Do not. I know it's been said a million times over and all but please consider how inexpensive this can be with all things considered. I am an oil change fanatic as it is but I have never had a new car with such new oil look so dark and be so stinky. My 2010 has 3,150 miles on it. My first oil change was done at 650 miles so...this oil had approximately 2,500 miles on it. It was DARK and it was stinky (combustion). I couldn't IMAGINE going even 5K miles now per change. I will keep a 2,500-3,000 mile regimen between oil changes for the MINI.

 

"Dark and stinky"....... Dark just means it's doing it's job suspending contaminants. If you want a real picture of oil and engine health get an oil analysis done. (Can't spell analysis without the word ****). It will tell you if you have fuel in the oil and much more.

I had mine done by BlackStone in the diesel truck after 10K and 8 months - looked fine and could have went further. 10K is my limit for both the truck and the MINI.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php

I would love to see a 20K oil analysis on MINI oil - no doubt would be scary even with make-up oil that would have been most likely added.

Son was home from college 300 miles away this weekend in his 2002 Mazda. Had not planned an oil change for 2 more months (6mo. or 6K) but he racked up 5,400 miles over the Summer in the 4 months since the last change. The Mazda's manual recommends 6K, and with the car only holding 3.5 qrts that sounds about right. It was down half way on the dipstick. So we changed it out with the Mobil 1 oil filter and 0W/30 Mobil 1 - very good oil for MPG.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...l_Economy.aspx

 

The first few thousand miles are not the same as the engine gets older it should create cleaner oil. (past breakin period)

When I started driving we changed every 2k miles and still did valve jobs on the cars. Also Mobil 1 says 25k the oil is still good, so oil has changed, machining has changed (tolerances are 100x better, literally in some cases) so, I feel the number has to be raised considering new developements.

Driving style, the area you drive and conditions should factor in. For some 5k is the limit, some lower, others are fine at 10k or even (maybe) 15k. There isn't a one size fits all formula. Someone going 20miles in bumper to bumper traffic everyday is not in the same catagory as someone going 50 miles at 55 everyday.

So, to each his own.

PS, 104K miles, oil has 1k on it, not dark, nor stinky yet. The car is whipped like a rented mule regularly.

 

Three MINIs for me. I follow the factory recommendations and have had zero problems. I trade mine in by the time the extended maintenence is ready to run out. OPf course, I don't drive my car nearly as hard as many of the other MINI drivers I've met at MINI events. Also my 4 year old Ipod is still working just fine as well as my 30 year old Magnavox TV. I try not to abuse my toys.

 

if you plan on keeping your mini past 50k miles, then, yes, change your oil more often than factory recommendation. lease and trade-in cars b4 the warranty/maintenance runs out need not apply - feel sorry for the future buyers of these mini though...

 

I did my first oil change at 500 miles, dark and filter seemed a tad dark as well. Changed it again at about 1300 as I was about to take a trip out east. I use Mobil 1 0W40, and only put in 4 quarts as that brings it about halfway on the dipstick. Returned with a little over 5100 miles and changed the oil. Dark honey coloured, and the filter looked cleaner than the initial oil change. Also for the heck of it, four quarts in and four quarts out. I guess I'm pretty happy with that, and will change it again at 10 g's, and see what it looks like then.

 

If the MINI is leased or will be sold before 50,000 miles or before the warranty expires, then don't worry about extra oil changes or maintenance. Any excessive wear and tear will be passed on to the next owner.

That being said I've had several used oil analysis done on this car and at as soon as 5,000-6,000 miles, the TAN and TBN show the oil acidity is beyond spec. There is also some fuel dilution, though not at a really bad level at that mileage. After monitoring the oil, my max OCI is 10,000 miles (sooner during break in).

 

Lots of opinions on this topic, but it never hurts to change your oil at more frequent intervals. It is cheap insurance.

 

I've been following the factory OCI until I switched to RP. No problems here thus far.