This is exactly what Audi did (on purpose!) :confused5: with the 2010-11 A4s. Before Audi said "Oops!" and rebuilt the engine at 22K, I was down to 861 miles/quart. A month or so before that, a guy followed me into a parking lot to ask how I got an A4 diesel. :eek6: Interestingly, my GTI of the same generation (and with the same engine, except for the head design) never used a drop of oil and ended up being probably the most reliable car I've ever owned.
I've run with Royal Purple, 0-30W, since my 2009 JCW was new. I've never used any oil between 5000 mile changes until I reached around 42,000. Oil usage has been going up since. I'm at 51K now. Looks like I could be using more than 1.5 qts per 5K miles at the current rate. I've run the stage one tune with the AccessPort since about 25K miles. I do about 15 autox events a year and about 4 track days. My daily drive is about 15 miles one way. I've not been good about watching temp until I recently installed gauges. Since then I've increased my drive via different route so I always get to full temp on drive to work even on cold days. Also, the additional drive is great fun. Gearing up to install OCC and do a walnut cleanse in the near future. Will note if any change occurs.
2007 MCS manual has always burned oil and increased significantly at 30K at which time it was always pitch black. The change oil warning never worked and the key FOB is an expensive joke! Apparently, break in at the factory can affect it the amount it consumes. Then I put an OCC on, it slowly consumed more until it doubled to 1.5Qt every gas tank. Took off the OCC block and consumption down to 2/3 to 3/4 qt per tank of gas. Had the valve cover replace to no effect. Heavier weight oil has no affect. Having the oil coolant housing changed but suspect the problem is not very tight rings even though compression is apparently ok. (Goopy coolant I suspect is due to adding old Havoline even though it's suppose to be compatible.) I wish I'd been less anal and just accepted that oil is cheaper than going to the dealer! Also, always use full synthetic in 2nd Gen Minis due to the heat and high compression to avoid breakdown or change regular religiously at 3K.
I am the unlucky one. Artoo my 2003 MCS has burned oil from the beginning. I have tracked any and all leaks and there are none. 5000 mile oil change intervals with M1 0-40 or Castrol Euro since new. And I was meticulous with break-in. But it burns a quart every 1000 miles and has been doing so for as long as I can remember. It has 140,000 miles now and still runs strong. But the oil is going somewhere and Mini says it’s normal. ///Rich
My R53 does not use oil. If mine burning oil was I'd just keep checking & adding. They will run a long way & be OK as long you keep the level correct.
I drive 'em like I stole 'em from the first mile away from the showroom to the last mile when I get another one. No break-in period...period! Just sayin':biggrin5:
I broke mine in by the book. Flip a coin as to which one is better??? My reason was the factory engineer's had a reason for their recommendations. I'm not an engineer so I took them on their word. Different stokes. Mark was your R53 new when you bought it? I thought it was previously loved.
My R53 burns very little, maybe half a quart or less between oil changes. I use M1 5w-30. I really believe 0w-40 is too light.
My R53 never used any oil I can remember about, unless the damn BSH lower mount knocked the pan gasket loose... My Jeep on the other hand (2010 Wrangler 3.8L) can use a quart every 800-1000 miles! And Jeep considers this "Normal", I say its BS! Every car I have ever had before the JK (newest model I have ever had) has used little to no oil, aren't things supposed to get BETTER with time and new technology?
My car burns more fuel and meth than it does oil. I only loose about 1/4 qt (if any at all) between 3k or less oil changes. Most new car owners care more about fuel mileage and can not even find the dipstick let alone know what it is for. Everyone now relies on idiot lights for oil, tire air pressure and brake pads.
Mine burns 1/2 quart every 6000 miles. I didn't do anything special in the first 1500 miles. In fact, I floored it on the way home from the dealer, to see what it'd do. It did great! Dave