I would get the car to the dealer ASAP and have it checked out. Dealers have the ability to cover failed items even though the car is outside it's warranty period. Some call it warranty "Grace" period coverage or some other similar name. But the sooner you have it looked at; the better chance you have of getting it covered.

 

I may do just that. I'd hope they cover at least some of the cost. What kinda clutch dies after only 15k miles (unless you are abusing it or learning to drive a manual or something similar)?

 

Ugh...add me to the list, picked up a 2010 jcw about a month ago with 23K mles on it. I've put about 700 on it and just yesterday it started making a weird groan when starting out in 1st gear from a stop. It was at the dealer a week ago for a clutch pedal problem that turned out to be air in the line. Sigh, now I get to hope and pray that when they see it in 2 weeks they won't say it's wear and tear crap.

 

My GP2 with 17k is in the shop for a clutch right now

 

I bought a used 09 JCW with 45000 miles less than 3 weeks ago (after my 06 Base Cooper Convertible was totaled) and I smelled something burning the night I picked it up from the dealer and parked it in the garage. Shortly after I noticed the slipping.

The car is at the dealer now. That Valeo service bulletin is interesting...

 

I've recently began to notice the beginnings of clutch slippage, on my 13 MCS @ 31K miles. I'm definitely not going to have replace with OEM parts.

 

My 09 also had clutch slippage.......these cars are not built to drive for a long time without spending....case in point with timing chain problems,seals and known clutch problems when it gets near the end of a 5 year warranty they start to get expensive....got rid of my machine 09 red /black full body kit,red side mirrors plus centre stripes and approx 40k miles
I did initially miss the drive but the worry of what was going to fail next has long since gone.
A GTI golf is a very good substitute.

 

VW? They're hardly bulletproof!

 

Original clutch still good at 48,500 miles. Build date March 2012.

 

I'm having slippage problems! 09 Cooper S and it started about a week ago. I'm debating on selling it as it's already had a couple of major repair jobs on it (one under warranty... was it the oil pump that had problems on this model?) I don't drive it hard at all, and it's at 55,557miles. Has anyone replaced the clutch/flywheel, and what do y'all suggest?

 

My '09 JCW is my third MINI. My first MINI was an '05 S that I bought new and put 65k miles on with no clutch problems. My second was an '06 base model convertible that I bought used at 20K, and it was at 80k miles and on the original clutch when it was totaled (so sad, I wanted to drive that car forever. Loved it).

The time from when I noticed the clutch slipping, to the time the clutch went totally out was less than a week. Don't get stranded!

My JCW was fixed last week. They quoted me $3,700 to replace the clutch and flywheel. We argued it with the dealership we bought it from (as we had only owned the car two weeks when it went out) and after a lot of following up they agreed to cover the cost. The MINI dealership did the actual work.

We had done some price scouting at an independent shop and they also told us ~$3700 for the clutch and flywheel...it isn't cheap.

 

My 2009 fJCW - have had it since new June 2008 build - may have a clutch issue. I noticed within the last few days that if I'm in 2nd gear and driving fairly slow, that when I give it some gas, I get a rumble that feels like it's slipping. I don't notice this in any other situation. Probably need to have someone take a look. I've only got 29K miles on it, but its been out of warranty for 2 1/2 years now.

 

2010 JCW, 64k miles. Just found out I need to replace my clutch. I just bought it three months ago and am not new to driving manuals. The garage I brought the car to called the company I got my extended warranty through and they were told it's wear and tear. I have only had it for a short time. Do I have any rights through Mini as a second owner as far as some of these "one-time" replacements they are performing for some people in this thread? Or is that ability lost once it changes owners?

 

Finally bit the bullet and had mine changed out....60k miles. Started noticed slippage around 38k. Went with JMTC Stage 2 Lightened Dual Mass Flywheel Change Kit (30lbs). Happy now!

 

I'm surprised at this thread. With all these JCW clutches failing so early I would think that means MINI needs to foot the bill. I mean cmon 38k miles? I definitely don't believe a disproportional number of JCW owners are bad manual drivers.

Also when you have the clutch replaced not a bad time to throw in a limited slip differential!

 

Fjork_duf Like you I am also surprised BMW and mini get away with thses major problems...they are all listed on consumer car problems and mini is a leader with transmission,timing chain,clutch,auto transmissions all having noted problems.
I had a JCW $34000 machine and the clutch went around the same time as the cost of the car 34k miles which to my mind is atrocious.
If one had any other car they would be creating through the roof but the mini gets away with it as people who like this car accept these known problems.
I got rid of mine when every pot hole I hit felt like I was needing an alignment due to the sports suspension.Also got really pissed off on a simple thing like the turbo vent melting (come on 34k dollars for this to happen)
I decided in the end the car was not worth the known expense I would be incurring by owning a machine that was not reliable and can only be enjoyed on decent roads.....PA,Philly suburbs roads do not rate as a place to drive a JCW.
I now drive a nice RAV4 and can take every pot hole without the worry of an axel repair or an alignment that may be correct or not,transmission that lasts a life time and a comfortable ride?
This I have learnt the more sporty the ride the less comfort thats what you give up by going around a corner a lot quicker that normal.
Enjoy your minis out there and I will enjoy my comfort!!

 

Depends if the warranty moved to you when you bought the car ,if it was still under warranty?
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co.../impatient.gif

 

If you sold your car, why the Hell are you still here?

I guess that is sort of on you, then. Didn't you test drive the car before you bought it? Further, I've hit potholes on expressways hard enough to bend 2 wheels (different occasions). Alignment was checked and no front re-alignment was needed.

Seeing as how the RAV4 doesn't offer a manual transmission, it is an Apples and Oranges comparison, isn't it? And be accurate. The problem is the clutch, NOT the transmission.

Again, didn't you understand this BEFORE you bought the car? It sounds like you were not prepared for the buying experience. A JCW is a Performance Car.

 

I bought the car one Summer and thought it was the "bees knees" but like I say when it starts to have problems (as per all the stuff written on this forum" ) I decided there is that line between performance,comfort and also cost........lets face it this car is so overrated whether JCW or standard mini and as per my previous post and what another member said why do the owners stand for it...........really my car has done 40k and the clutch has gone ,what sort of car would one want to drive knowing this will happen along with all the other crap mini comes with.
These cars are fun looking but built to milk the owner out of his pocket.the Head office is a joke to talk to when my turbi scoop melted the answer from the rep was " you must be driving the car in hot weather"these are the slick morons one has to deal with and it makes it harder when you are fighter them or the dealer with the cost of a timing chain,auto transmission or a $2500 clutch change for what is a inferior product.
Regards still being on the mini forum,I answered this clutch problem a long time ago and had a new Email posted to me on this topic so here I am answering it as its known as freedom of speech so enjoy!!

 

I've owned 4 MINI's, 2 S and 2 JCW. The mileages have been 106,000 , 97,000 , 72,000 and my current JCW with 36,000. All have been driven like I stole them and I've never had to replace a clutch. Always placed in neutral when sitting at a light or in traffic and rev matched when downshifting. I'm not saying that your experiences are bad....just providing another perspective.

 

Well this is good news. Maybe the clutches are sensitive? who knows.

 

I update the 2009 fJCW Registry. In that year, 498 fJCW's were imported to the US. Including the 2014 model year, there's probably at least 3,000 fJCW's in the US. The vast majority of JCW owners are not on this forum. So far, 6 years later, the count on the Registry is only about 200. I would think that the other model years don't have representation even that high on the forum. Also, I'm guessing, there's been 600,000+ MINIs sold in this country.

So, when you see people complaining about something on the MINIs, it has to be a pretty small percentage of the population. That is NOT to say that people haven't had clutch problems or difficulties with BMW/MINI. But, I'm pretty sure it isn't as pervasive as you suggest.

Further, not that you don't have a right to be here, but it is true that you don't have any skin in the game anymore. That was the basis of my question.

But, it definitely sounds like a performance car, ANY performance car, is not for you. Performance is accompanied by certain compromises, albeit many fewer than just 10-15-20 years ago. But, you have to be willing to accept those compromises. If not, you really don't have much basis to gripe because you bought the car. Funny, I don't see you blaming yourself. As I asked, didn't you drive it before you bought it? How extensive was that test drive? It isn't like buying a toaster.

 

Yes of course I drove it as a test drive it was a nice Summers Day on rt 202 and that road is nice and flat so I did not get a true feeling of the experience of a pot hole at that time of the Year.....(my fault should have waited until the winter but it never came into my mind)
Regds your mini stats with amount purchased etc i noted that the mini from consumer report aligns with the amount of people that appear on this forum with complaints......lets face it what is the initial question we are answering at present....clutch problems and there not just on JCW there on minis in general and can you defend a clutch going wrong after say 20k - 30k ....how many cars of other manufacturers have this problem of clutch failure at such a low mileage and some dealers have even admitted it.......live with the expense of a BMW vehicle with added service expenses,not for me I want something i can drive and not have to think of the next oncoming problem and cost ..........just look at the questions on the forum masses of them with known problems in fact the forum speaks for itself!

 

No, the point is that a forum is not a good place for quantitative information. The total membership here is about 25% of the US MINI population. Folks here who have noted clutch replacement are a subset of a subset.

And no, 20,000-30,000 miles is too soon for a clutch failure; anywhere. Out of 8 vehicles I've owned (all of them were manuals, 4sp, 5sp and 6sp), I've worn the clutches out on 2 of them: ~80,000 and about ~120,000 miles.

But, I will say this. In these times, I wonder how many folks who bought MINIs with manual transmissions have really been taught correct techniques?

 

I am English and have driven clutch cars for many years,as part of our driving test in Uk we have to do a "hill start" with handbrake on and disengage the handbrake letting the clutch out in sync....if you roll back on the hill you have failed.
Even if you are new to a manual clutch you learn as you go on and this does not cause a clutch problem at 20 -30k other cars are not having an issue like mini ...this is one of there inherent problems as per the forum and consumer report.
If you read up on problems on other cars you dont see a clutch problem keep appearing and some of those drivers probably ride the clutch but without the replacement.
So not convince its the drivers more the parts the BMW have thrown into these cars a long with plastic chain timing brackets that snap......auto transmission that suddenly stop,scoops that melt and water pumps that decide to malfunction ,all good stuff as listed on these forums....good fun discussing this but feel my days of wanting to embrace a mini have long vanished with the ever increasing problems,cost and of course pot holes which on a small low car whether JCW or S or mini still feel like one has sunk into a deep hole when driving over these pits.
Off out now enjoy the ride!!!