My new JCW is nearly at 1k miles now, and I generally like to replace the factory fill around that point on new cars. The oil specs this car calls for seem to be in a bit of a conflict. The manual calls for an LL-01 FE, recommending a 0w-20, but I see no such oil available in that spec/weight combo. I see that MINI and BMW offer 0w-20 oils in LL-14 FE+, and a handful of LL-01 FE oils in 0w-30. I see no such oil that fits, black and white, into the "preferred" spec the manual is calling for.

In addition to 0w-20, the manual also indicates that 0w-30, 5w-20, 5w-30, 0w-40, or 5w-40 can be used. Reading into all of that, the LL-01 FE 0w-30 stuff seems like the best bet. Can anyone make sense of this? It really seems like the manual is preferring that I use something that doesn't presently exist, but does at least have clear allowance for something that does. The LL-14 FE+ 0w-20 stuff doesn't seem to fit anywhere in the recommendation, but does seem to be specified for N20 and Bx8 engines in US and EU markets.

To further add to the confusion, the book also says up to 1qt of LL-01 or API SL oil in an appropriate grade can be used as well if the specified grade cannot be located. That seems to be a top-up only recommendation, obviously, since you'd not want to be mixing and matching during a change.

--Matt

 

For the 2016+ F-platform MINIs, 0w-20 LL-14 FE+ is the required oil. (Part #83212365954)

 

I mean, yeah, I've read that on the internet too. For some strange reason though, they seem to have neglected to clearly communicate that in the manual for my 2017. What does your manual say?

I see information supporting what you say places like this manual on miniusa.com for the 2016: http://www.miniusa.com/content/dam/mini/PDF/archiveownermanuals/my16/2016_MINI_Hardtop_owner_manual.pdf

But, according to my 2017's provided manual, the spec seems to have changed fairly signed significantly:


TBQH, if this has been the case for more than a model year, they could have made it more obvious and (ya know) mentioned it anywhere that owners can see. From my perspective, internet here say set aside, the 0w-30 stuff seems to be all that I can acquire that it condones using. LL-14 FE+ doesn't purport to supersede the recommended LL-01 FE spec and there seems not to be any LL-01 FE 0w-20.

--Matt

 

I have a 2015 so my manual says what yours says and makes no mention of LL-14, but talking to service advisors, a bulletin went out from MINI saying all F5x MINIs get 0w-20 LL-14 LE+, but it didn't make it clear what you could use as an alternative.

I say either order the 0w-20 LE-14 oil from your dealer (or better yet, one of our fine NAM sponsors, like ECS Tuning...).

 

I still have two 5 quart jugs of Mobil 1 0W40 Euro Spec that I picked up on sale. Last year this oil was fine, but changed the first of this year the best I can tell. I am still going to use this oil for my "in between change" until I use it up. I'm willing to bet that it won't harm the engine. That's the only oil I used in my R56 and I've used it for two oil changes on the F56 already.

 

Back in July, I purchased the Mini Original Engine Oil SAE 5w-30 because most said this is what the dealer uses for oil changes. Part# 83212365947

 

I think yours maybe says something similar, but not identical. The 2015 manual says:


The 2016 manual says:


Then the 2017 manual says:


The manuals move recommendations from from LL-01/LL-01 FE to with no mention at all of 0w-20, to LL-01/LL-01 FE/LL-14 FE+ with an additional optional additional mention of 0w-20 and 5w-20, to just LL-01 FE with an indication to use 0w-20 specifically but still allowing the various other grades mentioned in the earlier years.

I find this a bit confusing as a consumer, since there is apparently not presently an LL-01 FE 0w-20 oil available and it doesn't permit LL-14 FE+ like in 2016. The closest thing I see in the BMW/MINI parts bin that fits within these indications is the LL-01 FE 0w-30.

--Matt

 

I have a real disdain for the Owners Manual as it clearly is very generic on just about everything! Doesn't even give suggested maintenance/service intervals!

My 2015 JCW still is under 800 miles but I have already bought oil from my dealer and it's the 5W-30 MINI fully synthetic oil....that is what is on the sticker on my engine cover so that's what I'm going with until I find out difinitively otherwise! My local BMW dealer has the same oil except it says "BMW" instead of MINI! ;-)

 

Surprised you still have engine cover decal with oil recommendation. Most 2014 and 2015 models had a campaign bulletin for MINI shop to remove it.

 

In years past numbers in a BMW oils related to the year in which a given spec was introduced, so 14 in this case of LL-14FE would refer to year 2014. The lower viscosity oils are specific to the new BMW/MINI 2.0L "B" engines.

 

It's all about marketing and profit. Big business, is about the bottom line.

 

Matt,

Since you posted the question & your JCW is a 2017, why don't you have a chat with your service manager about what oil is recommended & report back? I'm in a similar situation with my 2015 JCW....dealer knows I prefer to do my own oil changes and I told the dealer that I was going with 5W-30 as recommended on my sticker and nobody said to use anything else!

John

 

For Matt's 2017 BMW MINI recommends 0W-20 fully synthetic.
A bulletin was sent to all dealers few weeks back John.

Most MINI Service Advisors are unaware of those bulletins since that data is fed directly to service techs.

 

There is a very similar thread to this one on the F56 forum. For me the question is why the change from the prior recommendation? And I assume you know the old assumption adage. That it will retroactively apply to the earlier F56 JCWs as we all have the same engine.

 

That's just great! So, I bought 7 liters of the wrong oil! I'll be calling my dealer on this to get to the bottom of why the switch.

 

Even if they thought you had a 2017 Countryman, they would have supplied you with 0W-30....They need to read the recent Oil bulletin.

The info can be found in the TIS Technical Information System. "Engine oil Quick Reference Chart" - Came out on August 1, 2016.

Here's part of that chart in TIS.

 

Yes +1 this is new for the 2016+ . Thanks for posting that up Gray Raven. MINI just added the 2 different oil types for the newer engines. I got the handout from MINI corp. a MINI event.

83212365955 is the new 0w-20







and 83212365953 is the new 0w-30

 

I'm in the same boat as you except I bought 5L. Really sucks as I did all the research I could on multiple forums and wanted to keep the oil the same.

What type of oil did my mini come with? It was built in April 2016.

 

I've asked that same question.....since my sticker says 5W-30, I just figured that's what is in there. I've not changed the oil yet...now this!

I'll be sending my 5W-30 oil back and exchange it for the 0W-20...my MINI parts guy confirmed the switch/recommendation for me to 0W-20. I'd really like to see the reasoning for this switch in technical terms. Just seems crazy for a new car to have such a thing change.....maybe MINI is worried about something? My bet is it has something to do with the heat generated by the turbo! Lower viscosity oil works better in there all year round. I always thought 5W-30 was a good range though.

 

Mine came with 5W30 when I picked it up in October 2015. I had the oil changed early, December 18, 2015 at 2196 miles at the mini dealership and they used LL01 5W 30, and again June 02, 2016 at 8,513 miles and they used LL01 5W 30. apparently they have not received the notice that is not the correct oil. To quote Strother Martin, "what we have here is a failure to communicate". I did have them bring me a sample both times so I could check it since I don't have a real dipstick!

 

Thanks for chiming in Dan....I was going to ask you what oil you were running. I might just go with the 5W-30 for my first oil change since I already have it....can't make that much difference. All this screwing around by MINI not being specific in the owners manual about so many things, including oil, really irks me! I do NOT want to take my JCW to the dealer for anything unless absolutely necessary, so I'm out on a limb when things like a TSB is issued on something. What do you bet most dealers don't even tell owners what weight oil they put in during a change? Owners who do their own service are just that "on their own'!

I'd like to get my hands on the TSB regarding the switch in oil!

Btw, my MINI is the only car I've ever owned with no dipstick! Hope I never have another one! You can look & feel the oil to assess condition just like examining spark plugs for proper operation! Insane eliminating the dipstick!!!!

 

Can anyone get their hands on the TSB covering the oil recommendation change? I've asked my dealer for it but so far "dead silence"!

 

I just confirmed with my local dealer service center that the oil used for my 2016 JCW hardtop is 0W-20. I was also quoted $69.95 which is a great price for an oil and filter change.

 

Ask them for a copy of the TSB! Owners have a right to know why MINI is recommending the 0W-20 now (and not before). Actually, I believe that any of the oils listed in the manual are probably fine, but everyone should be curious why the new recommendation!

 

There isn't a TSB regarding engine oil for the 2016 JCW hardtop. There is a sticker in my engine bay that says 0W-20. I bought 5W-30 because I read somewhere that cars bound for the US were filled with 5W-30 and European cars were filled with 0W-20.