Does anyone have a comprehensive 100,000 mile maintenance suggestion for an N18 Clubman? My car just ticked over 95,000 miles, and I’d like to give it a refresh to try and get another 100,000 miles out of her

 

What does the factory call for at 100K miles? I'd do that, at least.

If the engine is running ok you might want to just stop there.

If you start throwing maintenance at the car the sky's the limit.

OTOH, there are some things that can have a good payback.

Not sure it is called for by Mini for its cars but be sure the brake fluid is flushed/bled. This should be an every 2 year service. Based on my experience brake fluid can go "off" (actually it accumulates moisture) and in the case of my Boxster which had the clutch hydraulic system sharing brake fluid affected the clutch operation and this in turn affected the transmission's shifting. This after letting the factory scheduled 2 year flush/bleed go just 2.5 years.

While generally not a scheduled service I like to have the cooling system drained and refilled with fresh anti-freeze/distilled water mix about every 4 years. This goes a long way to prolonging the life of the water pump and hoses. With my Boxster the original water pump lasted to 172K miles -- and wore out rather than leaked -- and the hoses were still original and in good condition at 317K miles and 15 years old.

I know with my other cars (in one case a Porsche 996 Turbo) new O2 sensors at 132K miles perked up the engine some. Granted there was a persistent error code every time I started the engine after filling the gas tank but the engine never manifested any signs of any problems. In fact the 1st time the CEL lit up I had just completed a 2 day 2K mile drive from Springfield Missouri to Barstow CA and the engine purred like a kitten (a 420hp turbo charged kitten) the whole way.

With my Boxster new O2 sensors at 305K miles perked up the engine a noticeable amount. The O2 sensors were not original having been replaced at around 100K miles due to an error code but like the Turbo no signs from the engine of any real trouble.

Then at 140K miles new coils perked up the Turbo engine some. This time no error codes no signs of any engine problems I just decided to replace the original coils.Afterwards I was glad I did.

Might note that with the Boxster the engine perked up after switching from Shell V-Power to Chevron Supreme (with Techron) after not even going through a tank of the Supreme. However, the same switchover of the Turbo the engine didn't react at all.

 

It's time for these if you haven't done them:
- Oil filter housing and heat exhcanger gaskets (best get new bolts as a kit, too)
- Thermostat Housing w/sensor and gasket
- Water pump and gasket
- Water pipe between water pump and thermostat housing
- drain coolant and inspect all coolant plumbing lines above the transmission bay, if there are built-up mineral particulates inside any of those hoses, replace them.
- Replace the coolant and oil lines on turbocharger, especially the oil feed lines, and make sure to replace all the banjo bolts and washers, too.
- Open up valve cover and check timing tension, check condition of rail guide, check timing alignment, may need to do a timing job.
- Clean the throttle body, check intake valves, may need cleaning or walnut blast, though N18's don't have that issue as severe as the N14, it's good to check it anyways.
- New Drive Belt, New Knock Sensor, New Spark Plugs, Oil change, transmission fluid flush, brake fluid flush, etc.

I have two 09 MCS N14's at home and I fix many others' MCS for weekend work, the above list of things are typically due for service/replacement around 80-120k miles. I've stated this list only as a preventive mainteance list of things to do. Once they are all done, car will be very good and smooth for the next 60k miles ahead. The bill will rack up pretty high, but if you can manage to do the work on your own, it's actually worth doing and fun. If you have to pay someone to do it, then pick and choose what you want to do, but one way or another, those parts will fail in the few miles ahead.

 

Thanks for this list. Almost similar to what I was thinking in my mind, but wasn't quite sure. I feel confident in attacking most of those items, except the timing chain items...

 

My wife's 2013 MCS is still on it's original oem battery which is still going strong...
How long do the factory batteries usually last?

 

Didn't even think about the battery....

 

Some people get 2 years on a battery others 10 years. Really depends on use, temperatures and probably loads of other factors. Our Countryman OEM from 2011 just failed in 2019. I had a perfectly good battery in a Mitsubishi years ago fail after making a cross country winter ride on a trailer, probably froze to death.

 

Change the transmission fluid. MINI claims that it is lifetime fluid, but that isn't so.