Hello fellow mini enthusiasts! I have some concerns about my 03 MC...if anyone can offer any advice, please do so!! I bought the car used at 24k...there is a note in my owners lounge account about the first oil change and maintenance being done at 7k. Nothing else is noted...

i have already scheduled a service with Morristown Mini for a cracked passenger side strut mount (not covered ). i am dropping the car off tonite, then picking it up tomorrow night. i would like to have the second full maintenance done if it is appropriate at this time as well. not a big deal. the thing is, I do not know exactly when it is supposed to be done. my car actually tells me, it says it will come up for service just before it hits 36k, which is when the warranty expires. however, many different people (at the dealership) have told me many different things. the last person told me i should have gotten it done at 25k and missed my chance. that doesnt sound right to me at all. all i want is someone with some knowledge to give me honest answers without rushing me off the phone. im so calling back. sorry to rant.

All I want is what the CAR is owed under warranty. It has a CVT tran and Im kind of freaking about changing the fluid. Once I was told I had missed the boat on the free, ENTITLED service, someone at the dealership told me a tran flush would cost me $200!!! Does that sound right? The tran flush is one of about 80 things on the list for the second full service maintenance...

 

first, your warranty is 50,000 miles. The "free maintenance" is 36,000 miles.

Just have the dealership pull up the maintenance history on your MINI. It should show all of the past servicings, what was done, when it was done, which dealership, and if there were any other reported problems.

From their you and the dealership should be able to figure out if the service interval mileage count down is set correctly or if it is in fact time for a servicing.

 

also, there is no need to go to the dealer if you need non-warranty work on your car. Find a shop in your area that does Minis, and then start the relationship. Having a good mechanic that isn't in the dealership is a great thing to do to improve your ownership experience. I don't know where you live, but start looking around....

Matt

 

Thank you Dave. Your first line educated me a lot!

I will do as you suggest. But on a side note, I was told that one of the reasons that I could not have the second maintenance done was because there would be no way to tell if it had already been performed. I was immediately skeptical and that has set the tone.

I believe that it would be in fact very easy for anyone, even myself (if I knew how) to determine what has been done to the car, by who, when and even what color shirt the mechanic had on. I could be wrong though.

Thank you so much for the straight answer!

 

Make sure they don't over-charge for the strut mount. The part is about $30 and I paid a total of $300 for my local independent mechanic to do both of them even though only the passenger side was cracked.

You will probably need an alignment afterwards.

 

Don't know how universally correct this is, but my dealer says the scheduled service is all controlled by the service light on the dash. If you're scheduled in the warranty book for service at 20k odometer miles and come in late, at let's say 25k odometer miles, the service indicator is reset and you next service is how ever many miles from the reset. So if the book's next scheduled service was at 40k odometer miles, the dealer won't perform it until the odometer is at 45k (and the service indicator is at 0 miles). That make sense

 

Cracked strut mount not under warranty ? I would pursue this. I have a little over 40k on my '03 MINI, and dealer replaced both mounts N/C.

 

As far as the owners lounge the maintenance on my car has not been updated since the first service in 04 so you can't go by that. As far as the free maintenance it is approx15,000 or 1 a year if it has not been serviced at least 3 times they owe you one regardless what the count down milage is. The warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles which ever comes first.
Good Luck

 

From what I've seen on this forum, the dealerships in the NY/NJ area are far more likely to chalk this up to people hitting potholes and outside forces (not covered under warranty) than to cover the cracked strut mount as a durability problem with the OEM parts. Dealerships in the rest of the country seem to be far more willing to replace the strut mounts under warranty.

 

Thank you everyone!

The thing of it is, I do not know exactly what the warranty (or the 36k "free" business) covers. Are my oil chages supposed to be free until i reach 36k? Thats how I am understanding it now. I definitely think the car is owed a free service.

As for the strut - I was told that I must have hit a large pothole, and as such, it is a driver related problem, not covered under warranty. Now I cant prove that I did not do it (especially since it could have happened even before I bought it), so I dont think making a stink will get me very far.

 

That is not quite true.

If you have not gone the full service length after one year AND you are still within the maintenaince period, you will get a free "Low mileage" oil change and THAT is it. MINI will NOT give you a free full service after one year.

I know this to be true because that is exactly my situation.

 

I guess my problem is that I have not had the rules and stipulations of the MINI warranty and 3yr/36k thing clearly explained to me. All will be revealed in about an hour though...

So if all of my "free" service is done, but I still want that pesky trans flush, then the prevailing suggestion is to take it to a mechanic not associated with the dealer? Im going to get the strut fixed at the dealer because I already have an appt. and I want them to explain all this to me.

All in all, I love this car...

 

There are 2 or 3 seperate "books" included in the owner's manual folder. What is covered under the "free" maintenance program is outlined in the service/warranty booklet.

 

OK - Here is the story. First, I want to say I was very pleased with Mike at Morristown Mini. He was very polite and helpful.

Second - the 3 year / 36k covered all of my service appointments. Oil, maintenance checks, etc. For me, it expired three days from the date of purchase, May 28, 2003. Mike told me there is no "extended" warranty. My particular car is warrantied for major things for another year (May 28,2007) or until 50k. Fine by me.

Third - Mike printed up a service history, but he couldnt tell me what was done because it was written in service codes. It did show me all the (many ) times my car had been looked at pre my purchase. He also said to call Prestige (which is where the MINI was serviced prior to going to the BMW dealer I bought at) to ask them what they did to it.

So no free maintenance... but it expired and I understand the rules. Should I try a local mechanic for things like the trans flush? Also, about how many miles should I go in between oil changes?

I was very pleased yesterday even though my free service expired...I was afraid of living a dealer horror story. Thank you knowledgeable NAMers!
Now about that CAI...

 

for routine stuff it will be cheaper. Oil change intervals are really up to personal choice. Even though you're done with free service, the service interval ODO funtions still work, so you can just go by that. Some aren't too happy with the length of time between services, and change oil more frequently, but the new synthetics can really take a beating and last longer than the oils we were used to when we grew up.

Also, if you're handy at all, get yourself a Bentley or Chiltons manual. And oil change with red-line oil in my driveway is just over $40 (5 quarts at $7 each, plus a filter....), much cheaper than any service provider... So learn some of the basics, and save the $ for when you have a service need that is really hard....

Good luck

Matt

 

hey Dr. O -- how do you get rid of the used oil?

 

Here in Santa Cruz they provide containers and pick up used oil at the curb. Local Kragens (auto parts) stores also take used oil (and batteries)
Call your local gov't and ask for the Hazardous Waste department (or similar.) They should be able to tell you the local resources.

 

Lots of places to drop it off. I actually have curb-side pick up if it's in a sealed 1 gallon plastic bottle, I think....

Matt

 

Dr. O, thanks! I have never done anything mechanical to a car, ever. I would LOVE to learn and I think this is the ride I want to do it on. I already decided in my head that I am adding a K&N CAI and doing the install myself. After that will be my first "all by myself" oil change.

Thanks again everyone!