MAN!! I was hoping this wouldn't happen.... I've just rolled 9000 miles, and we're only 22 days away from MoTD!!!

Now, I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to get enough miles and schedule the service beforehand. I really don't want to be rolling 10K while I'm in NC.

Anyone got suggestions? I was thinking of calling MoS and asking if I can go ahead and book the appt. for the end of the month and then just try like hell to rack up miles!

If it isn't possible, perhaps I should at least get an oil change.... AHG, what a predicament..

 

Mine did not hit Zero untill 11.5k miles

 

Mine did not hit Zero until 13,200!

 

Ask a service advisor on Motoringfile.com said something along the lines of, if it doesn't say 0, it's considered a 'low mileage maintenance procedure', and you don't get your "money's worth". If you wait until after your inspection goes below 0, and above 10k, you should get the full waranted 10k service.

A bunch of crap imho... I wish I had known before I hit 10k.

 

Hmm, start running all of the routes tha I have saved?

http://members.***.net/psbales

-Paul!

 

I think my first service was at around 12700 and even then I still had something like 150 miles on the service indicator.
Just FYI, the first service is just an oil change, just do it yourself in your driveway and reset the indicator.

 

Do they get cranky of you go below zero? I'm at minus 200 (11,300 miles) and my service isn't until April 20th, and I still have to do the 150 miles to the dealership.

(I did change the oil at 5,000 w/out resetting the indicator)

 

They check the fluids and change the oil as said above but if you do change it yourself do not reset the indicator. The indicator is what BMW goes by for servicing.

 

They don't get cranky but there is a limit of neg miles before they do get ill w/u. I called & they told me the amount of neg miles they allow (before they get cranky ) but I can't remember what the # of miles was. Call your dealer & ask them. I went over zero (into the negs) before my service because I like you had quite a trek to the Dealer & had to wait til a Friday to get off work.

 

If you decide to just change the oil before going to the Dragon, somewhere in the forums is the procedure and pictures for doing it. I don't know if your local auto-parts store will have the filter. I always pick up one when I am near a dealer. The procedure describes the size of the socket you will need for the filter. Of course, some folks just change the oil and then change the filter at the next oil change. I always do both at the same time. The filter is a little difficult to get on.

 

If you want a good oil change and don't want to do it yourself, you can always head up to Lucky Dog Garage. I've had between dealer oil changes done up there.

My service indicator did not go down for the 10k service until I had about 12,000 on the car. But it did happen right before the Dragon in 2004 and Towson was able to fit me in with no problem on short notice.

 

Good suggestion Jen,
I may do that. having this many miles on oil makes me nervous already!

 

If you don't mind me borrowing your thread for a minute, I just changed my rear brake pads for the first time, and first time doing brakes that I didn't need a tow to the dealer! I'm proud of me!

Dragon, here I come!*

Oh, back to topic, my first oil change was about 2000 miles past due! Alll of the dealerships had a big backlog for whatever reason when mine came due, so I had to wait for an opening for about 3 weeks. Anyway though, I'm on 66K miles, and still running fine! So if you don't make it, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

-Paul!

*Just not for MoTD. I planned it out so I will spend a night or three en route to P'cola next week!

 

Cool man. maybe you can help me if I decide to switch to some Green Stuff pads. I hope you aren't saying that you have never changed the oil in 66,000 miles! haha

 

Also, you can check out Currysauto.com - they have four shops in the Nova area (they're my non-MINI service servicing deparetment) - they're an affiliated tirerack vendor and always have MINI oil filters in stock.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I called MoS on Friday but no luck getting squeezed in, besides, my service indicator isn't in the dealer range yet. I'm at 9700 miles though, so it won't be long. I really hate going to MoTD with that many miles on the oil. So, I'm thinking of picking up the oil myself and either changing it myself or taking to a quality shop for the job. Any ideas? Any one interested in crawling under my car?

 

I think I might be a bit cursed with oil changed. I changed mine in my driveway yesterday and when I started it back up there was a wee bit of an oil leak. Turns out the O-Ring that goes around the canister had gotten cut so there wasn't a seal. Good thing I bought 2 filters last week, eh? Replaced the ring and everything appears to be fine now.

 

Not as bad as me test driving Wangbat's dinged MINI - I quoth "Just be careful of the curbs because the wheels stick out a little bit" So what do I immediately do.. backup and scrape. Poor Will. I'll pay for the damage of course.

 

Well we are good to go mechanically for the Dragon. In the past two days have had both MINIs up to Towson for oil changes and check ups. We appear to be good to go, and the traffic has not been too bad coming up here the past two mornings!

 

Salt. Wound. Ow.

 

Wow...my "Miles until service is like 150" and I only have like 8,900 miles on my MCSa. Am I driving it too hard?

 

Yikes!!