Ok, so I know its a small car, and I have seen pictures of the engine compartment, and everything looks pretty well crammed in there. How hard is it to work on the thing. Where is the oil filter and will I be able to get it off fairly easily, or is it like a Honda, all stuck in there and hiding so that you have to be a contorsionist to get it off?

 

Not real sure about the oil filter... but one thing very cool about this car is...
The entire front bumper etc. can be taken off the car to easily access the engine! I love that! If you want to read up more on this go to the MINIusa web site. Look under the features lists.... I think it's in that area.
Hope this helps.
SW

 

Wow, that is actually pretty handy since I do all my own car maintince, but I really gotta know where that stupid filter is. I simply refuse to take a car to the dealer to get the oil changed.

 

The coopers are only scheduled for an oil change every 15,000 miles and are included when you purchase the car. This was at MINI Peabody in MA.

 

That may be, but I would still probably do the changes myself, and a little more frequently than that. It is a pretty long drive to the nearest Mini-dealer right now, but they are building one closer, it just might be a while before they get done.

 

Another thing..... I've read that the MINI uses synthetic oil as standard.
This is I'm sure why MINI says every 15K. Also I think the service interval is determined by the type of driving done.
My self..... I still like to change mine every 3K.
SW

 

I tend to agree with you, I am really leary about going that long on the same oil, even though they say it's alright. I would definatly use nothing except Synthetic oil, especially in a brand new car. I highly recommend Mobil 1.

 

Mini's do use synthetic oil, like all new BMW's & Porsche's. You may be waisting your money changing the oil every 3k due to the synthetic oil. It really will last much longer. Happy motoring.

 

I think the book stated every 10,000 miles. . . but what the hey! I wonder what they do at the Brazilian factory? Do they test each engine? Once the test is complete is the engine purged and serviced again? I've worked on turbofan jet engines for over thirty years. They all use synthetic oil. I've never worked one that required the engine oil be changed at specific intervals; and I've seen some that lasted over 600 flight hours. . . now that's alot of motoring!