Simple question i know. I have 4500 on my MCS. When should I first change my oil? I've heard there may be filings from the transmission early on in the car's life, so it's more for that than any observed performance issue. Thanks.

 

Well if you wanna do it by yourself you can do it anytime you want to, like right now. I'll be doing mine as soon as it hits 1200 miles.

If you go by the computer, well it will tell you when to take it to the dealer.

Oh and you might have just opened up a whole can of worms here

 

I'm just under you (~4200) and plan to have it changed within the next couple of weeks (~1000 miles). I wanted to do it sooner, but I just don't have the time. So I'll have my dealer do it and drop the $75 for the process.

I'm an old(er) car guy, and dumping break-in oil is still habitual. It's taken a lot to not go all OCD on this car, but I'm trying to trust the engineers on this one. I'm doing it for peace of mind more than anything.

 

I changed my engine oil at 1,200 miles after following the owners manual to the letter for engine break in. I'm not sure why you are concerned about the transmission oil and wear metal. The oil in the transmission is "life time" oil according to MINI, and you will see a sticker on the tranny stating that.

You will need a 27mm socket to pull the cap off the oil filter and an inch lb tourqe wrench to torque it back to 25NM. You will also need an 8mm hex to remove the drain plug from the oil pan. The oil pan drain plug is the dumbest design I've ever seen! The plug is installed vertically so when you start to loosen it, the oil comes out all over the hex bit and extension you are using to remove the plug. Make sure you are using a fully synthetic oil or you'll void your warranty.

 

Thanks for the replies thus far.

One point of clarification: according to MINI, the service indicator will alert when I should have my oil changed, as opposed to a milestone of miles or months. Is that right? If so, then waiting this long can't be that bad.

 

The car's computer will predict when you should have your oil changed, based on your driving conditions, but it is *not* doing any actual analysis on the oil itself, so it's just a matter of whether or not you trust the algorithm used to predict oil life.

My MINI regularly recommends oil change intervals in excess of 20-22k miles based on my driving.

 

It's not that bad. Some folks go by the computer and only change the oil once per year.
I changed my wifes oil at 1350 and now I will let the computer tell me when to change it again.
She does easy freeway driving every day. Not stop and go.

Pat

 

mine says to do first change at 15,000 kms (roughly 9000 miles) its about 100 miles to the first oil change.
ive already gone through 2 different tires due to accidents on the street involving sewer lid (i live in mexico)

 

I'm going with what my MINI/computer says...

Although, I believe she's cheating.

A month ago it said I should get one at 16,000. At 15,900, its now saying 17,000.


It is interesting though...can't wait until 16,900 to see what happens then..

 

It won't happen right at 16,900 - the computer is pretty much constantly extending the service interval. I find that if I go for a 200-mile drive, the "miles till service" counter will only decrease by 125-150 miles.

Basically, when the computer is reset, it starts off with a 15,000 mile service interval, but unless almost all of your driving is in stop-and-go traffic, it'll actually be much longer before it'll tell you that you're due for service.

I don't know if the OBC starts really stretching out the intervals until after your first service, though. My first service actually came due early at 12,500 miles, but the next two intervals were 21k and 22k miles, even though in both cases the OBC started off with a 15,000-mile countdown.

 

I first changed the oil at about 1,500 miles. It had a lot of metal powder in it. So, glad I did it. Changed it again after about 5,200 miles. Oil analysis from Blackstone Labs indicated that about 8,000 miles would be a good interval. I do mostly highway driving on country roads at 50-60 mph.

The computer in my 2007 MCS says I have 9,000 miles to go for the first oil change and service. However, it also says to have it done in 03/2009, two years after it was made. I have very little faith in what the computer says. I suspect that the interval was determine by the marketing department, not the engineers.

Dealer did an oil change at the one year mark.

 

I did mine at 1200, then again at 4000 and 7000. From there I'm trying to go about 5000 per change. Its cheap insurance.

 

Did ours at 1800, then 5000 and will again at 8000 miles. Cheap insurance indeed. Have you ever seen a camshaft or bearings that suffered from leaving the oil in too long? It is pretty nasty...

 

This is about what I did too and agree it is cheap insurance.

 

Stupid question here . . . Where can I get instructions for Do-It-Yourself maintenance on my MINI? I've always had my leased vehicles done at Quick Lubes. How can I learn to do oil and filter changes? What are the best products to use?

Thanks!

 

I usually have the oil changed when the computer specifies it (has ranged from 15k to 22k miles) and have had the oil analyzed each time. The analysis has always come back in within acceptable limits on all contaminants. I would suggest that a 7500 mile interval should be adequate insurance assuming you are using the specified synthetic.

 

You are right, the on-board computer will let you know when to change your oil. As some have said, when compared to engine work, oil is cheap. Additionally, the oil time change is based on an algorithm in the software. The harder you drive the car, the more frequent the oil changes will be. I disagree with one comment suggesting the marketing department decided when to change the oil; that suggestion is silly. Remember the price of 5 liters of Castrol Syntec is over $100.00 in Euope, (German delivery in Jul 07 for our MINI) but it's only $25.00 at your local Wal-Mart.

Several years ago, Consumer Reports (CR) did tests on motor oil after Mobile 1 hit the market claiming you could run their oil for 25K miles. CR engineers did tests and the bottom line of their tests concluded you can't run oil that long even if it is synthetic because the byprouducts of the combustion process still manage to find their way into the oil and break it down. I will not let my oil exceed 10K miles; I don't care what the computer says. Again, when you consider the cost, oil is inexpensive.

 

But tell that to the dino-oil habitutals who waste perfectly good synthetic oil by changing it out at 3-5K intervals. Hey dino-heads unless y're tracking or auto-xing yr cars you can go 7500-10K w/o any problems using the full synthetic spec.

 

BMW/MINI have a long service interval when they are paying. Go back to the before years--when you paid all the maintenance--and BMW showed a much shorter interval for its cars. The bottom line is that the interval is stretched so that the car will last through the warranty period at the least cost of maintenance for MINI. Past that, it's called "added dealer profit" when they fix your car. Change the oil at 1,000 miles from purchase and then 5,000 miles after that. I bought two oil filters when I got my new 2009 MCS.

 

My first change was about 2K miles. I also bought a case of BMW oil and 2 filters when I got the car (for under $100). Not exactly cheap based on what other car oil changes cost, but it won't break the bank either! I regularly get $21 oil change coupons from the Ford dealer for my F150! I plan to change the oil in the mini at ~7500 intervals from now on, or one year, whichever come first. The one year changes will be done free by the dealer. I seem to be driving about 7500 miles per year, so I may not need to do it myself again for a quite while!

 

You can get filters and MINI branded 5W-30 Synthetic oil that meets the strict European ACEA A3/B3 specs at your MINI dealer. I paid $5.40 per qt. at MINI of Mountain View (CA). That is the best price I could find for an A3 synthetic. Most synthetics from USA auto supply stores are not 5W-30, don't meet ACEA A3 (ACEA A1/A5 is not as good), or are more expensive. There is no Mobil 1 5W-30 that meets A3.

There are other sources of filters online. Some are more expensive, and some less than what the dealers charge. Best price for the factory filter I've seen posted on NAM is $9.00.

You will need a 27mm or 1-1/16" socket, an extension, and socket wrench for the filter.

On an S you need to move the coolant overflow tank for better access to the filter. You don't need to disconnect hoses, just undo one screw, and move it to the side a little. It takes an 8mm wrench.

The oil drainage plug is on the bottom of the oil pan. Don't confuse it with the transmission drain. Photos in the thread below will help. There is some variation on the plugs. Some take a T50 torx bit, others take an 8mm hex key (allen wrench). I think the later models take the 8mm hex.

There are inexpensive plastic drain pans available at automotive stores that are a container with an opening in the side. So, you open that and lay it under the car. This eliminates having to pour oil from a large pan into bottles.

Tips:
1. Open the oil filler port on top of the engine before removing the filter or opening the drain plug. You just want to allow air to enter to replace the oil while draining.
2. Loosen the filter just so the air seal is broken. Then leave it in place to drain. This will minimize oil spillage when removing the filter. Good to have a catch-pan under the filter when you remove it. You may have very little spilled, but just in case...
3. Wear rubber gloves when removing the drain plug.

Here is a link to a thread with instructions, photos, and extensive discussion: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...with-pics.html

 

I changed mine at 2,915 miles. I did not change the filter. I used Genuine Mini Oil I got from my dealer.
It was easy to change the oil. I just drove the front wheels onto two by eight boards and it was high enough to reach under and undo the 8mm allen drain plug.
The oil I drained out was very clean and a very powerful magnet found no metal particals at all in the used oil.
I did not change the filter because it should be good until I have the first dealer change.
I do not think the oil really needed to be changed at this milage but it does give me piece of mind to know it has nice fresh new oil and no crap was in the old oil. I guess the filter did a very good job of collecting anything if it was there.
I will probably change it again when I get back from Denver Co. in August.
Ronnie948

 

Its so difficult to tell the difference between advances in technology and conspiracy theories isn't it.

 

Not really...a lot of people are always certain it's a conspiracy!

 

Thanks for all the great info!