Pre-Purchase: (skip to next section for Mini related)
I was looking for a seriously good gas mileage car, and something different. I settled on a smart car from carmax that was at another location. While it was being shipped in i started doing research and found that they are very high maintenance and quality was lacking. Though pure accident i read an article where they said that the Mini was surprisingly roomy for tall people.

The Search:
I notified CarMax i would be changing my order as i found a Mini for 14K with 90K miles that they had. Another night of investigating found that that price was quite overinflated for the mileage. I found that the dealer i bought my 550 from had one for half the price though it was older and unknown condition. Most cars he has are sub-par to be honest. So turned out that when i finally made it over there, the mini was sold and he had a Prius that was really beat up. I passed.

A Stop By Mini:
On the way home there is only one local Mini dealer anywhere around and decided since it was on the way why not stop and see what they had. As luck would have it, nothing in my price range. The salesman asked me if i wanted to run my credit though and see what our options were. Also needed to appraise my BMW for a possible trade-in depending.

What's This?
He disappeared for a few and rolled up with the absolute perfect Mini for me. It wasn't on the lot yet because they were still finishing up detaining after it came out of service. It was a trade in and priced at 14K with 63k Miles. Very clean condition, 1 local owner.

The Deal:
Car appraisal came in right where i thought so we went forward. Credit came though, and before i knew it they were ready to sign paperwork for the sale. A quick trip home to clean out my BMW and get my title. I was now the owner of a Mini after signing 1200 pieces of paper.

Mistake #1:
I declined a warranty because i wasn't sure it was worth it. After reading so many horror stories and owning 4 BMWs myself, i reconsidered and bought the "Gold" 36 month package. Only issue is that since financing was finished, i have to pay it over 12 months and it equal to another car payment. Don't make this mistake, get a warranty especially if used.

First Impressions:
Everyone loved it including myself. A blast to drive. Let the family each take turns and they were thrilled. I did notice a few things right away that needed attention. Car would go in for service.

1st Service:
Dropped the car off and got a new 2014 Paceman loaner. Next day my car was ready. I noticed that a few items i brought up though minor weren't addresses until i said something as i was picking it up. One of the items that i brought it in for was a thump or click in the clutch pedal. I was advised it was due to the pedal shifting with age and they "shaved it down" to fix the issue. Upon taking off now it was worse and clicked twice.

2nd Service:
Emailed the service manager with no response. Happened to be in the area few days later,stopped, and they took it right in. Upon inspection they advised me that it needed a clutch now and they would give me a break at $1300+. I told them i wasnt paying for it since i had had the car about 1 week. So now they get other managers involved, look at the car, and reiterate that they will not cover it. Calmly i asked for the managers names and BMW NA phone number.

I went into the sales department and one of the managers strolled in and spoke to me. I respectfully but firmly stated my case. Unfortunately i got as much push back as one can imagine from a manager protecting his financial investment. But luckily i have a ton of mechanical experience with BMW and i spoke directly and honestly about what i though each of our responsibility in this situation should be. I was told that he would need to look at the situation and would be in contact.

The Call:
The head manager now calls me the next day and advises that something can be done but i believe they had a lesser roll planned than I imagined. We negotiated and spoke frankly about the situation and i gave them a few choices. (1) Come up with a fair agreement to fix the car, (2) Take the car back, (3) Contact BMW NA and an Attorney. (i hated this option and i told them it was a losing situation for me). At this time the head manager made me an offer that i found fair. I would cover parts and they labor.

3rd Service:
Dropped my car off Thursday for a new clutch. Awaiting to see the results, no idea how long it will take.

Conclusion:
I hope my "Lengthy" story will help others in their choosing of a used Mini. I thought since i went right to the Mini dealer i wouldn't have any issues, and i did. I believe it is only because of my in dept knowledge of BMW that i had even a chance of getting assistance with this. They didn't have to do anything, and weren't going to. Be careful.

 

A lot of Mini drivers use and abuse their cars.Full throttle at every light aso.A lot of US drivers are not used at manual gear boxes.Maintenance is often not done and a lot of DIY ers are even worse.
Here in Belgium you got the gentle drivers and the frustrated ones. Buy a car from the second category and it will be a never ending story.

 

That sucks they're making you go through all that, but sounds like it might work out well in the end. Hopefully that's all you'll have to worry about.

As much as I hate the cost of aftermarket warranties I've gotten one on every used vehicle I've bought in the past few years (except maybe my truck). I wound up needing it on the Rodeo I had, and from reading there's a chance it may be needed for the MINI (although hoping not). I second getting the warranty at sale if able. Plus you might get a break on the warranty price while buying a car, after you're probably stuck at full price.

 

First off - sorry for all your troubles. Secondly - War and Peace is a "very long read", your post, not so much!

Please clarify - you said you passed on a warranty, but reconsidered and bought the Gold? Yet they won't cover a clutch? Pardon my ignorance but how is a clutch failing at 63k miles not a warranty item? Gold at that?

I hope they ultimately stand up and take care of you. Best of luck!!

 

My story is about the same. Bought a five-year-old MCS for $US15K with only 23K miles. Needed a clutch AND a flywheel (full of hairline cracks). I found an indy to do the work for about half the cost of the dealer. I was assured that they had done all the recall/service bulletins, as well. Well, yes, they did. They put a shiny new heat shield on an already leaking turbo oil line. So I fixed my leaking oil line myself.

I guess the lesson is that we should expect an MCS to get trashed and buying a used one is a big risk.

 

Not sure about the quality of your dealer....
But my local mini specialist can do a S clutch in 4-6 hours....so drop it off in the am...get it in the afternoon....
When I hear folks waiting 3-4 days for repairs....it frustrates me....BMW/mini would lead some to believe that they keep a car for 4 days cause it took that long to fix...to justify the $$$....but repairs should be measured in HOURS not days or even weeks like some stories I hear....

 

That kind of really sucks!!

I'm not sure what component got "shaved it down", but I'd try to make sure it got replaced.
I really don't think you should be paying for anything. If you only had the car a week, and it had already been in for the issue once in that interval, they should step up, but it seems they are not.
I'd get the clutch job out of them and find a different dealership if possible to service the car for the remainder of the time you might have the car. These guys sound like "hacks".
"Shaved it down"!!!! Really?

I hope everything works out for you in the end. These really are fun cars.

 

Glad you got it resolved and sorry to hear of the initial dealings with those not wanting to treat you right after buying one of their cars. That particular Mini dealer seemed to not care about their customers coming back and expected to not do anything for a car they sold you, bad business if you ask me. I purchased my MCS at CarMax with a 6-year extended warranty and it's paid for itself, best decision I ever made!

CarMax gives you 5 days for returning you purchased car for full refund no questions asked, found a few problems with the interior and the large speedometer had to be replaced, they give you 30 days if find anything wrong with you car, CarMax will pay for 100 percent of all costs. Whoever owned my MCS thrashed on the clutch and flywheel with hot spots everywhere on the flywheel so I had the clutch and flywheel replaced. Those are the only out of pocket expenses for my MCS.

I suggest if not done already have your intake valves walnut blasted because these direct injection engines and their intake valves get filthy dirty after time and will rob you of power if not done every 40k miles.

 

More info please. What is the year and model of your MINI? All we know is you paid $14,000 and it has 63,000 miles.

CarMax is the perfect place for someone to offload a problem child MINI...so it's good that you didn't buy the one with 90,000 miles. Some other sucker owns it now!

If I'm reading this correctly you purchased the car from the MINI Dealer and apparently this was not a MINI Next CPO vehicle. Too bad about not opting for the warranty.

A used and abused MINI is the perfect purchase for someone who has a garage full of tools and likes to tinker with their car on weekends. If you're going to pay someone else to fix your car, then this is not a good car to own.

My suggestion is to trade it in for the 2014 Paceman or a used MINI that is covered under the MINI Next program/or has a warranty.

PS - I'm 6' 4" tall so I can appreciate you buying a MINI because of the leg room.

 

I fail to see how the dealer was responsible for the clutch.

 

You fail to see how they sold me a car at full value with a failing clutch? This is acceptable to you? We arent talking 6 months, it was reported the day after purchase. Why should i be responsible for this?

 

I'm with you on that one. That's ridiculous especially within a week only. Well at least you didn't have to shell out too much money.

 

The clutch is not something they can inspect. If it was slipping already you may have a case, but then you would have detected it during your test drive or during a pre-purchase inspection.

You bought a used car with a manual transmission. You knew the risks. Stop blaming someone else because it didn't pan out for you.

As far as it being the day after purchase, maybe you should have stuck with Carmax since they offer a guarantee. Again, it was your decision to buy something without a guarantee.

 

I agree that a warranty would not cover a clutch replacement. It is a wear/tear item, not covered by a mechanical defect warranty, in my experience.

I have bought 3 used vehicles over the years. All three were bought from the original selling dealer and all 3 were certified with warranties. However, I still paid ~$150 on each occasion to have an indie shop not associated with the dealer go over each car with a fine tooth comb.

With the 2002 Porsche Boxster S we bought, there was a rattling when letting the clutch out in reverse we noticed on the test drive...dealer thought it was just the muffler rattling against the heat shield. The indie shop found that it was indeed a clutch plate issue (car had 48k miles).

we bought the car, at the original negotiated price, after the dealer agreed to do a full clutch replacement, which we also got verified by the indie shop after the work was done.

Buying a used car is the true definition of the phrase, "buyer beware"..

 

Miraculously they did inspect and find an issue with the clutch. This was their service department that reported it after i brought it in raising my concerns.

"Blaming someone else" is an absurd statement in this case. I purchased it at the Mini dealer and the issue was advised of 1 day after purchase. This wasn't 6 months or a year. As far as pre-purchase, that's why i bought it direct from mini. This is exactly why i didn't go to carmax.

Who in their right mind would be "ok" with purchasing a car, realize it may have a clutch issue the next day, and be ok with "well you should have known the risks".

 

How did you have all three of your cars looked at before buying the cars? When you say indie shop you mean independent shop? It's tough to find a shop like that with skilled mechanics to look it over. When you purchase any car from CarMax you will be given 5 days full refund and 30 days to find any problems, CarMax will pay for any faults found within the 30 days. You'll also pay more for your car because of this special return/refund at CarMax. Don't know of any other car dealership that offers a 5 day full refund within 30 days to find any mechanical issues for which CarMax will cover 100 percent of the repair costs. You just can't beat that!

OP wasn't fairly treated in my pinion, Mini dealers need to give you a reason to want to do business with them. Even a 50/50 owner/dealer cost would have been at the very least fair. It's funny how lawsuits and attorneys change the way dealers do business with their customers!

 

You are just repeating yourself. That doesn't change your lack of due diligence and understanding the risks.

 

I have to agree. If you are buying a car with a 30 day warranty like CarMax then great, drive away and see if anything happens. Still you will be inconvenienced and have to dance with the dealer until it is resolved. I went through tons of hassle with my MINI for tranny and suspension issues, but all was fixed under the 30 day warranty.
Now if you are buying a used car with no warranty then it is your problem the second it leaves the lot. Buyer be ware. Looks like you are lucky that the dealer is stepping up on part of the clutch repair. Pre-purchase inspections for used MINIs and BMWs are worth the expense.

 

i'm somewhat inclined to agree. i would have ripped into the car during the test drive to make sure the clutch wasn't worn down. that's the trouble with buying used manuals, u don't know what state the clutch is in without wearing it out a bit first. not sure that a warranty would have covered it either. from the sounds of this dealership, if they were under the hook for it they would probably have blamed you anyway

 

These are three cars I purchased several years apart from each other....there were not examined all at the same time.

It was very simple. We found a car we liked (take the Boxster S for example), found out when an independent shop where we have had Porsche work done before was available to examine the car. We then picked it up from the dealer, and drove it to the shop, where they spent about 3 hours examining everything possible. We then drove back to the Porsche dealer with the indie shop's report stating that the clutch plate needing replacing.

The dealer took care of the repair and we bought the car...

If I didn't have an indie shop around to inspect a used car before I purchased it, then I would pay a little more for it and find one at one of the mega used car dealers like CarMax, as someone mentioned. It's my understanding the buyer is completely covered for everything when they drive the car off the lot for a limited period of time.

 

You're right, they didn't have to do anything, because you bought the car with a failed clutch, however unknowingly. I think it's great you negotiated a "deal" with them (though you're still paying for all the parts, not like you escaped scott free), don't get me wrong.

I have bought and sold multiple older German cars, all high mileage and manual trans, and I promise you that a quick test drive would make it abundantly clear if the clutch was failing/already failed. If you aren't familiar with testing important, expensive failure points on these cars, then PPIs are your best friend--regardless of if you buy from a BMW dealer.

The only "lesson" this story can teach potential buyers is to fully inspect a used car before signing anything. If you aren't sure what to look for, then a qualified 3rd party inspection like the above poster is referencing will save you from immediate problems like the OP's.

Yes, buyers, be careful of buying used cars with major failed parts. Don't take the OP's experience as representative of BMW/Mini dealers' shadiness, because the vast majority of them are honest.

 

kaineb,

Thanks for sharing your story with us. I'm still curious - what year is your MINI, and is it a base or S model?

 

It's an 09 S Hardtop.

As a side note they called yesterday and it was done. So at least i got my car back. Its runs fine and you can definitely tell it has a new clutch.

Oddly all of the pedal clicking is not all gone which leads me to believe its coming from inside the car instead of from the clutch as they diagnosed. I am going to get myself under the dash and see what the heck that noise is.

Also replaced the plugs yesterday for good measure. Seemed as they had some miles on them. Coils were pretty rusty on the outside. Guess from washing the engine.

 

Probably the two plastic bushings where the clutch pedal pivots and or the return spring, that spring is under high pressure. If you need advice on how to get it back on I know of a trick that will save you from the nightmare that I had to go through to reach my eureka moment to get it back on.

 

I just recently (Dec 20th) bought a used (1 owner) 2013 Mini 'S' R 56 with @ 14,000 miles on it. I paid $19,000. The sale was contingent on an inspection/evaluation by the BMW/Mini dealership close to the seller's home.

The service advisor (extremely professional, courteous) went over the technician's report with me in detail. The Mini was 'like new', however the tech stated the car needed a warranty repair/replacement of the clutch/flywheel. I couldn't have them do the work then. It is being done this coming Friday.They also said if the work goes over to the next day (unlikely, but possible), I will have a free loaner to get back and forth.