I love my mini - but I've had so many problems with it. Am I the only one?

I've had to bring in the car about every other month - and its not even two years old yet. Currently these are the problems that hopefully will be fixed (again) when I bring it in on Friday. Can anyone tell me why all this keeps happening?

1. Secondary noise when I hit the gas in 1st gear. This problem has been on-going for quite a while. I brought the car in to fix it twice already. The last time Mini of Sterling told me that they knew what the problem was but had to order a part. I got the car, brough it back two weeks later when the part was in and was told that they couldn't fix it because they didn't hear the noise any more. Come On! You ordered the part for because you heard the noise! The day after I brough the car home the noise was back... not that I was surprised.

2. Sounds like there is a bird in my tire. This one is new - but there is a very loud squeeking noise radiating from both front tires. It only happens about once or twice a day but will do it while the car is in motion in 1st or 2nd gear. My luck - the car won't make the noise when I'm at the dealership and they'll send me away again..

3. Breaks are squeeling - Again. I asked them to fix this last time and was told it had been fixed.. .but of course - the noise came back a week after I had brough the car in and it is just getting louder and louder.

4. ABS / Tire and Wheel lights on. They, like everything else, don't go on all the time but its becoming more and more often. I brough the car in last summer because this started and was told it was a short in the system - that there was nothing wrong with my wheels or tires. It was fixed but now its started again (has been about two weeks). Not sure if I'll get the same response again - but with all of the other brake and wheel issues, I somehow doubt its just a short.

5. Sirius Radio needs to be installed.. I've asked them to do this already too. The last time I was told there is no place to put the antenna because its a cabrio. I asked if it could be put on the dash and was told it couldn't be. I've since learned that this is not the case.

I am so frustrted with all of this. I live in DC and have to take a half day off of work just to get the car worked on. Has anyone else had similar problems? Is there something I'm doing or not doing that is causing all this. Granted I know that the potholes in DC are horrible - but I've never had THIS many problems with a car!

 

Geesh! Sorry man. Have you tried going to a different dealership?

 

I can't speak to all your other points, but I do know a bit about the OEM SIRIUS radio.

The fact is, MINI does NOT officially support SIRIUS in MINI Convertibles. The reasons are twofold:

1. The boot pocket is a (smaller) different size and shape than in the hardtop. It's harder to mount the OEM receiver as a result
2. MINI does not make a SIRIUS-compatible antenna for the Convertible

Electronically, the OEM receiver IS compatible, but MINI dealerships tend not to agree to do things that are not "approved" installs from above. If it is to be done, you'd likely need to determine an alternate place to mount the SIRIUS reciever, and you'd have to use an aftermarket antenna... both items are things that dealerships probably won't want to mess with.

If you really want them to do it, talk about these facts with them. I know that MoS has done "non-standard" installs for me before, with the understanding that they are not subject to warranty coverage, because they won't get approval from upstairs to pay for warranty work on unauthorized installs.

Have you considered buying the parts and doing the install yourself? The OEM receiver is sold separately from the antenna, so you could buy just the receiver and buy an aftermarket antenna.

Alternatively, of course, you could buy a portable SIRIUS receiver and connect it via Aux input...

 

I have brought it to Tate before as well. They are MUCH farther away but I had them install my JCW brake kit.. About three months later the brakes felt funny and I was in Reston so I thought I'd bring it in - just to see what happened. Tate made the brake cables too long and they started tearing into each other. One was almost completely torn apart. MoS thought I had done it myself - shocked that a dealership would have made that mistake. And to make matters worse - they charged me $500 to fix it!

As to the Sirius - I've heard about the issues with the cabrio. If they still say no on Friday fine - but I figure that since I have to be there again anyway I might as well ask...

 

Wow. not surprising. I know it is even further away, but have you tried Towson? We are now taking ours there. From Germantown.

 

WOW! Are they worth it?

 

We found them very professional, took us that day, gave us a nice loaner. Found the problem quickly, and had the car back the next day...
We went in because we thought we had an oil leak, they found it was actually a cracked radiator, which was spraying coolant EVERYWHERE..Fixed that, found we had a bent control arm, fixed that, realigned the car, very quickly too.
The only thing I don't like about it is the location. The streets around it are rather bumppy! but that is the only thing. Phillip is their SA and he is GREAT. We followed him from Tate to Towson. Really good guy. You can always try.

 

Ahhh...Tate strikes again...CR, I'm just curious..when did this happen?

 

Don't go to tate.

As for the squeeky wheel... I had a problem once upon a time with such a thing. Took three visits to fix. It ended up being a missing 'anti-squeek pad' or something like that related to the brake assembly. Seriously, no joke.

 

And your SA HAND WASHED Soulfire for you . The streets arn't that bumpy around there...of course I did grow up in the Baltimore City and drive into the city 4+ times a week.

 

When you are in an S that is lowered, it is rather bumpy. You also have those 16" wheels and all that ruber between you and the street to absorb bumps like an SUV

 

The trip to Tate was when I first purchased the car about a year and a half ago. I had the JCW breaks installed after market. Before I knew they had done a bad job I didn't like it there just because of how long it had taken me to get there from DC. It was a 2+ hr trip in traffic... no thanks. Then again its not like we have many options. I can get to Sterling pretty quickly but hit traffic on the way back in the morning. I have Friday off though - so I'm planning to go in (alredy have an appointment) and stay there till they've fixed my baby!

 

Sounds like you could use a beer and a honda.

 

FAR from an SUV-like ride, remember, 16" wheels or not, a MINI is a MINI is a MINI.


Another + for MoT is that there are some nice twisty backroads about 2miles up the street

 

Perhaps but a Mini isn't very good to me if its always in the shop. If this stuff doesn't get fixed soon - I may have to give up and find a new ride. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

 

Give Towson a shot.

 

it's a joke, right?

 

CR try Towson as others have said but I am one who has empathy for you. Driving long distances to a shop is no fun I know.

 

Well, you should not worry about going to TATE as the mechanics working on these MINIs left..and now TATE has all new people on its shop.

Personally, I will follow the OLD mechanics in any case, good luck with your little one.

MD MINI GP
MD STREGA2

 

Well I brought her into Sterling on Friday (already had an appointment) - and I'm still driving a loaner. It seems that the extra noise at 1st gear may be some sort of belt - but they have to get Mini to approve the replacement before they can do anything.

As for the chirping noise in my tire - apparently the DC Potholes have done me in. Some of the connections in my rear wheel suspension were BENT! All of it has to be changed out which is going to cost about a grand! I've had low cars for a long time - so I know how to get out of the way of potholes - but this year has been tough. And apparently it will be even tougher on my wallet.

Joe at MoS has been very good - updating me all the time - but I did have to go back out there on Saturday to return the rental and pick up a loaner. A hassle perhaps - but at least its going to be fixed this time. Or at least I hope it will

Oh - and the Sirius Radio - apparently Sirius sent me the wrong model - THATS why they couldn't install it last time... not because of the lack of roof. Granted - no one gave me that detail last time but at least I can fix this one...

 

I'd like to second that.

I spent the afternoon at MoS/BoS for the Susan G Komen Drive for the Cure event. I brought my car in without an appointment and they looked at my car, decided I need a new key and will replace it for me under warranty in 2 weeks.

 

Might insurance cover that?

 

rofl anti squeek pad :D

 

Not really. So, what you are saying is that your MINI is like my MINI and Wag's MINI, and Lastrega's MINI (GP), and so on......

 

Not sure if Insurance would cover pothole damage... I'll look into it. However I WILL be sending a stern letter to the new Mayor. Granted I don't expect the city to pay for my damage - but at the very least I'd like some of the monsterous holes in my neighborhood to be repaired!