressure is good you won't have a problem. My point about the location o the oil on the dipstick was only that it was in normal range. You can top off if you choose or wait a little longer.

 

Again, I would disagree. I can easily tell the shape of the oil in both of my commercial mowers running on Mobil 1 by looking at the oil. My walk behind, has no hour meter, so I have nothing to go by but the color of the oil. You can definitely tell what shape it is in by estimating how long it has been in there by crosschecking the color. I have noticed that it goes through many different shades as time wears on. This may not be apparant to the average automobile owner, who might check their dipstick once a week or every two weeks, but when you continously check a dipstick day after day, sometimes 2 - 3 times a day, you will notice.

 

Yes, synthetic oil changes color, and one can see the color change. The question is, can these color changes be relied upon to determine the actual condition of the oil. One would have to send samples off to a lab multiple times to test whether the color indicator is reliable. This is one for the Mythbusters.

 

Wow, do you check your oil 2 or 3 times a day?!

 

The average automobile owner usually doesn't check unless they know it's losing oil. Otherwise most will check no more than a few times a year, often never at all and just leave it for scheduled maintenance.

 

Then we agree to disagree.

 

Exactly. But the point is it will turn different shades based on usage.

 

I'm pretty sure there was a huge thread on this a while back where someone sent oil out of testing that was "black" only to be told it was fine for another 5000. My oil is already black and it was just changed, by your logic I need to have it done again?

 

http://www.todaysoil.com/laymens/dipstick.htm

Read away my friend... This is an Amsoil site but there are other sites out there with the same info. (It should be noted that the link is to an Amsoil vendor rather than the corporate site. I have noticed that the same post is made on most of the vendor sites with the same wording).


Mobil1....

https://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English...e_Changed.aspx

and one more... Scroll down until you see "Dark Oil Myth".

http://www.nordicgroup.us/oil.htm#Oi...ge%20Intervals

 

This one is interesting. In the paragraph above the "Dark Oil Myth" see the "The 3000 Mile Fact" (it follows "The 3000 Mile Myth"). The part I found interesting was:

Sounds a lot like the timing chain tensioner problem in the MINI (AKA, cold start rattle). Perhaps MINI needs to read that paragraph.

 

LOL, that could be the issue!

 

I like #8. Do not let a quick-lube place change or add any fluids other than oil. No transmission fluid, no brake fluid, no power steering fluid, no antifreeze, no oil additives, no fuel additives. It is just too easy for them to use the wrong fluid and cause permanent damage to your vehicle.
So true, had a quick-lube place (shall remain unnamed) that changed my transmission oil on my Jeep. Two weeks later it failed and cost me $2k to replace seals, valve body, and other parts that were damaged due to improper trans oil being used. My extended warranty covered half and I paid the rest, couldn't really prove it was their fault but I know it was because they didn't carry the correct fluid. Word to the wise!

 

My Ford Probe 24V V6 engine (Mazda MX6 & 626 V6), very very finicky HLA oil passages, I heard many of those engines with HORRIBLE sounding engines due to collapsed HLA lifters. I started putting Mobile 1 in at 12k miles, changed it every 5-7 k miles, drove the car extremely HARD, and when I sold the car at 179,000 miles the engine sounded as good as new, idled silent, no HLA lifter noise at all. Never replaced a single thing on that engine.

And now the actual point of my story is the oil would turn dark black after only a few hundred miles. So to the OP, I don't think you need to worry about your engine. And also, I have to sing the praises of synthetic oil.