I have it in my mind to purchase a new MINI before 2010. This may seem like a silly question but, can a brand new MINI be serviced (oil changes, brakes, general preventive maintenance) at my local garage without compromising the warranty?

I've never purchased a new car that needed to be dealer serviced before. I'd really prefer to use "Bob's Garage" for everything but warranty work.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

I'm with you -- I prefer to give my sheckles to the small businessman.

I suppose that MINI could refuse to honor the warrantee if the corner mechanic did something to really screw up the car -- but then the onus would, I believe, be on the dealership to prove that servicing outside of an approved MINI dealership was the cause of the problem. Be it known, however, that MINI seems to have a pretty crappy track record when it comes to honoring warranty work with "mitigating" factors.

But so long as you take it to a mechanic that you trust, who will do good work, I don't think that MINI can legally FORCE you to have all service done with them. I had an oil change done at my uncles auto shop -- of course I never took it back to the dealership and just started doing them on my own after that.

In short: I think you're safe to take it to someone local. Just be aware that if MINI CAN cause a fuss, they probably will. Whether or not they win is another story.

 

Don't forget that the scheduled service you get at the Mini dealer isn't really free -- it's prepaid. BMW/Mini actually refers to it as prepaid maintenance.

If you go somewhere else, you're basically paying for something twice.

 

totally agree.

 

Well 2 things.. the mini is relatively new and few mechanics know anything about it. Also MINI will know more about your car than the average Joe will. ex. you have a misfiring piston.. a small guy could tell you there is a piston out but mini can probably figure out which one, and why ( btw this happen to me recently with my local mechanic and my wifes honda, I'll neve rtake it to my joe-bob again, not to knock the dwecent joe-bob's out there).. and within 50k miles it would be best to take all problems to mini as it would be free warranty. stuff.. MINI doesn't care about oil changes etc, but you do need to make sure your putting in the correct oil for the car, real synthetic. Also, MINI will have authorized people to work on your car and you may want to get a list of say body shops ets.. that they recommend in your area. Depending on the MINI dealer and this site is probably a good site to check it out with.. but depending on the MINI dealer if you got the brakes replaced by another company... the fact that they are a different brand "Could" void your warranty.. any kind of add on "could" void your warranty.. some dealers are more lenient than others, so I'd deffitely do your research if you plan on MODDING in any way shape or form. But your also talking about a looong way out. There will be more independent Joe Bob's out there capable of working on your car and maybe even worked on a couple. Good Luck happy motoring.

 

I imagine that within 4-5 years there will be more choices for service, mostly for those whose warranties and service contracts have expired.

Otherwise I agree with previous posters about using MINI maintenence, except for oil changes. I don't believe running 10-15K miles on any oil, synthetic or not, esp on a high revving IL4 that's boosted.

I figure if I can't change the oil on this car I don't deserve to drive it. Jimbo

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. I was not aware that MINI's prepaid service coverage was so extensive. That isn't what I'm used to. Since that is the case, I'd be happy to make the almost two hour trip to the dealer for regular work. I am very reassured.

 

Having basic things done at the dealer like oil changes, etc can give you an extra "push" in the event serious problems or warranty related issues arise with the car. Most regional factory reps typically review the repair/service history of problem cars and one of the things they always look for is that if the car was brought in religiously for that routine oil and filter change.

If you take the car to an independent (Or if you do these things yourself) and only take the car back to the dealer service dept just to get "warranty work" done on it, you will be setting yourself up for a situation in which the factory will not go out of their way to take care of a chronic issue, because you decided to do regular maintenace elsewhere.

Undeniably, there is much pleasure to be had when one work on his/her own car, but when you are talking about a $20K+ auto with full 4 year/50K mile warranty and "prepaid" maintenace, there are advantages having the dealer stick their hands in the car.

I know some will disgress but...

 

My SA showed me what U need, tool-wise, and how to change the oil and filter on my MCS. So it cant be a major issue, warranty-wise, as long as U use the proper oil. Certainly not as big as cavitating the water pump with a 19% pulley reduction and MINI not honoring the warranty: only a mere $1K to replace one of them buggers....

 

If you drive anything like I do, you'll only get 1 oil change out of your free service period, anyway. I know it's "pre-paid maintenance" but that's a heck of a lot to "pre-pay" when you only use it once -- so what does it really matter, money-wise, if you take it to Joe Schmoe for routine maintenance?

Further, within the first 36K of your vehicles life, other than oil changes what really needs to be done? Tire rotation is basically optional, as it isn't recommended and, as I've seen posted, actually costs extra if you want the MINI service department to do a rotation during a routine maintenance visit.

I guess the free wiper fluid may be worth it to some, but it's been my experience that you generally have to wait a full day without your car just to get it...

 

Why will you only get 1 oil change? My MINI had 3500 miles at one year. I took it to the dealer and they changed the oil, rotated the tires, installed new wiper blades, uploaded V-38, inspected the brakes, topped of the fliuds and did some minor reprogramming, (follow-me-home lights), all for a zero charge. The maintainence is pre-paid, so you get the same maintainence if you drive a lot....or a little.

R.E.

 

My mini has been in quite a few times.. I had the stumble on my cvt, my windshield actually got the crack that's 2, even my windshield wiper blades adnstiffiner got replaced. the **** on my seat got replaced. my ENTIRE steering wheel swas replaced because I wore the leather off a spot. I've my right door panel was replaced due to a warp in the plastic I didn't like. There are plenty of things that can go wrong.. MY car has even been in an accident btu because I used the same company that my dealer uses to get teh repairs done with all mini parts, they've never had any qualms about fixing things on my car. but with a 2 hour drive, unless something is really bugging you I'd keep a notepad in your car and list things you think about that you'd like to have checked out, and then have 3 or 4 things done at one time, or at your first oil change. That way you can save yourself some time and energy. That's what I've done twice and it work really well for all the little things I've had done.

 

The first (and only) big problem I had came at 2600 miles and it was a computer software/engine wiring harness problem that my local (and preferred) mechanic would've been completely clueless about. So, I figure after the first 30,000 miles/3 years, I'll be going to BMW/MINI for software glitches, and my guy for oil changes, etc. Besides, he can't wait to get his hands on her. Everytime I drive by, honk and wave at him, he watches wistfully until I'm out of sight.

 

I would take the MINI to a local mechanic for between regular service and non warranty items. For example you'll want to change the oil between scheduled maint. Go to the MINI dealer and buy an extra case of oil or two and corresponding filters. If you use their stuff, and barring doing anything stupid like not closing the drain nut, you'll be fine. Where they might try to deny warranty is if you switch to non-MINI parts like Mobil 1 for the oil.

Patrick

 

Oops -- I lied. I got 2 oil changes. 10K and 20K. Even still, 2 oil changes is, I'm sure, NOT worth the money you "pre-paid" for the maintenance. At least not enough that I'd go out of my way to take my car to the dealer for the oil changes if I had a mechanic that I trusted or a driveway, case of oil, filter, and a spare half hour...

I also don't think that MINI can legally force you to buy their oil, or risk a turn-down of warranty work. I know of people who have taken a case of their perferred oil to the dealership for the oil change. Besides which, I believe Mobil 1 (which I've been using) a Castrol are both on the list of "approved" oil.

 

Here's a few suggestions, opinions and facts about MINI service both at the dealer and independently.

First off, the Magnuson-Moss act covers your butt when performing modification and service outside of the dealer network. It states specifically that a dealer/manufacturer cannot deny or relinquish warranty work unless they can prove that the performed work was responsible for a failure you are seeking warranty coverage for. This of course is open to interpretation. If you change the oil yourself or take the car to a quick-change lube shop (shudder) the onus is on the dealer to prove that the oil change was done incorrectly and caused engine damage. Likewise, a dealer cannot deny warranty work on a broken windshield wiper motor if you just put aftermarket wheels and tires on the car, there is no way doing one thing can affect the other. If they do, you can easily take legal action on them. Grey areas can always crop up, such as going in with a defective windshield washer pump after you had filled the reservoir with washer fluid you picked up at the local auto parts emporium. The fluid most likely didnt cause the damage, but the dealer can be a ***** and say it did. This is actually rare, however.

Outside of the electronic engine and body control functions of the car and the airbag system, there is nothing so exotic about the MINI that cannot be handled by a competent auto shop or home mechanic. Rare is the car that doesnt require a special tool here and there for various repairs, but the MINI is not filled with such instances. General repairs and normal maintenance can be performed by anyone familiar with doing the same work on other cars. I find that despite the dense packaging of the MINI's various systems and components, it's actually a very easy-to-service car, compared to some.

Anyone who is a member of NAM has a leg up on those who arent simply because of all the information and help provided here. There is also an added bonus of community, which connects owners with varying abilities. To that end, it would be a simple matter to get to know someone local who can help with normal maintenance and/or know the best places around that can do this work, inside and outside of the dealer network. These people can also tell you what places to avoid. It would be great to organize an 'oil change party', 'pulley party', 'brake pad party' and the like at people's houses as well as shops, it's been done before and should be done more often. At these events there is opportunity to learn about how easy it is to do things on your car. And if you are totally unable to do much more than fill the car with gas and wash it, there are people at these events more than willing to help out. The potential to save money is huge too.

Depending on the dealer, some have demonstrated an uncanny rapport with the owners regarding maintenance and modifications. MINI of Towson (MD) has hosted a couple of 'MINI Nights' where invitations are sent to those who bought their cars there for an evening of helpful info, hands-on experience with maintenance, and real-world common sense talk about modifications and what would consider something as grounds for denying coverage (in this case, they are very liberal). The dealer is more than happy to assist in performing mods, both OEM (i.e. JCW kits, etc) and aftermarket. Want an aftermarket intake but dont know how to do it? They will handle it. For a fee, of course, and warranty remains intact. Granted, not all dealers have such a program nor are as liberal in their policies, but being that the MINI has a large enthusiast base, it behooves them to cater to those people accordingly.

To sum it up, remember that our delightful little MINIs arent so unique and exotic as to require a trip to the dealer to perform every little repair or maintenance item. Changing brakes on the MINI is no different than changing them on a Honda Civic. Oil changes, aside from the rather unique filter arrangement used on the car, are not difficult, and when done correctly, is actually a lot less messy on our cars than most, and more environmentally friendly. The compunter controlled aspect of the car are quite proprietary, but generally arent an issue. One can rebuild the engine and transmission without difficulty, and nothing about the computer need be touched.

I have to say that I actually look forward to some of the work I do on my car. It's not hard, and it's fun in some caes. It's all part of the motoring experience.