It seems MINI doesn’t change them as part of the TLC oil change, as I can’t find no mention of it in the service manual? Why?
I am thinking of changing it myself, why is this not changed with the oil and oil filter?
Do you need to ask for it as extra and pay for it? Knowing MINi they will probably want an hour’s labour! So that would be £8 for the part, and £100 for the labour.
I have a washable K&N, i tent to clean that about every 10,000 miles, so on each service. If its been a very dusty few months (i live on a farm) i wash it every 5,000 miles.
But to answer your question AFAIK alot of people do and air filter and oil change in between the TLC pack as it is an extended period of time for you not to do it!
thanks guys.. My cars nearly done 10K and its going in for the first TLC oil change soon. I think I'll change the air filter myself when I get the car back from MINI.
I am still surprised this isn't done as part of the oil service.
Never ever leave it to BMW to change it as part of the service. The time between changes is far too long. On an S certianly need to change it more frequently than the TLC/service intervals. It take 2 minutes and a torx bit/screwdriver and 0 mechanical knowledge to do. Cost if you do it every 10k is about £3 for a filter. If BMW do it every 10k they will charge a lot more!
My advice is to buy a panel filter like piper or kN (they do not alter your insurance) and then wash and oil them every 10k at least yourself.
If I remember right (I have had an Alta CAi for ages) then its either just some small clips or a couple of torx bit scres that keep the lid on the stock box. Take the lid off and take the panel out...throw away and fit a replacement paper panel or an uprated KN/pipercross one. Screw the lid back on.
Worth investing in a haynes manual for £14 from halford...its been invaluable to me
When i got my 03 MCS last November the car had 32000 mile on the clock and if you drove it hard you could here a loud chattering noise from the engine, i had the car inspected by my local mini dealer but the could not find any fault with the car and i was told not to worry about it
Anyway to cut a long story short i decided to fit an Alta cold air kit, so on removel of the old air box and filter i found the filter Tobe very dirty and misshaped.
Now the car runs alot smother and the noise has gone. although the TLC pack looks good value i do think they are skipping on what would be normal replacement service items
The clip is a sort of almost one use. I am assuming you mean the sort of jubilee ring clip on the air pipe?
The way most people deal with it is they get the old one use (it can be reused but difficult) and measure its diameter...then go to halfords/supply place and buy a corect size jubilee ring and use that instead...makes for easier removal and refit at later dates. BMW also can sell the proper clip to you for a few pennies.
Oh if you want to you can get a pair of needle nose pliers and use them to pinch the 2 humps together until the little pin slots into the hol and closes the ring clip up. Brute force and careful manipulation will work if the original clip is not too damaged.
Mine was like that too - I can't work out why they pull in at the left hand edge as in your pic - not good as that will leave part of the route through the air box unfiltered.
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Air Filters, service! 
