Independent BMW and MINI servicing and repairs

What do you do for BMW and MINI cars?

Reverie Autocare is an independent service centre at 57 Great North Road, Welwyn Garden City. For BMW and MINI owners we offer:

• Servicing by the car’s service display.
• Automatic gearbox oil servicing for ZF six- and eight-speed gearboxes.
• Battery replacement and registration.
• Diagnosis and repair, from warning lights to timing chains, leaks and emissions faults.
• MOT tests in our own Class 4 bay.

Electric and hybrid BMW and MINI models are looked after by technicians qualified to work on electric and hybrid vehicles.

How often should my BMW or MINI be serviced?

Follow the car’s service display, which tells you when the next service is due. For MINI, MINI UK recommends an oil service every two years or 18,000 miles.

We use oil that meets the BMW Longlife specification listed for the engine, confirmed for each car.

Does the automatic gearbox need an oil change?

ZF says its six- and eight-speed automatic gearboxes are filled maintenance-free, but recommends an oil change after 150,000 km, about 93,000 miles. It advises changing sooner if the gearbox works with high temperatures or heavy loads, or if the car’s history is unknown.

We carry out the oil and filter change in-house and set the oil level with the oil between 30 and 50 °C, as ZF specifies.

Why does a new battery need registering?

BMWs from about 2004 to 2005 onwards use an intelligent battery sensor. Registering a new battery tells the car it has been fitted, so charging resets. An unregistered battery is overcharged and wears out early. We fit the battery and register it before the car leaves.

Which BMW and MINI faults do you see?

• Timing chain: a rattle from the back of the engine on the N47 diesel; we also check N20 petrol engines.
• EGR valve and cooler: EGR cooler problems on BMW and MINI diesels, some covered by BMW recalls.
• DPF: a warning light or limp mode, most often linked to short, low-speed journeys.
• Drivetrain malfunction and misfires: the warning message, shaking or loss of power, traced to its cause.
• Oil leaks: oil filter housing and rocker cover gaskets, repaired before leaking oil damages the drive belt.
• Water pump and coolant leaks: the electric water pump on six-cylinder petrols such as the N52 and N53 can fail, bringing an overheating warning.
• AdBlue and NOx: an AdBlue warning with a mileage countdown, from a NOx sensor, injector, pump, leak or frozen system.
• Turbo: lack of power, noise or smoke; we check the oil supply, intake and exhaust before condemning the turbo.
• VANOS: cam timing faults that can put the engine into limp mode; some are covered by recalls.
• MINI timing chain: a loud rattle on a cold start, known on the N14 engine in the R56 Cooper S and John Cooper Works.
• MINI engine management light: a light that stays on, flashes or comes with juddering.

How do you find the cause of a fault?

A fault code is not a repair. We read the fault data, test to prove the cause, and send you a written price before any part is fitted. If we find something else, we ask for your written approval before doing it.

Should I check for a recall first?

Yes, especially on a diesel. BMW has recalled a range of four- and six-cylinder diesels, including some MINI and 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer models, because coolant leaking from the EGR cooler can form deposits that, in rare cases, can catch fire. The remedy is a revised cooler and an engine software update, free at a BMW retailer.

Check your registration on gov.uk before you book EGR work with us. Recall work is done by BMW’s network, not by us.

Do you remove DPF, EGR or AdBlue systems?

No. We repair DPF, EGR and AdBlue systems and never remove or disable them. At the MOT, emission control equipment that is missing or obviously modified is a Major defect.