I have a 2003 mini and I'm kind of a novice under the bonnet, so I could really use some help.
I recently took at job that's over an hour from my house, and since my commute is going to be pretty far, I thought it a good idea to do a weekly check (preventative maintenance) under the bonnet to make sure things are running smoothly so I don't wind up breaking down in the middle of nowhere and 50 miles from home!
Anyway, I noticed my coolant expansion tank was near the "min" line and idk if that means I need to add coolant or not. And if I do, is there a recommended brand for the mini? I live in New England and the nights are pretty cold around here, so the last thing I need is for that to be low or empty! Anyone have some practical info on this?
Also, does anyone have a link to a good DIY weekly/monthly preventative maintenance checklist for the mini? Thanks!

 

Have you ever had the cooling system serviced?! Mini does NOT use longlife coolant, and it should be periodicly be flushed, and refilled. With a gen1 mini, it should have been changed two, maybe 3 times at the minimum by now....and knowing what it was changed with is kinda important. The mini/bmw coolant the dealer uses sells is blue. If it is blue, this is whay you use, in a 50% coolant, distilled water (free of minerals) mix.

 

2nd ZippyNH's suggestion. Maybe time for a flush to start off.

I'll add for a routine maint. program for the DIY'er:
1. check coolant bottle weekly
2. check oil weekly
3. check tire pressure weekly
4. check for any oil leakage (monthly unless you already have one then I'd keep a closer eye on it).
5. always listen for unusual noises that you didn't hear before (weak or bad suspension parts).

 

Thanks guys.
@ZippyNH idk if it's ever been changed, I've only had the car for about a year and a half and I'm only now paying more attention to preventative maintenance. Thanks for the tips!
@Drsimmons that's pretty much the routine I follow now, so sounds like I'm doing well!

The only think idk is I checked the expansion tank and it's almost at the minimum. What do you normally do in that situation? Say I've already had it flushed and refilled and I check it one week and it's very low. Do you check it when it's hot or cold? And what brand would you recommend filling it with?

 

Check the tank, fill with BMW coolant. If you keep getting low coolant (and you hear the sound of gurgling water sometimes when driving), have the thermostat housing checked for leaks. That's where my problem was with these symptoms and this model year.

 

Also in line with the above reply, check the seam on the coolant bottle. I believe the 1st gen's had problems with the seam leaking. If it's low get the Mini blue coolant or Zerex G-05 coolant (I believe it's about the same stuff) mix it 50/50.

 

Tank problems I believe are S models in particular? Don't know the OP's model type...

 

Forgot, check it when it's cooled down. It should be higher when hot and after about 1 hour it should be ok to check.
Don't take that cap off when it's hot (I think you probably know that).

 

Just remember, don't overfil. If still using oem/oem compatible coolant, the above mentioned zerix g-05 global or mini/bmw coolant is the way to go. Since you are at 18 months + since servicing, might be worth getting it done, then just finding out what coolant was used, getting some, and useing the same if more is needed.
The basic moral is, add more of the same type that is already in use....
so called "universal" coolants are not truely compatible...they just don't cause dammage in MOST cases...
Since the seals on a water pump are based up the type of coolant specfied, contunuing to use the
same coolant specfied, or a compatible one is important to ensure long life of compotents, and prevents leaks.
Since you live in RI, you might consider getting the car looked over by a mini centric shop to save a few $$ compared to dealer prices....i go to Greasysgarage in worchester ma, about an hours drive for me for things i don't diy. Guessing it is a similar drive for you.

 

Thanks very much guys! These were all very useful and informative suggestions! They were all helpful