So far with 8000km
1 - New standard transmission at 4000km - jumping out of first gear.
2 - Really noisy rear shocks - waiting on parts. Not sure of the fix though.
3 - Engine surges when under slight load in first, causes the car to lurch forward. no fix so far.
4 - Horn does not always work - no fix so far
5 - Really bad smell of wiper fluid after operating windshield washers.
6 - Recycled air switch only operated for 45 seconds after a software update - no fix so far
7 - Bubbles in the carpet under drivers seat - not worth having them gut the interior t replace the carpet - Mini have offered though!
8 - Soft spot in drivers seat - Dealer has ordered a new leather seat bottom.


I find it unreasonable that I had a scratch on my horn at pickup and only received the replacement 9 months later. If they are building new cars parts are available to fix problems with the early purchasers. We should be the most valued customers IMO.


Thinking of ditching the car for a JCW. If Mini help me out. Otherwise I'm done with Mini's - this will be #4 and my last.

 

I'm on Mini #3 and while I have not had any problems other than needed software upgrades I don't trust it one bit and have not wanted to take it on long trips. The fact that you have several items with "no fix so far", especially the engine surge which could be dangerous, would certainly make me consider unloading it. I would think that Mini would help you out towards the JCW particularly since this us Mini#4. Good luck.

 

Mini's are definitely lemons.

People have to stop associating their love for the vehicle, with the love of Mini Customer Service and Mini corporate.

If I was a company, that what amoral and greedy, I would love to have a customer base that defended all of my F ups.

But if you want a company to build a good car, you have to get on their case and keep them honest.

p.s. are you sure that #2 isn't the rear sway bar bushings. They get a little cold and they make a lot of noise. Only ten bucks each to replace.

 

Is your windscreen fluid too concentrated? I notice a smell in the winter when I'm using 1:4 rather than the summer 1:20(ish) .....

 

mine has been making a lot of noise coming from somewhere in the back, too. I've discussed it elsewhere, but have yet to take it in.

this is the first time i've heard the rear sway bar bushings mentioned. Did your car have this issue? when did it make the noise?

Mine seems to do it mostly at low speeds (under 35mph) and on all shapes and sizes of road imperfections.

 

I'm no expert on Lemon Laws, but, with the exception of #4, those problems seem pretty serious. Have you had a 'come to Jesus' talk with your service advisor?

 

Plus 1 on this. If the alcohol or anti-freeze chemical added to the washer fluid is of a high strength level, you will smell the washer fluid in almost any vehicle when using the washer spray.
BMW was notorious for years with their stock washer fluid on a brand new vehicle being of a rather 'high-test' rating, and the accompanying smell that went with it. Their Winter Concentrate that they sold to boost up the temp. rating of stock winter washer fluid also gives the same results.

 

Interesting. On my R56 it had washers on the headlamps and there was a smell...but if I hit recycle suit before I hit the spray button there would be no smell. Problem is the recycling of the air only stays on briefly...do the smell comes straight in....

 

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Interesting. I'm thinking new car...should work properly. Mini need to fix it for me with minimal stress.....right.

 

I agree. I sold a first gen, lemoned a second, and tried buying a third but turned away when problems were encountered during a test drive. MINIs are fun, but they've gone from bad to worse in my experiences. Not a good business model and the kool-aid flavor is sour. It's not that hard to build a reliable car nowadays, but apparently for some, it is...

Greg

 

I'm not saying all MINIs are lemons. I'm not saying all F56's are lemons. I think that it is unconscionable that mini do not have parts for new cars. The first people that take a risk and buy a new car should be treated as "special". I don't feel that in any way from Mini. My dealership has it's hands tired....or do they say.
Frankly this is right on any level.

 

Welcome to the current state of affairs for many new car owners. Esp. if the model is selling well.
No spare parts, all are allotted for the production line. Body parts are even worse usually if someone wrecks their new baby in the first year it's out.
Wiring harnesses can be months of a wait if it's a Main Body Harness.
last year we waited for a AW 6 speed Auto from May till August on another car line. Owner never wanted to see the vehicle again...
so I feel your pain....

 

Red. Thanks. I think if the manufactures aren't doing their job there should be done consumer protection happening. I doubt this should happen with a fridge....they just replace if they can't supply the parts....makes sense. A big stick is what is needed here.:-)

 

Gregory I think you definitely got a lemon and should get a refund. I've had 2 Minis and no major problems (HPFP 2008). I too am pretty loyal to the brand, but they should make this right and take it and make you a deal on a JCW or just refund and let you go somewhere else IMO.

 

Plus being a 4th time owner should give you some pull with MINI Corporate. I'd be making phone calls further up the ladder here soon.

 

I'm sorry Lord, but if you don't like MINI customer service and HQ so much, why do you come to a MINI forum full of MINI "lover's" and troll on about what a POS they are, I'm sorry to say, but if you love a product I would say it's best to get on the good side of the producers of said product, because you rely on them to continue making the product and to help you maintain it for as long as it shall last, and they've been nothing but help to me with my 3 MINI's! They for the first time ever denied coverage on one of MINI's for a Oil Filter Housing Gasket, but the car has 110000 mile on it and I was totally fine with it because of how many miles it has all ready, and I know you say "people who love products are sheep", so guess what that makes me, a sheep! Go buy yourself a Honda and then join a Honda forum and complain about how terribly boring it is to drive a Honda and see how those Forum Members respond to you. Oh and by the way, my 110000 mile Clubman S has only had one tensioner replaced by MINI for free at 106k, which is just around the Life of it.

 

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I meant 106k as in 106000 Miles, not Kilometres and it was driven hard for 8 years so that's pretty decent by my standards, but anyways, I'm not going to argue with you, you've obviously had a bad experience with MINI USA, I've had a great one, but yet again, my parents and I together have had 13 BMW/MINI's in 9 years, so our customer value is probably higher than most others. You don't like the problems with N14 engine and it's tensioner design, try buying another car, if you like the look of the MINI get one that was more reliable, e.g. a Justa or and N18 S if you want more power, but also take into account that not all MINI's are hunks of junks, and that all 07-10 S's and 08-12 JCW's will be plagued with problems. I love my MINI, I don't use it to boost my self-esteem, I drive it very hard and know that I'm going to have a lot of repair bills because it's not some *** Crap that'll put me to sleep while I'm driving.

 

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The first tensioners were not strong enough so the chain would wear in a very fast way.
The engine was designed by BMW and build in France and the UK.A lot of the Minis are .... hand and they still are used by a lot of people.
The cars are made in the UK, Austria and Holland.
The normal Cooper has almost no problems.
The US fuel is one of the reasons for the excessive carbon deposit.
Most of my cars were Lexus, with the "modern" Minis I had never a problem.
You got a "Cassandra" car then.

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The spring in the tensioner was too weak.They changed the tensioner construction three times. The noise of the engine should have warned the driver but if you drove the car for thousand of miles the chain would be destructed and then you got a total collapse of the engine. Of course driving with to less oil will accelerate this problem. My oil consumption is 1/2 quart for 10.000 miles.
The engine itself is very good ,they won three times the first price for the best engine construction.
But a turbo and a direct injection will result in a "bigger" oil consumption.Every engine HAS to consume some oil.The extra torque from the turbo will put more strain on the chain. The normal Cooper doesn't then have such problems.

 

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Lord, if you really have a problem with the fact that MINI isn't changing your and everybody else's tensioners and timing chains for free, then maybe you should really reconsider owning the MINI. Obviously everyone in the MINI community who's had the problem and not had it goodwill repaired is upset at having to pay for the part even though it's a known issue; however, we all accept because we enjoy driving the car and know that nothing in life is perfect, and if they don't like it, they get rid of the ASAP. MINI corp. knows what they're doing, obviously they're not going to have a recall because between all the things they'd have to recall that are known to go bad on the Prince engine (both turbo and non-turbo) they'd basically tarnish there reputations because such large, major recalls are generally broadcast nationwide and replacing these timing chains at ~$1300 a car would be devastating to the company, but if they keep on the down low not only would uninformed people pay for the fix and get on with their lives, but they could still redeem themselves to the customers who "suck-up", good will repair it and have enough faith in the brand to possibly buy another car. Now I saw your conversation with HQ and if was on the other side, I would have said "have a nice day" as well because you came off as demanding, kind of like when someone goes to a restaurant, orders something and tell the waitress "I know you're going to screw-up" and the waitress purposefully screws-up. Obviously you doubted that HQ would cover the repair, and told them that straight up, and since they felt you were expecting not to win, they have you exactly what you expected, they know they lost you as a return customer and basically don't care for you anymore. It really sucks that they're not covering it for you, especially since it happened multiple times, but you've just gotta move on, life is life, it sucks and then you die, so instead complaining about a company on a forum all about the product the company provides, try to fix it yourself, the part is cheap (if it's only the tensioner) or pay for it and get rid of it, maybe you'd be interested in a Fiesta ST or a GTI, they're probably more reliable (although according to JD Power, they're below average in reliability), and if you really want your money back file a lawsuit and see if they compensate you for it. I for one really don't care if they cover everyone's timing chains or not, as I understand they have to run a business, and living in a capitalist economy, I understand that everyone's good isn't the first thing on businesses agendas, I am happy however that I am an informed customer and I know how to milk these businesses the most I can, I've gotten most of my repairs free, even out of warranty, on my F56, I got a 2.9% interest rate when the lowest they were offering was 3.9 and I got them to give me $7500 more dollars for my trade, plus I got a free roof decal and $1000 off on an ordered one, when the only incentive was a $250 loyalty credit and this was all while the other dealers in my area were only offering F56's with a markup because they were so new and the whole EPA thing had inventory dried up.