My 08 MCS with 26k has never used oil before or after the timing chain/tensioner replacement. My 10 year old 100k mile Jeep doesn't either...

 

Just to steer the conversation back to the op, I believe the point of this thread is not about whether Mini use oil or they don't. It is about when they do, is 1 Qt per 1K miles within safe tolerance.

Mini and other manufacturers seem to think it is fine. I personally think that is excessive. But Mini is not likely to help if it is within their limits. So what I think does not really matter when it comes to whether Mini will fix it. Unless we can prove that this oil loss rate leads to other engine defects and failures which is difficult to do.

 

Your point is fair but I might add that in the case of DC Commuter that he wasn't seeing oil consumption until after the dealer cracked the engine. In my mind this is worth appealing to the either the dealer or directly to MINI. Of course he will somehow need to prove that he wasn't using oil which is difficult.

 

our 2010 mini is buning a qrt every 3,000 but we did not find that out till it stalled d/t lack of oil. brought to dealer only 1.5 qrt left asked why it bunned 4.5 qrts he did not have a good answer say it does that.
i too have had sceveral cars over the year never did any burnoil like that i do not believe any of you who say it is normal

 

I wonder if burning a quart of oil every 1000 miles is violation of the smog and pollution control equipment on the car. When you cat plugs up at 30K you will know why. 1 Qt every thousand mile is getting into 2 stroke territory. Just another fine example of a car manufacture building junk and you just have to take it. No consumer protection to be seen anywhere. I had a Benz SLK350 that burned a GT every 500 to 750 miles from the beginning. They did oil consumption tests (2) they screwed the first one up. They said that was with in normal terms. I said if it was a 68 Nova with 212,000 miles I would be ok with that. Not a brand new MB that smokes like diesel when you start it up. They told me thats the way it is.
I said fine. Lets go talk to a few customers about to purchase there new MB product and see what they think. They thought I was kidding. First couple ran for the door after hearing my exerpience. The salesmen said was not fair. I said what is not fair is you sold me a car with bad motor and now you will not fix it. Big question was how many customers do I have to chase off before you will notice. This dealer Phil Smart of Seattle could have cared less about me and my car. When MB found out I was at there Bellevue WA and had to expain to that store owner why I was at his store things happened fast. MB replaced the car. I actually reordered the car and it was a year newer and my loan all stayed the same.

When I had my MINI troubles I was going to go the same route. Instead I went the legal route. It got fixed but I would not do that again. I will take my signs and my chair and hang out front and talk to everyone. Invite the news paper down and the TV stations. They love angry consumers. You will get someone to react. Seems harsh buts its the only thing they understand.

So on a MINI why would you need to change the oil if it burns a qt every
1000 miles so your brand new car goes through a case and a 1/4 of oil between oil changes! Its not in the motor long enough to get dirty at that rate. You would think some engineer or executive would be at least a little bit embaressed. Drove through there showroom window and give it back to them. Not a jury int his country would convict you of anything. And they sure wouldn't want the press.

Unfortunately today you car and its warranty are only is good as your dealer.

 

Burning oil is somewhat normal to all engines. Blow-by, PVC, piston rings/seals, hard driving all contribute to it.

If you check your oil levels religiously then it shouldn't ever be a problem. Just add when necessary between oil changes.

 

Burning 15 qrt of oil between oil changes on a new car is unacceptable at any level. Try that one in front of a jury. Auto industry has it all wrapped up so that never could happen.

 

thanks for info
i agree checking oil is a good idea but if the dealer is recommending oil change approx once a year or every 12,000-15,000 miles and i am putting in a qrt every 3,000 miles. why advertise it. i t seems like a an oil change is due at shorter intervals.

thanks to all who responded to my question, sorry about the spelling on first thread.

 

Never had to add oil in my 08 mcs, changed oil every 4,000 miles with Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic but for some odd reason I've developed a leak after the timing chain tensioner recall was performed. go figure - - - - didn't see where the leak was until up on a lift and motor running.....Thought it was oil pan leaking at first, then checked the crank pulley seal - - then the valve cover gasket - - - - - $320 bills to repair - - -

 

I am also in the camp that says that burning a quart every 1000 miles or even 3000miles is not acceptable. Just today I changed the oil in my daughters X3 and after a year and 10K miles she had lost no oil according the oil shop report who checked carefully before beginning work.

The average driver is not accustomed to checking oil in this day and age which why I feel the way I do. When I got my license in 1972 it was fairly normal to check your oil almost every time you bought gas but today this would be considered very unusual. Maybe this is a case of shame on us but it's still true.

 

I've got an 09 clubman s and i'm burning about a quart+ every 1000 miles which is crazy - just started the past 15k miles or so - before that it seemed fine.

At least I know to check now, but my SA said the same thing - minis burn oil quickly then a select few (like ours) burn it even quicker. Still seems excessive to me. how could it burn oil that quickly? Anyways - just my $0.02.

I had an 04 Scion xB which I had for 5 1/2 years and drove to 135k miles before I got the mini, never EVER had to add a single drop of oil between changes on that.

I'm at 55k now with my MCCS and have to checked it all the time! :(

 

My 09 Clubman S uses a quart about every 4K miles.

Still seems a bit high compared to other recent cars I've had over the years. Just have to remember to check it more frequently.

 

If your daughter is anything like my sister, or me, or the girls I drove with in high school… she drives like a bat out of hell when you aren't there.

 

No doubt you are correct - I was guilty of driving too fast when I was younger. Actually, I think I am still guilty of driving too fast

A funny story - my middle (different) daughter who has loved to drive ever since she got her license - who is now almost 21 and goes to college in PA - was commuting home to Boston for Thanksgiving break last November - got stopped doing 80mpg just after she crossed over into Connecticut - on RT84 east. When she got home we admonished her and told her she needed to pay the $400 fine - thinking this would help change her driving habits. Nope - she didn't learn. On her way back to school she got a second ticket on RT84 west bound within 5 miles of he first ticket - only this time in NY.

I am happy to report that the second ticket seems to have done the trick as she is now terrified of getting a 3rd ticket. It's also dimmed her desire to drive - but I think this is temporary - when you love to drive you love to drive.

 

Hah! She should be glad CT doesn't have DMV reciprocity with MA! Not sure about NY, but I know NH does -- my wife and I each had some NH tickets come mess up our driving records and drive up insurance.

Age is the great fixer. Now that I am approaching 40, my insurance costs less than at 25 -- despite a more expensive car, living in a higher theft city, and having one or two more recent tickets now

(My wife, an unfailing polite and cautious driver, now has more tickets than me. I find this a relief: she can't scowl at me anymore ;-)

Agreed. It always was for me.

 

So far only our middle daughter has gotten a speeding ticket. One thing that I have observed is that the lessons of one daughter seem effect our other two girls. While each very different - the sisters seem to learn from each others experiences - which is good. Plus the three of them are close and getting closer as they get older - again, this is good.

 

1 Qt of oil every 1000 miles is excessive. If that is within the manufactures tolerances then it must be at the very end of the limits. I have owned many cars in my time and the only car that drank that much oil was a smoker. I have a 04 MSC w/104K miles and it burns 0 oil between oil changes. I change my oil every 7-9K mikes!. If you're not burning oil thru the engine then it must be going somewhere!. Take a bottle sprayer of degreaser and a rag, thoroughly clean the bottom of the engine, take special attention around the oil fliter and the front (where the pullys are) of the engine and the valve cover gasket. Make it spotless. Run it for a week, maybe a couple hundred miles. Then jackup the car and re-inspect the bottom of the engine. If there is leak it should be self evident. Also check you plugs, if it burning excessive amout of oil then the plugs should have black burnt residue on them.