Hesitation

[suprchrgdmini]

Now that i am getting used to driving my Mini S it feels like it has a slight hesitation when accelerating or is that the drive by wire set up. I am going to stop by the dealer on monday and see what they say. Also i see they recommend an oil change every 10000 miles. Even thought it is synthetic i would change it every 5000 the latest.Or should i just got the 10000.

[ficcion]

Do you feel this hesitation just from a start or any time you depress the accelerator?

[noahe]

Do a search on the oil change intervals, opinions vary. Apparently it is up to 10,000 miles between oil changes. A Bosch oil condition sensor performs many checks on the oil, and will alter this depending on viscosity, temperature, particulates, chemistry, # of cold starts, etc...

Sounds as if the interval is actually safe, and not just safe within the warranty period... I'm still a bit conditioned to change it earlier, or at least earlier the first time during the break-in period.

[suprchrgdmini]

It does this all the time,usually in 2nd gear more than others.

[Sashadog]

My S is doing the same thing, hesitating or surging. I get it at mid-throttle to 3/4. It seems to be independant of the a/c or load. It's very slight/light though. You almost wouldn't notice it unless you hold that throttle position.

I will be curious to hear what you find out. I'm assuming it will be a software fix that is on its way. Maybe even has something to do with the cold-start prob.

[ficcion]

Interesting, I get no hesitation whatsoever in mid acceleration, it is very smooth.

There is a milisecond (I don't know exactly how many)delay before the engine responds upon depression and release of the accelerator due to "drive by wire" or electronic throttle system but it is not that noticeable and you quickly get used to it.

I'm perplexed?

I do have the cold start problem however. Do not know if there is a relation.

[retroom]

BMW's recommended oil change interval is 10,000 miles (to validate the warranty), I feel this is too long. Even using synthetic oil 10,000 miles is too long. I say 5,000 miles is the absolute maximum. My feeling is every 3 months or 4,000 miles. The extra price for oil is a small price to pay to keep your car in shape. Better oil than engine.


retroom

[Bilbo Baggins]

Quote:

Originally posted by retroom
BMW's recommended oil change interval is 10,000 miles (to validate the warranty), I feel this is too long. Even using synthetic oil 10,000 miles is too long. I say 5,000 miles is the absolute maximum. My feeling is every 3 months or 4,000 miles. The extra price for oil is a small price to pay to keep your car in shape. Better oil than engine.


retroom

I beg to disagree. My father worked for Texaco as an engineer for 30 yrs. They ran oil tests on vehicles all of the time. These tests ran thru the 50's, 60's & 70's, before the modern synthetics. They would use his company vehicle as well as fleet vehicles such as police departments, trucking companies, and taxi services.

The tests would run the same oil, after break-in, for 70,000 to 90,000 miles. Every 10,000 miles they would change the oil filter, while leaving all of the rest of the oil within the engine, test a small sample of the oil for metal content, install a new filter filled with fresh oil from the test batch and send the car back to my father. All of my fathers' car went over 100,000 miles on the original motors, usually in about 3 years.

Oil has the capacity to lubricate a long time. It is the additive packages that they put in the oil that break down and get used up. Oil will last longer in high milage vehicles where the oil spends most of it's life within the optimum temperature range. Any condensation of water within the engine that occurs naturally with the heating and cooling cycles of the engine will be boiled off along with any volatile substances.

This is why oil companies and engine makers recommend that low milage, short haul, car owners change their cars oil by the calander rather than the odometer. It is actually much harder on the oil than just "motoring".

Motor on, Dude!!!!!

[retroom]

Bilbo,

So, according to your last paragraph, you do agree with me.

Thanks,
retroom

[Sejanus]

Actually, I think the end result of all that would be, it varies depending on use of the car so going by the sensor would make sense. The only reason it is a significant question is because there is some concern that changing your oil before it is indicated might cause warranty issues. There has been a great deal of discussion of this on other threads and to the best of my recollection it still hasn't really been resolved.

[Sashadog]

I agree that 10k is way too long. It will save them millions since they are paying for oil changes.

It can't hurt to do it sooner as long as you use an approved filter and oil. I plan on doing the first immediately since I've always believed that this would be the most important. I know manufacturing processes are extremely sophisticated today but any metal particles that might happen to be in there need to be taken out with the oil/filter.

In the past I have always changed the oil/filter on my new vehicles right after the break-in.

[retroom]

Changing the oil frequently is the best thing to do to keep your engine running smooth and lasting longer too. Why would this void the warranty ( as long as you use approved oil and filters - keep the receipts). Play it safe - ask BMW and whatever they say, get it in writing.

retroom

[Bilbo Baggins]

Quote:

Originally posted by retroom
Bilbo,

So, according to your last paragraph, you do agree with me.

Thanks,
retroom

Sorry, for being so long in responding.

Well, not really. The manufacturer would pick the worst case scenerio to establish its case for oil change frequency during the warranty period. BMW/MINI is saying that in the worst case it recommends the changing of the oil each 10,000 miles. That doesn't mean that the oil cannot last longer under better conditions, but the manufacturer of the car chooses to set it's recommendation at a conservative 10,000 miles. This is a fairly standard practice IMHO.

BMW/MINI specs. synthetic oil for the MINI and installs it at the factory as the original oil, according to my dealer.

My personal experience, completely un-scientfic for sure, has proven to me that a premium organic petrolium oil can easily handle 10,000 to 15,000 mile change intervals in a vehicle that averages 27,000 to 33,000 mile annualy. I have used this change interval on my past three vehicles and each has gone 200,000 miles on the original engine and clutch. I always change the filter when I change the oil. I have no doubts that modern synthetic oils could easily surpass this safely.

[retroom]

Of course if your driving habits are mostly long freeway/highspeed driving with very little stop 'n' go this is much easier on the engine and greatly increases oil life. What about the people that drive the majority of the time in stop nN' go traffic and short trips which is a lot harder on the car and oil.

I think most people are in the worst case scenario.

retroom

[macduff]

Did you get anywhere with finding out what was causing the hesitation....I have just got a new S and am getting the same illness in 2nd gear between 3&4000 revs????

Love the S but this is irritating...