Frequently Asked Questions

Our workshop is located at Jasna 8 in Raszyn (05-090), just 10 km from the center of Warsaw. Access is from Al. Krakowska, and a large, convenient car park awaits you on site. To find us, turn off Al. Krakowska in Raszyn onto Pruszkowska Street, then take the third right onto Parcelacyjna Street, drive to the very end and turn left onto Jasna Street.

Świat MINI is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We are closed on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and public holidays.

Yes, at Świat MINI we recommend booking your visit in advance by phone, by email or via the contact form. That way we can immediately schedule the diagnostics and repair of your MINI or BMW at a time that suits you.

In urgent cases we try to take the car in as soon as possible, but booked visits always come first.

No. At Świat MINI we work exclusively on MINI and BMW cars. This gives us the full knowledge, experience and specialist tools needed to look after these brands. In practice, it means we service them faster and more accurately, and we can stand fully behind the quality of our work.

Yes. We run our own MINI rental fleet (with BMW coming soon), and you can rent a replacement car from us for the duration of the repair. Availability depends on existing reservations, so it's best to mention it when booking your visit. We will then confirm the date and reserve a car so it's waiting for you on the day of your service appointment.

You can call us, send an email or use the contact form on our website. We reply to emails most promptly – it's the fastest way to arrange a visit or ask about details.
If you prefer a more traditional approach, you can always give us a call. We answer the phone Monday to Friday during service opening hours.
We do not respond to SMS messages.

Yes – we have our own flatbed. During service opening hours you can call us in the event of a breakdown or collision, and we will safely deliver your MINI or BMW straight to the workshop.
Outside opening hours, we recommend using the roadside assistance included with your insurance policy.

It depends on the type of service. A standard inspection usually takes a few hours, and you can pick up your car the same day. For bigger repairs we agree the timeframe individually, always letting you know the expected pick-up date up front.

Yes – every inspection and repair carried out at Świat MINI is recorded in the BMW / MINI electronic service book via the official AOS system. This way, your car's service history is always complete and visible in the manufacturer's official database.
We use professional diagnostic tools, including a keyreader that retrieves data from the car key, which guarantees full compliance with BMW and MINI requirements.

At Świat MINI we use both original BMW / MINI parts and proven alternatives from reputable manufacturers. The choice depends on the customer's needs and the nature of the repair.
We always put quality and durability first, which is why we select every part based on our many years of experience. We avoid cheap, unproven products, because we know that every warranty claim is not just a problem for you, but a waste of our time as well. So you can be sure the parts we fit will be safe and reliable.

Yes, every repair carried out at Świat MINI is covered by a warranty, counted from the day the repair is completed:

new parts – 24 months,
remanufactured parts – 6 months (engines remanufactured by our workshop – 12 months),
used parts – 30 days,
labor – 6 months.

This gives you confidence that both the parts used and the work performed are safe and reliable.

In a MINI or BMW, the engine oil should be changed every 10,000–15,000 km or once a year, depending on how intensively the car is used.
An inspection, however, is more than just an oil change – it also includes a comprehensive check of the whole car and replacement of the remaining filters. Regular servicing allows us to spot component wear early and helps you avoid costly breakdowns.

In both automatic and manual gearboxes, the oil in a MINI or BMW should be changed every 60,000 km or every 5 years – whichever comes first. Regular oil changes significantly extend the life of the gearbox and protect it against costly failures.

In newer models, such as the MINI F56, the on-board computer itself reminds you that the gearbox is due for service. A message may appear on the display: “Gearbox oil service required”
or a more detailed one:
“Have the gearbox oil serviced at a workshop. Failure to do so may result in consequential damage to the vehicle.”

If you see a message like this on the display of your MINI / BMW, it means the gearbox needs servicing, and continuing to drive without an oil change can lead to serious faults.

Most MINI models use a timing chain, but that doesn't mean it lasts “for life”. The timing system – whether it runs on a belt or a chain – is a wear item and requires periodic replacement.

You'll often hear the opinion that MINI timing systems are “faulty”. That's a myth – the real problem is usually a missed replacement or ignoring the first signs of wear (the characteristic rattle of the chain).

If you don't know which engine your MINI has or when its timing system is due for replacement – send us the VIN number, and we will check it and book you in for a visit.

Recommended timing replacement intervals for MINI:

MINI R50, R52, R53 (2001–2006)
Petrol engines W10B16, W11B16
→ Timing replacement every 180,000 km, or sooner if it becomes noisy.

MINI R55, R56, R57, R58, R59 (2006–2014) and R60 Countryman (2010–2016)

Petrol engines: N12B14, N12B16, N14B16, N16B16, N18B16 (VTI / THP)
→ Timing replacement every 100,000 km, or sooner if the chain becomes noisy.

Diesel engines (2006–2010) W16D16, 9HZ (1.6 HDI / DV6TED4)
→ The timing system consists of a belt and a chain – they must be replaced as a complete set
→ First replacement at 120,000 km, then every 80,000 km.

Diesel engines (from 2010): N47C16, N47C20 (BMW)
→ Chain replacement every 150,000 km
→ When replacing, we recommend checking the crankshaft and replacing the bearing shells

MINI F54, F55, F56, F57, F60, F65, F66, U25 (2014–present)
Petrol and diesel engines: B36A15, B37C15, B38A12, B38A15, B46A20, B47C20, B48A20
→ We replace the timing system every 150,000 km

All the BMW engines listed below use a timing chain which, contrary to popular belief, does not last “forever”. The timing system is a wear item, so it should be replaced according to schedule, or sooner if signs of wear appear (e.g. a noisy chain).

We can't list every engine ever fitted to a BMW, but below you'll find the most popular units along with their recommended replacement intervals:

B37D15 – every 150,000 km
B38A15 / B38B15 – every 150,000 km
B47C20 / B47D20 – every 150,000 km
B48A20 / B48B20 – every 150,000 km
B57D30 – every 150,000 km
B58B30 – every 150,000 km

N13B16 – every 100,000 km
N20B20 – every 100,000 km
N26B20 – every 100,000 km

N47D16 / N47D20 – every 150,000 km
N57D30 – every 150,000 km

No. We only carry out repairs using parts purchased through our workshop – we select them based on your car's VIN number, so you can be sure they will fit and that we know where they come from. Only then can we take full responsibility for the repair and cover both the part and the labor with a warranty.

As standard, removed parts are sent for disposal – we don't store them. If you'd like to take them, let us know no later than when you accept the cost estimate, and we will set them aside for you until the day you collect your car.

The exception is parts subject to a deposit (core charge) or intended for remanufacturing (e.g. turbochargers, alternators, starters) – under the manufacturer's or supplier's conditions we have to send these back and cannot release them.

We don't have a waiting room, so your car stays with us for the duration of the diagnosis and repair. This is deliberate – our mechanics don't work under the pressure of a waiting customer, so they can do their job calmly and thoroughly.

If you need a car while yours is being repaired, use our replacement car rental – ideally, reserve a car when booking your visit.

We don't run a vehicle inspection station ourselves, but at your request we will arrange the technical inspection for you – we'll take the car to the station and take care of the formalities. The cost of the inspection follows the inspection station's price list.

Remember that a technical inspection (the official roadworthiness test) and a periodic service inspection are two different things – the latter is what we do at our workshop.

Contact us by phone or in writing within 7 days of the problem occurring. We will arrange an appointment, and you deliver the car to the workshop within 14 days of reporting the issue.

We carry out warranty repairs as quickly as possible. In exceptional situations – for example when parts are temporarily unavailable – the timeframe may be extended, but we will always keep you informed.

Yes. We buy and sell used MINIs, and we also sell cars on consignment. Before the sale, every car undergoes a full inspection and all required repairs at our workshop – whether it belongs to us or is being sold on behalf of a client.

We always sell with a 23% VAT invoice or a VAT margin invoice, which exempts you from the Polish PCC transaction tax (the PCC-3 declaration). Cars owned by us additionally come with a 12-month warranty.

You'll find our current offers on the Used MINI page. And if you'd like to sell your MINI – get in touch, we'll be happy to value it.

If the repair is to be covered by insurance, report the claim to us online, via our claims page: claims reporting form. Once you've submitted it, we take care of everything else – contact with the insurance company, photographic documentation, the repair estimate in the Audatex system and the repair of your car. We settle directly with the insurer, so you don't pay anything out of your own pocket. We work with all insurers and handle claims from both third-party liability and comprehensive insurance.

If you'd like to have your car repaired after a collision outside of insurance, simply write to us or give us a call – we will agree the scope of the repair and prepare a cost estimate.

For claims covered by the at-fault driver's third-party liability insurance, you get a replacement car from us for the entire repair period – at the insurer's expense, with no mileage limit. And if your car isn't drivable after the collision, we'll bring it to the workshop on our own tow truck.

The FRM (Footwell Module) is an electronic module that controls, among other things, the lighting, and is fitted in R-series MINI and E-series BMW cars. It is structurally sensitive to voltage drops: if its software is outdated or the car's battery is weak or worn out, the module can fail even during routine computer diagnostics or programming – no matter how careful the workshop is.

That's why it's so important that the battery in your MINI / BMW is in good condition and compliant with the manufacturer's recommendations, and that the car's software is up to date. If you don't know what condition your battery is in, we'll check it during your visit.

They can – and it's worth knowing this before you decide. A modification may limit or void the manufacturer's warranty, affect the scope of your insurance coverage (sometimes the insurer must be informed), and in some cases require an additional technical inspection or changes to the vehicle's documents.

That's why we only carry out modifications and tuning on your explicit instruction, after discussing the typical risks involved in the planned work. We'll advise you which solutions are safe for your car and which are better avoided.

A full malfunction diagnosis costs from 300 zł gross (incl. VAT). If you report a specific fault that doesn't require a full diagnosis, verifying it costs from 200 zł gross (incl. VAT). The diagnosis fee applies regardless of whether you decide to have the repair done with us – it's payment for the diagnostician's work and expertise.

Before any repair we always prepare a cost estimate and wait for your approval – repairs over 1000 zł gross (incl. VAT) require email confirmation. If additional faults come to light during the work, we will contact you before repairing anything. For larger orders we may ask for an advance payment.

We accept payment in cash, by payment card (Visa, Mastercard), by bank transfer and online through the ING Pay payment system (ING Bank Śląski S.A.) – including BLIK and electronic wallets: Apple Pay and Google Pay. Online payments are made via a payment link that we send by email or SMS. The car is released once the full amount has been paid – for invoices with deferred payment terms, a confirmation of the bank transfer is sufficient.

Once the repair is complete, you have 3 days to collect your car. After that, we charge a parking fee of 100 zł net (excl. VAT) for each started day. If you know you won't be able to collect the car on time – let us know as early as possible.

During your visit we may replace your license plate frames with our branded ones – it's a sign that the car is looked after by Świat MINI. We don't replace frames that carry no markings, or frames bearing the logos of automotive clubs, events or vehicle manufacturers.

If you don't want them replaced, just tell us when dropping off your car. We store the old frames for 14 days from the day you collect the vehicle – during that time you can pick them up or ask us to put them back on.