After I purchased my '03 MCS around mid-January, I took it to the dealership in Miami to get an oil change, and to fix anything that needed to be fixed. The list of things they had to change was somewhat expected, as I had read about them here on the forums:
-Right motor mount
-Oil pan gasket
-Dipstick o-ring
-Oil filter housing gasket
-Bushings
-Strut mounts
I had the three oil leak issues, and the motor mount fixed at the dealership, and I planned on replacing the bushings, and strut mounts with after-maket ones.
I am currently in Orlando for school, and few weeks ago I went into a local MINI shop to get the bushings and strut mounts installed, and they find that the underside of my car has some oil residue. I explained to them that I had the oil leaks fixed, and they proceeded to tell me that it was probably just residue they forgot to clean up. I go in this Friday to get a crank damper installed, and they urgently call me in to the shop, and show me that the underside of my engine is DRENCHED in oil, and told me that they checked the oil level, and the car was basically running on NO oil whatsoever. I got the damper fixed, and they graciously filled my car up with some oil to get me home without further damage (at no expense to me). They explained that the oil leak seemed to be a pressurized one coming from the oil filter housing (seeing as the oil was all over the place) as well as a slow leak from the oil pan. They also explained that the oil had apparently dripped onto the CV axle, and ripped it. Basically what i'm wondering is, what am I to do? Go to the dealership and ask them to repair their mistakes? The only problem really is the distance, seeing as I'd have to drive back to Miami, from Orlando ~260 miles in order to get to the dealership, and I don't know if it would be safe for me to do so in a car that has such severe oil leaks...

 

As I recall, repairs done by a MINI dealer are warranted for 1 year. My understanding is this is a MINI warranty.

I take it the Orlando work was done at a MINI shop and not MINI of Orlando.

If it were me I'd head over to MINI of Orlando, paperwork from my Miami repairs in hand and have a talk with the service manager.

Ya gots nuthin' to loose . . . and let us know the outcome to correct any misconceptions I might have.

 

I really don't understand why you're driving to Miami when there's a MINI dealership in Orlando. Contact Orlando MINI and explain what is going on. The repair database is national, so they should be able to bring up your repair history. That should save you the long trip. If you are given the run around, don't hesitate to contact MINI USA.

 

+1 on going back to the dealer that did the initial repairs.

I'm curious to hear the outcome as well, because my understanding is that when the dealer installs accessories or makes a repair, the accessory/repaired part is warranted for two years or for the remainder of the factory warranty, whichever is longer.

 

That's the thing, I don't know whether I have to go to the dealership that did the initial repairs, or if I can go to any MINI dealership and have them fix it there. I guess i'll go over to MINI of Orlando tomorrow and see if I can get anything done there. Seeing as it was probably the MINI dealership in Miami's fault that the repairs have come un-done, I shouldn't really be charged for this, should I?

And yes, the shop that showed me the return of the leaks was a MINI shop, not the dealership.

 

Also, oil leaking on the CV boot will not cause it to tear!

If it has only been torn for a short time, the joint is probably just fine. The trouble is, now that it is torn, it takes just as much time and labor to change out a CV joint boot as it does to change out the whole axle.

Some aftermarket companies make a two piece boot that can be installed in a short time. I don't know if one is made for a MINI, the dealer probably wouldn't install it anyway, but a private shop would.

Dave

 

Well, I just got back from MINI of Orlando, they were really helpful and told me that as long as it was the same parts that needed replacing, they would fix it free of charge. So now I have an appointment for Thursday to go in and have them take a look/fix it.

 

Glad to hear it.

Keep us posted.

 

Talk about botched MINI repairs...

My 02 MCS had a engine replacement at aprox. 20K due to MINI accidentally missed to fill it up with oil after a scheduled maintenance. They drained it but forgot to fill it again. The engine basically "exploded" a few blocks away from the dealership (according to the previous owner) so MINI had to replace the engine at their expense!

Go figure!

 

Well, I got back from the dealer a few hours ago. Everything was fixed without an issue, they just asked to see receipts from the previous work done at the other dealership. I wasn't charged anything, warranty covered the work. It was weird, the service manager said that it seemed as though they hadn't fixed anything...
Well, it's fixed now. And i'm a happy camper

 

With no warning light?

 

Glad to hear it's fixed.

 

one of the things I don't miss about Miami is the car dealerships

in my 10 years living there I could fill a book with the bad experiences I had with Miami area dealerships from sales to service and all parts in between.

Don't get me wrong, I liked living in Miami and actually had my first retirement home there but I eventually bought cars, and took them for service in Palm Beach rather than feel violated everytime I needed something done or actually wanted to negotiate a purchase price....

Orlando ain't perfect, but better!

 

I'm really happy to have Orlando Mini as my dealer. They seem to be a business that really cares about what they are doing. I have not had any problems at all with the two services they already did on my 2009 JCW.

They even throw a good party for their customers once in a while.

 

Seems like common practice...

In the past while on Nissan and VolksWagen, I had to always secretly mark my car parts (spark plugs, cables, filters and such) with a permanent marker and always asked for them in the boxes of the newly replaced parts as proof of the work they've done on my car. Otherwise they would sometimes skip parts or skip everything altogether and charge them as changed.

I really do hate dishonest Dealerships!

 

It always good to hear when a dealership owns up to there issues and fixes the issues free of charge!