OK, so I will be doing my first MINI oil change soon and wanted to know if this was a good choice for my 05 MCS with ~49k miles.

It is one of the only ones I have seen around with the BMW LL04' certification.

Any and all help will be appreciated and since I got the car used I don't know how gunk free the engine is but it looks clean if i flash a light down the oil refill spot on the cover

 

Or even better go for the 0W-40 which is the latest recommended oil for the '05 MINI and make sure to change it regularly. Most will change a couple of times a year or 5-7K miles.

 

Ok thanks for the quick reply Where were you able to find that BMW now recomends 0w40 over 5w30?

I am in south florida so it never gets under 35*f ever really - I would say average winter night temps are 45-55*F where I am. Isnt the only reason for a 0wXX for easier starts in cold? I would like to keep a really good start up wear protection since my car is on and off 3-4 times a day most work weeks

 

From the Mobil1 site.

It is BMW LL01 rated vs the BMW LL04 that the ESP is, but I see no reason to use one over the other in your case except for maybe price. The 0w would be for cold climates, but there would be no disadvantage to using it. Buy whichever is available locally for the right price.

 

Ahh sounds good, I guess my last question would be : I was always told to more or less stick with one brand/weight - does this hold true here as well? If I start using "brand X - xWxx" should I stick to that specific oil?

 

This oil does no meet the same specs as the oil a MINI needs...it is Diesel BMW's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is a totally different Spec!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just because it meets ONE BMW LL Spec does not mean it meet the spec YOUR car needs...............http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...l_1_0W-40.aspx
Mobil 1 0W-40 keeps engines starting in Arctic-extreme cold, and it cleans deposits, sludge and varnish often formed in high temperature operating conditions.

Mobil 1 0W-40 meets key industry and car builder specifications for:
− BMW Longlife 01

 

Mobil 1 0/40 w is sold at Walmart and Kargen

$ 6.75 / Quart on the West Coast.

 

Redline or Royal Purple 5W-30.
200,900 miles.
Still going strong.

Just sayin'........

Jim

 

While the oil is fine for gasoline engines, the BMW longlife spec it meets is not the spec our cars need...the longlife4 does NOT superseeded longlife spec1....it is the spec for the Oil burning BMW blue-tec 300 series car....
I am sure it is a good oil, and it likely would not hurt Mini, but the oil is not "approved" as it meets a differnt spec....
BMW specs are not like the SAE specs...they do not superseeded each other...they are TOTALLY DIFFERENT!!

 

The differance is the addative package....the ESP package has very low sulpher/zinc, and high detergents to keep the soot from diseals in suspension...while not causing dammage to the newer diesel motors emessions controls...BMW uses urea injection (on bigger motors), while relaying on a catylst system for low hp motors...
While there are not many cars like this on the US market, they are around...the BMW Diesel buring 335d in the us is one.....

 

Zippy knows his stuff. Bow down to him noobie!!!

 

Later last night I did read a few write-ups saying how most of the new oil specs and longer oil change periods were only to appease the new eco-laws for pollution and that much more engine wear occurs on the newer "green" engines

And yes, Zippy, at first I was thinking they were superseding specs (newer must be better!) but it does look like LL01 are best for our babies.

I am thinking of just getting some german Castrol or Mobil 1

I have read some good stuff tho about royal purple, yet some people have issues as it tends to be on the thinner side of what ever weight you choose... So I figured to not even go there :/

 

You may find that MINI/BMW oil MIGHT be less $$ (some places have pretty good prices on the German imported Castrol, some don't...)
Well, many folks antagonize over the choice oil oil...
My advise....simply choose an oil that meets the Spec...(the correct Mobil1, German Castrol, Or MINI/BMW oil), and change it a bit more frequently....and you can't go wrong. Royal Purple, Red Line, and Amsol all have there places in the market, and are good products....if you do oil tests (blackstone labs, etc) to ensure the additives are still adequate(or do more frequent changes), I'm sure they are fine too...but with an oil meeting the correct spec you should be fine for many miles (check your oil level regularly), But IMO oil is inexpensive enough to change more often then recommended...
Most folks on these boards seem to change them 2x as required by the on-board computer...so about 7500 miles.
Glad we could be of help!!
One tip or two...when you change your oil, be sure to get the new gasket on the oil filter cap in the right slot (if it slips to the wrong one, it will leak a ton), and when you go to remove the oil plug, try BOTH metric and SAE wrenches/sockets....use the one one that is tighter so you don't round it off!

 

Check out the spec's for each.....
Mobil 1 0W-40 meets key industry and car builder specifications for:

− Mercedes MB 229.5
− Porsche Approval List 2002
− GM-LL-A-025 (gasoline)
− ACEA A3, B3/B4

− BMW Longlife 01
− VW 502.00/505.00/503.01
− GM-LL-B-025 (diesel)
− API SM/CF

Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30 meets or exceeds the requirements of the following industry specifications:

• ACEA C2, C3
• ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4
• API SM/SL
• API CF

Even though it may not be the recommended oil by M1, it will perform as well as others. In fact there are a lot of folks that are switching to the so-called diesel oils as they may offer some additional benefits over the conventional oils.

 

Respect is a two way street guys......you get what you give so lets stay on topic and keep the information coming w/o disrespting others.

 

I've been using the Castrol Euro Spec 0w30, but might switch because I feel wrong for using a BP product

 

The Oil in my car is Amsol now (I had Pete do it to save me some time last time I was at the shop, and it is what he stocks) (yes, I know it might not be on the "list" ((AMSOL states it DOES meet BMW specs)), but with more frequent oil changes, or oil tests I am sure it will be fine, but that is a descesion that folks must make on their own)....the oil change before that I was using EURO-Edge....(I didn't see any changes from the Euro spec M1) if anything else at least the commercials are funny....but I'm sure all the company's have had mistakes or grievous errors at some point....When I was in AK (10 years ago )the anti Exxon/Mobil vibe was still strong, but just staring to weaken...the funning thing was, most folks were buying "TOTAL" gas...a French company/refiner if I remember right....

 

The MINI oil is about the same price, and since I always buy my filter from the dealer (that way they can't refuse a warranty claim for an "off brand" filter) I usually just buy it at the same time. It's not worth driving all over town to buy the oil here and the filter there.

Although.............when Costco had 6 packs of Mobil 1 on sale the other day, I stocked up! $15 for 6 quart packs! Score!

 

Zippy is the man.....an oil guru to be sure.

 

My advise....simply choose an oil that meets the Spec...(the correct Mobil1, German Castrol, Or MINI/BMW oil), and change it a bit more frequently....and you can't go wrong.

Zippy, whats the difference between German Castrol and MINI/BMW oil? I thought they were one and the same.

 

It's oil, for pete's sake. Buy the same Castrol that BMW recommends and change it (and the filter) at half the recommended interval (~10K miles), and you won't ever have an oil-reated issue. Buy it at any auto parts place for half the price that BMW sells it for.

BTW, anyone who says that a "special" brand of motor oil makes a difference in performance has an elevator that doesn't go all the way to the top floor.

 

Didn't they say that about non-synthetic vs. synthetic not long ago? And I think thats been proven to be wrong. I agree that the differences between synthetics are pretty narrow, but there ARE differences in the various formulas.....enough to give pause and consider whats best for your car.

 

From what I have heard it is the same...(WhiteRoofRadio at one point said that mini oil was different, but they all meet the spec) so I would choose between the two based upon $, convience, and avalibility. Some areas simply don't have auto stores that stock the German made Castrol, and if you are already at the dealer getting a filter, the extra 2$ to buy oil vs looking in 3 or 4 stores is not a bad way to save an hours worth of effort.

 

I actually get the synthetic BMW or MINI version (they're the same as far as I now.) at the dealer, for 6.50. I haven't ventured out and tried anything else yet-mostly because I've only changed the oil once so far!

 

www.bobistheoilguy.com