Greetings,
This is my first post as I did not really find anything else relating to my issue.
First some background info...

I have a 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman S
I purchased this vehicle used in January 2015 with 58K miles
Carfax showed previous owner had all repairs done at Dealership including Timing Chain Service Bulletin at 42K. All maintenance seemed to appear done in a timely manner. I do not drive fast or really use the cars power other than passing semi's. I do drive alot for work, but always use Super unleaded and really keep up on maintenance. Last July (2015), my check engine light came on and long story short, the dealership diagnosed and ordered to change the valve cover, vacuum pump, and fuel pump. This ran about $2500 (I might be missing an additional job done, I will update later when I look at invoices).

Car runs great, up until last Thursday. Misfiring and aggressive engine shaking coming off the freeway. Engine light comes on, blinks for a minute, then stays solid, repeat. Car is sputtering and defeated. Managed to get to dealership and explain what is going on. Very next morning I get a call stating the Technician has diagnosed the vehicle. The following, written in CAPS, are the Technicians words verbatim, on the quotes given to me:

1st quote
SPARK PLUGS SHOWN TO BE BLOWN. RECOMMEND TO START BY REPLACING SPARK PLUGS AND RETEST...... $194.98

2nd quote
FOUND EXCESSIVE OIL IN INTAKE ASSEMBLY. RECOMMEND TO PERFORM DECARB AND RETEST....... $1,006.72

I was sick over this. I just spent $2500 5 months ago and now I have to shell out an additional $1200 on BMW's bad engineering? I move some money around and the dealership agrees to finish the job close to this Friday (10 days away, at the time) to pay the bill, as Friday is payday, and the holiday really emptied my wallet.

I get a call on Monday. The Asst. Service Manager is assisting me, BTW, and he tells me his Tech completed all the work agreed, but still found cylinder 1 misfiring. At this point, he checks the combustion chamber with a borescope to find a huge hole in the cylinder. Again, the Tech's update in CAPS on the new quote, verbatim:

3rd quote
AFTER SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT AND INTAKE VALVE CLEANING, FOUND MISFIRE PRESENT ONLY ON CYL. NO.1 THIS TIME. CHECKED COMPRESSION AND FOUND IT TO BE AT 60PSI. LEAK DOWN WAS AT 90% CHECKED COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH BORESCOPE AND FOUND BOTH EXHAUST VALVES BURNT. RECOMMEND TO REPLACE ALL EXHAUST VALVES...
....$7,947.23

So now, I have a $1,200 balance to pay for a Technician that blew a bunch of walnuts in a motor I cannot use. The dealership is expecting me to pay this by Friday, and/or get charged $75/day storage. My question here is...

Did this Tech follow the correct procedure on a "general diagnosis for all systems" with the knowledge of symptoms and "check engine" light on?

I'm finding it hard to believe, that this was not detected before executing a repair that costs $1200 and my vehicle held until balance is paid... The stupid key fob will tell you the meaning of life, but a Tech has to do a carb cleaning before running a compression check? I have to really have to pay on a repair to a motor that will not stay in the vehicle??? Reading through the Techs updates... it just screams "JUNIOR TECH" to me... Im also thinking he made a mistake and the service manager might be covering for him. I feel like I am getting taken for a ride.

I don't know what to do...

There is a local shop in town that will swap out a rebuilt N14 for $2800 incl. a desirable core. That's my only option at the moment

Any input or suggestions would be a tremendous help. I really need some advice....FAST

 

866-275-6464 or 800-831-1117 and explain to them what is going on. This is corporate level mini and bmw. They will probably bring it up to the area rep who may come out and look at the car. Start there and see what they say.

 

I'm willing to bet he/she saw that the plugs were fouled and just replaced them without going about the proper steps as to seeing why they fouled in the first place. They should have checked, spark, compression, and other things with a known "good plug" before just swapping plugs and hoping it'll be fixed and charging u for it. Im going to guess they did a half *** job at trying to fix the issue as most delarship do. But that's my opinion and why I do all my own work. I wouldn't be paying them for that stuff when the engine is now "usless".

 

Compression test should've been #1 on the list when working on an N14.

Damn.

 

Doesn't have to be number one but when trying to find the issue, u want to cover all the bases that u can.

 

With the number of early R56s I see roll through the shop with misfires caused by low compression...

It really just needs to be a primary step in troubleshooting.

 

Major out of pocket repairs are best done with a non dealership shop. The dealership operates on a flowchart diagnostic system, ask to see the steps required to do a proper diagnostic for your issue. Contact corporate Mini, prepare for small claims court.

Btw the key fob isn't as comprehensive a source of information as you think.

 

I can't add anything, except that I hope the MINI gods smile on you. Good luck...

 

im confused...the Tech says that there is a huge hole in the cylinder that yielded to 60psi!!! and then he reports that the exhaust valves are burnt!!! WTH??? Are they stupid, or stupid they are?
a hole in the cylinder gives you ZERO compression (I had that in my engine).
burnt valves? what does that even mean? it is a combustion chamber for a reason!

i bet you if you told them to go ahead and replace the valves, they will come back telling you "hey, we found a hole in the piston!" you need a new engine, but first you need to pay for the stupid work we did.

NEVER GO TO A STEALERSHIP...