Has anyone experienced any scratches on the outside of the rear back seat windows (especially right side) or back convertibile glass and think it may be related to the top going up and down? I have fingernail deep scratches in my back glass and the right side rear seat glass. I only have 2000 miles on the car. You convertibile people please let me know. Thanks

 

Yes. Quite a few of the Cabrios are experiencing this. Mine has crescent shaped scratches on both rear side windows. Both are identical & not very deep at this point. I'm sure it's from the folding mechanism. I plan to show them to the dealer when Sunnie goes in for her first check up this summer.

Lois

 

Yep. And I don't think it's the folding mechanism, just the works with the auto-up & down.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...light=crescent

It sounds like even the dealers are stumped, and replacing the window doesn't fix the problem, just lets you start from "scratch"

 

Can anyone give me the name and location of a Mini Dealer that is aware of the side glass scratching on the Mini Convertible? When I brought my Mini in to have the scratches looked at they said this is the first that they have heard about it. I would just like to check with a dealer who has experience with the problem so that I can check with them to see what they are doing to fix the problem. Thanks.

 

2005 Cabrio with 1250 miles. Discovered scratches at 850-900 miles, probably 7-8 opening cycles. I spoke with service rep. at Downtown MINI , Olando,FL. He was aware of the problem, describing it to me without actually seeing my car. He stated the factory is working out the fix, and when they have it then window replacement can be scheduled. For now, it would not do any good to replace glass.

 

In looking at the seal that is part of the top where the glass rubs against as it slides down into the quarter panel it seems like the seal is very tight against the glass. The slightest amount of dirt on the window caught between the tight seal and the glass could scratch the glass. I have no idea what to do about it other than to clean your glass everytime before you put the windows down???

 

I just took delivery of an 05 MCSa, Hot Orange with Blue top. There were already some abrasions on the roof, right side; and I can hardly wait for the scratches to appear on the rear windows.

There are quite a few threads at mini2.com about the scratches, and the fact that replacing the glass doesn't work.

I can't believe just a little dirt would scratch the glass. It has to be something harder than the glass---like metal--that is etching the glass as the photos show....something the surface of the glass is brushing against as it goes up and down.

Assuming the scratches are on the outside, how about putting a protective coating on the glass after they're replaced at the dealer. Something like 3M "helicopter tape"--the clear mylar material that is used as a protective shield on headlights, front aprons, etc. You can buy it in 2, 4, or 6 in strips at racing supply shops (Bill Morton Motorsports in Colorado, part # W-1391)...or even at a hardware supply.

Then, until BMW/MINI comes up with a fix, the mylar gets scratched, and the glass doesn't; and when the fix is determined, they can make that repair instead of the glass. Just a thought

 

What a stupid problem for the production cars to have. Doesn't MINI test anything before pawning it off on buyers? Ridiculous.

 

Really! 8-9 times putting the top up and down and cabrio owners are seeing scratches... and MINI didn't catch this?

 

Thanks for the info. I will have to check into it so that the scratches do not get worse.

 

i've got a MCC right now as a loaner while my car is in the shop. i see the scratches.

 

Our MCC has the same scratches on DS and PS windows. Coming up on the first service interval and going to make it an issue then.

As a side issue, is anyone else's boot hatch slightly mis-aligned? I've noticed ours and several others I've seen the left side doesn't fit as flush with the rear of the car as the right side does.

 

Oh dear...you got the standard "first time we've heard of this" response! That is SO wrong! Just like when you have a different issue and get your car back, only to have the printout say "tech could not duplicate..."

This shirking of responsibility is what really ticks a lot of us off about MINI service....


Clover

 

yes, i have the scaratches, yes, my boot is misaligned, yes,my rear windows squeak going down!!! i love the car , but mini quality seems to be dubious at best!!

 

I noticed scratches on the rear convertible glass about a week after taking delivery. I took it back to the dealer and they basically blamed me for it (although not using those exact words). They told me that they wiped the glass as hard as they could and the scratches couldn't come out so there's nothing they could do (really, that's what they said!). The service advisor hoped I would just leave at that point. I told him I was not satisfied. He asked what would satisfy me. I said new glass. He said that it's too expensive and out of the question (they have to replace the whole roof). I told him that I didn't really care how much it costs, that I wanted new glass and that this was no manner in which to satisfy a customer. It was clear that we had extended beyond his customer service skills and training because at that point he told me that he worked really long hours, was going to work late that night and had a lot of customers to attend to and he couldn't spend any more time with me. Realizing that this was now officially pointless, I let go (never once raising my voice). When I returned to my car I saw a note on my seat. It read something like "Don't forget to give me a 5! We only provide excellent customer service!"

I still have scratches on my glass. There's probably a few more now. My theory is that the grit that collects on the rear of the MINI is ground into the glass when you open and close the covertible top.

 

Same issue with my boot.

 

I guess I should be knocking on wood right now - as I have no scratches or mis-aligned boot...:smile: But you can bet if either occur, the dealer will know about it loud and clear.... I hope all of you get the problem resolved and keep us posted.

Donna
02' CR/W MCS (gone to MINI heaven - burned up)
05' Cool Blue MCSC "Ariel"
05' HB/W MCS

 

Got the scratches,
Got the boot,
But the car is still a hoot!!!

A Mini hiku by Goaljnky!

 

No scratches on mine but I will have to double check. I do notice when opening and closing the top that the noises it produces almost makes me think someting is breaking (creaking/popping) but all seems ok.

 

My MINI was built May 2005. After 2 weeks of ownership I am starting to see a small crescent shaped scratch on the outside REAR window. Is this a sign of the problem?

The service manager of Prestige MINI in Mahwah, NJ emailed me and told me they had never seen this problem before! And they have been around a while and sell lots of cars!

What dealers have been replacing the rear glass on these cars?

 

I have the scratches

I have the wear marks on the roof

I do NOT have the misaligned boot *knocking on wood*

The interior lining of the roof 'pops' when putting it up or down

BUT in spite of all that, I still love the little bugger.

 

Got the scratches (don't really bother me),
and the inner lining snap (string holding it down on right snapped, and newly fixed, just got it back today),
No boot issue.

Just as long as the check engine light stays off now, I'm happy. Pray with me.

 

And the thing that really bites about this is a lot of the dealers get their allocation of cars based on their overall ratings - sales, parts, and service. So if you rip them for poor service, their ratings drop, and they don't get the good cars on the next allocation. Of course, that never stopped me from raising hëll when things didn't go right - and if they don't get all 5's, it's their fault, not mine.

I've been really happy with my dealer (Ralph Schomp in Denver) so far - let's hope we don't have to deal with them on this issue after our MCSC comes in. . .

 

I now have the same problem and I am worried about the replacement window "fix" as I have tinted windows.

I also think it has something to do with the weather stripping or mechanism within the area where the window retracts to. I have a sticker on one of these windows and it too has the scratches in it. Seeming that it is something rather rough (ie sharp metal) that is scratching the windows within the housing once they are lowered.

 

I just had my car at the dealer this past weekend for service and I brought up the scratches as one of the things to look into. The Mini rep happened to be at the dealer that day and here is the story I got from my SA:

"BMW/Mini is aware of the problem. The scratches are caused by poorly designed windows molding. They are working on the solution and will notify owners when one is available to have both the moldings and the windows replaced."

It makes sense for them not to replace the windows at this time just to have them scratched up again.