Hello everyone,

I have a 2003 Mini Cooper S and have pretty much destroyed the engine doing some spirited river road driving.

I was pushing it around some corners and then bang clatter clatter. I have taken it to the local BMW repair shop and they are asking 8000 for a new engine and the labor to swap them. However, I am having a hard time paying that since I could get a good used one for that much.

The diagnosis from the shop was a bent piston or damaged bearings and they found it cheaper to just switch engines over doing exploratory repairs on the engine.

All that being said does anybody know of options I could explore or the value of a fully loaded Mini minus the engine?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks!

 

I picked up my 2002 R53 with a blown motor for $2250; with the exception of the last owner who quickly wore flat spots in the tires and blew the motor, it had been cared for quite well. It looks like it's a year old. I found another motor out of a torched 2005 with 23,000 miles on it for $1000. I didn't have to turn in a core block, which is good, because my mechanic said something about how the original engine isn't in all that bad shape, and we could rebuild it; gotta follow up on that.

I think I remember finding a JCW motor for about $3000 before I snagged the one I ended up with. Do some research and you should be able to find a good deal. If you try to sell your car, you should be able to get more than what I paid for mine. My mechanic had scared the kid who used to own mine with his quotes on a new motor, so he sold it cheap.

 

My original 2005 S engine blew last January (spun a conrod bearing on #2).
I was in the same situation, the engine was toast and the car pretty-well worthless without it.

I didn't want to get a used engine, I was worried about dealing with other people's garbage/problems (they were all higher mileage anyway).

I had the engine rebuilt, but only because it was my last option. I couldn't get one like WMW's (or others) have up here in Canada. The rebuild cost pretty much the same as one of their options. That engine ended up needing rebuilding again so I bought a factory remanufactured (factory crate) and it ended up being pretty much the same price that you were quoted.

I'm happy I (effectively) restored the R53. Now I have a 2 year unlimited mileage factory warranty, and hope it to be with me for many more years to come.

 

just a thought http://www.waymotorworks.com/john-co...53-engine.html

 

So, we should help you get a new one so you can "kill" another engine?

BTW, spirited driving won't hurt the MINI engine unless you do something you shouldn't like downshift into the wrong gear and over-rev it or run it low on oil.

I'm only saying this so folks won't think they have to baby these engines - you don't...... they're strong and well made, but like anything they can break if abused or not maintained.

Good luck on your repairs and let us know how you wind up fixing it.

 

DUDE really?!?!? It doesn't take anything to throw a rod, spin a bearing, drop a ring..... Not saying every car will have the problem but not every part is 100%. Metal fatigue, someone not making sure they got the torque specs right, or even just a defective part.

Things happen, if not their wouldn't be any mechanics in the world. going by your logic if I keep oil in my car and don't over rev it I can expect to see 1,000,000 miles on my car, because NOTHING can just wear out....

 

Dude,

of course things can wear out, but that's not what the OP said - he said he blew the engine while doing some spirited driving - all I was trying to do is reassure people that spirited driving alone will not KILL their engine too.....it usually takes something additional, like not checking the oil or overheating or over-revving the engine.

Read what I wrote, and leave your prejudices out of it.

It doesn't take a LOT to throw a rod, spin a bearing and ruin a crank, just someone not paying attention to their car and it's needs.

To look at it from another point of view, there are a lot of MINIs out there that HAVE been maintained that are well over 200K, 300K, even 400K - because the owner's pay attention to what their car needs and see to it. That's not to say something can't break or wear out, but you limit your chances by taking care of your car - that's all I'm saying.

Almost all of the "I need a new engine" threads on this forum come from people who recently got their car used, and then don't check the oil, don't drive it well, don't stop when the overheating light comes on, don't check the water and so on.

This one will turn out to be the same situation, I'll bet you a coke.

 

No, I agree with you "Spirited driving" will not kill your engine.

Also the only "prejudice" i read is yours twords the OP. You assume he blew it because he neglected it. He very well might have but again that's an assumption. Spirited driving doesn't mean he was bouncing the rev limiter either. When i'm pushing my car in the corners i like to stay in about the 5K range. It gives me good power if I need it and it's doesn't over tax it.

My dad had a machine shop for a while as did a friend of his. I spent a LOT of time in and around them. I learned to build my first engine about 25 years ago and have built a few in my day. USUALLY their's a reason something blew and then again sometimes something just snaps.
Our local shop here had someone come in who had lost a valve spring retainer. She wasn't beating the car down but it still happened. That can most defiantly blow the engine.

I'm not trying to start a flame war just saying you were a bit hard on the OP without having all of the facts.

 

Here is a refurb crate motor

http://www.jmturbocoopers.com/R53-R5...er-Engine.html