I've read about some changing oil at 5K miles and others waiting for the car to tell them to do so.
In regards to the latter, I've read that the first oil change displayed on the speedo is calculated based on driving habits. My question is: What is the LOWEST miles till next oil change anyone has had displayed. i.e. has anyone had their Mini tell them to change the oil less than 10K miles and If so do you routinely drive your car EXTREMELY hard.




His, Chile RED over, Madness intake, Magnaflow, Helix Pulley & RDR Swaybar
Hers, Electric Blue / Union Jack on top and BONE Stock

 

I thought short hops, our trips were the motor never reaches it's full temp was as bad or worst for the life of the oil. Moisture and other contaniments not getting a change to burn off was what shortened the change interval, I thought .....

 

I had mine get serviced at 10.8k miles and while I didn't drive it hard ALL the time, I went on my own canyon runs over 20 times. To me it seems like the computer is pretty bad at assessing driving habits because if I drove like my father for example, extremely easy all the time, when would the service have been? A few hundred miles later? I believe it's a damn good thing to change your oil a lot more often than what the mini-computer says, even if it is "MINI Synthetic Oil."

 

I have 9,149 miles on my MCS and the oil change indicator says 2,325 until the scheduled oil change. That’s around 11,500 before the first oil change. Most of my driving is relatively long trips on open mountain highways in excess of 50 miles at a time. I changed the oil and rotated the tires myself at 5,000 miles and the car will be in need of a new set of tires at the next scheduled rotation at 10,000 miles. Strange you could wear out a set of tires before the first scheduled oil change. I went out this evening to check the air pressures as I had started to notice more tire squeal in turns lately, but the pressures were fine, just the thread down to just a hair above 1 mm at the wear bars. I don’t think the intervals are determined as much by how hard you drive but by the number of cold starts.

 

i think the computer thing is a scam!!
it does change by your driving habit. but how much does it change??? 2miles?? 20?? 200? 2000?
In a legal aspect, "change" means a lot!

Do not beleive the BS. do it your way and let other people talk about it!!!

 

i think the computer thing is a scam!!
it does change by your driving habit. but how much does it change??? 2miles?? 20?? 200? 2000?
In a legal aspect, "change" means a lot!

Do not beleive the BS. do it your way and let other people talk about it!!!

 

change the oil whenever you want some people have the stomach to drive their mini for over 10k with out changing the oil i couln't i change mine every 7500 with amsoil.They say their oil is good for like 20k but i cant wait that long im to ****.

but 10k on tires damn thats crazy i have 29k and i still have meat on the things i drive mostly freeway and weekend canyon runs.

 

I have 5224 on my MC, and it currently says oil service in 4000 miles.
When I got the car with 7 miles on it, it said 9800 or so, and the sum
of milage +miles to go has gradually crept down to its current 9224.
I suspect it will be due when I reach about 9000. I do drive it moderately
hard, mostly 9.5 mile jaunts to work and back, but no abusive driving.

 

Following the MINI's computer, I should cover about 11,200 miles from new until the "first" oil change. The fact that I changed the oil and filter at 3000 miles and then again at 7500 miles without resetting the "free oil change" meter means that this will be my third, albeit "first official" change of oil and filter. I use synthetic oil as per MINI's recommendation, but the factory's recommended 10000+ miles between changes is just plain stupid. IMO it lowers the amount of BMW paid scheduled maintenance while putting your engine's life at risk.

 

I waited and did my 10,000 mile service at 9200 and a bit under 1 year. I do mostly very short commutes (3 miles to work) with a couple of longer trips.

For the second service, the counter was set for 15K...

 

Order goes in for my 04 MCS in 2 days, so excited :smile:

Anyways, my $.02 on the oil change computer. On my 2002 Corvette, it
has a "% remaining" display. I do a mix of city/highway driving (8.5mi
to/from work of stop & go, some rush hour creeping), and of course
road-trips in 6th gear @ 80MPH... I drive fast/hard sometimes, but
never reckless or abusive, always drive easy on engine warm-up.

The car is calibrated for Mobil 1, which (IMHO) is on par with the
Mini syntehtic oil. I get ~ 6,500mi per oil change.
So I figure with my MCS, I'll do an "intermediate" change
between the service intervals. I agree, 10,000mi
is B.S.- unless your in a 60 degree, flat, cruise @ 60MPH scenario
(oh yeah, low dust/pollutants too)... I mean I know BMW
want's to cut costs, but geeeze?

Caio,

-Matt

 

>>
>>but 10k on tires damn thats crazy i have 29k and i still have meat on the things i drive mostly freeway and weekend canyon runs.
>>

What I find crazy is people that buy a “sports car” and can keep tires on them for over 30K. Should have bought a Toyota Corolla.

 

My indicator called for the first service at around 9500 miles. I drive hard about 2% of the time, if that. Mostly a mix of city commuting and highway cruising, with occasional quick bursts of acceleration.

It seems like most people have had the indicators call for their first service at less than 10,000 miles. Maybe that's why all new cars are now set at 10,500 for the first service, and all cars going in for the first service are being set for a 15,500 mile interval for the second service.

 

I just change at 5000 mile intervals, regardless of the computer.

5K is a nice round # interval - easy to keep track of.

I enjoy fussing over this car, & the oil change is just another opportunity to do so.

A crankcase full of clean synthetic, a tank full of 93 octane, 35psi in the tires, a clean windshield, & miles of twisty asphalt in front of me - what could be better?

 

I think one of the most important oil/filter changes is the first one. As the engine "wears-in", I have to believe that some particulates are deposited in the oil. Thus, it makes sense to do an oil/filter change after the break-in period has ended to remove these particulates.

My preference is to do a first change at an interval that is 1.5 times the engine break-in period. With a 1250 mile break-in, that would put my first oil/filter change at the 1875 to 2000 mile mark. I'll be doing a second change 3000 miles later. Thereafter, the oil/filter will be changed at 5000 intervals.

Excessive? Maybe. Piece of mind? You bet!

YMMV,

Theo

 

I just called to schedule my first change. I only made it to 8475 miles before it needed the first change. Mortiz Mini should be coming to get my MC sometime this week to change it.