I have a 2003 MCS with basically flawless paint as it is well cared for.

However, on both outside mirrors the paint is peeling off in various places--not the mirror caps but the mirror housing. I read in a thread here that this has happened to other and was covered under warranty.

During some service being done at Nick Alexander MINI in Los Angeles I asked them to look at it. I'd read in another thread that this happened to a car in FL and that Ft. Lauderdale MINI replaced the part under warranty.

Nicholas Alexander (is this Jr.?) (Service Manager) determined that this is not covered and could not possibly be a paint defect. He implied that I did something to cause this--like some 'tie down' or something. I'm picturing rope tied around my mirrors to lash something to the car...Huh??

Normally I don't clean my car with steel wool or sandpaper so I don't see how I could have caused this. I also don't take the car to commercial car washes. Besides, it's peeling along the edges, in large patches along the front , etc. A mystery that I can only determine is some kind of paint defect. Next step was to ask Jr. (I've decided I'm not a big fan of Jr. because he has an unnerving arrogant personality) to have the Zone guy look at it on his next visit. Asking when the zone guy will visit next gets you no answer. "I'll mention it to him. and see if he'll look at it." Does this mean he can decide not to look at it??

Has anyone else noticed this happening on their mirrors?

 

Jeff:

Common problem in '02 and '03 MINIs. The black mirror post on the driver's side of my '02 MC CVT began to peel off horribly (Meanwhile the passenger side remained intact ) so the dealer replaced the entire mirror assembly under warranty. Its been well over a year and a half since the mirror was replaced and no problems.

That was my MINI the one you read about in Lauderdale MINI.

It is definetely a defect in "Materials and workmanship" and should be covered under warranty.

 

Thanks for the reply. I wish that you or me saying that it's a common problem in 02 and 03s would suffice but it doesn't seem to cast the right spell. Can you point me in the direction of other owners that have had this problem? Yours was the only one I could find...

Or maybe you could tell me who the SM was that replaced it for you and I can call him/her and ask him about others they've seen.

Many thanks.

 

DVLMINI - I have an '02 MCS and the paint started to peel on the driver's side mirror post. I brought it to my service dealership, MINI of Mt. View (CA) and they said the same thing. I asked when the Zone Rep would be there and made an appointment to see him. He took one look and said that it would be replaced under warranty. Two weeks later I got a call from the parts dept. to let me know the mirror was in. I made the appointment, brought my car in and found out they ordered a stationary mirror (my mirrors fold back - which I didn't know until then). They got the new mirror three weeks later and did the replacment without a problem. Definately a warranty item!

Good luck!

 

Call (954) 763-4777, select #1 for the "Ft Lauderdale BMW/MINI" location and ask to speak with Mr. Joe Sparacino, he is the Service Manager for BMW/MINI. He authorized my driver's side mirror replacement with absolutely no hassles or problems.