Update. I never fixed these things. See newer post below.

Should I take a road trip with these issues a mechanic claimed I have?

I don't remember exactly what they said, but this is what is written on the quote:

Drive Belt tensioner strut and drive belt.
Power steering supply hose to pump.

Could these need replacing/adjusting without me noticing any issues with leaks or driving problems?

I may need to take it on 1,000 plus mile road trip Saturday and 90% of it will be through that midwest heat dome. And I didn't like or trust that mechanic and haven't done anything about finding another one.

 

I would get a second opinion before the trip. Breaking down on the trip will cost more then fixing before the trip...lots more. Time for a trip rental car.

 

When I first got my car the mechanic told me that I had a power steering hose leak. I took it to two other mechanics and they said it was fine. I would also recommend getting a second opinion before leaving for the trip. However if you have some kind of problem with your power steering system I would err on the side of caution - I'm pretty sure that power steering is one of those things that just goes out without any warning.

 

Why not get the belt changed before the trip. Hot weather, miles and cracks in the belt are not a good combo.

Could always bring some PS fluid along for the trip if it's the "normal seepage" these cars have. Did he say it was the hose from the reservoir to the pump ?

If so, the usual issue with that leak is that the PS fluid can make it to the PS cooling fan, helping to gum it up causing the fan to seize up then eventually losing the pump from it being overheated.

As far as your tensioner goes, is it making any rattling noises ? For the most part the tensioners last a hell of a long time....It's usually just the tensioner's bushing which needs replacing....and Powerflex makes one of those.

 

If the belt tensioner fails it is known to damage other pulleys when it goes. Either way your car is undrivable. Power steering hose, even if leaking you can just add juice or muscle it without power, but that tensioner will leave you stuck at the side of the road.

Better have it looked at by folks who know the car. Based on the fact that the mechanic A. Knew about the tensioner and B. looked at it sort of points to him knowing minis and you need one. The less he knows about minis, the more likely you need one.

 

The power steering hoses do seep not a huge problem. Like everyone said if you can;t afford to take care of it right now just bring some power steering fluid with you it CHF 11S don't put anything else in there or you'll be buying a 1000 dollar pump. You can get it at any BMW dealership. As far as the tensioner goes I would replace it. If the strut has given out then its not putting prper tension on the belt and this can cause overheating, loss of power to your battery, and loss of power steering due to the power steering pump getting power from the alternator. Just some friendly advice from a MINI Tech.

 

So, I never did anything about these issues other than topping off the fluid. I've never noticed any problems. My cars been neglected for a while. I've recently gotten what I hope is a good recommendation for a mechanic so plan to see what all it needs & get it taken care of.

But I wanted to be forewarned so I can research & be as knowledgeable as possible about parts/costs, etc. So I stopped at my autozone & asked to have the computer read. It said 0 codes. What all should the computer be able to tell me about? Does it know anything about the belt/tensioner issues?

Also, does the computer tell you anything about brakes/rotors? As I recall, my brakes were squealing back when I took it to the above mentioned mechanic, but they said they were fine. Recently, a guy at NTB said my brakes looked worn, and they ought to be by now. But it doesn't squeal and I don't notice any loss in braking. I'm worried about also having to replace rotors. Are these meant to wear out on Minis?

 

It would help if you mentioned how many miles on the clock. The serpentine belt should be replaced at around 50 to 75K mile intervals as normal proactive maintenance. Brake rotors do wear out. You should be able to feel a ridge a fraction of an inch inside the disk surface where the pads have worn it down. There is a minimum disk thickness when they have to be replaced. You've got brake pad wear sensors working for you and they will tell you when to replace the pads. If you've got more that 50K miles, go ahead and replace that belt just because. I know you've seen dead belts laying on the village streets and can imagine the havoc that took place right there.

 

Note...
None if the issues mentioned will ever give you a code...
They are stuff you fix BEFORE they fail to save a tow....or worse.
Different places have different standards....
But changing a $25 belt when worn is a heck of a lot cheaper than waiting for it to snap...then you need a $25 belt, a $200 tow, a $450 crank damper and a $80 tensioner....
Just saying......

 

Well, I agree with that, obviously. But the car was well under the miles when the mechanic said that and the quote was for several thousand dollars.

It now has 55k so I'm sure it's due. Any idea what the labor hours/charges should be? And what about the tensioner?

 

Had mine replaced a year ago April at 68K. Labor rate was $84.00 and the belt was $37.50. Labor hours came to .7 so the total bill was 96.30 including a parts discount of $4.81. That was done by an independent BMW/MINI shop. Don't know what a dealership would charge...and don't really want to.

 

It wasn't a dealer. It was a mechanic that specialized in european cars & just started servicing Minis. They sent me a post card talking about how they would save me money off dealer prices.

Have you seen this guy's youtube videos? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqOZ3_yIHBE It points out a hole on the top of the tensioner and says when it starts disappearing, the belt has stretched & needs replacing. But on my car, the hole is entirely visible. It's right there, but still all there. And i've driven 15k miles since then.

 

What are the big things that are usually done at the 50k scheduled service? As they didn't get done since I didn't drive the miles before the maintenance contract expired.

The drive belt? Are any fluids changed besides oil?

 

Nothing due at 50,000 miles...
Every 30,000 miles an inspection is due...first inspection #1, the 30,000 miles later inspection 2....then 30,000 later inspection 1, 30,000 later inspection 2....and so on...note miles are a good "typical" number, but inexact due to the computer calculating it based on fuel use (just like oil changes)....
Brake flush is due every 36 months from PRODUCTION....radiator flush every 48...other as needed..
A low use car will need a slight different schedule....belts are usually done at inspection 2 or as needed....age on a low mile car is likely the biggest issue...if it fails...you might be out $600 and a tow...when the belt goes...the tensioner snaps back hitting the crank damper, destroying both...the car immediately starts to overheat with no water pump....
Plugs on an s are usually stated as OK for 100,000, but with a reduction pulley, you start to change them on the JCW schedule...at EVERY INSPECTION....and IMO a belt too.

 

The inspections are pretty through if done as mini lists them...
It might show other items...brakes, bushings, etc that need attention....that why between the two inspections almost every part on the car is looked at...
Oh yeah...inspection #2 also has the cabin filter...
Most also do a transmission oil/gearbox oil too....

 

A five year old belt with 50K miles should be replaced or at least being considered for replacement. A five year old belt with 10K miles should be replaced or at least be considered for replacement. What that means is that it isn't just miles that deteriorates rubber type car parts including tires. Age is just as much a factor as wear. Replace the dang belt.


Just think how much easier you'll sleep once you don't have to worry about it anymore...for a while.

 

I changed the cabin filter. And the air filter.

I took it to a mechanic today. They will do the brakes & fluid and alignment next week. It definitely needs brakes despite the lack of sensor telling me so. Is it a light, or the squealers? Because it was squealing a long time a go when the last mechanic said I didn't need to do the brakes.

We looked at the drive belt and it looks good. New actually, although it isn't. The mechanic said 'that belt isn't very old.' You can still read the green writing on it and there are no signs of wear. Maybe it was done early for some reason and I don't remember it. I looked through all my papers from the dealer and All I see are the check lists. Although I don't have them all as my brakes were done and I didn't see that one.

Here's my new problem. The oil plug is damaged and they could not remove it. The mechanic wants me to go back to the last mechanic that must have damaged it. But it was quite a while ago. I don't think I'll be able to convince them it was their fault.

What I'd like to do is get a siphon to change it from the dipstick tube. (why don't mechanics have this). But, they said the plug was leaking. And there was oil on it. But I topped off the oil yesterday and i know I spilled. (And maybe overfilled a little) I've never seen any oil on the garage floor until today.

An oil change is way overdue. And for some reason, auto parts stores don't carry the siphons. I've only seen them on amazon.

 

The sensor only monitors ONE PAD on the front, and one on the back...
And pads rarely wear evenly.... Especially on a car with stability control, corn or braking, etc....
Yanking the plug to drain the oil gets sludge, etc out...sucking the oil out the tube can be slow, and can miss the thicker goo if present....
Seeing what comes out the drain can give a mechanic a good idea what is going on in the motor.... Heck...chunks of metal and plastic have been known to come out the drain...YOU WOULD NEVER see thstvwith a suction hose (a sipion would go MUCH TOO SLOW IF EVER...).

 

All the people in the threads about using a siphon say otherwise.

 

You're asking a lot of very basic questions to be getting snappy with and not be taking advice from someone with over 9,000 helpful posts.


If the mechanic you are going to can't deal with the oil plug, you need a new guy.

 

I don't believe I got snippy. But This forum has many threads filled with people that say they've being changing the oil topside for years, reviewing different siphon models, and saying they opened the drain plug after siphoning and there was no more oil.

I think the mechanic I went to was pretty good. And his opinion was that the pan would have to be replaced. Which, if it turns out it us leaking, I will have to do.

 

If you change oil every 5K miles, siphoning would be OK for a while. If you don't know when it was changes last, getting the oil out with whatever else is living in there with it is ideal. My F-I-L was a road man for some company, put 50K a year on a Crown Vic wagon every year and would trade for a new one every 4 years. He never changed the oil, just added as needed. I've had nightmares over what he did to an engine and it wasn't even mine to worry about. There's nothing a siphon could do to clean up that mess. The key word to keeping a German motor on the road for many miles of enjoyment is 'Proactive'. Lots of people don't do anything until it's too late then wonder what happened and bi#ch about it later.

 

I feel like siphoning is just the lazy way out for those who dont want to spend the money on ramps or jacks. Like mentioned above, if your mechanic cant deal with a plug move on.

To the op of this thread. Im not sure why you're hesitant to have work done. Preventative maintenance is the best maintenance. Having lived in the dry south you can almost instantly cut your belts life by 30%. As for the plug... spend the money and get it fixed. The design for the drain was well thought out and will naturally remove the most gunk. Changing your oil on proper intervals will prevent sludge.

As for brakes and rotors. This is one of the easiest jobs on any car. You can watch YouTube and diy. Job wouldn't take you more than 2hrs for a first timer.

I wish you the best. And rather than attitude maybe gratitude would be more appreciated by those.trying to help you.