thanks for the info

 

+1.
Works every time, like a charm.

Paper towel trick is only necessary on new oil, as older oil picks up a black shade and is easy to spot on the OEM dipstick.

This is not to discourage anyone from buying aftermarket dipsticks - vendors need all possible sources of cash flow to stay in business !

a

 

I'm not use to do it that way but more and more I'm being reminded that it is good to drive for a few miles to get the oil to operating temperature then let the engine cool for 5 minutes before checking the oil. so you get a better reading as the oil will probably expend a little.
. . . But it's not necessarily practical with the dipstick situation we're discussing here, I'd agree.

btw, driving a few miles before checking you oil is what the manual says as well.

 

The stock dip stick on my 07 MCS is exactly like Convicor's. There is no good way to read it. As my dealer told me when I took delivery, the dipstick is really for them to read. That said, you can press the dipstick against a white wipe and then extrapolate the reading from the wipe to the dipstick trying to factor out the oil on the shaft part of dipstick which also shows up. After years of screwing around and a new timing chain, I finally spent the $72 for a Cravenspeed dip stick--I hated to spend the $$ but think it's the "only game in town." It's much better than the stock dipstick but still not a "snap" to read.

 

You know I would believe that Mini purposely designed the stock dip stick to be difficult to read thinking most would just give up doing it themselves and bring it into the Mini dealer for frequent visits. How else you a manufacturer come up with such a horribly designed dip stick, this is my first car to have a lousy design. My Toyota's, Honda's, Chevy truck, and Datsun's had the easy to read blade type dip stick which easily showed where it was wet with oil.

 

Ok I have to add... Got my mini as a lease trade in and the dealer changed the oil. Every method I use the oil is above the top bulb actually on the metal so I'm sure it's overfilled.
Whit I did is file down the bottom bulb and drilled holes in the plastic to read better.
One thing I know she will never see the dealer again I'm doing it all myself!

 

It's possible that the poorly designed dipstick was intentional...the idea has merit. After all the MINI concept is all about return trips to the dealer for service.

May I also add, because of this post I've learned that there was a dipstick design change between 2007 and 2008...and MINI still didn't get it right!

 

Seasidenj,
What year is your MINI?

 

My mini is a 2010 lease trade in with only 2600 miles the dealer changed the oil and brake fluid when I bought the car

 

I have an 07 Justa that has a dipstick like the OP's.

It is very hard to read under some lighting situations, e.g. under fluorescent lights at night at a gas station.

I have found this useful:

Best way: check the oil when it's cold in daylight at home. This way the oil in the tube holding the dipstick has had a chance to drain. And pulling up the stick once to look is now accurate because no remnant oil in the tube can get on it and mask what the true level is. Also, cold oil is thicker and won't drain down the stick and give you an artificially low reading. If your oil is dirty (i.e., not freshly changed), it will be easy to read.

Additional tip with the type of stick that I and the OP have: pull out the stick and immediately hold it horizontally (keep a finger on the pointy bottom end or balance it somehow on the top of the tube so that the stick isn't waving around in the air). After 5 seconds, the oil will gravitate towards the bottom half of the now-horizontal stick. Now, rotate the stick 90 degrees towards you and you will clearly see the level of the oil. The "coils" of the stick will keep the oil from spreading, which is the only use I can think of for putting coils on a stick.

I like the white paper towel trick but if you don't have one handy, the horizontal-5-second-wait-then-turn-stick-90-degrees trick works very well.

----

I check my oil after every gas fillup or sometimes 2 if it's inconvenient at the time.

I do this because my 07 Justa with its tiny engine burns more oil than any car I've ever had, and that includes some powerful sports cars. I regularly need to put 1/2 a quart/litre of oil into the Justa per gas fillup or 2.

Further and critically, I do this because, from my reading of this forum, there are SEVERE consequences of running low on oil.

 

And the car doesn't warn you when it's low on oil either. Never quite understood that. My 2007 didn't burn any oil for about 5 years, then it would burn a qt/1000 miles or so.

 

i understand CS is quality, but its too much

http://www.gruvenparts.com/billet-di...nd-audi-tt-a3/

they should use a braided stainless line, like this, instead of that spring coil floppy thing, you get the same thing (Looks better, IMO) for less money

 

Anyone who can afford the maintenance of a MCS can afford a Craven dip stick $43 vs $75 isn't that much of a difference for something that's proven itself for years. Simple you save up a little more $$$.

 

I'm sorry but $75 is ridiculous, craven is lucky no other companies have bothered to make a dipstick for less. The profit they must be pulling in on those. Don't get me wrong they have awesome, quality, products and I understand oil level is very important, but it's a dipstick.

 

It's $75, if you think that's rediculous then I'm sorry, you bought the wrong car.

$75 barely buys you a dinner for two at a nice restaurant anymore. If you wanna talk about overpriced, go look at any aftermarket "CAI" for virtually any car.

 

Cai is a bit more "product" than a stick with a plastic handle. I bought the right car your just willing to pay too much for a dipstick.

 

$75 is way too much, for not a lot. The OEM dip stick is easily readable, if you know what you are doing.

Dave

 

exactly.

 

a 40% increase in price is a big jump percentage wise.

theyre making those for $5

 

What he said. If you cannot manage to read a dipstick go see an optometrist lol.

 

Who told you the handle was made from plastic? It's not, it's made from CNC 7075 T6 aluminum and then red powder coated. It's what I expect from quality products from Craven, I can find many other things ridiculous about a MCS as far as how much something costs and the Craven dip stick isn't one of those things IMO.

That's 2 full tanks of gas = a Craven dipstick.

 

It's not about not being able to read the stock dipstick, it's about what you must do to obtain an accurate reading. The Craven is so much easier to read and you won't get a false reading like some have had.

 

Sorry id rather learn to read a the dipstick accurately than spend $75 on a CNC powder coated red handled dipstick. At least I wouldn't have to admit I spent $75 on a dipstick..

 

I have no regret buying the Craven dipstick let a lone care what other people think about it, my brother gave me a hard time and couldn't believe I spent $75 for an upgraded dipstick. I told him that I could careless what he thought, but then I made the remark about him drilling into his garage floor (concrete) to install a fake Harley Davidson parking meter in his garage let alone his fake Harley Davidson gas pump even though they have absolutely no practical use other than eye candy.

He didn't say much after that.

 

Craven sells a lot of dipsticks. I marvel at the fact some folks can't mange to read a simple dipstick. To the folks who paid the money for one I know you don't care, but it is funny as all get out. Thank you for the chuckle.