I have been perusing the forums here and it seems the verdict is still out on this one. Should I get the dealer to do an oil change before 1K or just wait a while longer? I am going in for mission control installation since my car was missing it and it would seem like a good time...

 

This is a controversial subject. I did my own oil & filter change at 1,600 miles, then again about 5,000 miles later.

One person posted an oil test result of a first oil change at 12,500 miles (IIRC), and the report said there was so much metal in the oil it had become abrasive. However, MINI says to wait until the countdown odometer says to get service, or one year after delivery. For most people, the odometer could put it at 15,000 to 22,000 miles.

 

It can't hurt to change it I presume. I've read anywhere from 100-1k miles is desireable to get the metal shavings out.

 

The bulk of the break in is finished in the first 15 minutes to half hour of the engine running. The only thing "breaking in" are the rings. 500 miles plenty of time for the motor to break in.

 

And that run time is done long before the car gets to the dealer

But it is still a good idea not to run it to hard for the first 1000-1500 miles.

 

OK so changing it can't hurt and it may help get the metal shavings out of the engine from the break-in period. So I do it now, then when the service light goes off right?

 

This is all old skool thinking........ Today's engines and today's oils can handle the BMW MINI recommended oil change intervals. In fact the oil filter itself is more efficient filtering finer and finer microns the dirtier it gets.

My GM truck goes 10K on a V-8 diesel with GM's oil life system.



As for the break-in period, do read the MINI manual that states the engine AND differential have a break-in period of 1,200 miles plus.

Break-in is NOT only about the engine in a vehicle.

Follow the BMW MINI recommendations to vary your speed - don't use cruise control - don't exceed 4,500 RPM nor 100 MPH. Don't use full throttle excelleration nor the tranmission kick-down mode during that time period......

 

Except that many people here and on other forums have proven thru oil testing that anything longer than a 8K-10K schedule is crazy as by 10K the oil has lost most of its lubricating potential.

Diesels have always been better.



But MINI does not recommend changing the oil at 1200 miles either they say just go until the car says to change the oil. In my car that would have been over 22K miles. Just not something I would want to push to as by the time the engine really starts to have a problem from bad oil the car is out of warranty.

 

I agree Swiss Miss........ 10K is my limit on the diesel.......and I only feel good about that after obtaining a BlackStone oil report at 8 months and 10K... It looked fine, about done but fine.

I don't expect the MINI to do more than 6-8K a year...... So she'll get annual changes. When we do run her up that many miles to 10K one time, I will get a BlackStone lab oil analysis. (Can't spell analysis without the word ****).

 

I'll make a mental note here......" Never buy a used vehicle from MCS Fever". Ok so noted.

 

Oil changes also remove built up moisture in the system....all those short trips you will accumulate moisture lots quicker than those who run the highway regularly which is why most shops say to change the oil/filter every 3-5K miles or every three months, which ever comes first.......

 

Gray Raven dude - You need to hit some oil forums like this one - you have LOT to learn.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/

For one thing, moisture and fuel in the oil is removed by DRIVING it up to operating temps.

3K oil changes are for dinosaurs........

 

A little better oil filter explanation found on DieselPlace.com, a GM truck site I frequent:

 

IMO if your going to keep the car after it is out of warranty go for it, It's not going to hurt anything to do an extra oil change, it can only help.

 

I disagree.... Though I still do the 5K intervals, I could live with the 10K perhaps.

HOWEVER, Mini's first recommended oil change according to the computer if I had followed it was at 18K miles.

There is no doubt in my mind that from a selling standpoint, free maintenance for the first 3-4 years is a good idea. I'm sure a bean counter had something to do with waiting 18K miles though.

I used to use Amsoil. They recommend every 36K oil changes. I still changed it at 10K. After 155K miles, my valvetrain looked brand new and I NEVER had to add oil.

As far as the OP's concern. I changed mine at 1200 miles, 5K and every 5K after that. For the 7-8 bucks for a filter and 20 some bucks for synthetic Mobil or Castrol, I'll do the changes. I'm sure Mini engineers know more than I do but since they're paying for the oil changes for the first 40K miles, I'm pretty sure cost was figured in.

Mark

 

Like I said orangecrush, 10K would be my limit on any vehicle, and don't expect the MINI to see more than 6-8K anyway.

Your precious valve train would have looked the same with 10K oil changes.

 

Yet another oil battle thread.. yay!!!!

I'm only going to toss this out there for giggles. For the folks that think that a 10K mile oil change is due to bean counters, you need to look overseas. The reason for the extended service is the demand of Europeans that have to pay 300 USD for an oil change due to high taxes. A liter of Mobil 1 in Germany is 30 Euro and many of the people I know are always wanting extended changes. This has a lot to do with it, not just bean counters.

Not everything revolves around America.

Also interesting that my friends overseas that follow MINIs and BMWs recommendation have not had any issues with their cars at all. Just saying...

 

If you plan on keeping your car for a long long time, early oil changes cannot be bad. Lack of oil changes will be bad. If you sleep better at night by doing more frequent oil changes, then it is cheaper than a therapist.

Break-in means drive it just a bit easier, watch the rpms, vary the speed for proper ring seating, and be a little easy on the brakes for a few hundred miles. It can't hurt. Right? I would rather be safe than sorry, assuming I am looking for longevity.

 

Not at all... In fact, if you can afford it, go for it. My point was that we are not the real reason for the extended changes. Europeans have it a lot tougher than we do cost wise for both oil and gas. I do mine at about 8K but I have gone the distance and had the oil checked only to be told as was well.

 

The question becomes, when is the optimum time to change a MINI filter? If you leave it to the point where it blocks up too much, oil bypasses it. Then you just have the oil circulating without filtration. One oil test posted here (first oil change after 12,500 miles, IIRC) said there was so much metal in the oil it had become abrasive. I suspect the oil filter had completely clogged up sometime earlier, and additional wear metals were not being removed.

 

>sigh< while these oft-repeated threads get old, here's my .02:

Waaaaaay too much overkill as far as changing O and F go-- if you drive your car normally, 7500-10K on full synthetic as MINI recommends is perfectly fine.

If you race or track your car frequently, then that would drop to about every 5K.

I still think it's good to change the original oil, but wait until after the factory recc break-in, no harm in that, somewhere in the 1500-2000 range. Ive done this with both of my S's, then around every 7500 miles.

I do agree that 15-20k on original factory oil is much too long. Sorry BMW.

But to follow old dino oil guidelines with synthetic oil under normal driving conditions (every 3K) is a waste of perfectly good product and SOOOO last millenium--again, unless of course you race/track your car, or are stuck thinking in the past....

 

I have found that 5K is perfect for me with the amount of track days I do. I literally can hear the valvetrain clacking when I hit the 5000-5200 mark if I do my normal track days routine.

And since I change my own oil, the 30 bucks it costs for filter and syn oil is worth it to change it every 5K as opposed to 7 or 8K anyway.

Mark

 

Made the appointment for August and will give her the first Oil change right around 1K miles.

 

I'll never be a believer in the "snake oil" claims of oil makers, etc, but I could not stand it anymore with my wife's Mini at 13k miles and changed it even though the maintanence reminder had her headed for a 20k change. I swear that her valvetrain quieted down considerably after the change. I'm going with at least 10k changes. I like to stick with an even number just so it's easier to remember. There's no way I'm waiting 13k miles again. I'm still hedging on 5k changes, but if it weren't for me driving her Mini occasionaly, it'd never see over 4k RPMs.

 

so change your filter and top it off every 5K and do a full change at 10K.