Not to be negative, but I think I may be having second thoughts about my MINI. This all started a couple of weeks ago when I started my car and drove to work.

In the beginning, my beautiful 2004 MCS would start without question on any cold morning I asked. But recently I can never seem to fire up my little monster on the first try, which is simply annoying and makes me worry.

Now, jump ahead to the freeway, as I drive a long I notice an impending pothole, and as I cringe I realize that there will be many more on the upcoming freeway. Now I don't have a problem avoiding potholes, but what i DO have a problem with is knowing that any impending unavoidable bump could cause my strut towers to mushroom more than they already have.

Lastly, as I drive home of course I hit rush hour traffic. The stop and go is inevitable, but my MINI's incredibly weak low end makes it difficult to accelerate then stop time after time. Granted this is an easy fix with a pulley or chip or whatever, but I won't be able to mod for a while to come.

I merely wanted to express my mounting frustration with a car I was once completely and utterly in love with. I suppose all cars have problems, perhaps I'm too picky. Whatever the case, convince me I'm just crazy, please!

pics...

 

Your crazy

 

Sounds like layers of frustration...much more difficult to address, isn't it? Appears to be a sell-it of fix-it scenario.

 

1. Make sure you are using top tier gasoline. Using cheap gas will cause problems with starting and power. If it continues to be hard to start, have your MINI dealer look at your car.
2. Get rid of the run flat tires. This will improve ride quality substantially.
3. You MINI doesn't lack low end power, it is hampered by the DSC. Turn off the DSC and drive yor car like the sports car it is. You'll be surprised by the difference this will make.

 

I know how you feel I just started getting the mushroom farm under the hood and cringe at every pot hole. I just ordered my M7 Strut Bar that will resolve the issue and give me some piece of mind.

If you look at the cars that are out there that you would replace your mini with most likely you wouldn't be happy. I know I wouldn't.

Look at the M7 Strut bar it may help relieve your stress on atleast one of your concerns.

 

Perhaps an update to the ECU with the latest software will cure the poor starting/cold rough running? My '06 MCS doesn't have either of these issues. As for the low end power, I know that MINI changed the gearing in '05.

 

"you're"

He's not crazy. I will sell/trade as soon as my wife will let me. I'm tired of all the annoying things my car does.

 

Think about your financially viable options. If modding isn't one of them, then chances are the cars you could afford to replace the mini with are not too exciting either. Maybe if you did a Mini event you'd find yourself falling back in love. All relationships, even those with a car, need nourishment to flourish.

 

Thats too bad you feel that way.
Soooo.... how much you want for your Mini? If it's cheap enough I might know a guy....

 

Such as?

 

Just think about what you would end up driving for the same money and you'll be back in love. If the fad is wearing off already on this unique full of character car just imagine how quickly it would wear off with something else.

 

I agree with what everyone else has said...though I can understand your frustration with the issues you describe.

I suggest washing/detailing your MINI and taking him/her out to dinner for a romantic evening; just the two of you. Perhaps a moonlit walk on the beach...errr, wait, wrong Forum.

 

Is it "cold start stumble"?

I'm not going to try to convince you your crazy because I made the decision to sell my 04 MCS because the hassles became more than the joys of keeping it. But everybody is different and have different tolerance levels (and mine was my wife's daily driver).

I can just say this ... only you can decide, nobody else. No body else has to live with what you do ... only you. Once the benefits are no longer worth the cost (and the cost can be money, time, stress, etc.) ... you will know what you want to do.

Best of Luck ... maybe a R56 would be better?

 

R56 can drive you nuts to .

 

Add the M7 STB for the peace of mind and stop the mushrooming (I put one on last week before my car mushroomed and hope it will be enough to avoid that issue). What size rims are you running? Sixteens with non- runflats may help, however you'll then want a small compressor and Slime. You can think of pothole avoidance as a game, I do. My 02 fires up fine, sometimes it has a little stutter upon first departing. I chalk it up to the quirks of the car, no biggie. I feel like it has enough low end power. Of course I've replaced my Astro van with this car so of course it feels pretty zippy to me. CHEQQRS always puts a smile on my face. Even just looking at it makes me grin. Do something fun in/with/to your car. Maybe you can bring back the joy. If not, there are other cars to choose - and eventually get bored of, be disappointed by, and have problems with... I feel very lucky whenever I can motor in my MINI!

 

i'm sorry even with all the little things that have gone wrong with my car i still love her. and i woulc NEVER even consider trading her on an 07. nothing personal to the owners, i just don't like them

 

You know what's great about the MINI which is also it's down fall?? All of us know what's commonly wrong with our cars. Before discussion forums, a squeak or a rattle on a car wasn't taken to the dealer to be fixed, it was considered just the way things were. If the car was hard to start, you might schedule a service appointment, or maybe not--especially if you think it might cost you hundreds of dollars to have it looked at. What I'm saying is that sometimes being ignorant about things gives us peace of mind. With any other car, hitting a pot hole might not mean mushroomed strut towers, but it could likely mean a dented rim or maybe a blown tire which is just as bad. So why worry about the potential?? All cars have weaknesses.

Own any "generic" car besides a MINI and don't go on any discussion forums, and you'll think your car is the most reliable thing in the world.

I think you need a vacation away from your MINI. Go somewhere for a week, rent a mini van or a Chevy Cobalt. When you come back with a fresh mind, get in your MINI, and if you haven't fallen back in love, then sell it and move on.

 

+1

It's a beautiful car -- you wouldn't have a problem selling it

 

I agree completley with OctaneGuy

 

I agree with OctaneGuy as well. Take a break from it. Relax.....I love my MINI and no matter the traffic or road conditions its always a joy to motor. As far as the hard to start I would definately take a look at the type of gas you are putting in your MINI....also how many miles do you have on her so far?

 

All cars have pros and cons. My last car had tons of power, handle great but got horrible mileage and with the coilovers I had it beat the crap out of my kidneys. I plan on buying a Mini soon, test drove 06 and 07 today. Liked the 06 better. decent ride compared to what I came from, fun handling and great mileage. Cars are a compromise and you have to decide which ones you want to make.

 

Put in some fresh spark plugs. Yeah, I know the book says they're good for 100K miles, but I throw the BS flag on that. I change mine every 20K miles and there is a major improvement in drivability every time I do. Try it, it WILL help.

Also, do what Octane Guy says, rent (or swap with a friend) a POS like a Chevy Cobalt or a Ford Toreass er Taurus for a week. Live with something like that for a little while and you'll be in love with the MINI again so fast your head will spin.

Hope this helps,

Rawhyde

 

1. If you already have some mushrooming, get it fixed, and then install the M7 Strut Reinforcement Plates or the Strut Bar. I have the plates. My JCW with the 17" rims, sport suspension, and run-flats have no mushrooming at all. I don't have the bar because it would knock me out of stock class in autocrossing.

http://www.m7tuning.com/parts/produc...fa272042a50c25

http://www.m7tuning.com/parts/produc...fa272042a50c25

2. Have you though about getting your ECU reflashed? Something easily done by the dealer, and of course, use top tier fuel. Also I recommend adding a can of Sea Foam fuel additive the next time you gas up, to clean things out. Outstanding stuff, been around for years and works wonderfully.

http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUp.htm

You're not crazy, you just needed some support and ideas.

 

i've been on internet forums for a long time and I'll be honest, I'm nearly speechless. this sort of wise thinking and rhetoric doesn't come around often online, and I thank you for it. After reading your post I can't really argue with your logic haha. BTW, I only use Supreme from Chevron and its got about 37000 on the odo. From everyones advice I suppose I'll go to the dealership and reflash my ecu for the coldstart issues. As for mushrooming, I suppose I'll just have to deal with it untill some funds accumulate for the stb. Thanks guys I was really frustrated when I posted today and this has really calmed me down.

 

thank you for the grammar lesson
woohoo 4th gear post