Hi everyone,

As name suggests I was a keen MINI fan for years until I couldn't buy a car with a spare wheel and tyre, folding mirrors and heated seats. Simplest thing to do was move on.

This is my 3rd new A1 so obviously I like the model.

My problem is that this car is only 6 days old with 174 miles on the clock but when I checked the engine oil yesterday, as the car engine felt a bit rough, there was only a drop of oil on the end of the dipstick, not at the minimum level.

Speaking to the sales guys at the dealership, apparently the 'Technician' told him that the level varies due to the temperature but if the oil light didn't come on I was perfectly safe.

Now as someone who has worked in the motor trade all my working life, I advised the salesman that he'd been told BS and 9 times out of 10 if the oil light comes on, the engine is already cooked as the light is a pressure light, not an oil level light.

I'm concerned that the car has not had a proper pre-delivery inspection as the tyre pressures were low and the water bottle wasn't full either. If this is happening to me, who else is having the same luck?

My vigilance has saved the dealership the cost of a new engine but no apology, just arrogance. I'm annoyed and really disappointed.

Your comments would be appreciated.

morrisminiminor

I knew cost cutting at Audi was extensive, but did not realise oil, air, and water were now extras in new cars.

I’ve never had a new car, but I’d expect PDI to be done, that’s an absolute given. I’d potentially bring first oil change forward at 5k miles. Thereafter ever 8-10k miles. Avoid Audi’s long service regime, it’s utter nonsense. Any lubricating properties the oil had would have left many months ago, now it’s simply achieving oil level. It’s a cost-cutting measure and will effect owners 4-5 years down the road if you hand back or trade in after 3 years.

Welcome Andrew, and sorry to hear of your unacceptable issue. 
My logic points to it being highly unlikely that the car would have left the factory without the engine being (automatically) filled to the correct level with oil. Even if it had, then it would be very remiss to have missed this check on the P.D.I. 
What mileage did it have at the point of collection? 
So, what has happened to your engine oil in 174 miles over 6 days?

Burnt it, or leaked it?? 
What oil have you used to top it up Andrew, and did you  buy it ( given it?) from an Audi dealership? 
I must say, I would be very concerned if this were mine.

Perhaps you could let us know what happens from here. 
Regards,

Gareth. 
 

Thanks for your quick responses.

I usually ignore the oil change recommendations and change the oil and filter earlier. A much earlier oil change seems a very good idea. Thanks for that suggestion.

Mileage at point of collection was only 12. Audi supply a litre of oil when you pick up the car and my last car hadn't used  the litre after 26500 miles, three and a half years later.

I just felt that the engine was slightly noisier than the previous car. I have to check the tyre pressures weekly to ensure that the tyre pressure alarm won't sound as dearly beloved would just abandon the car if these alarms did so I just decided to check the oil at the same time. Just as well I did. Here is the BS response from the so called  'Technician' . Makes you wonder why they even bother with a dipstick never mind a max and min level if this is their reasoning.

We do check the oil however it's very difficult to tell how much oil is in it based on the dipstick reading and the variance in the temperature in the engine can have on the reading. 

After your recent top up of oil they have assured me there should be no issues with the oil consumption.

 

What I established with the old car the 36 PSI  is too high as front tyres had less tread in the middle that at the sides when it came to change them just before the MOT. I now set the pressure at 35 PSI.

 

morrisminiminor

So long story short Andrew:- 

When you put (all of?) the 1 litre of supplied oil in, where is the level now showing on the dipstick on level ground first thing in the morning before starting the engine? 

No. I only put in enough oil to raise the level from the tip of the dipstick to the full mark, about 300ml of oil.

I only check the oil level when the engine is cold, in the same place, usually on a Friday before dearly beloved visits to her mother.

I keep a record of all fuel and oil added with the date, mileage and cost in a book. 2nd and 3rd entries - oil added, first to fill it to the half way mark then to fill just below the full mark.

The point is that the oil level should never have been this low on a brand new car, only six days old with 174 miles on the clock. No evidence of any water in the water bottle either. Would have thought that there would have been minimal anti-freeze in the bottle seeing as winter starts in December. Tyre pressures were also down so what else wasn't checked?

Who checks their oil the same week as they take delivery of their car? Had I taken this car on a long motorway run, this engine would have required replacing.

morrisminiminor

Hello Andrew, it’s probably me but I just can’t get my head around the stated fact that adding 300mls of oil raised the level from ‘only a drop on the end of the dipstick’ to ‘the full mark’. 

As I understand it, the volume difference from the min. to max. is usually 1 ltr. 
Regards,

Gareth.

10 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Andrew, it’s probably me but I just can’t get my head around the stated fact that adding 300mls of oil raised the level from ‘only a drop on the end of the dipstick’ to ‘the full mark’. 

As I understand it, the volume difference from the min. to max. is usually 1 ltr. 
Regards,

Gareth.

Hi not anymore, they have made the sumps smaller [why?], watched a service on a 23 plate Citroen today it was a 1.2 petrol the sump capacity was just over 2l of oil, my mechanic reckons they have cut the sump size to save on oil during production but if you use their special oil £££££ you can still have extended service intervals also less oil means the engine heats more quickly, sounds to me like a manufacturer enforced fairy tale, how about less oil more engine wear.

Steve.

Many thanks Steve,

Wonderful! 
We once had rust to kill off cars, then well beyond-the-need electronics, engineeringly averse stop/start systems. Now a milk carton’s worth of engine oil! 
Progress-? 

Magnet,

I don't understand the oil level differences either but I know what I put in and even checking and wiping the dipstick three times before I added more oil, there was practically nothing on the rag I used.

So have you got min. and max marks? Sometimes Fill and Full. 

The dipstick has a knurled part about 1 to two inches long to identify max and minimum oil levels.

On some cars the dipstick is narrowed to indicate these levels while others there is just two notches on the stick.

Of course with the MINI you have to start the car and wait until the engine has heated up before the software will allow you to check the oil level.

Really saving the planet...

This is all rather vague to me Andrew. 
‘Knurled part ( I am familiar with that) about 1 to two inches long’. Biffs difference between 1 inch and 2 inches.

Have you checked the on- line handbook for clarification? 

7 hours ago, morrisminiminor said:

The dipstick has a knurled part about 1 to two inches long to identify max and minimum oil levels.

On some cars the dipstick is narrowed to indicate these levels while others there is just two notches on the stick.

Of course with the MINI you have to start the car and wait until the engine has heated up before the software will allow you to check the oil level.

Really saving the planet...

Hi that on the Mini was to allow for oil expansion so you did not get so depressed by the amount of oil it burnt you sold the car, my nieces MINI 1 about a litre a month, no leaks just burnt and this was at 60k.

Steve.

Ha ha. Must admit, I had the first three generation BMW MINIs and never had a problem with burning oil. Even bought a 5 litre bottle as I suspected there might be a bit of oil drinking but the bottle is still in the garage, almost full.

Hi Magnet,

No I looked in the handbook in the glovebox 🙂

This is a bit like pulling sore teeth Andrew. 
So you do have a handbook in the glove box then? I thought they had done away with them, but they are available to refer to on line.

So you have referred to the glove box handbook, but it doesn’t mention anything at all about checking/ topping up engine oil. You learn something every day. 

Hi Magnet, The handbook actually has a picture showing you the dipstick. There is also guidance on how to check the oil but not the BS the service side advised me.

Anyway since contacting the garage, they have replaced the oil and filter and checked the items I'd told them had been missed. The mechanic told me that he had checked all the items I'd raised and they were  in his words 'spot on'. I told him of course they were. I wasn't going to drive around in a car without the correct level of oil. Only after that I realised that the management team hadn't even bothered to tell the mechanic what the original problem was. I also asked to see just how the oil should be checked on this notoriously difficult engine. Surprise surprise, it was almost word for word out the A1 handbook. Dearly beloved was listening and watching too. She wasn't long in telling them what the original problem was. Don't think they will see this car again after all their nonsense unless it is a warranty issue.

Thanks Andrew, but I’ve removed the ‘Solved’ since although you may consider it acceptable, there are too many anomalies remaining in the initial reporting.

Regards,

Gareth.