Since I've got an idle moment here I'll spout off on what I've learned from the many oil change threads I've been so lucky to have read over the last couple years to save you searching the forum:
1. When you get the car it'll say 15k til service. That gets longer, usually stretches out to 20k+ until the first time they reset it.
2. Most of us have the car a year before the indicator goes off. The dealer won't reset it. Then we get the service done again when it goes off.
3. After they reset the thing the first time it takes about 8k until it goes off again. Why there's such a difference between the first and second services I have no idea.
4. Several people have had their oil analyzed for trace metals and viscosity to estimate how long synthetic oil holds up in the Mini. My take is that it lasts at least 8,000 miles. So if you are changing it every 3k you're doing something you don't need to do. There's no "breakin" oilchange needed either, someone had theirs analyzed right off the bat and no funny metals showed up. Mini gets all that nasty stuff out of there before they send the car out.
5. I think if you had yours changed at 8k or one year whatever came first and then did it using the indicator you'd be fine under your 36k/3year service warranty.
6. I don't really want to start one of those "I always change mine at 3k and I've never had an engine fail on me in 40 years" threads. This is just my informed opinion after reading a lot of oil change threads regarding this car. Do whatever you feel compelled to do.

 

MINI-Fred has about 3300 miles (so far) and will be getting on a boat for the US sometime mid-late April. Am wondering as it will essentially be sitting for the better part of 30 days about a precautionary oil change?

 

The MINI is the first car I have ever own that lets you know when it is time to have the car serviced, oil changed, etc. However, I was rather surprised that the oil changes are so infrequent.

Besides cutting down the expense for MINI since they are paying for it, does it do any harm to the car in the long run or is it better to have it changed initially at 1,000 - 1,200 miles and then every 5,000 miles?

Besides the oil, any need to have any other service performed more frequently then when the computer indicates?

 

Ohh boy, here we go again.


And no I do not follow the maintenance "schedule". When it comes to oil at least.

 

Huh?

So if you do not follow it, can an elaborate on what you do differently?

 

it's not free in canada, so these long intervals have no impact on service centres here. i'm still deciding what to do with mine.

 

What is there to elaborate about? I change oil when I feel like it not when the computer tells me to. I don't feel like waiting ~20k miles for my first oil change. I know shortly someone will come in here and say that following factory schedule is all fine and dandy and nothing will be wrong with the car, but hey I want to change my oil more often than every 20k miles...

Breaks I'll change when the pads wear out, that one is pretty self explanatory. the only reason I would change them before is if was going to upgrade to a big brake kit.

 

...but I'm on the Mayan calendar, so...

 

I'd recommend a 1200 mile post break in oil change. I've read on threads here that based on oil analysis about 7500 is the maximum oil change interval I'd put on my car. Personally, I do 5000 or 6 months. It is also based on time, miles or not to exceed one year.

 

So no maintenance after 2012 then?

 

I plan on trading in the car as soon as it's off maintenance, so I'm sticking with it. If you plan to keep it, many folks don't like the oil tests that come back when sticking to the schedule, so make your own decision. If I change plans and keep the car I would probably change it more often.

 

Do a search for "oil change interval" and you'll find the topic has been discussed many times.

I strongly agree that following the Mini's oil change schedule is not in the best interest of the longevity of the engine.

 

Which Oil do you all use?
Is Mobil synthetic 5W-30 ok?

I know mini has their own oil and they say that if using Mobil 0W-30 should be used, but I want to get people's opinions

 

I couldn't stand it any longer and I changed my oil after 9000 miles. It was dirty as was the filter. I went to the dealer with 11+ K miles on my engine and was told that I had another 9K to go before I needed a oil change and service. So technically I would have driven 20K miles before the first oil change. I don't think so! The service manager told me he changes his oil every 7000 miles. I think that is a reasonable amount of miles with the synthetic oils. Now I haven't checked my air filter, so that is next. Changing oil on the Mini is the easiest engine I've ever changed oil on. Good Luck!

 

I just got my mini and I was wondering the same thing... but I'm leaning toward sticking to the computer. The thing that throws me off is the 1k mile difference for front and rear brake pad changes... I think it would make more sense to have them replaced at the same time.

 

I use Royal Purple 5W-30. It has a large following for all the reasons they say. Their claims of power/longevity have been tested by third parties confirming the claims. It's good stuff!

I'm sure other top tier synthetics won't hurt either.

 

If it's a brand new car it's in your best interest to change the oil before the service milage indicator tells you to. Heck, even do it two times! I replaced my oil/filter at 500 and 3000 miles. I plan to do it again at 6000, and then do it every 6000-7000 after that.

Babying your MINI is never a bad thing. You paid a lot for it!

 

Make sure that he understands its one year max regardless of miles.

 

The front an rears wear at different rates, currently both of ours are almost needing a front brake job Shawn says 7000 miles and Tristan 2900, but I'd be surprised if either lasted another 1000. The rears say 22000 and 15000 and that sounds about right.

The brake job is not just the pads, they also replace the rotors when they get too thin. The pads are replaced whenever they get down to 3mm, or the light comes on, the rotors are replaced when they get down to the min thickness stamped on them. (20.4mm for the front and 9.8mm for the rears for mine.)

 

Changing your oil more than the service indicator says is just a big waste of money, but to each their own. People love to crow about how important changing oil is to keep engines running longer but with modern synthetics its complete BS. I've been around enough modern turbo charged cars to have seen many many with regular 10K+ oil changes up well over 200K. If you have the money, time, and desire go for it, but realize the only thing your having any effect on is your piece of mind, its not going to really make a difference to the engine.

 

One thing many don't realize is that there is no secific mile range for service, just an average. You vehicle computer may say service is needed earlier. The computer analyzes the oil so when it is ready, it will tell you. It isn't that you hit "x" amount of miles and the light pops on. You driving style can and will affect when service is due. At least with every other vehicle that has this feature that I have owned.

Also, the 3000 mile oil change is a thing the oil manufactures stress to get you to buy more oil. I did 7500 miles with regular oil on every vehicle I have ever owned back to the 1970's. I go 12000-15000 miles on vehicles with 100% synthetic oil. Yes, your oil and filter will look dirty. It will look like that right after you put fresh oil in it.

 

The MINI doesn't actually do any analysis of the oil in the car - you could replace it all with Crisco cooking oil and the car's computer wouldn't know the difference. The computer determines the service interval based on driving speed, temperature, number of starts, and a whole host of other sensor data. Some people may agree with the OBC estimate, others may not. After having many third-party analyses done on both the MINI oil and another brand of oil, I know that I'm personally not going to go 22,000 miles between oil changes like my OBC is telling me to.

 

I will have my MINI a year next week ( already!!) and will have the oil changed for the second time coming up here. I changed the oil for the first time at 6500 miles (6 months) and paid for the service. This next one at around 12,000 (within the month or so) will be free.

Its just peace of mind for me. I know they say you can go 12-15k miles, but......I dunno. Can't bring myself to do it.

 

Changed mine at 1k and every 5k since. 19 times so far.

 

Have to respectfully disagree with you. While the machine may not take a sample of the oil and analyze it like under a microscope, the sensors can determine the viscosity and thermal protection of the oil by the temperatures and rate/speed of rise with the oil. That is how it analyzes the oil. The computer can tell when the oil is breaking down. Kind of how the miles left to fill the gas tank work. It may say you have 300 miles to go till filling but we all know that can change with different driving habits.