Four days ago I got my first ever mini. I was super happy when I got it. I love how they drive. But come two days later the motor blew. I think it threw a rod after the timing belt blew because at first it sounded like a belt and then there was a boom and blue smoke came from under the hood. I pulled over because it died. There was oil on the ground. I had it flat bedded back to my house and there was two chunks of what appears to be engine block on the truck. I didn't get a warranty but do I have any rights under the lemon law? What will it cost me to have a new engine put in?

 

Hello autoXmini- Sorry to hear about your mini. Can you provide some more details about the car? New? Used? Mileage? Year?, etc.

 

Yeah, need more info. It sucks this happened, but more info can help diagnose the problem. You sure you weren't too rough on it?

 

Well, it's a 2003 MCS. It has 66K miles. It seemed just fine when I test drove it. The oil was dripping from the front of the motor on the passenger side.

 

were there any signs of damage when you bought it? if i were you i'd DEFINITELY talk to the place you got it from, even though it was used. even if you didnt get a warranty i'd talk to them about possibly working something out. having it blow 2 days after purchase is just ridiculous. let us know what they say and we'll go from there.

 

Thats some bs, i would raise hell at the placei bought it, and not leave until i was satisfied.

ItsminiBitch is the funniest name iv seen on here ever, touche

 

Sorry for your bad luck!

Unless you have a warranty of sorts, you may not have any recourse.
However if you talk to the seller, they may help you out. Most dealer do not want to get a bad rep. Also, check you papers, maybe there is a 30 day engine/driveline warranty - I bought from a used car lot and they wrote it on the sales contract.

 

Yeah, wow two days makes it well worth talking to the dealer you got it from. Good luck. Raise some hell!

 

I'm pretty sure there is no timing belt.

 

But there is still a chain.

 

Yup, and not to mention some people mistakenly call the serpentine belt a timing belt. If you're not very mechanically inclined, it's an easy mistake to make.

I would definitely talk to the dealer you got the car from. Also try and get some history on the car. I would try and get a MINI dealer to run the VIN and see if the car was ever in for major repairs. Look for obvious signs of abuse. Look at things like the clutch pedal. If it's worn down signifigantly, then there's a chance the previous owner was a "racer."

 

Yeah I know the difference between the serpentine and timing belt. I'm new to the whole mini thing and thought they had a timing belt and not chain. I talked to the dealer and sometime this week I have to take it to their mechanic. They seem like they want to work something out. Maybe they will buy the parts and my friends and I could swap it out. Would I be covered under the lemon law or is the car too old?

 

Much too old, in terms of both age and mileage. Also, I'm not sure if "Lemon Law" protection applies to anyone but the original purchaser, regardless of the car's age.

 

Did you buy it from the dealer? If you bought it from the dealer, I'm sure there are some sort of buyer protection laws that can help you. I mean 2 days from the dealer and the engine blows? That's just crazy.

 

It wasn't a mini dealer, it was just an independent dealer.

 

Sorry to hear of your bad luck. Where are you located?

 

That sucks! Try not to get discouraged! Hopefully the dealer will get it worked out, and you can go back to enjoying your MINI!

 

I'm up by Seattle.

 

Hey thats terrible what happened! I hope everything gets worked out.

 

sorry to hear but do u have any warranty on it ??

 

I'm thinking this might be a blower issue. When I try to turn it over I don't hear any metal clanging. It just really struggles to turn over. I just tried to turn it over again and now it won't even turn over. I'm taking it to a shop on monday but I'm just really curious to figure this out.

 

How much oil was in it the day you bought it?

How much oil was in it just before it blew?

Please keep us posted.

YD

 

Even a independent dealer should have some kind of 30 day warranty.

 

The oil was full the day I bought and right before it blew. Only about half a quart has came out of it since it blew.