I purchased a 2008 MCS Hatchback R56 with 70,000 mi. about 3 months ago and suddenly I'm losing oil with no visible reason and the oil has gas in it. My wife drives 5 miles to work and then 5 miles home daily. I saw one thread saying short trips do not allow the engine to attain optimum temperature therefore unburnt fuel gets into the oil. Is this a result of cold weather? Comments/Suggestions?
First thing to do is change the oil. That gas oil mix will kill the engine due to poor lubrication. Maybe you have a leaking injector or two. Is your MINI an S or a Cooper?
what he said^^^^^ and also try starting the car 5 min before short drives so it can get to full running tempter.
Or maybe the opposite is better? [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKALgXDwou4"]Should You Warm Up Your Car Before Driving? - YouTube[/ame]
Driving short distances does increase carbon buildup though. So while letting the engine idle may not help, driving is under 15 minutes at a time will gradually build up crud. Or so I've been told.