This post specifically concerns the Alta silicone lower radiator hose for a 2004 "S". I've spent the past hour or so searching and can't find any posts that address my particular issue.

Because the car is now more than six years old and has more than 90,000 miles, I recently had a reputable local shop (30+ years in business specializing in Audi, BMW, Mercedes, MINI, etc) replace the OEM hoses and install as many of the Alta silicone coolant hoses as fit (from a kit I won at the 2006 MINIs on the Dragon farewell dinner). Among others, they installed the lower radiator hose, even though the molded shape was not precisely identical to that of the OEM hose they removed. The shop told me they then refilled the cooling system and, while bleeding it, made sure there were no leaks and that the hoses were not rubbing on anything.

About 3,500 miles down the road (most on the Interstate in ambient temps less than 55 degrees F), the fan cut through the lower radiator hose where it bends from basically horizontal to basically vertical. The shop denies liability, saying the hose, while not shaped precisely like an OEM lower hose, obviously was defective in its design since it was able to flex under normal driving conditions in such a way that it was cut through by the fan. When asked why, if it was not a correct fit, they installed it anyway, they said that it did fit adequately for an aftermarket part, and that when they bled the system they saw no potential problems, so believed it would work correctly.

Obviously (in hindsight) they were wrong, and I have a hefty repair bill from Keeler MINI in Latham, New York, to prove it. I also have the old hose and old fan, which Keeler returned to me.

My question for those reading this thread is pretty simple - does anyone have any first-hand experience with an Alta lower radiator hose that indicates a) the hose can be installed and work for many thousands of miles without a problem, or b) there's serious possibility that the hose will do just what mine did?

I've just e-mailed tech support at Alta, explaining the situation and asking for clarification on why the Alta lower radiator hose is clearly not shaped like an OEM hose (the molded OEM hose has something like a mild but pronounced "S" bend on the horizontal portion, and the lower end of it is molded so it bends in at perhaps a 15-20 degree angle toward the radiator once it is below the fan frame - the Alta hose is almost perfectly straight in both of those locations).

Thanks in advance for your feedback.