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Thanks for your cooperation on this!
It has been a while since you start having that issue, would you please share how did it was fixed?
Thanks
I sold the car just last week because I read so many articles on clutch problems and I knew i couldn't afford to pay for another replacement.
Here is what I did about my clutch....I found out about all these clutch problems and printed off each one, had a meeting scheduled with the manager from SF mini and the Northern Ca Mini Rep. There I told them that Hell was going to freeze over before I was going to pay their $4200 with only 19000 miles on the car. I found out that this was going to be the 3rd clutch installed. I bought the car with 16000 miles and the previous driver lived in SF...so maybe the hills there was not the greatest place for a stick shift...still something fishy going on here. I ended up paying $1100 for the parts and they did the labor for free!
This cars have very weak clutches.
Any suggestions on how to fix the issue that seems to come and go as it please....
Great car, would buy another in a heat beat
I have the same problem. The transmission blew away in the middle of the freeway with 80K miles on it. I got it from this dealer with 40Kmi on the car 3 years ago. Don't have any warranty left on it now. Do you think i could go ahead and make a scene and hope that the dealer can fix it? If yes, what/how do you tell them? I hope my ignorance doesn't bother you.
thanks,
Jayesh.
I have a 2006 Cooper S, bought new. The warranty just ran out two months ago (have extended factory, but not maintenance). Last year I hired a lemon lawyer to look into filing a claim because the car had been taken to the dealership for repairs over 20 times in 3 years, many of which clutch/transmission noises, chatters, and malfunctions.
I have driven manual cars my whole life without problem.
Took the car in yesterday because of a chattering in the trans/clutch problem. I was just informed that they believe the clutch needs to be replaced again -- but it will require spending $1,500 first to rip apart the car to properly diagnose.
1. Has anyone ever heard of ANY car (driven by a responsible adult) requiring 3 clutches in 30,000 miles?
2. Has anyone ever heard of a clutch needing to be re-replaced after one year (approx 10K miles)?
3. Rhetorical question: Has any other Mini owner had premature clutch malfunction?
It is against my nature to threaten but I have finally reached my breaking point with Mini (it was right after the dealership hinted that this is all my fault -- abuse and hard driving.) I drive like a normal person. If you want to find something abnormal, just google "MINI" and "CLUTCH."
I am a journalist for several national magazines. This is the first time I've ever considered playing this card, but I can guarantee Mini that if they do not provide me with a reasonable explanation/solution to this problem, I will devote the next three months of my professional career writing about what it's been like to be a Mini owner. Not exactly fascinating reading, but I will do my best, and I can guarantee a prolific output.
I would welcome anyone else's stories/concerns/advice either here or at brismith@gmail.com regarding similar problems.
Thanks for your time.
C. Brian Smith
">
replacement (2004 basic MINI at about 55,000 miles)my car is running like a
dream! It now has almost 70,000 miles total and other than the trim popping
loose from time to time, I have no complaints at all. Wonder what is involved
($$$$$) in replacing those clips that are supposed to hold the trim to the body?
Hmmmm! I can just imagine!
I live in a hilly area in the SFBay area. My daughter drives it to school and she is relatively inexperience with a manual car but I have driven with her and she does not ride the clutch or abuses the clutch. We have never been on the track.
Overall, I have taught others to drive on a Triumph, Acura, Porsche and even a Lotus. No clutch has needed replacement till > 50K miles (Porsche)
I am not sure what options do I have, do I have replace a clutch every 6 months? Anyone know who makes the Mini clutch?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
:sick:
We have a 2006 Mini cooper S JCW and have just replaced second clutch. Car has a total of 20,000 miles on it. My wife drives it so gently the brake pads are virtually new!!!
We purchased an extended maintenance agreement before the expiration of the initial maintenance agreement. Dealer covered the first clutch job before expiration of the initial agreement. Now Dealer says that the second clutch job is not covered under the extended maintenance agreement, because it had not "worn" enough, even though it failed. The symptoms of both failures were exactly the same.
Apparently Dealer and Mini are going to reimburse me for a nominal portion of the $1800 it took to repair it. That's not good enough.
minijcwfan
Good Luck!
As much as I enjoyed driving the mini, I am so glad I sold it when I did. I lost money on the resale but my clutch problems are gone! I must get at least one email a week on this same issue, Mini has a very weak clutch and just won't own up the simple fact that this should be a recall. I have a friend that works as a mechanic for BMW and Mini and he has given me the inside word....."get rid of that car or be prepared to spend money on a regular basis for the replacement of the clutch"
Good Luck!
I have a 2009 JCWClubman that I bought new last year. It only has 5,000 miles on it and the clutch failed this past weekend :sick: . Like you and others,I was told this happened because of the way the car was driven :mad: . I have been driving for over 40 years and ALL my cars had manual transmissions. I flipped out when I was told this. The dealer wanted to charge me $3,900.00 to replace the clutch and I flipped out double :mad: :mad: . I told him that this was a FLAWED clutch and was prepared to contact everyone I could, including the consumer advocate at my local television station. They are now replacing the clutch and only going to charge me labor (which is bad enough!) After reading all the posts on this site, I am very skeptical :confuse: about keeping this car. I belong to a MINI car club, and so far I have yet to hear of anyone else with this problem.
It's a shame that BMW/MINI has not seen fit to recall these clutches, and have made it so difficult for us.
Hope everything turns out okay for everyone,
mshawkman
I complained to Mini USA. They said they'd get the bill reduced by 10%. Not great given this will be at least a $3,000 repair.
I wish I looked into this before I bought the car. I'm not looking forward to another $3,000 repair in another 12,000 miles. I may take boxingday's advice and dump the car.
Good luck!!
My boyfriend and I have driven manual cars all our lives and have never ever seen this problem in any of our other cars. The service guys basically admitted that this problem occurs in MINI cars but that they were not liable for the repairs. I mean, what's to stop them from claiming "Abusive Driving" every single time so they never have to pay for their problem?
My advice, go into a MINI dealership on a busy weekend when there are a lot of people around, and kick up a huge stink, stating very loudly all the issues you have, and how poorly MINI has treated you and your clearly faulty car. Then see how fast they turn around and decide to pay for their faulty workmanship.
We ended up getting rid of our lemon of a MINI. It was a cute car, but was far more trouble than it was worth.
I have a 2010 S with 3,600 miles. I have driven stick off and on all my life. It started making a metal on metal noise shifting into first. Two days later, it did it sometimes into 2nd. I called my dealer who said to have it brought in ( dealer is out of state). There is a dealer in Madison Wisconsin who is new to Mini (4 days) and the tow would only pay to them since they were closer, so I couldn't use the dealer that I purchased it from. After he checked it out he said the clutch would need to be replaced and it would be under warranty. Then he called and said the Mini Rep. had examined it and said it was due to improper driving and I had burned the clutch and flywheel down to nothing. I know I have driven the car properly. After battling a bit, they have said they will pay for parts but I have to pay labor at $1750. Doesn't sound right.
Will be contacting local TV stations, Consumer Agencies, and forums.
Do we have a case in Small Claims Court?
Did anyone else notice the clutch peddle was WAY WAY lighter after the repair than when I took the car at delivery.. And moving the stick through the tree is at least 2 or 3 times smoother too.. It really is a different car then I bought less than a year ago.
Josh
It makes funny noises now and I'm driving it like it is made of china so it has to go. I have lost faith in the brand.
Any input will help.
Thanks.
I said "no" and asked to speak to the Rep. who was making all of the decisions. They never got around to that. I am assuming the Rep. knew I was going to continue to fight. They called and said they would pay for it all as a one time "courtesy". Meaning that if it goes out again, I am stuck. Therefore, I am getting rid of it as soon as I can. I will take a big hit as it is so new. Oh well. Good luck.
I see posts here saying that owner got BMW to honor OEM and I'm jealous.
I now hate my car and wince when I shift. 30 years of driving a stick, and I'm wincing.
hmmm, is there hope that mine will last with the new replaced clutch?
When you say there is a "service bulletin" what do you mean? Is that something all service techs. should see? Can consumers see it?
I also wince when I shift. I am trading it hopefully this weekend and am holding my breath it makes it till then!