, so you’ll want to contact your local MINI dealer with your vehicle’s VIN to get the most accurate measurement. That said, experts generally recommend 4.8 or 5.6 quarts depending on which engine you have.

Compact in size and iconic in style, the MINI Cooper has long added charm to the daily commute. While its spirited look can make exterior upkeep easy to remember, it’s just as important to stick to your manufacturer's recommended

car maintenance schedule

—this includes changing its oil.

Fortunately, you can always save some money by doing your MINI Cooper’s oil change on your own. Here’s a breakdown of the specs and steps to do it properly.

MORE:

How to lower your MINI Cooper car insurance costs

2023 MINI Cooper engine oil capacity

Before you pull out the jack stands, you’ll want to know how much engine oil your 2023 MINI Cooper will take.

Unfortunately, MINI does not explicitly state its engine oil capacity in any of its owner manuals, so your safest option is to contact your dealer with your Cooper’s VIN on hand. Your dealer can look up the exact amount of engine oil your Cooper needs, as well as which oil type and oil filter you will need to purchase.

If you want to have a general idea in mind, most mechanics indicate that MINI Coopers with the turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine have an oil capacity of 4.8 quarts with the filter. Coopers with either 2.0-liter engine (i.e., the

MINI Cooper S

and the

John Cooper Works

) take 5.6 quarts of engine oil instead.

Note Those 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engine descriptions are referring to your engine’s displacement (the volume of its cylinders) and should not be mistaken for the amount of oil it requires.

What kind of oil does a 2023 MINI Cooper need?

Fortunately, MINI is very forthcoming when it comes to the type of oil your Cooper needs—and for good reason! Using the wrong type of oil in your engine can lead to some serious damage, so you’ll want to stick to SAE 0W-20 fully synthetic engine oil.

MINI prefers that you use

Genuine BMW Longlife 17 oil

(formally Longlife 14).

Let’s break all of that down. To start, SAE is an acronym for the Society of Automotive Engineers, which created the oil classification coding system. The first half of the code shows your oil’s viscosity in cold winter (W) weather, whereas the second half indicates viscosity in hotter weather. In your Cooper, the number 0 before W tells us its oil stays very thin to keep flowing when it's cold, and the 20 tells us it retains thickness when the heat would normally thin it out.

Oil viscosity that varies with weather like this is ideal in keeping your engine protected no matter what environment it’s in. This particular fuel type is further designed to have an extended life thanks to certain additives that also improve fuel efficiency.

If you’re ever on the road and you forget what type of oil your MINI Cooper takes, you can also check the label in its engine compartment.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

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How often to change the oil on a 2023 MINI Cooper

Your 2023 MINI Cooper is equipped with a handy touchscreen Maintenance System Display that monitors your Cooper’s oil levels and quality to forecast upcoming oil changes based on your specific vehicle’s engine usage.

To get this forecast, select “My MINI” on your Center Instrument Screen, then “Vehicle Status,” then “Service Required.” When you click on “Engine Oil,” a date and mileage count will appear to let you know when your Cooper’s oil should be changed.

If you don’t want to rely entirely on your MINI’s tech, MINI recommends that you change the oil and filter out approximately every 4,000 to 6,000 miles. You can also regularly check your Cooper’s oil quality yourself with your dipstick (about once a month or every other time you fill up the gas).

Should you discover any of the following, it may be time for an oil change:

The oil is black or dark brown (think thick, opaque coffee vs. translucent, amber tea)

The oil is coarse and gritty in texture

Your Cooper’s engine is knocking or making strange noises

It smells like oil or exhaust fumes inside your hatchback

You notice smoke coming out of your tailpipe

Note Not all MINI Coopers have a dipstick, so you may need to trust pretty heavily in your oil monitoring system.

MORE: Are Minis expensive to maintain?

How to change your oil and oil filter

Now that you know when you should change your MINI Cooper’s oil, how do you actually do it? To start, you’ll want to gather a 17mm and 32mm socket wrench, an oil drain pan, and a filter wrench designed to swap out your MINI’s filter.

You’ll also want 4.8 or 5.6 quarts of premium 0W-20 synthetic oil and a replacement filter. Again, consult your local MINI technician for exact filter and oil capacity specifications.

It’s good practice to run the engine for about five minutes to get it up to its operating temperature. Once it’s ready, you can turn it off, jack up your car on stands, and follow these steps:

Under the hood, take off the oil fill cap

Under your Cooper, open up the access flaps to the drain plug and the oil filter (you may need to remove the entire under tray if you have a Cooper Convertible)

Position your drain pan, remove the drain plug and washer with a 17mm wrench, and let the old oil drain out

As that drains, remove the oil filter plug and let it drain as well

Once the oil filter has drained, remove the filter and its housing using a 32mm wrench

Exchange the old oil filter for a new filter, O-ring, and plug

Put the oil filter housing back in your Cooper and tighten it to 25Nm, tighten its plug to 5Nm

Tighten the drain plug (with a new washer) to 25Nm

Close up the access flaps

Refill your engine with 0W-20 oil (a funnel can help prevent spillage) and replace your fill cap

After you lower your Cooper from the jack stands, turn it on for a minute or so to let the new oil warm up and run through the filter. As it does so, check under your vehicle for any leaks. You can also check the Cooper’s Maintenance System Display to see if you need to top off at all.

If everything looks good, you can reset your MINI Cooper’s oil change light by turning the car on without the engine, then holding the reset button (trip odometer button) until a menu pops up. It will ask to confirm that you want to reset your oil change reminder—just press the reset button again.

Finally, you’ll need to dispose of your old oil safely by taking it to a local recycling center in a sealed container. Don’t dump your dirty oil into your trash—not only is this bad for the environment, but it’s dangerous for your health, too!

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