Spoke with Brad Davis from Mini at Charleston today, he is big within MiniUSA Motorsports since he owns the dealership(I think) as well as competes in SCCA road racing competition. He is going to get back with me Friday or so, I'll update when I hear something, but, the conversation was 100% positive, so, I am now somewhat optimistic.

I am now hoping that this may be just a very very poor uneducated decision by 1 or 2 individuals within MiniUSA, but, we shall see shortly I suppose.

 

It saddens me to say this: Mean people suck.

 

Good luck Craig. Think happy thoughts.

 

Craig. No matter what the outcome, you have handled this as a gentleman. Good luck Friday.

 

Man, that is a sad situation, Craig and I certainly hope it gets sorted out soon. I find it ironic that they seem a lil' peeved that you "went public" w/ this. Looks to me, that if you hadn't made a stink this new twit at MiniUSA would have voided your warranty and moved on the his next penny-pinching project...

This also saddens me since my wife and I bought a new Mini -with the hopes of doing a little AutoXing locally. Nothing hardcore as she doesn't want to mod the car (apparently my heavily modified nearly unstreetable STi seems a wee bit "overboard" ).
But I did convince her that AXing would be fun and benefit us as far as finding the limits and becoming better Mini pilots... (all true, I believe).

Now I'm faced w/ the task of being upfront with her that IF Mini finds out that we have Autocrossed (ever?), they CAN void 100% of the mechanical warranty if they so choose.
Sweet. That should go over just swell.

Russ R

 

Best of Luck you you Craig!

 

Hey, thanks, that does mean a lot. With as wonderful as Mini USA has been to me in the past, I really tried to handle this as respectful as possible, while, at the same time, really trying to inform everyone of the issue. Its just unfortunate that 1-2 individuals(assuming that Brad is correct about this being 1-2 or so people) can cause such a big problem to the point where I don't even know if I can keep my Mini and feel good about it. Oh well, just glad to see some light at the end of what I hope is a tunnel.

Also, I received a very positive email from Mini USA Motorsports in regards to this issue, hopefully my dealer/regional warranty rep will follow suit shortly.

 

my local MINI dealer held a track day in '06. Subaru holds 'Subie Challenge'....privately organized, but backed by Subaru with reps there....auto-x, etc. Sort of celebrating motorsports and the enthusiast group of owners. Heck, I took my Subaru to 'Subaru Motorsports Day' up near their HQ in NJ back in '06....basically a tour of the parts warehouse and a car show. The guy I know at SOA promised they wouldn't be writing down VIN numbers. It's quite sad to see MINIUSA is effectively inviting people to drive their cars and rep the brand, then writing down VIN's and checking people off the warranty list. It's like a big F U to those die-hard brand loyalists.

 

Don't stir the pot quite so hard, you're starting to make a mess.

Has anyone who has taken their MINI to a dealership sponsored track event or autocross had warranty issues yet? Not that I know of. And my dealership has held autocrosses, skills schools, track events, etc.

Saying things like you said, PGT, is a great way to get the interweb world into a frenzy by people misunderstanding what you wrote.

Careful...

 

can't help if people don't have reading comprehension skills snid. not my problem. I said 'effectively' and 'MINIUSA', not 'is' and 'dealers'

 

i just really hope it works out for OasisT. he obviously loves his car and the brand. i hope Mini has done for him what they do for me and continue to service his car. mine is out of warranty and is still being covered by Princeton Mini for an ongoing issue with a ticking noise. about every 2,000 miles i take it in for the same noise and it clears for a while. as far as i am concerned they have treated me and Madeline just fine taking care of her every little discomfort. Good Luck i hope you are taken care of.

 

I was also reading this over in the SCCA Forums.

I really do get the idea that this have been the f-up of one or two people.

 

Update..............

As well as Brad Davis, Vincent K at the Mini USA Motorsports dept, he is also working on this as well and seems to be 100% behind me on this now. Now I just need warranty guy at Mini USA in charge of my warranty to realize what he did is wrong.

It appears that there may have just been a lack of communication between Vincent at Mini USA Motorsports and myself with a forgotten phone call by Vincent after he was suppose to meet with the Mini USA warranty guy regarding my issue. I then left a couple messages with Vincent and then he went out of town. After Vincent didn't call me back as planned, 2 negative emails were sent by the warranty dept to my dealer, then there were the autocross results were emailed to my dealer. Was he forced to send the results? Who knows, but, it shouldn't matter regardless, I am going to give Mini USA Motorsports the benefit on this now that they are being active in helping and supportive of my issue.

Anyway, it appears Mini USA Motorsports is 100% behind me now, and, that makes me feel 500% better(although, I will obviously never feel good about this issue). Like I said, now its just up to the Mini USA warranty guy in charge of my warranty to make this right, at the moment, they are doing me wrong as well as tainting Mini USA Motorsports and the Mini brand that I have grown to love over the last several years....

Craig

 

Glad, it is turning for the better Hope it works out well.

 

I can not believe ANYONE thinks there is a mechanical warranty for parts and labor on ANY vehicle used in ANY competition! Why do you think they carry so many parts and actual spare vehicles in those vans and trucks that go to the competitions? RACING, autotox, whatever YOU want to call it, BREAKS things.

SHOOT, what a bunch of AMATEURS!

Why should MINI and every present and future MINI owner pay for your expensive hobby by paying your warranty claims? Clutch problems after a competition, WOW, some surprise there.

RANT OFF.

 

Did you READ the THREAD? The clutch squeak was NOT something that racing would have CAUSED.

CAPITAL LETTERS!!

 

And you KNOW that because someone says so? Warranties are for problems that arise from the street in normal drivng conditions, RACING has and always will be for RICH guys!

I don't particularly want to pay more for each and every MINI I buy because a bunch of amateurs trashed their cars at the track and got MINI to pick up the tab!

If you can't PAY the tab for ANY mechanical issues in your car after going to the track, then maybe you should race a bicycle, OK?

 

You don't NEED to SHOUT! REALLY!!

If I fragged my clutch or transmission launching at a ProSolo I would expect to handle it myself. If my stereo stopped working, I would expect my manufacturer to pay for it, since it's pretty unlikely that autocrossing would have killed the stereo. It's a subtle but important distinction.

You know what a clutch pedal is and how it's different from a clutch, right? You don't use the pedal any differently at an autox than you do anywhere else.

 

ButtDyno - where are you located??

 

Look behind yourself.

Had to take that one.

 

I know ButtDyno though....local auto-crosser...same guy

 

Don't start on how well you know your ButtDyno.

 

he's a moderator on the subaru forums....aka a real ***

 

My clutch suffers more in heavy traffic, than at an autocross.

At an autocross, you launch, and 99% of the time (where we run) you shift once. I'm in 2nd gear the whole time. I can't remember the last time I actually got into 3rd gear at an event.