my dealer told me that my mini will tell me when it is time for service. this strikes me as very odd, and raises some questions:

1) how does the car know when it needs service?
2) how come it varies?
3) what kind of signal will it give when it's time? i assume a dash display of some sort?

i've got this itch to at least change the oil to flush out the break-in metal shavings ...

 

It's all in the manual. If you itch, scratch. But it won't be free.

 

Go ahead do it, just like Im doing, it is making me happy and secure. ( oil and filter change)

 

The onboard computer does some sort of calculation. I'd be curious to know what it is actually based on. Driving style seems to play a role. Lots of highway driving will cause it to extend the mileage. Mine has gone from 15,000 to 16,000.

A BMW owner tells me that BMW uses an oil viscosity sensor. I'd like to know whether that is true for the MINI.

See above.

When you first start the MINI the service interval will be displayed on the digital readout on the tach. I assume it will give you an alert when it comes due.

Lots of discussion on that topic. I changed mine at about 2,500 miles. However, I made a mistake with the oil. I used Mobil 1 when I should have used Mobil 1 Extended, or MINI branded Castrol from the dealer. Turns out the MINI branded oil is fairly inexpensive for synthetic.

There has also been some discussion of the 5-30 weight rating. Seems that MINI uses the European 5-30 rating. It has been said on this forum that the USE 5-30 is actually thinner. Another reason to use MINI oil.

 

OK - I'm not saying this to bash you, but if you don't know this then one or more of the following happened:

a) your dealer attempted to win the crappy dealer service award at delivery, cuz they should have explained this - and more - fully

b) you were so excited you missed everything they told you

c) you did not yet read your owner's manual.

I had an 02, but assume the new are the same. When you turn on the ignition the odo' display will first show the miles to next service.

It varies because the computers in the car monitor how you drive, and the ambient conditions and may adjust the service interval. It 'starts' at 12,000 miles and can go up or down. Note that MINI says bring it in at 12 months anyway, even if the computer has not said you are due yet. pre-paid service is when the computer says or 12 months.. {curiously my service came up first at 12 months.....they do not reset the counter and a month later I got another oil change cuz the computer said so. That makes sense to someone}

Change oil early - well you know how to use the web, and both in MINIdom and auto-world in general this is a hot topic. Read the right sites and you can find the company reports from "quick oil change" companies that call new extended wear oils the greatest threat their business has ever seen....and people who sent their oil to labs every 1000 miles and saw no significant changes for 10,000 miles or more. But you can't hurt anything by changing oil early .... nothing other than the environment by contributing to the waste oil disposal problem. Note that some oils - when they get hot, or "baked", change color...this does not mean they are dirty or burned. (ditto coolants). The question you ask is: does a modern hi-tech engine throw metal shavings???? Search here and find plenty of threads.

I had an 02, ran it 65,000 on computer recommended intervals. My son now has the car. It gets better MPG now than it did when 6 mo old, and uses no oil.

Once past pre-paid service I did my own....per the computer (btw, the filter on an 02 is a real PIA to change imho) .. Always used Mobil Full Synthetic

 

good input, here. thanks for your good humors in dealing with a newb.

i can't recall the last time i read a service manual of any kind, other than chapters dealing with specific maintenance on my bikes.

i've decided to put my trust in the pencil-necks at BMW. i'm hoping those smart folks know whereof they speak, and that my mini will tell me when she needs to be tended to.

thx again.

 

I f you want your car to go for the long run, change your oil at least every 6000 miles. If you are keeping the car for three or four years then go with the manufacturer's recommendations, i.e., the scheduled maintenance. 15-18K miles is an awful long time between oil changes.

 

Welcome to the collective! I'll add two things (mostly opinion) then I'll go away.

1) Never trust the Pencil-Necks at the dealership. I was a pencil-neck at dealerships for some time (12 years) and made lot's of money off guys that didn't do their homework. (I'm reformed ).

2) a common phrase on boards like this: RTFM! "Read The !@#$%^ing Manual".

All here said in good fun, this is a great group of people with a lot of knowledge to share.

Also, if I didn't make my point in item 1, there is no "viscosity sensor". You've been Pwned. Do a search and read up.

 

Some roaches just won't be killed.