Coming from 5 BMW's never had to top of oil , but when I needed fluid top ups between scheduled maintenance , it was always covered.

After 4000 Miles I noticed the oil was about a quart low. The dipstick is not the same as in the manual and the video on line is not really clear on the high and low marks. Since over filling can cause engine damage, I was reluctant to add oil myself.

Took it to dealer and they charged me. Fee was not exorbitant but that is not the point. Seems to me that fluids needed for proper operation or maintaining the Mini should be covered by Mini .

On a plus side the dealer did take care of right away so we did not wait for long.

Any thoughts

 

Well I have to sympathize with you. If the "in between" fluids aren't covered, then the dealer should acknowledge a problem, am I right?

I have the Crapler motor, not the Pigout motor in mine, so I don't know specifically how they are, although I hear the crankcase ventilation systems tend to suck the oil. These ain't no BMWs, haha (owned two myself, years back).

 

It hadn't occurred to me to ask the dealer to top off the oil. I bought a quart of oil for my MINI, just in case, right after I bought it. I check my MINI's oil every time I fill it up. I added the quart at around 5K miles, about a month before my free annual oil change and service.

I bought another spare quart, while I was waiting for the service. It used more oil during the first year, I'm coming up on 10K miles and the dipstick still shows that it is full.

It really isn't that hard to check your own oil and practice makes perfect! The level is a little hard to see when the oil is new, but as it darkens with use, it is not hard to read.

Just lay the dipstick on a paper towel and then it is easy to see where the level is, as the oil wets the towel.

How much did they charge for them to add the quart?

Dave

 

Just because MINI is owned by BMW does not mean that you will get the same service as you did with the BMW. This is probably something you should have asked the dealer when you bought the car and not assumed that it would be the same. That being said, you could have saved a lot of cash by simply topping it off yourself.

 

My dealer tops off fluids as part of the 3 year/36k mile maintenance.

 

I was told all fluids, even the washer fluid was included.

 

I'm not aware of any mfg who, as a policy, includes the costs of routine topping off of consumables (gas, oil, washer fluids) between servicing in their "free scheduled maintenance". Some dealers probably do it as a courtesy, but you would never expect this as a matter of course.

- Mark

 

That's really strange...I went to a dealership where I had some work done with my oil pan gasket, because I was worried about my oil being low (low on the dipstick), the SA checked it himself, it seemed fine, but he was nice enough to top it off just in case, free of charge. This was in the parking lot of the dealership too. He was just being nice... I don't really see what the problem would be with topping off the fluids, its just a couple bucks, and you did after all buy the car from them. I didn't even buy the car from the dealership, it's an '03 R53, and he was still nice enough to help me out.

 

Tell you the truth, I have never filled up the washer fluid on any mini I ever owned since 2008.

 

The point I took out of the OP is that zero out of five BMWs required the oil to be topped off between scheduled changes, not necessarily about the level of service differentiating between the two. Other posters did note more accommodating dealers, however.

 

I will buy some oil to keep on hand. It is probably easier to add myself and save some money to boot. That said I still think Mini Should Cover topping up fluids that are required for maintenance .

Windshield washer fluid as an example is not needed for maintenance, but oil is.

Regarding oil dipstick, I can see where the oil is the it is not clear from the manual or the video where the exact marks are on the 2012 Dipstick. I can make good assumption but if I assume wrong and overfill, I might damage the engine.

One advantage to going to the dealer is it creates a paper trail if oil consumption increases.

Just thinking free maintenance for 3yrs /36K should include oil ( or any other fluid )needed for proper maintenance.

 

I just added 3L of washer fluid after just one week involving a 1000km road trip. You must not get much snow!


I am a little bit surprised that a small oil top up is not included but I guess each dealership is different. I just found out the usual dealership I go for service (close to a client site / adequate MINI service) will no longer offer loaners to me (because I purchased the car somewhere else - I didn't like their sales people). So much for service...

 

I never drive mine in the snow. That is what my F-350 Powerstroke is for.

 

Hey me too! I have an F350 Powerstroke 4x4 for the snow. Heck, I try not to drive my MINI in the rain! Though it got rained on today, but it wasn't raining when I left!

Dave

 

Oil is considered a consumable....just like gas!!
they will change it at servicing...
When they check it for you and add a few quarts
It is a curtoursey fill/add....(you are having work done, and ANY good mechanic will check the oil if the hood is opened) and if you ever have an oil issue, i bet the low oil level was recorded...so chances of a denial or goodwill repair likely will drop...
paying a dealer to add oil...lol.
sorry, but do you pump your own gas?! Opps...that is low too, maybe they can fill that up too!!

 

My Mini came with a spare quart of oil in the boot. I thought that was standard.

 

If you live in, or have to get gas in NJ you really don't get to pump your own gas. It's illegal. It does seem to keep a lot of immigrants employed.

Mini free maintenance does really next to nothing. and you expect them to give you free oil? Really? You want free replacemet fluids, get your oil changed at Jiffy lube. Otherwise, man up and buy a bottle of oil.

 

I guess I was spoiled by BMW, but that still leaves a poorly designed dipstick to show how much oil you need. Seems there is several threads about that. If you are responsible to keep the oil level topped off and overfilling can cause damage, then Mini should provide a way to clearly show that. Imagine you do your best and by mistake let the oil get too low or too full causing engine damage. Not many would be happy about that. I am pretty mechanical and never had trouble reading any other dipstick . I still say the photo in the manual is wrong and the video about checking your oil on line is not clear. If it is your responsibility to check your oil , then Mini needs to at least update video.

Seems to me that would not be a difficult fix. I told Mini Customer relations about that. Hopefully the video will change. Next time I visit my dealer, I will ask for clear directions as well.

 

The difference between a good dealer and an great dealer is when you stop in for the little things and they take care of you without charging.

My dealer has a proactive approach, you can stop in at anytime and they'll check and top off all fluids (ha, no gas thou), check the alignment, tires, wash inside and out if you'd like one and it's all for free. (well free as in you've paid for it when you've purchased the vehicle) It takes no more than 30 minutes top.

Yesterday I had my cigarette lighter (err...power supply) go out on me. Now, like the oil dipstick, the fuse panel has nothing that looks like a lighter. So I popped over to the dealer, talked to the SA and he went and brought a tech over. I explained what happen and the tech is like yeah, it's the fuse, let me grab one and get you back on the road. No cost, no fuss...15 minutes.

BTW, it's fuse 44 and looks like a power cord on the panel.

 

C'mon now. The Mini dipstick may not be the easiest to use, but it is something any reasonably competent individual should be able to master; you just have to pay a little more attention and have good light. To blame the dipstick for running the car low on oil is just silly.

Are we at the point where oil checking is now something beyond the abilities of average owners? If so, this is truly sad.

- Mark

 

Only when the dipstick is red with no markings, scrapes oil off the sides of the tube, and you need the perfect light and an impression on a clean paper towel just to check your oil. We've all had cars for which we could clearly read the dipstick at night as long as we were within 100 feet of a street light. Let's stop making excuses for the engineers and call it what it is - a lousy design that should have been corrected a long time ago. If there's nothing wrong with the dipstick, why are after marketers selling replacements for $75?

 

Exactly. Don't expect it, be happy if you get it. MINI is very clear about this -- it's well documented in the owner's manual and web site because they not only expect the owner to monitor the oil level and top off if necessary, but to use the right oil when doing so.

Having a scheduled maintenance plan doesn't mean you can ignore your responsibility as a driver to monitor the car's condition (tire pressure, oil level, bulbs, wipers, etc.).

 

Wha wha wha...
the picure is not perfect, the youtube vid is not perfect...
like adding fuel, checking your oil is an impefect science...
Sure the dipsticks on mini's kinda suck...both gen gen1 and gen2
But looking at a dipstick is kinda self explanatory....
Do you need your hand held to add air to your tires....common!!
It has always,been oretty standard that the max to the min level on a dipstick is about one quart/liter....
so if the oil level is halfway to the low...add a half!!
Or wait till it is one low...add a quart, you will be fine...not rocket science.
sure YOU CAN DAMMAGE A MOTOR BY OVERFILLING, but 99% of dammage come from lack of filling....and even a half quart high would not blow up a motor....
take some personal responsibility for your car.....
maybe i am cheap, but paying an extra few $$ to add a 8$ quart of oil to a car is like paying a plumber $300 to plunge a toilet, or a plow company $150 to plow a driveway after a snowstorm...
sure, if your got it, feel free to spend it, but once you spend it...it is gone...
getting out my old calculator....lets see, $15 spent adding oil, lets see, 4 times a year(maybe more, componded monthly, till retirement at this years S&P return of between 6 and 10%, ....WOW!!! ENOUGH FOR A NICE VACATION!!

 

Snow plowing? You want to talk about plowing?

My driveway is 1/4 mile long. Yes, a 1/4 MILE... Shovel that bisch by hand, I dare ya to try...lol

But my 4wd atv with a plow can get it done unless it's snowmageddon again...lol That was quite the set of storms. there was 48" of snow, and 6-8 foot drifts... Good thing my neighbor has a front end loader, and a Bobcat.