Get a letter from an attorney. It might be your only hope.

 

You're 20, I forgive you for being young and very upset because this is probably the first car you've ever purchased new, right? If I were in your shoes, I'd be in panic mode too. Problem is, you're in panic mode and that is not helping you get your car back. Take a deep breath, grab a bottle of Sobe and just sit down and read this.

If you had full coverage, your insurance agent should be dealing with MINI, not you. If your agent isn't dealing with this quickly enough for your policy's needs, you need to call the regional office for the insurance company in your area and complain to your agent's boss. Your insurance agent should already have a lawyer involved in this process.

If you did not have full coverage, you need to be calling a lawyer. There is nothing else that anyone can do to help you. Only a lawyer is going to fix this for you and make sure that your rights as far as this car goes are protected. Run, do not walk, to your phone and call a lawyer right now. Yes, you will have to pay them a retainer if they agree to take your case, but most times, that's a max of 300$. Most lawyers will give you a consultation for free.

So stop freaking out, make the appointment.

Good luck.

 

I got mine used its not my first by anymeans.
bmw had the safety inspection yesterday at 3:00 so i guess i have to wait out the results.
I have two not one cars that bmw is f ing me on right now. and that was a new car....

 

So if the power steering fails you dont have any steering control at all? I had a power steering fail on my ford but I could still turn the wheel with a lot more effort....

 

I was making a slow turn under full braking after it wouldent turn.
It may turn after the pump fails Im just not certain what failed.
and i wont be till i get bmws "report" I highly doubt they will take any responsibility for it what so ever.
Im also very thin... Im like 5'11 and about 140
Im just silly frustrated i cant wait till it starts getting put back together.
being ill mod it while its appart! the collision place is fine with it as long as i pay and they get to put it in. Like my new clutch/differential.
Not sure what else ill do. maby powerflex control arm bushings. thats enough.

 

Now that you mention a slow turn under full braking it makes me wonder if you just under-steered into the curb. The power steering fluid could have come from a steering rack that broke on impact with the curb. I'm not saying that is what happened, I'm just wondering out loud.

I have a coworker who has a dead power steering pump on her MINI & has for 7 months or so. So far she has been able to drive her MINI safely. Although her arms are getting rather large & mannish, she is a tiny little thing.

 

Being there was a trail of it out of the car before the impact i highly doubt it.
I was only under full breaking after i realised the car wouldent turn in.

 

Well that says a lot.

Have you contacted the NHTSA yet with your issue? I'm curious what their reaction to this saftey defect is.

 

had a chance to contact them i was unsure as to what good it would do.
Im just afraid that bmw is gonna bone me on this because i dont have pictures to prove it. yikes

Oh and i know full well what the stock chassis is stuppose to do.
I had posted earlyer about how mine would snap understeer and then oversteer there was at one point a big issue with it.
My friends stock car just gently starts to push and warn you to back off.
nothing huge. Mine was a horrror ride so i was in the habit of not pushing on it for fear something like this would happen..
Colin

 

Definitely go to court. Take all paperwork regarding your case in getting your MINI repaired and what BMW found wrong with your MINI. I would also search the NAM forums and print as many of the posts you can find to show the judge there is a known problem with the power steering pumps.

If there is a connection between the power steering failure and brake failure you need to show that as well. Without any skid marks on the pavement, there was no indicators to determine your speed; without skid marks, there is nothing for the police officer to compare the findings from his DRAG FACTOR testing. If a drag factor was not determined, then the police officer has nothing to base his speed estimate on. This is important to bring up!

Go back and take photos of the scene, there should still be a stain from the power steering spill; it will be pretty prominate if this was on asphalt. Photos should show the point where the power steering pump leaked out, distance to impact point, and the impact point itself.

For future reference, always take photos when you are in an accident; get a phone with a built-in camera

I hope this helps you Silversmoke06

 

The police officer in question was a her! and a motorcycle officer too!
However no brake failure. And actualy this is one of the things that upset me was.
the powersteering fluid evaporates rather quickly with out stains It seemed?
sound right?

 

Its totaled. Anyone who wants parts PM me.

 

Can you give some details about why the total?
I understand how unibody damage can be difficult to repair but it did not sound that bad from your earlier posts.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss! What's the word from BMW/Mini's end? Do you plan on getting another Mini, or have you been soured by this experience?

 

Ill never buy another mini ever again. being a 25mph collision would total it...
that and bmws lack of support. I checked my resivour when i was there the other day its bone dry... Liars.
Im just done with it.
They told me there was 11k in suspension damage and the whole car is slightly tweaked from it so the labor and the Restraighting of the chassis added quite a bit of cost to the repair.
personaly not knowing enough about restraighint the chassis i dont really feel safe with the car being bent like that. Its really too bad i enjoyed the car greatly up untill this point in time.
And If i get the time ill post pictures of the damage to the car its still not very severe..

The bmw inspector came back and said they could fine no faults what soever with the car and all fluids were topped off and full as well as being void of any error codes... So they bassicaly are saying its nothing they did and the car is in perfect working order.

 

If it is totalled, then doesn't the car now belong to the insurance company? I am assuming they are writing you a check for the car.

How are you managing to part it out?

 

The Crash center Said they dont care And that i can pull my parts if i really wanted to. they just said they wont help.