I just got a '02 R50 automatic (CVT), and the first thing I thought to do was to do the cvt fluid change. Many members on this forum (and elsewhere) suggested that in order to protect the transmission, changes should be done every 30k miles (as per the original mini maintenance schedule). However, my friend just did a fluid change, which caused his transmission to stop working (he used Febi fluid). I thought he messed up or something, so I called the dealer for a quote, but they said that Mini stopped doing the fluid changes because it did more harm than good. The service advisor said that the metal accumulated inside the fluid is required for the CVT to function properly, so dealers no longer do fluid changes. What do you guys think? Should I change the fluid or not? Is the dealer BSing me? Thanks!

 

How many miles do you have on the car?

Every fluid flush we've ever done on the CVT cars has made the car drive better. We use the Redline CVT fluid, and many of the cars have had night and day improvements on driving, noise, shifting, etc.

 

It has 108k miles on it. I just called another dealer in another state (that I've been to), and he suggested to leave it be as well. Apparently the system was engineered very well, but the software (clutch adaptation and gear adaptations) caused premature wear and malfunction. Do you fill from the top access hole?

I'm beginning to think that the CVT is kind of like a fish. It started off on land, and evolved so it can breathe underwater (old transmission oil), and when my friend changed the oil it was like putting the fish back on land. The only way to prevent this is to do flushes every 30k (which I don't have records for) so the fish stays on land haha.

Perhaps I'll tell my friend to try the Redline CVT fluid. He still has the old fluid in a can somewhere. Maybe putting that back in will miraculously make it work again...

 

Having owned a non MINI CVT, I can tell you that fluid change did nothing. If I owned one I'd sell it while it was still running. NKFY does this for a living so I trust his facts, but I hate CVT transmissions once they age, when it was new it was great.

 

I have had the fluid changed twice in our MINI, by my dealer, and have never heard that. I had it done at 30k and 55k miles (last year). It is really hard to believe that old, worn out fluid is better than fresh, per spec fluid. Makes no sense - no matter how many miles are on it before the change.

I would love to see the official MINI service bulletin that says that metal filings in a lubricanting fluid are needed to make it work right. The Lamborghini Miuria had its engine share oil with the transmission and the transmission wear filings would destroy the engine. They changed that not long afterwards.

 

Eddie07S: I agree that it makes no sense. Maybe the metal filings provide more friction to the belt when it catches the pulley...or not.

Maybe the best thing to do would be to dilute old fluid with some new fluid and taper the system so it's not too sudden, given its sensitive and finicky nature.