Inside Line: Comma

For this particularly series of Mini, the manufacturer lists only one or two specifications for engine oil which should be covered by Comma Long Life 5W30 and Comma Syner-Z 5W30.

Some of the engines in this series of Mini have quite small sumps – 4.2L for example. Usually flexible service intervals are used being the maximum 24 month which is quite a long time. Supplying the customer with a top up pack and reminding them that they should be checking the engine oil regular (see handbook for guidance) might also be prudent here particularly if you have noticed that the oil needed topping up when it was brought in. A quick check before you change might be a good way of reinforcing the importance of top up to the customer. Combined with longer service intervals and the increased use of sensitive components like turbochargers, a smaller sump size makes checking your oil more critical than ever before.

Mini use one of two specifications for brake fluid for this series and it is important to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.

Most people don’t think of brake fluid as a service item however, as with many manufacturer’s, Mini specify a change interval of 24months. Brake fluid degrades over time by absorbing water from the atmosphere (even when it is apparently sealed inside the system) which lowers its boiling point. Boiling point is a critical factor in brake fluid performance because of the amount of heat generated during braking. If the boiling point of the fluid is too low then continuous or hard braking may cause the brake fluid to vapourise which in turn can result in a loss of hydraulic pressure within the system (ie your brakes don’t work when you most need them too). The message here is that brake fluid is a safety critical item so check and change when specified – don’t assume that it will just be OK.

This series of Mini is fitted with a purely electrical power steering system so no power steering fluid is required.

For this particularly series of Mini, the manufacturer lists only one or two specifications for coolant which should be covered by Xstream G48 and Xstream G30.

For this particular series of Mini use a range of transmissions that includes manual and automatic. As well as the different fluid requirements, change intervals and capacities will vary depending on the type of transmission so we would advise you to consult the handbook to ensure that you get the right product for the vehicle you are servicing.