Took my car to the dealership for some engine noise (metal to metal). After two days (did not open up the engine), mini rep. diagnosed the problem as a "WRIST PIN KNOCK". They stated due to 3/4 of oil missing and negligence on my part (tracking the vehicle) that they would not cover the engine. By the way the "check engine" light or "oil level" light never came on. They stated it was about to come on or it was on the border.

They stated i needed a new engine. $9200.00

Please provide me with some fighting power.

 

Which dealer?

 

$9200 for a new engine, what the!!!!!

 

How recently had the oil been checked as OK? If you're checking the oil regularly and it lost it quickly that would point to a leak. If there is a oil leak that can be found, and the light wasn't on I'd think you'd have a arguable case for a warranty issue.

If you don't ever check the oil, and it went down gradually over time, and assumed you'd get a check oil or check engine light when it was low then I'd guess you'll be buying a engine.

Most vehicles won't throw a engine or oil light until the oil pressure is low. Which requires a VERY very low oil level. I'm betting the manual says to check oil at every fill up or once a month or something. I'd think excessive wear could occur, especially on a S from running to low an oil level, even if not quite enough to trigger a engine light. So unless you can find a leak...?

If you can't find a leak and end up deciding to buy a engine I'd bet a aftermarket MINI specialist could beat that price.

Good luck!

 

Dollar says it's Tate...

Maybe get it looked at by the guys at WS Motorcars? They have 2 MINIUSA trained MINI techs (one being a Master tech). They could probably give you a 'second opinion' and let you know if the dealership is spouting BS. (And my guess is that they are...)


-Paul!

 

good idea...especially if it's Tate.

 

um.. I think I might check my oil tonight when I get off work.

 

IMO, You have none. You modded the engine, see https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=49580
I can't find a single case of a MM case won where the issue was performance mods (albeit they are claiming the warranty is void because of tracking the car).

If its just tracking the car, you voided the warranty (and probably you might want to check your insurance as well as many do not like to hear cars were in "speed" events if that is what it is)

Sorry to hear this but that was the risk you took. They can also probably claim your supposed to check your oil and did not ... negligence.

 

Either way good luck

 

pretty bleak outlook there chows. sounds like you are rolling stock..

 

That wasn't my thread, that was Skip's experience

Yes, I was JCW.

Since Skips thread, I have been searching for ANY URL showing a case where a consumer has won against a car company using MM with the issue being performance mods and simply cannot find one (there are cases where the consumer one, but not for adding, for example, a bolt-on to the engine).

 

Check your oil. Just about every Mini that comes in for service is low on oil. The real root of the problem is that Mini has conditioned it's customers into thinking that their cars don't need routine service. This is in keeping with their marketing program where service is free for the first 30K something miles. Two oil changes. Low oil level due to owner negligence is the number one cause of engine failure with the Mini and probably the only cause as well.

 

Since you brought up checking the oil, I'd like to run this question by you: Although I have found a way to read clean oil levels on the R56's "slinky" dipstick, I was considering painting the end of the stick with high temp, solvent resistent paint to better contrast against the oil. Any comments/suggestions?

 

Growing up playing with cars, there are two things I do when I get gas... check the oil level and the tire pressure. Since I don't drive so much anymore, this amounts to maybe once a month, but I always make a point of keeping at least a quart of oil in the trunk, and most cars I have owned would use some oil between changes, sometimes as much as a quart. So far, the R56 doesn't use any oil, but I am still checking the level at every fill up, which right now is after around 420 miles. What great range this car has!

BTW, checking the tire pressure is important too. Don't rely only on the sensor warning light, as it won't detect small pressure changes. Tires tend to loose more pressure over the winter when it is very cold out.

Good luck at $9200, you could just buy a salvage whole MINI and have an aftermarket shop put the engine in your car, if in fact you need one. Hope things work out.

 

Back when I was bracket racing in '89-'91, the rumour was that Ford officials would go to the tracks and write down vin numbers and void those cars warranties on the spot. Those were the days when loads and loads of folks were taking 5.0 Mustangs and SC Thunderbirds off the showroom floor and ******* them out, breaking them, then going back to the dealer for repair.

It is unfortunate that your mini's heart has been damaged, I would bet that the low oil was not the cause but when combined with the mods, you sealed your fate with Mini Corp. I would guess there was a slight defect in the wrist pin, that would have been undetected for years, but with the mods and hard driving, you found it.....

Without going into great details and I may eat my words in the future but I will say that Tate has been good to me so far, from the sale to the issues I have encountered since.

Mike

 

The failure was most likely low oil level, it always is and it happens more often than gets posted on NAM. As far as mods go, I remember a time when the Mini dealers were doing pulleys and the like. Sterling was one of Madnesses' largest customers at one time. These are just easy excuses for dealing with a problem that has its' root in the Mini marketing plan and the customers' perception that little or no maintenance is required.

 

Lucky, is oil consumpion an issue with MINIs, or do people just neglect it, waiting for 15k to roll around?

 

+1 .....It needs to be said everyday around here...If You MOD then you have NO warranty.....you have no leg to stand on. Some dealers are more reasonable than others but no dealer is going to replace a big ticket item if you have mods. I see a new thread every day on this forum about someone who is having problems with thier car and they have all these mods....but I can probably count on one hand the number of factory kept cars that have any issues at all. Machines are EXTREMELY interdependant....one little thing you think has no affect on anything else actually has a huge affect in terms of reliability