I have an April02 build MCS with silver interior, as they all where back then. I suffer from the same horrendously non-durable paint on the door pulls that has been brought up here many times before.

The car is still under warranty and the paint on the door pulls seems to actually be getting softer and gummier with time. My question is has MINI improved the silver interior at all? I noticed there seems to be a new part number for the silver door liner after Sept02 if I understood correctly. If I bring it back to the dealer and if I am successful (big if!! ) in getting the dealer to replace these under warranty will I just be getting the same poor quality stuff all over again?

I know all about the anthracite and would definitely specify that if ordering a new one. But I want to keep my O2, I am just very frustrated with the interior quality, rattles and cheap painted plastic. I can't believe they couldn't use a plastic with the pigment impregnated in the material. Even cheap plastic models do that!

Anyway does anyone know for certain that the silver interior has changed? If not perhaps I should just repaint it myself

Thanks

 

I had the paint go soft and gummy on my '03 Cooper's silver trim. I was considering repainting, but went by the dealer to have it checked out. It was, in fact, assessed as a failure (as your could easily be) and was replaced. But not just the silver trim was replaced...the entire door panel was replaced on both sides!!! It's all one integrated piece.

At the time I was told that they (the dealer) had no information on whether of not the new paint was any better than the old, and to keep an eye on it. So far, after over a year...no problems at all (but I am real careful).

 

The silver trim is the junkiest of all available in the MINI. Unfortunately back in 2002, that was the only choice for Cooper buyers. Alloy Patina that uses the same crappy silver paint was exclusive to the MCS.

So far I have had two MCS ordered with the Anthracite trim and let me tell you...the Antharcite is 1000's better, more scratch resistant and generally much higher quality than the silver trim.

If you ever decide to upgrade your '02 MC I highly recommend you considering the Antharcite trim instead.

Not a SINGLE problem with it!

 

I have silver on a 12-02 build MCS & it's one of the few things that isn't showing wear..

 

Thanks for the replies. I'll see what the dealer says in a couple of weeks when I see him. He is already trying to blame me for a broken strut mount when I see that they seem to be breaking on a regular basis as well. Thanks for the encougagement jds, I'll definitely be very careful if these get replaced.

C4 your right, my MCS is actually Alloy Patina, only thing available at the time, but, as you also noted, it uses the same crappy paint on the door pulls and console pillars. I tend to measure my car ownership in decades (the MCS replaced a 79 BMW and an 86 Mitsubishi pick-up both of which I had basically worn out. The bimmer had 400,000+ miles with no rebuilds or major repairs!) rather than years so I don't plan to let go of the 02 soon. But if I am successful in getting my wife to make her car a MINI then we'll definitely go anthracite!:smile:

Bodinski, wow!, I am having a hard time imagining anything more easily worn than these painted plastic pieces. Hope everything is OK. I really like the MCS, I just get very frustrated with these lapses in quality. I keep hearing the 05s have worked most of that stuff out.

Thanks again to all.

 

The '05 MCS uses a chrome plated interior door pull...

 

this is awesome. well, not AWESOME.

Just yesterday i noticed a new scratch in the silver door pull surrounds. I have a 10/03 build, silver interior pieces... and they wear so easily. I was going to get with my dad to try and get the scuffs and scratches out, but i'm glad i'm not the only one. I have a nice long scratch on the drivers side, and a new but thicker scuff/scratch on the passenger side now. I dont know how they get there, but its the only wear i can find on the car aside from my dealer ding

I didn't really want the silver interior, but it came on the car, so i took it Just didn't know it would wear so easily.

 

Get the silver bits replaced under warranty. We were successful at doing so when my wife's '02 Cooper CVT exhibited the same type of premature wear in the interior trim silver paint.

 

Those leather wraparound [velcro-attached] covers sold on eBay REALLY eliminated my problem door pulls. Gone are the scratches and the uncomfy gummy feel. They look nice, compliment my interior and the only thing I ever do to maintain them is to wipe them with leather conditioner when I detail my Cooper.