Well, more thanks to everyone for so many replies in just one night. I will gather this info and work from there first thing in the morning. Feel free to keep the advise comming! it is well appreciated! Cheers

 

If you have another car to get around in, buying a used engine might serve another purpose.

You've said you weren't too mechanically knowledgeable, so here's your chance to correct that. Sign up at the local community college for an engine rebuilding class, and using your used engine, learn how to do a rebuild.

 

I'm with Gromit if its possible. Rebuilding an engine is just that. In order to be done correctly it must be taken completely apart. Driving a car with low oil can cause hot spots as well, you could have unknown head damage that might not show up for a while if they only do the bottom end. I have used an engine rebuild company in the past and was very happy. They will put in an engine they took the time to rebuild in then rebuild yours to keep in stock.

But if you can take the course and do it yourself do it. With proper instruction it's not hard. And it's pretty darn cool when you've got it all together, back in the car , turn the key and it works. And you did it! Good feelings.

 

I've bought plenty of used engines from wrecked cars, and never had an issue. Think about it--if e.g. the airbags deployed, then the engine must have been running well enough for the car to have been moving under its own power, no? Junkyards usually tag the compression numbers right on the engine and will obviously have both the mileage and year of the engine (I'd look for a low mileage '05-'07).

Installing a junkyard engine now would also allow you to take your time to DIY rebuild the original engine exactly the way you want (for when 1 year old used engines are no longer available--considering how many miles you drive, keeping a spare on hand wouldn't be a bad idea). It is nearly always cheaper to keep an old car running than make payments on a new car (even if you don't DIY) and especially so vs. the depreciation hit you'd get trading in high-mileage cars all the time.

 

Mike, I just sent you a PM on this subject.

YD

 

$7,000 sounds like the shop is proposing getting the engine from a MINI dealer. Rebuilding the present engine may not be cost-effective vs. buying a rebuilt engine from a non-MINI source. $95/hour in inspections (rod bearing clearance checking with possible replacement where indicated, same for crank bearings; you probably have at least one connecting rod that may require replacement...) can quickly get you into $$$. Unless the engine is a brand new engine (doubtful, since MINI doesn't want to incur that kind of cost for their warranty replacements), the engine that you get from MINI will have been rebuilt, so why not check around for less expensive rebuilt engines?

 

Thanks guys,
In response to the recent posts:

I will consider taking a mechanics class, but would rather not bring my engine into it; being a full time college student and working just as much, I just dont have the space/time for it right now.

Yes, the mechanic said that he would recieve the new 07 engine from the dealer. I am still stuck on this one... some say the engine will work with my 05 MCS, and some say they dont...

I will be calling around to the refrences given to me regarding a visual second opinion on the condition of my car and its solutions. Right now, i am leaning towards an engine rebuild. Thanks for your time
mike-

 

On S54 BMW engines (all I've had to buy), most of the mechanics believe that the only difference between the "rebuilt" engine and the "new" engine is price. It costs BMW less to supply you with a new engine, so they are all new. Rebuilding is a lot of custom labor. New is highly automated. This could change when the engines get older.

These engines aren't detroit big iron. They produce a lot of power in a very small space. Most mechanics won't rebuild them. Engine builders rebuild engines. It's not that easy to do a good job on something this high strung.

-j

 

here is one on ebay - supposed 19000 miles, 2005

 

Hey everyone,
I have contacted my mini dealership (crevier of santa ana CA) and have spoken to the supervisor. I explained what happened as he looked up my service history report. I explained that it was unusual for my car to have only had 1 quart of oil since my last servicing (confirmed at 41K miles). My car is currently at 61,897 miles. With that said, hopefully they can come up with a good enough summary for Mini USA to take action and clean up this weird outcome. I now just need to tow my mini over there for them to take a look. Any advise before I get over there would be awesome.. Thanks in advance!

 

due to my non-existant oil changing habits.. please keep the scolding to a minimum.. i know its too late.. but i now i know

 

Repent, and spit out the BMW cool-ade, hehe. sorry

YD

 

Thank you. That statement actually made me smile. As a guy who used to teach a class or two on Auto Repair I can imagine the look on the instructors face when someone walks in and declares on the first day that they are not mechanically inclined but have a bad engine in their trunk and wanted to rebuild it in this class. <G> It would be translated by the instructor to "will you please rebuild this engine for me as a demonstration with this class?".

Althought the thought is a good one and taking a class never hurts, I'd really hate to have to depend on my first engine rebuild for anything. For me it was a 287 small block in my fathers 1965 Impala. I think if I remember correctly I looked at a bunch of parts and declared them "good enough". That engine ran for a while but not really knowing how to use measuring tools for a MINI engine and guessing good enough won't cut it on a modern engine. That's why most of those classes are still rebuilding small block Fords and Chevys.

So my suggestion is that taking a general course would be a better use of time. Learn how to do brakes and basic maintenace. What wrench to use and how to measure something correctly. What to listen for and how to read the ODB. Or go to a driving school.

Just my opinion. <G>

Rich

 

At this point in your elapsed mileage, the only warranty that is in effect would be the emission control warranty. Whether you could bootstrap a logical argument why the emission control warranty should cover an engine replacement, is up to your powers of persuasion. It would have to be something along the lines of an emission control system item failing and the emission control system failure caused the engine to consume an excessive amount of oil and as a result of the excessive oil consumption, the engine failed.

Or, you could just try peeing through your eyes and hope you can get some sympathy from the service department and they will cut you some slack on the cost of a rebuilt engine. If you were a good enough customer, you might have some leverage. In a prior lifetime, I had a VW GTI that had one of the coolant hoses blow out, dumped a load of coolant and basically fryed the engine. Since I had serviced the car at the dealership, they cut me some big slack (the fact that they should have caught the softened coolant hose in one of their "inspections" may have also argued for them to cut me some slack, but that is another matter....). Got away with a rebuilt long block for $1,500 (the car had 110,000+ miles on it when the coolant hose blew out).... All in all, I wasn't complaining.

 

Theres nothing wrong with buying a junkyard engine. Just do a little poking around it if you cant hear it run, like check the condition of the fluids. Heres a good tip if your buying a engine from a car. Get one from a WRECKED car. I say this because a wrecked car will be there from accident damage. A car that looks like it has a decent body, will be there for mechanical issues. Also take a look at the car overall. Does it look like it was cared for? Is the interior filled with 6 feet of mcdonalds wrappers? Does the outside have 6 inches of mud, dead bugs, and tar caked on it? Also if it were me, I`d have the engine torn down and checked out (assuming you dont have the mechincal abilities to do it yourself). You may be able to have your original engine rebuilt. Look at it this way, the engine has to come out either way right?

 

That's not a check oil light. It's a low oil pressure warning light. If you see that light it's very possible damage has already been done. If you ever see it STOP NOW & check the oil.

 

If you expected a $27k BMW would have an oil level sensor like an '86 Ford Taurus then you thought wrong

There are plenty of cars in the junkyard to scavenge parts from if you wanted to add such a feature. I think we need one for the supercharger.

 

Just get a motor from Tritec themselves, the engine in the Cooper S comes from Tritec with the supercharger already on it for about 4,500.

 

so its time to swap in a ls1 you can get one for under $7,000

 

Hey everyone..
I have recently gotten word from my service advisor from Crevier Mini about weather or not Mini USA will lend a helping hand. Unfortunately, as I have already planned (it was worth a shot), they will not help at all due to the aftermarket pulley...
-mike

 

I hate it when people pick at little things that don't matter...but wasn't it a 283?

 

 

Maybe he was thinking 327?

 

Hehe.... They do, it is called a dipstick!

 

Wicked humor.