73K miles...just dumped 5K at the dealer for repairs on our old mini about a month ago. Suddenly without warning or indication, the bad guy idiot lights come on. Car chugs and has to pull over and get towed. Dealer thinks it is a stuck valve. They are trying to clean it up and see if they can unstick it, otherwise they may need to replace a lot of very expensive stuff, yet again. At this price, we could just get a another car. Suggestions?

 

Sorry to hear about the issues with your MINI. My suggestion: Learn about your MINI. What makes it run? How should you take care of it? How should you check its health? If you can do that and spend time taking care of it, then you can reasonably avoid major expenses. I know this takes time and effort. If you don't have the time nor the interest, then sell it and go for a Honda. Just a suggestion.

 

We have been obsessed with mini since 03. We have two. We faithfully poured over the manual and studied every facet and complied with all service needs over the years and were rewarded with somewhat faithful service until she hit 50K. At that point all went south, often with repairs usually in the $500 to 1K range. Other than being a certified mechanic, there was not much more we could have done to be proactive in the maintenance area so on that I totally disagree with you! It has been great fun but the expense at this point is not practical by any means. WE could have bought two new cars for the price of our uh..."Service".

 

That's a tough one. Firstly, can you find some knowledgeable Mini mechanic that will treat you better and charge you less than the dealer? (maybe your dealer treats you well, but I'm sure they charge you more than anyone else would)

If I were in your position, I think I could see two likely options; neither of them all that good.

Sell the car as-is with full disclosure of the issue. Get as much money as you can and cut your losses (which you will have no doubt).

Or get it fixed and drive it.

This is a perennial question. Common advice tells us that it's almost always cheaper to fix a car you own than to buy a new car, but still at some point we have to decide when to jump ship. Minis tend to bring that question to life with more vigor than many other cars.

I think you've got to follow your gut with this one.



How does knowledge keep a valve from sticking, or in my case, a radiator from coming apart at the seams, or a throw-out bearing from drying out and rattling too early etc,etc. You mean to tell us that your knowledge exempts your car from the forces of deterioration?

I think you've been reading too many Louise Hay books.

 

Of course there are things beyond our control. I merely wanted to suggest that there are things one can do for yourself if it is within your time, interest, and capability. The post read like cost was an issue. MINI service/parts are not cheap. So, if you can't do it yourself and you cannot afford the cost of maintenance and repair (or don't want to pay), then for certain, get rid of the MINI and go for a less expensive option.