This may not be new news to everyone but it was to me so here goes. I have been noticing that the key to my daughters 2009 Clubman has been looking increasingly ugly - specifically the chrome plated plastic ring has seen the chrome gradually chip away and to the point where it is 30% to 40% gone. This makes the key look like c@#%. Granted its a little thing but little things matter to me.

So after searching on NAM and Google I discovered that this is covered under warranty and when I visited my local Mini dealer not only did they replace it but the ring is now solid metal and maybe even a stainless steel. The key now looks new again and I am confident that this new ring will not chip or peal.

Over the last couple of days I have had them change the rings on 2 additional keys. BTW the price for this new little ring is about $20.00 so I'm glad it is a warranty item as we will ultimately exchange 4 of them.

 

Yes this is old news and there are a few threads about this in a number of different sections. but yes the new rings are much better quality and the one i have has not chipped in the approximate 11 months that I have had it.

 

It may be old news to some, but I was glad to see this post. Somehow, I had missed the others and didn't know that this could be a warranty item. I'll definitely have to ask about this when I go into the dealership for my next service.

 

Thanks for the confirmation - if anyone would know it would be you - I had a feeling this might be older news. I have read a lot of your posts and you seem to be one of the more knowledgeable people on the NAM forum.

 

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my dealer replaced mine with my warranty expired - my older plastic ring on my primary 07 key had broken

 

My dealer wouldn't replace mine....I had to purchase four of the medal rings (two cars).

 

That's disappointing - I went to Mini of Peabody (or maybe Danvers). Both of our cars are 09 Clubman's and we didn't buy either car from the dealership. So I am not getting any special treatment.

 

If your dealership won't replace it, and you're not willing to pay $20 for a new ring...wrap it! (Just make sure it's wrapped tightly, with little overlap to the backside. Otherwise, it'll be too thick and have a hard time slipping into the slot.)

 

Thanks! I did not know about this being under warranty. I'll have this done at my next service.

 

Nice

 

which dealer? Herb Chambers or Peabody? Either one should have changed it out under warranty.

If I were you I would go back an make a stink. And if it is HC then call his secretary and make a complaint. I know he would NEVER accept that if it was his key fob.

 

I've got to go to my dealership this afternoon to get some touch-up paint. I'll ask them about it then and let you guys know what they say.....

 

I went by the dealrship this afternoon and asked them about the key. Sure enough, they will replace the trim ring under warranty. They will fix this for me at the 30,000 mile service that I have coming up.

 

hey, that's great to know! I don't come to the site often any more, and I had no idea about this.

thanks so much.

 

Glad to hear this, adding this to my small list of complaints to be covered

 

Good to know!
When I was in my mad Plasti-Dip phase, I tried it on the ring.
It worked great on the gas cap and the side scuttles, but not so well on the ring. Too much wear sliding into the dash and dropping into my pockets.

 

Did they replace the whole fob or just snap on a new chrome ring? I honestly never looked at mine before but the plastic is a mess. I'd pay $20 for a metal piece.

 

They replace the plastic chrome plated ring with an all metal ring. It takes about 10 seconds to do the upgrade. I think the list price on the metal ring is about $20.

 

Thanks for the info. took mine in to the dealer on yesterday and they replaced...

 

Thanks for this thread. I just noticed a couple of weeks ago how ratty my key looks. It didn't occur to me that it would be covered under warranty. I've got a service appointment in a couple of weeks and will let the dealer know that I am bringing both keys in for the "fix."
I've got a leak when it rains on my list, not certain exactly where it's coming from.
I wonder what else should be on my "fix it" list? ......

 

When I first got the car I figured I had to buy a new key because they wouldn't sell the chrome ring alone. But I checked on realoem.com and saw they did sell it separately. I believe it was like $16 which is really expensive for a little chrome ring but cheap for salvaging a key. I noticed my old ring was solid to the bottom, the new one had a little hairline split. I ended up breaking off the original but the new one was easy to just push on. Its on there really snug as was the old one.



05 Chrome ring 61313449599
05 Chrome ring 61313456374 For vehicles with Comfort access S322A=Yes


Of course I ended up dropping my key so many times that I now have some newfound nics but I just ended up buying a leather key cover. Its the JCW style one. It was $10 shipped and looks really great in person. Its not as bulky as it seems and allows the key to go into the dash no problem, maneuvers around easily.

 

If you end up doing this yourself, it's super easy. The plastic ring is thinner at the top where it goes around the key...Just stick your thumbnail under it right there and break it. Then it will come right off. The new metal one isn't a complete circle, it has a break in it and can be snapped into place without taking the key apart.

It took the service advisor longer to fill out the papperwork than it did to fix my key....

 

Very helpful! We bought our car used a little over a month ago and one of the key fobs looks quite ratty. Good to know that we can get it fixed.

 

got mine done last week too! just asked for it.