2004 Mini cooper service? TLC voucher

[Mull3t]

Afternoon all!

Well I have got 1025 miles left according to my dash until my car is due a service. I still have one token remaining on my TLC which is for the Oil change etc.

Now does this service that is coming up, relate to an oil change etc or have I got to pay for a normal service on top of that (as have not got a voucher for a full service)

My car is on around 35k, and I think (memory vague) that I sent it in for the break fluid change last year.

So is an oil change normal for around the milage now, and when is the recommend period you should get the car fully serviced? I thought it was once a year or am I wrong .

Cheers

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

The service intervals for your car are at approximately:

10,000 Miles - oil service

25,000 miles - major service

40,000 miles - oil service

55,000 miles - major service

70,000 miles - oil service

etc, etc....

I say "approximate", as the service indicator on your car will adjust those mileages according to how the car is driven (basically, it looks at fuel consumption rates to tell how hard the car has been driven and / or wheter it's been stuck in stop start traffic).

So, to cut a long story short, you are due an oil service only in 1,025 miles and your next major service will be due approximately 15,000 after that. Your voucher wil cover the entire cost of the oil service, though you may get charged for other things if they find that, for example, your brake pads need changing. In reality, the "oil service" is extremely brief and they are unlikely to find anything else wrong with the car unless it is blindingly obvious to them! You are not expected to pay for a "normal service" on top of that one, though my local dealer does offer a £40 suppliment to upgrade the "oil service" to a "major service".

Tigger.

[Mull3t]

Thank you for your fast reply, very very helpful

Yeah last time it was in for the brake fluid they charged me something silly like £96 for doing something silly (cant remember now but did post on here about it) they didnt even ask me, they just got on with it and did it and then sent me the bill. in the end I got my money back.

When I booked it in with them earlier I explained that by no means should they carry out any other work that will be chargable with asking me before hand. So hopefully no hiccups again!

Thanks again for your reply

[Mull3t]

One more question, Its booked in for this saturday (19th) by then I prob will have around 900 miles left until it is due. do you think I should wait and book it in in a few weeks (say when its on or around 100-200miles. or is it best to just get it done now?

Also, because it really due this oil service, could this be the result as to why Im getting poor fuel consumption?

[iain cooper]

I would get the oil service done on the 19th, pointless waiting until the mileage drops.

the need for an oil service will not have an effect on your fuel consumption, must be something else.

make sure that this time they don't charge you "something silly for doing something silly" again, or that would be really silly !!

[Mull3t]

Lol, I will do

Wonder what could be causing the bad fuel

[iain cooper]

if your driving style has not changed, ie right foot is not heavier, then it could be something like the air filter, spark plugs, needing cleaned or renewed.

I would check the air filter first.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

The dealer will accept your car in for service when the service count down is less than 1,000 miles. After that I wouldn't wait any longer as the oil change intervals are a little on the long side anyway!

As for fuel consumption, changing the air filter could easily help you. Though it's specified to last for 60,000 miles, it really is knackered at around 30,000 so definitely get it changed. Preferably change it yourself - it's incredibly easy and you can see just how full of cr*p it actually is!

What sort of consumption are you getting? With wide low profile tyres (as in the pictures on your post) you should be returning about 29-34mpg in a R50 Cooper, dependant on driving style and the sort of traffic you get stuck in!

[Mull3t]

When I first purchased my mini, the first thing I did was install an after market air filter (raid hp) and I was getting around 270-280miles a tank with mixed driving (motorway/city driving). Then about 3 months ago I up graded to a BMC CDA, whilst it gave me great performance ish and also sound it drank the petrol like never before (around 200 to a tank )

So last weekend I decided to take it off and replace it with the standard air filter that ive never used. Whilst the miles do seem alot more, it does not seem as much as it should be giving (stil around 270-280), maybe less.

Do you think its worth, changing my spark plugs etc and also buying a new air filter (standard) that goes in the standard air filter box? baring in mind, that its only done about 10k miles if that (previous owner, as purchased car when was on 10k)

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

My old R50 Cooper returned about 400 miles to a tank and my R53 Cooper S (with a reputation for being thirsty) usually returns 340 miles to a tank and, taking it really easy, I can see 400 miles out a tank on the MCS. So, you've definitely got a problem there.

Putting the air filter completely back to standard with a new filter would be a very good start and then check the economy again. I wouldn't bother with the spark plugs, other than taking them out and checking the colour, they should be a light grey colour.

If the economy is still bad, it's time for a trip to the garage...

Tigger.

[Mull3t]

400 on a MCS! and my MC gets no more than 300! I think ill get BMW to check it over saturday then when its in. Ive had my car for nearly 3 years in july, and I have never got more than 300 a tank wether it be, standard air filter/raid hp/ bmc cda. when it was under warranty I booked it in to BMW and they couldnt find a fault with it!

My driving style is steady, and Im not one to boot my car all the time. :S

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

400 Miles on an R53 is hard to believe, but here is a photo of the estimated range on the tank after filling up, following a 346.7 mile journey from Hull to Cornwall!

If you are struggling to better 300 miles on a tank on a standard Cooper, then there's a serious problem

[NeuroBeaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mull3t (original)

When I first purchased my mini, the first thing I did was install an after market air filter (raid hp) and I was getting around 270-280miles a tank with mixed driving (motorway/city driving). Then about 3 months ago I up graded to a BMC CDA, whilst it gave me great performance ish and also sound it drank the petrol like never before (around 200 to a tank )

So last weekend I decided to take it off and replace it with the standard air filter that ive never used. Whilst the miles do seem alot more, it does not seem as much as it should be giving (stil around 270-280), maybe less.

Do you think its worth, changing my spark plugs etc and also buying a new air filter (standard) that goes in the standard air filter box? baring in mind, that its only done about 10k miles if that (previous owner, as purchased car when was on 10k)

It might be worthwhile buying a few of these for the boot:

On a more serious note, I get about 290 miles between fill-ups in my ONE - though I tend to fill up with 20 miles left on the range. So a full tank should give me 310 miles on average. Though, I have had a slightly more aggressive driving style of late.

When I did a long motorway journey down to London, I was trying to make the petrol last. I think I did about 340 miles to the tank before each refill (refilling with 5-10 miles range remaining), cruising at motorway speed. I would have expected more, but there ya go. I think there's some sort of knack to getting really high mileage out of a tank - and not everyone is good at it, much in the same way not everyone can bang out a hot lap on a track (not that I'm any good at that either ).

As Tigger says, if you struggle to do 300 - something is certainly not how it should be.

All the best,
Andrew.

[Mull3t]

@ Jerry can haha.

Is they some home checks I can prob do before letting BMW go silly on my car (I remembered the silly thing they charged me for, that I mentioned in an earlier post) they charged me for putting AIR in my tyres! haha. think they charged me £43 if I remember correctly, but I got it back

Yeah, so if they is any home checks any 1 can recommend, before I let them lose and prob end up with a hefty bill, and thats just for the labour!

[Mull3t]

Another thing to mention, is what my gauge tells me I should get (Ex. 250m) when in fact ill get less, way less.

I could be driving, and it would say, like 135m left, then it would drop right down to 128 (when only drove bout 1m) (same speed throughout) then it will bounce back up to 135m. is this normal?