Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

MINI Cooper Care & Maintenance

1234689

Comments

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    The MINI was designed to run on premium. If you don't premium in it the engine will run funny and you will get poor gas mileage.
  • pgb3pgb3 Member Posts: 7
    BMW/Mini is offering me an extended warranty even though I have 39K on my '07 Cooper (automatic). The offer is $2800, for a bumper to bumper (Platinum Plan), good until 10/2013 or 100K miles. Does anyone have any experience with major repair issues for this year and model? Thanks.
  • herodotusherodotus Member Posts: 2
    So, I am destined to have engine knocks and such like if I don't put premium gas in it? I'm incredibly skeptical of such warnings and claims, but am willing to be convinced given that I want it to run nicely and last a long time...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    So let's see---at your current rate of driving, that extended warranty will be up in 3 years, so it's costing you about $950 a year--and of course it will have exclusions.

    I'd say just put the $950 a year away in a savings account and use it if you have to.

    Besides you still have 11,000 miles on your full warranty, and even with the extended plan, you'll be paying your own maintenance.

    These extended warranties are really just insurance policies in which the insurance company and you are betting against each other. They are betting $2800 that you will spend more money on their warranty than they will on your car---and statistically, at least, based on a lot of Minis, they will win.
  • pgb3pgb3 Member Posts: 7
    10-4; why else would they be offering it. Thanks for the input.
  • mymemnimymemni Member Posts: 6
    I went to the dealer's parts dept to buy a case of mini oil for my 03 MC and while I was there I asked the service advisor what I needed to do to fix my passenger window which would not roll down, he said, "I can take care of that" and he went to the car, opened the pass side door and gave the inside door panel a good WHACK with his fist forward of the door pocket and the window worked! he said that sometimes with little use the window relay gets stuck, I've used his method several times since and it always works

    sometimes all it takes is a big hammer
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    Took my 02 mini cooper s to dealership for oil change and new tires. Currently have 63k so Inspection II was suggested and I agreed to go ahead. I know how important maintenance is but I was curious if anyone could share some info on their own experience with cost. The specifics for me are as follows; Inspection II $630, which includes oil/filter change, new air filter, new a/c filter, new spark plugs, new drive belt, fuel injection system cleaning, tune up, new wiper blades, inspection of transmission, hoses & belts. The Inspection uncovered that the power steering intake and return hoses are leaking,($264), the bushings on the front are cracked and need to be replaced, (he showed me),($650), the oil pan gasket is leaking, ($550); not an expensive part but alot of time involved in tearing out to get to it, rear brakes, ($600), then of course the new tires $1080, & alignment $139, (discounted $60). Makes me queezy-- can't do the work myself and last time I got tires I went to a local franchise who to my surprise did not know how to install run flats properly which resulted in leakage from right front because they thought shaving the rubber nipples off the inside rim of the Pirelli would make it fit the rim better--didn't work and the hassle made me think it was worth the peace of mind to let the dealership do whatever I need. I have only had 1 large maintenance bill previously which was around $600 for an end stage fan failure last year. Other higher cost items were cover under warranties which was great. I don't anticipate this type of thing recurring frequently but am I being taken? Or is this just a lot of issues coming to light at the same time? AND my big concern is why is the oil pan gasket leaking? I asked the tech and he said "it just happens". My concern is... does it just happen or did it happen because something is getting too hot? I just don't want to pay $4000 and find out next year that there is some major engine problem that's been lurking and I'm just too ignorant of how engines operate to realize this. Would appreciate some genuine honesty here since my car is at the dealership as I write.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Take a look at your owner's manual and you will see that they are "exceeding" the work that the manufacturer calls for. Also, I would ask the following questions: 1) Are the leaks bad enough for you to spend all that money fixing them? You may be able to easily live with minor leaks. 2) Regarding the oil pan gasket leak, why not just try tightening the bolts first and see if that works? It may or may not stop the leak, but it will take them 10 minutes to do so. 3) The bushings may be cracked, but that does not always mean they need replacement. 4) $600 for rear brakes is a absolute ripoff, and if you don't know how to inspect them yourself, I would get a second opinion elsewhere...it's unlikely they they "immediately" need to be replaced after 63k miles as the fronts brakes do the majority of the work 5) you can get a far better price on the tires and alignment elsewhere.6) You can easily replace the air filter and wiper blades for far less than what I will bet they are charging you. 6) Modern cars don't require "tune ups". There is nothing to be done on modern cars as the ignition is computer controlled. "Tune up" is a term from 40 years ago. You said nothing in your post that would indicate that there is a major engine problem.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I agree---this situation is a case for "comparative shopping" and for what I like to call "repair triage". What you do is prioritize the repairs with the counsel of a trusted independent shop who is not trying to sell you the moon or trying to make a brand new car out of your old one.

    In a triage of this type, some repairs are marked "urgent", some "inspect in 90 days" and some "not needed at this time".

    I don't see why you couldn't get 4 high-quality tires balanced and aligned for something like $600 out the door, tax included. If you have the dreaded run-flats, see about switching those out for regular tires and a can of tire sealer.
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    Thank you so much for your reply. I called the dealership to ask them to try tightening the bolts first to fix the oil pan gasket leak and she checked with the technician who said he had already replaced it. Do the gaskets just go bad over time or could something be overheating and causing it to expand & contract too much? This may sound stupid but whenever I run it thru the touchless car wash, lots of steam comes off the hood and when it rains this happens too, not necessarily when the outside temp is cold either. I asked them a couple of years ago if this was normal because it didn't seem normal to me. They said it was perfectly normal. What do you think? The first time I drove the car after I got it in 04 it ran hot and we had to have the dealership tow it in. Said it was a bad switch on the power steering fan I think, which made no sense to me in relation to the engine overheating but I never had a problem with it again--unless that steam is an indicator that it's hotter than it should be. Do you have an opinion on that?
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Of course they told you the work was already done as they made a huge profit on work that you likely could have gone without...too bad. Typically the gaskets themselves don't go bad over time, more often what happens is that things work themselves lose due to heating and cooling of the engine, vibrations, and other things, and that can often be repaired by just re-tightening the bolts (but not overtightening them and bending the pan or damaging the gasket). In my experience oil pan gasket problems are often a symptom of the oil pan getting hit or scrapped by something laying in the road. It's not a terribly unusual situation on any car, and not unique to the Mini. Your engine running hot was more likely one of the switches or relays for a radiator fan, not the steering. If your engine seriously overheated, you would have had much more serious problems than a leaky oil pan gasket. It's not at all likely related. We have an '03 S and I've seen the steam many times. I think it is normal and I've long assumed that it is caused by water coming in contact with the hot supercharger.
  • rlmiller9rlmiller9 Member Posts: 48
    Hi there snicker2,
    Here is what is happening, one of two choices;
    1. The dealership needs money as many are scimping on repairs and want to get as much as they can from you, they will also likey suggest that you only maybe do half of it now. That way you will pay only 2k and be happy about it!!!!
    2. They are trying to steer you to a new car, by making you feel your existing one is going to cost you so much you can and should think new. This will also help them get you to take a low ball offer for trade.

    Find an honest independant shop that can inspect your car and never ever go to that dealer again, punish them for treating you this way.

    Ray
  • rlmiller9rlmiller9 Member Posts: 48
    Hey sniceker2,
    Just so you know if the dealersip did work on your car without you oking the work in writing ahead of time I am not sure you have to pay for it.

    Ray
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    I'm new to this and just read your msg yesterday so you have probably resolved your problem by now. I had the same problem last year. My fan got stuck and ran on wide open even when the car was off and killed the battery so I had it towed in to dealership who repaired it for $600 and said it was an end stage fan failure. I asked how it was a failure when it wouldn't stop running on wide open and they said that is how it acted. It made no sense that it had failed and would keep on running. Now that I've read the posts, I'm pretty sure I had a relay switch problem and not a bad fan. Just wanted to pass this along to anyone who may have the same problem.
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    Except for my astonomical maintenance bills, which are basically my fault for not searching out a good independent mechanic, (which I will now begin to do!), I have nothing but great things to say about my 02 MCS. It is a great car and definitely makes driving fun. I'll keep it until I go to heaven where there will be no maintenance bills to deal with anyway! It is well made, hugs the road even when my Pirelli fun flat was flat on the right front, (really). I love the run flats. Never knew about them until I got the Mini and would never have any other kind of tire! LOVE the car!
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for your replies. I think your number 1 is pretty much what was happening. I have always been afraid to take the car to anyone else so have always taken it to a dealership. Now I definitely see the need to search for a good independent shop. I also will educate myself more on the mechanical aspects of my car instead of just depending on what someone tells me. I'm glad I found this site. Lots of good info. Thanks again for your encouragement.
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks! Glad to hear you have seen steam too. That really had me concerned. The whole oil pan gasket thing could have probably been fixed as you suggested because after reading your post, I do remember hearing something thump pretty loud under my car not too long ago while I was driving and wondering if it hurt anyhing. Could have knocked the oil pan loose but I'll never know. One last question regarding this whole thing. I asked if the rear rotors had to be replaced too or just the pads and she told me they were "together" so they both had to be replaced. Is that true? I know it is not true on other cars but when she told me that, I thought it was something unique to the Mini.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    The rear brakes on your Mini are just like disc brakes on any other car. As with most front wheel drive cars, the rear brakes generally last far longer than the fronts because they have far less work to do. The rotors would need to be replaced only if they are damaged or warped, which would be fairly unusual for rear brakes unless you have been unusually hard on the brakes. Sounds like she inferred that the rotors must be replaced when the pads are, and that's simply not true unless the rotors themselves need to be replaced. The game that I've seen a lot of dealers (and unfortunately other garages) play is to tell you that you need new pads and/or rotors before they reach the point that the manufacturer says they need to be replaced. It's like asking a barber if you need a haircut. Dealers make an incredible markup selling parts and labor at retail, so they have a vested interest in trying to "sell" you as many parts and services as they can, especially expensive parts like rotors.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Remember that the MINI is a euro car and like most euro cars the rotors wear with the pads.

    Sure sometimes you can get away with just a pad swap and not replacing the rotors but the new pads most likely will not last as long. You might be able to do that once but not twice as the rotors on most newer euro cars are too thin and too soft to turn even once.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    On German cars today, you throw the rotors away if there is any discernible wear.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I know I did that on my MINI but most people are cheap and think they can get away with new pads and old rotors.

    Generally the new pads will last half as long, sometimes less, when matched up to the old rotors.

    That is not cheap at all.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You know, like when you need to stop in 100 feet to avoid that flatbed truck and you stop in 102 feet instead........I spend lavishly on brakes and tires.
  • snicker2snicker2 Member Posts: 9
    A Borla Catback exhaust system was installed on my 02 MCS before I took ownership of it and recently I discovered that the exhaust intake boot was split. The tech told me it would be best to put the factory part back on the exhaust intake, which he did. Now after reading about the exhaust system, I wonder if the aftermarket intake part, (which looks very different than the factory part), needs to be put back on and repaired. I know that originally the exhaust intake was changed for a reason. Does anyone have any knowledge regarding aftermarket exhaust systems on the MCS?
    Thanks!
  • epfrankyiepfrankyi Member Posts: 5
    hi everyone,
    my girlfriend and i are thinking to buy a mini cooper. try to find a cheapest one. both of us just started to work no long ago, so we can't afford a fine one. but, there is one thing we are really concerned about the car maintenance. i heard it's VERY expensive. anyone who has the experience can give me a clue how much might the cost will be in a year. thanks a lot. reply or e-mail me both are fine. [email protected]
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The cheapest one is never the cheapest one, if you know what I mean. I'd save up and get the cleanest, lowest mileage, newest MINI you can afford. I'd say 2006 on up would be best, and if I were you I'd spend $$$ to have every car you are considering, thoroughly looked over and tested before you buy it.

    Any modern car is expensive to repair if it breaks (labor rates are the same for a Honda or a MINI) . The idea is to buy one that isn't going to break.

    The supercharged / turbocharged models will cost more to maintain than the non-aspirated engines.

    You want the N12 1.6L non-aspirated engine, not the older W10 which is Chrysler sourced from the Neon, of all things.
  • leggymarxistleggymarxist Member Posts: 1
    I had a flat a couple of weeks ago and replaced the two back tires. But the flat tire light remains lit on the dashboard panel. Anybody know how to turn this light off?
  • myjemma1myjemma1 Member Posts: 1
    has anyone had this light co me up before its looks like a lamp and in the book it says engine malfunction under high load high engine load will result in damage to the catalytic converter if anyone has had this before could u let me know what is it and what they did to fix it
    thanks michelle
  • sabrinacsabrinac Member Posts: 2
    Bought an 02 MINI Cooper, 5s manuel off the street about 2 years ago. It was due for a service. Mini dearlership did the routine service including flushing the trani (so they say). A few months later it started sounding funny. Had another mechanic look at it. He said it hadn't been opened in over a year!! there were metal shavings from glopped up in there from deformed teeth.
    MINI shot my warranty when I made this apparent to them and denied knowing of such a defect. They lied to me about how many previous owners there were. Carfax said 11 owners. MINI told me I was the third. Bottom Line:
    I had to pay 4k for a new trani, engine flooded this winter in an 11" puddle which cost me 7k, and before that the Harmonic Balancer became..unbalanced and fell apart while overheating my car. Now the replaced trani certified by Mini is acting the same as the bad one..MINI will not stand behind their product because they are simply lemons in a cute shell. Anybody else with specifially an 02 or a manual relate to this trani or Harmonic Balancer issue?
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Your post is confusing. Did you buy the car privately? Why did you have the dealer flush the trans to begin with? (that's not routine service). Your car is under warranty even though it's 8 years old? (whose warranty, I assume the warranty is not by Mini). When did Mini say you were the third owner? Why did you ask them? Why would they lie about it (assuming you bought the car privately)? How does that tie into the repairs that you needed? How could an 11" puddle cause $7000 worth of engine damage? Is the new trans covered under a warranty (who warrantied it?). I don't believe harmonic balancer problems are common with this car at all. How many miles were on the car when it required replacement? Not sure about 5 speed trans issues on '02's...I have an '03 6 speed (S model) with 120k miles and have had no trans issues at all.
  • sabrinacsabrinac Member Posts: 2
    I bought the car privately yes, and the warranty that came with the car in 2002 from the dealership had been transferred through each owner. This is possible to do. MINIs are due for a routine service and mine was due right when I bought the car. So I took it in about 4 days after the purchase. They were supposed to check to see if the transmission fluid was full and clean and change the oil and what not. I paid for this to be done. They said they did. The car was only at 40k miles when I bought it, maybe thats why I still had the warranty. I asked the dearlership of the car history and they said I was the third owner. They know this because the warranty was still on the car. I asked because I was curious, wouldnt you be curious of your cars history? They lied because the other owners had this car for less than 6 months therefore I guess they didnt have to state them as "previous owners". Why did they have this car for so short? Maybe they found out the trani was manufactured with a deformity. After that service (about 2 months later) I noticed my car did not sound right. It was chattering between shifts. I had another mechanic look at it because it had just been serviced and the bolt on the transmission was coroded shut. Metal shavings were shaved off from the shifter over time due to deformed teeth between the gears. If my transmission was really serviced by mini they would have noticed the metal shavings soaked up a great amount of the fluid. I made this apparent to mini and because I used another mechanic, they shot the warranty on the car. Soon after I looked at CarFax and saw how many owners there really were. The harmonic balancer happened soon after another mechanic do my transmission (which may have been due to his work)
    The 11" puddle is a separate story in its own..MINI intakes are very low to the ground, not even 8" I would say. A big storm hit our city and I drove through an 11" puddle. In that instant the intake sucked up the water and it mixed with my synthetic oil. Since a piston cannot compress water or anything but oil, the piston could not be stopped and proceeded to blow through my engine block. Therefore I needed a new motor which = 7k. So be careful when driving in heavy storms.
    The new transmission is covered under a 2year warranty by MINI which is up next month..funny how that works out. So we will see the outcome of all of this.
  • trekdrivertrekdriver Member Posts: 3
    Yes hi octane does have a slower burn time, hence better mileage. For the dime or so you pay extra, your saving in the long run. If possible take a look at a valve train on a car thats run on nothing but reg. than one run on hi-test you'll see a big difference. Even easier just compare some used spark plugs. Mini recomends hi test shell but for my money it's sonoco. I was a mech. for 30 years and in my opinion that is the "cleanest burning" fuel money can buy
  • trekdrivertrekdriver Member Posts: 3
    Ya my 05 S is nothing but a hole to pour money into
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ah, too bad. That's not typical but it happens.
  • nothatgirlnothatgirl Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking about buying a 2003 MiniCooper with 95,000 miles on it. My only concern is that the cooling fan stays on after you shut the car off. We drove for about 20 minutes, and the fan stayed on for about 5 minutes after we shut the engine off. Is this something I should worry about, or is it normal for the car? Thanks for your help!
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    edited August 2010
    Your experience with the fan is perfectly normal. It's mentioned in the owner's manual, and you will find a warning sticker (if it has not been removed) under the hood warning you that the fan may be on even after the engine is turned off, and to keep you hands/fingers out of the way. Electric cooling fans being on after the engine is shut off is not unique to Minis.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    yeah that's seems normal, especially if you live in a hot climate where the engine can warm up quickly. Not sure 5 minutes is the norm, however....couple minutes should be okay.

    I'd certainly have the car thoroughly checked out before you bought it. These cars are not cheap to fix.
  • pinkgolf123pinkgolf123 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2003 Mini Cooper last month with 99000 miles, it drives fine and looks really new but it jerks when I accerate the car, I took it to AAMCO but they said I need to replace the auto trasmission for $7500, then I took it to Mini dealer to do the inspection, they said that's normal due to mini's special design, but they recommend to change (1) control arm busings - Torn $749 (2) Rear Pads and Rotors - Worn to 4/32 and 8.2mm $506 (3) Brake Fluid Flush - $135 (4) Coolant Flush - $147 (5) 100K Maint Items, Spark Plugs and Ozygen Sensors - not sure how much, anyone knows?

    I have couple questions :confuse: and maybe you can help me to figure out something.
    1) What's the life expectancy of mini coopers?
    2) It's over 100K now, i'm not sure should I trade-in or just repair everything then keep driving it.
    3) What kind of problem I might face in the near future for this high mileage car? I always use synthetic oil while doing oil change.

    Thanks in advance for your time.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    edited August 2010
    Hi, what do you mean by "life expectancy"? Do you mean how many miles until the engine might need a full re-build? I have an '03 MCS with 125k miles, and like with most cars with that many miles, it does need an occasional repair. But that costs far, far less than the cost of replacing the car. There's no reason that a Mini (or most other modern cars) won't last more than 200k miles, if they are correctly maintained. I know of several Mini owners that have more than 200k miles, and a couple with more than 300k miles. Do you have the service records for your car (and do you trust them to be accurate?) Assuming the car has been correctly maintained and not abused, and there seems to be little wrong with the car, there's little reason to be concerned. Regarding the transmission, if a Mini dealer is telling you all is well, that's likely true....and $7500 to replace the trans is crazy anyway. Even if it needed to be completely rebuilt, the cost should be less than half that. As a preventative measure, if you are not sure if and when the trans fluid was ever changed, I would suggest you have the trans fluid completely flushed and replaced...not just a drain and refill, which will replace only a portion of the fluid. You can expect to pay $120-$150 for that service. As for items 1-5, the prices you have listed are typical dealer prices, which are high. None of the items listed require the specialized knowledge of a Mini dealer, and if you know a competent private garage that you trust, you should be able to save a significant % (perhaps 20 to 25) off the quoted prices. I would definitely get a second opinion on #1...at only 99k miles it would be unusual for control arm bushings to need replacement. On #2 I would question if the rotors really need to be replaced. They often do not need to be, and the dealer may be suggesting replacement simply because they make a huge profit on the parts. On #3, #4, and #5, can you verify that perhaps all that work was already done? If not, you should definitely have it done, except for perhaps the O2 sensors, which can often last far more than 100k miles. Most people let them go until they wear out and turn on the "check engine light", and there's no harm to your car if you wait. Take 15 minutes to read the maintenance schedule for your car...you will learn a lot :-)
  • rlmiller9rlmiller9 Member Posts: 48
    pinkgolf123
    Do a simple google search on mini and transmission problems. I think you will find for the first generation of cars the transmisions are problematic. I am told by a collegue that the new ones are much better as the transmission has been redesigned.

    Did you say you just bought the car?
    Did you do any research before, did you have a mechanic check it out?

    R
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like most of these, except the transmission, which may be fine, and the control arms, which YES you should have looked at by a second party---aside from that, these other items are pretty normal 100K maintenance items. It sounds like the last owner didn't do very much maintenance and just unloaded it.

    As for the rotors, if they were measured and if they measured under the safe thickness, then yes, replace them. Coolant and brake fluid flushes are a good idea.

    No sure I'd replace an 02 sensor if it is working properly. If the car never had spark plugs and wires in its whole life, then yeah, you're due.

    I replaced the plug wires and plugs on my 2003 MCS at 65K, and I will be doing the coolant flush and brake fluid flush in the Fall. I have the 6-speed transmission, so I can't comment on the automatic other than to state that list price for a new one is indeed almost $7000. :surprise:

    Of course, one rarely plugs in a brand new factory transmission---one repairs what one has.
  • pinkgolf123pinkgolf123 Member Posts: 2
    Hi Shark715, yes, i mean the engine life. Thanks so much for your time in answering so detail. It really helps a lot. I have a better idea now. Thanks again. Have a nice day.
  • add73add73 Member Posts: 2
    I am strongly considering a clubman or s purchase in the next month or so. I've read a lot about the tranny, fan. electrical, and other issues for the 03-06 models. I talked to a mechanic that owns his own BMW/Mini repair shop in Charleston, SC. He said the 08-10 models have conquered most of the maintenance issues. What are people seeing or hearing?

    Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited September 2010
    Well the original crappy W10 base engine has been scrapped, sos that's good, but the CVT transmission is still in there as an option (last time I looked anyway)....if I were in your shoes, I'd opt for either the manual transmission or the normal automatic, which I think is an AISIN, and avoid the CVT. It's a whopping $6500 for a new one!!!

    I have a 2003 Cooper S with the 6-speed and supercharger, so I avoided both deadly bullets of the original base engine and CVT and my car has been great.
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    mini is currently only offering a 6-speed automatic as an option. That is true for both the 2010 and 2011 models,the only ones I've been associated with as a MINI salesman.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Looks like you're right. ALLDATA still shows a CVT, but they aren't always right up to date.

    So yeah, with the new engines and the "normal" automatic, a lot of MINI problem are solved as of 2nd generation cars.
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    I sold my 2001 Passat today....Boy,was that hard! I'd put 133,000 miles on her since new.
    I think I'm going to buy a base MINI hardtop-I just starting selling them last month. What has everyone's experience with them? They don't have any of the BMW finickiness to them,do they? I've heard people advise to never own a BMW out of warranty, which strikes me as absurd in an expensive car...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think buyers of very early MINIs had their share of troubles but the car has now been in production going on 9 years, so they should have the bugs out of it.

    The "out of warranty" remark is just the way things are with German cars. People who are mechanically inclined, join owner's clubs for discounts and advice, have a connection with a competent and trustworthy shop---those people will have a very different out of warranty experience than the owner of a high mileage German car, who relies on the dealer for everything, or lives in an area where there are no competent independent specialists.
  • add73add73 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the replies. All the noise in the forums about mx problems concerned me significantly.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    As did I before I bought a used one (I actually declined to buy a new one in 2006 for these very reasons).

    But once I figured out the pros and cons, and decided on lining up good parts supplies, accurate information, and a really good MINI shop (independent), then this "pro-active" approach worked out very well for me, even with a used one. I just avoided the problem options, fixed some of the factory defects, and went on a really good maintenance program. So far, so good, across deserts, mountains and floods---no problems.

    Actually there WAS one that I didn't catch. Early MINIs do exhibit a slight 'screech' from the clutch in first gear, when cold, only occasionally. I didn't hear this when I bought the car, but it did show up later. This is a defective thrust bearing in the clutch (also called a pilot bushing I think), and someday, when the clutch is more worn, I will replace the old dual-mass flywheel and clutch with a lightweight, single-disk aluminum affair. Expensive? Yep, but no more so than a stock replacement.

    I haven't heard of post 2006 MINIs having this issue.
  • jodasheljodashel Member Posts: 2
    I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience in buying the extended maintenance warranty on a MINI? I was thinking about buying it, only because MINI services are so expensive. I just wonder if it's worth it or if some services can be performed at local European repair shops at a reduced price. Please reply if you have any advice on this matter.
    Thanks,
    Jodashel
Sign In or Register to comment.