R56 MINI Cooper S Engine Oil Change: Hard to Reach Filter

People keep complaining that modern MINIs are way bigger than Sir Alec Issigonis' classic ones. But nobody considers all the stuff that goes into making a modern car. You need air conditioning, power steering, power brakes and a turbocharger in the case of the Cooper S.

Since watching oil changes for various cars has become a hobby of ours, we've decided to show you what it takes to do regular maintenance on the R56 Cooper S, which is the second generation MINI hatchback. But what's being said in the video also applies to other models.

The tricky part of the oil change is replacing the filter. To get to it, you first need to disconnect the radiator overflow tank and move it out of the way. Like most BMW engines, the 1.6L has a black filter housing that you keep from one change to the other, unlike other cars where you throw away the whole thing.

We've found some nice pictures on Flicker of a regular Cooper model. There, the oil filter is accessible without removing the reservoir because the turbo and its pipes aren't in the way. Everything else is roughly the same - change the washers, reinstall the drain plug, fill her with oil and check the level.

The R56 had two slightly different versions of the Cooper S, with an upgraded version arriving in 2010 (for the 2011 model year). Though Valvetronic trickery, power was bumped from 172 to 181 hp (U.S. rating), while torque rose to 192 lb-ft on overboost. Electronic power steering has allowed the engineers to fit anti torque and bump-steer systems too.

So what's your take on this? Do you know somebody with an R56 who changes his own oil? Does having more access under the hood make the all-new model better?