Does anybody keep their Mini past the warranty period ??
Has any other Mini Lover suffered with such heart ache ??

I have only had my 2009 Cooper S for just over a year. It has been in the shop 4 times and the only dealership in town is incredibly insulting and incompetent.

After repairing some cosmetic issues that should never have had to be fixed on a brand new car, and finally acquiring the registration paperwork the dealer forgot to provide me with, i began to have engine trouble.

1st - my engine light went on because i was too stupid to put in the proper brand of high octaine gasoline.

2nd - within the month of learning my foul fuel lesson, my engine light went on due to a faulty high pressure fuel pump . . . replaced.

3rd - upon leaving the dealership where i begrudginly allowed them to do my one year tune up, my engine light went on due to a blown up turbo. Yep, the crew literally screwed up. -- replaced.

NOW ... 2 months later . . . my car is towed from my garage to the dealership after the motor made such a horrid knocking noise upon start up that my husband ran out into the garage and yelled, "Turn it off!" Ya, the engine light came on again.

Nothing was done over the weekend. So I may find out on Monday what this next issue is.

Meanwhile, i have been informed that once the warranty expires, my mini ownership itself will expire. My husband doesn't see any practical reason to keep a vehicle that, without a warranty, will be so expensive and unreliable. However, I LOve my mini (when it runs) ... I have never driven such a zippy and hip auto before, nor have been so emotional about repair issues. Of course, of all the many cars owned in the last 19 years, none but this has had so many issues to be concerned with. We have always replaced a vehicle out of boredom, not malfunction. So now, what about my heart?

Will this awesome machine ever be fully and reliably repaired, or is Mini going the way of the Jaguar??

 

I don't believe MINI specifies fuel brand. Regional availability makes that impossible.

It sounds to me like you just got stuck with a bad example of a European car (not the easiest thing reliability wise in the first place). I certainly do not judge your decision to dump it. Two cars ago, I had a Saab 9^3. Enough said.

I will never let anyone else touch any of my cars. Anything I don't know, I can learn. And if I ever do cause an issue, I'll have no one to blame but myself. The day I decide not to do my own service, I'll get a nice Korean, American, or Japanese car (in that order of preference), and be disgusted at my sensible but unsatisfying choice.

 

Sounds like you have a dud car and/or dud dealership. Haven't decided if I'll be keeping my MINI after the warranty (will likely get an extended warranty and decide when that's up), but I know we won't be keeping my wife's car since she's not particularly attached to it.

If you like the MINI but are tired of the issues, I'd see what you can work out to trade it in now before it depreciates any more and start fresh with a new one. It'll relieve your frustrations and give the new car a chance to prove to your hubby that not all MINIs are duds - from the sound of things you may have a hard time of that if you wait until the warranty's up on the current one.

 

My dealership trying going the same route with me when one of my spark plugs broke. They tried saying that I HAD to use certain brand fuels or they won't cover it next time. I laughed at them and said that when I purchased the vehicle that the only thing I was told was to use premium gasoline. Otherwise i would have never bought the car. I also told them good luck on trying that one because i wouldn't hesitate to take them to court while the vehicle was still under warranty. I really like the car but there is no way in hell i would keep it out of warranty.

 

The HPFP is a known issue for your model year I'm afraid. Most times they quit during warranty periods.

As far as your latest issue. At the onset, and absent other data, it may only be your timing chain tensioner....There is an updated part. It looks like a thick long bolt with partial threading on one end. It's just a bit longer than the original factory one. Once this job is completed you will be back on your way to many more MINI motoring miles........

PS: I had an 02' Jaguar.....mine was very reliable, AWD, weighed 3700lbs and regularly got 34 MPG on the highway. I loved it....Wish I still had it sometimes......

 

Thanks for all of your responses. Sadly, at this time there is no other car i would rather drive. I have definitely put myself into an emotional auto dilemma.

The good news is that Mini admitted and solved the problem without me having to storm their LV dealership waving the latest info I found on the internet last night. (link wouldn't copy)

search: mini cooper cold start chatter. And read about the timing chain fix on motoring alliance . com

Turns out nearly every Mini from 2007-2009 had this mechanical malfunction. And now mine is being corrected. So ... now that I have a new high pressure fuel pump, new turbo, and new timing chain and guiding system, my husband says it would be silly to trade in my "Shadow" for another; every other month she becomes a new car again!! So funny.

Time will tell if me and my "Shadow" will ever drive off into the sunset together. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the last fix needed. Maybe ....

 

I think your husband's right, you've now dealt with the common issues for this car. I assume you still have a lot of miles left on the warranty, give it some time and see how she does. I would shop for a new garage if you keep it after the warranty, your dealer sounds a bit iffy.

 

Most significat issues happen almost immediately. So perhaps you are over the hump. Try a local garage that will appreciate your business and charge less. I went through my local Mini Club and started taking my car to a local garage after the warranty expired. I work along with them providing them bits and pieces that they may need to repair my car completely. I use NAM for alot of that information. Once you have a Mini they are hard to give up.

 

Keep the MINI, hopefully the bad time are past.

 

Dear Mini Coop:

Going thru my local mini club did go thru my mind, as did the love we all had for the beetle in the 70's -- despite its problems. Honestly, now that this last issue has been resolved, my car has Never sounded so good!! That whole "cold start" sound i just assumed was part of the deal is gone!! I do hope I am over the hump. I still have 2.7 years left on my warranty; that's 2.7 years to research where others take their Mini and deal with their little issues. Thanks for your confident nudge; it's well appreciated.

 

Mini4Moxi;

You are welcome. I think that we all "feel out" our cars when we get them - whats normal and whats not? Certainly if we don't know or aren't sure its great to have a sounding board like NAM to ask. While my advice was basic, I am glad that it may have helped a fellow member. Take care.

 

maybe youve gotten over the hump? mine is way over warranty. i have an 02justa with 100*** miles