I'm seriously considering trading my ALL4 in. After a year, the car has been at the dealer too many times for recalls and service bulletins. While everything was covered under warranty and MINI was very good, I'm worried about what happens in the next year and a half when my warranty is up. The car, though I love it, has shown me no reason to believe it isn't going to be a constant headache in terms of repairs and expense. Besides the basic recall stuff it has gotten a new gearbox, differential, main computer, and various control modules.
How much of a bath am I going to take if I trade it in for something else? I was thinking of trying to find another vehicle in a CPO type program that is also a year old or so to try and lessen the hit.
Also, would I do better at a MINI dealership trading in for a different MINI model than going to a different brand?
Am I overreacting?

 

I was surprised to find three used CMS / CM4 on the lot at my MINI dealership yesterday. All had less than 10,000 miles, and the price was $24-28K, depending on the miles. All of them were automatic transmission.

 

This response is more about what makes you happy, than mechanical issues. I seriously don't mean to offend! If you have a gut feeling about your car, then run with it. It's obvious you have wrestled with this and it's going to continue to haunt you.

You could buy an extended warranty, but I'm sure you've considered that. Maybe it is worth your peace of mind to take a little financial hit but get into a new Mini you are truly happy with.

Life is hard enough, you should be enjoying a luxury item, not fretting over it. :-)

 

I have to bring it in for an oil change this week so I'll check on the Extended warranty.

 

How much time has it actually spent in the shop? Have you checked your states lemon law? With all of those issues you listed, I would think your car would qualify as lemon.

 

If you're not having fun with it and your finances can take it, then trade it in.

If not, though, talk to your dealer about your concerns and see what it would take to extend the warranty. Maybe you can get a little break on what it would cost to extend it. Since the Countryman was brand new in 2011, I got the extended warranty and maintenance plans on mine up front, despite the fact that I typically wouldn't get those things on most cars.

I've been exceedingly happy with my experience. I get a loaner whenever mine is in for work, so it's really very little inconvenience to do a recall. In fact, mine is in right now for front brakes (due) and the coolant temp sensor recall, and I have a pure red 2012 Countryman to drive for the weekend. The worst part of the experience is that the loaner is an FWD non-turbo, but I think I'll survive.

 

It won't qualify as a lemon unless there is currently something seriously wrong with it. If BMW has fixed all your problems, then your car would not be considered to be a lemon in any state no matter how many days it was out of service in the past.

 

It doesn't have to have anything currently wrong with it to qualify as a lemon. I'm in Minnesota and the law states:

The Manufacturer's Duty to Refund or Replace
The law has special refund and replacement provisions for cars that have substantial defects or problems, commonly called “lemons.” Under the law, if the manufacturer or its authorized dealer has been unable to repair a car’s problem after a “reasonable number of attempts,” the buyer or lessee may go through a manufacturer’s arbitration program, or to court, to seek a full refund of the car’s purchase price (minus a deduction for use of the vehicle). The law considers a “reasonable number of attempts” to be any one of the following:

Four or more unsuccessful attempts to repair the same defect; or,

One unsuccessful attempt to repair a defect which has caused the complete failure of the steering or braking system and which is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; or,

A car which has been out of service due to warranty repairs for 30 or more cumulative business days.

In each case the initial defect must occur within the warranty period, or two years, whichever comes first, but the manufacturer’s repair attempts may extend to the end of the third year. Even if you do not meet one of the above categories, you may still have a lemon law claim, but it will be harder to prove.

 

The language you are quoting pertains to "cars with substantial defects or problems". If the car has been repaired, it no longer has substantial defects or problems, and BMW will respond with this as a defense and will prevail in court. You need to be careful as in many states a lemon law action can be brought only once for any one car.. No court is going to award lemon law relief for a car that has been fully repaired. If you aren't sure about this, just ask your attorney.

 

Worse, the quoted Minnesota law (which really seems like a quote about the Minnesota law and not the law itself) indicates "if the manufacturer or its authorized dealer has been unable to repair a car’s problem" (emphasis added). If the manufacturer or dealer has been able to repair a car's problem, it is no longer eligible for lemon law protection.

 

But I would point out that if you have a series of substantial problems that add up to more than 30 days out of service, there does come a point where you can seek relief and not have to keep going back to the dealer an unlimited number of times, even though the dealer may permanently fix each problem the first time, every time. In this situation, the time to file a claim is when there's something substantially wrong with your car, not after it's been fixed. Note that some states, like New Jersey, require you to give BMW written notice that they have one last chance to fix the car.

 

Is it MINI in general you fear or just this one specific car?

If the latter, I would try to find something in a newer MINI that might make you feel more comfortable, because you clearly have lost confidence in this one's future reliability, and it sounds like for good reason too.

I would think your dealer would be williing to cut you a smoking good deal on a service loaner and/or CPO car, you might talk to them and see what they could do for you. But bear in mind, if such a car is in the $25K range, your car comparably equipped will be worth considerably less.....depending on what you owe and what the difference comes to, you might not find it that attractive a deal.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do.

 

I'm sure it isn't going to be to the point of a lemon. My fear is the problems recurring in a year or 2. Everything that's gone wrong has been fixed in the first try with the exception of the oil leak. The first try for that was when I brought it in for the coolant sensor recall, they informed me that they saw an oil leak and replaced the seal with an updated seal. I had no idea about the leak until they told me about it. Over the next few weeks the leak resumed and got bad enough that every time I stopped at a light, the cabin would fill with burning oil smell. That's when they took it back to replace the gearbox and differential. I picked it up a few days later and when the lot jockey brought the car around the check engine light came on so I had to leave again. They found a plug on a control module came off. They plugged it in and I picked up again. the next morning check engine light was on again. Returned it to Mini and now they found the module had to be replaced. Computer was replaced too. I think oil from the leak got into it.
I know mini isn't Honda but wasn't expecting the quality to be this bad. I do have to say the dealership has treated me well and has been proactive.
The car hasn't broken down on me but in its fist year has needed over $14,000 worth of work. If this had happened in year 3, I would have had a serious hardship here. My saving grace was it was so bad it couldn't even make the year. What if it was a bit less sucky and lasted 'till I was just out of warranty?
BTW, the oil leak was the major issue, but not the only one I had.

 

That is not true, every state is different but there comes a point where it is a lemon based on days out of service and number of major problems and or number of repairs for the same problem. I already hired a lawyer based on days out of service, but another bad spark plug and it'll be based on attempts made instead. Changes the amount I would get in usage.

 

mojito, See the post I made after the one you quoted.

Are you saying that your attorney is advising you that you can prevail on a lemon law action even if bmw has successfully corrected all currently serious issues with your car?

 

Yes

 

Doesn't Mini give us a 4yr/50kmil warranty and 3yr/36kmil maintenance? I would think a 2012 All4 would be covered until at least late 2015.



Just curious..
Cheers

 

I do 30k potter year so by next October be done. Hence the worry.

 

That explains it then Best of luck