My daughter's 08 Justa has a slow coolant leak. (Purchased at 71k miles it now has a little over 100k.) There is a puddle just below the thermostat housing. Since that seems to be a common problem, I'm going to replace it.

I am over an hour from the nearest MINI dealer who wants $156.
The local big box auto parts store has an aftermarket in stock for $147.
I found an aftermarket housing online for only $55.

So my question is whether people have had good luck with aftermarket part quality for these thermostat housings. I don't want to pass up 1/3 the price unless it is a piece of garbage that will just need to be replaced again soon.

 

Posts on here lead me to believe that OEM online, not from dealer is best even though they only last 30k. People have reported DOA temp sensors with cheaper aftermarket parts. Be sure to make sure what version OEM you are getting as there may have been multiple revisions of the same part. Bottom line, they all suck since they are plastic but OEM sucks least.

 

Just remember that the extra money you spend for the OEM from the MINI dealer has a 2 year warranty, does the cheaper big box parts place or the online part have this?

 

I say the Original MINI is the best and comes with a two year warranty.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/thermo...5-r56-r57.html

But we have used some aftermarket ones. Some were junk and some worked so these are the aftermarket ones we had good luck with.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/afterm...5-r56-r57.html

 

Thanks for the replies!

While I'm digging around in that region is there anything else I should change?

 

Check and replace Water pump if plastic, and for sure water pipe between thermo and pump. Possibly water pump friction wheel if worn, serpentine belt if showing cracks in grooves.

 

FYI anyone else had issues. I bought a dorman for a 2007 and the air bleed portion was clocked sideways where the mini one is clocker up Got a engine code for reduced power and couldn't bleed out air. Got a stock one and worked fine. 2009 mini jcw got a motorad one from rock auto and same issue. Error codes and wont bleed air If you look inside at the thermostat there is a air bleeder hole if it isn't positioned at the top the air cant bleed out and you will have a air bubble and car overheats

 

Haven't touched the bleed screw on a Mini in a long time. Too easy to break. If you own a shop vac, fill the coolant system with fluid, apply shop vac to header tank to burp the system. Lather, rinse, repeat with engine running and heater on high. The dealer tool allows them to fill with coolant then apply vacuum. Nice tool but costs too much. Besides, everyone should own a shop vac for proper Mini hygiene