Hi guys,

I'm planning to take my '03 MCS in for an Inspection II that includes an oil change, brake and coolant flush, and drive belt replacement. I'm taking it to a very reputable independent shop here in San Francisco and they said it'll cost $575. The Mini dealer here does the Inspection II and oil change (no flushing) for $400, so I'm wondering if both of these are a rip-off or just the dealer's price. I'm not great at doing things myself, but I am wondering if the coolant and brake flush is necessary... I don't think either one has ever been done before. My car has just under 65,000 miles.

Thanks for any and all advice.

-B

 

I think you're well beyond the recommended maintenance on the brake fluid and coolant. Whether you go to the dealer or an independent, bite the bullet and get it done- in the end lots cheaper than a new radiator or brake system repairs.

 

Right on. Totally agree. I just don't have much experience with pricing, but it sounds like I just need to get it done. Thanks for your help.

-B

 

definitely do it.. they are not that hard for DIY.. with a car that age (mileage doesn't matter as much) rubber starts to brake down.. so you could do some preventative work while you are in there.

phil.

 

on the other hand

At the 100,000 mile mark and 9 years my Miata had the original coolant and brake fluid. I sold it then. New owner has another 50,000 on it and has not changed these things . . .

Had my 02 MINI for almost 100,000 - never flushed the coolant or the brakes. Better to do so? Maybe ..... will the car mis-function? No . . .

I just changed a brake master cyl' on my '79. I'm pretty darn sure that what I replaced was original equipment . . .

do the math and decide for yourself

 

Old brake fluid is not a big deal in older cars without ABS. In newer cars with ABS, the moisture build-up can damage the ABS unit, which is quite expensive.

For my cars, I flush the system every 4-5 years. The fluid in my VW is now 5 years old and is about to be flushed. The car has 200,000 mi on the ODO and has had no brake issues so far. (Knock on wood)

SoCal has dry weather and for daily driving I'm more of a "pulse and glide" type on the traffic heavy freeways. In humid environment, I would flush the system every 3 years.

 

This is great, guys... thanks for sharing your input. I think I'm going to go for it. The car has been so relatively maintenance free that it seems a good idea to take the preventative measures.

-B

 

If you’re interested in another opinion, I’ll chime in even though my car is an ’07 but I’ll share for what it is worth. Neither price seems that out of line. If you are looking to save on costs, you can break down what you need now and what can wait. There are plenty of discussions about how often to change your oil so I’ll skip that topic. I believe that Mini recommends that the brake fluid be replaced every two years. That seems reasonable to me because the fluid loves to absorb water and water is bad news in a brake system that can get pretty hot. My Bentley manual states that the radiator coolant is life-time, meaning that theoretically it would never have to be replaced. I was planning on replacing the coolant at some point if something else in the cooling system failed such as a hose or a thermostat. The drive belt should be replaced every four years but you can check it for visible signs of distress such as cracks, tears or scrapes to see how “urgently” it needs to be replaced. On the down side if you guess wrong and the belt breaks, it can cause other parts to fail and lead to an expensive repair.

 

Right. The shop did say they'd take a look at the belt before replacing it to see how worn it is, but I think all of your recommendations make sense, especially regarding the brake fluid. Thanks so much.

-B