...with their clutches and transmissions, and some do not? I've got a week 3 build with 7500 miles on it, and no hint of problems. I should be knocking on wood, I guess, but I don't understand why such an early car should be spared what so many people are reporting.

How common is it anyway?

 

Wanna trade ?

 

Nope.

 

Well I'm guessing maybe there was a batch of faulty transmissions/clutches that got installed into some cars. Wonder if it's only a certain range of weeks that's reporting the issue.

 

Poor QC?

 

I don't know what problems people are having, nor how many people are experiencing them. However I get the impression that a lot of the boys and girls routinely run at 5000 - 6000 rpm and jackrabbit every stoplight -- pretty sure ways to test even the most rugged drive trains.

 

I would assume that the parts are percision fit, and any issues will result in sounds and people complain.

I have not heard of many failures, just sounds.

 

If one takes the time and looks at the number of NAM members that have purchsed Mini's, and then look at the number of "failures" in reguards to engines/transmissions, the percentage is not all that large. Also consider the plant produses over 4k Mini's per week, and you can not expect 100% zero defects...well I guess one can if one dreams of living in a perfect world.

 

Needle in a haystack! Without trackable lot numbers for every part of every MINI your just shooting in the dark.
Example:
The wire stock used to make the springs for the clutch are produced in plant A. Plant B recieves the stock and produces the springs. The new springs are transported for assembly to Plant C. The assembled units are then trasported to Plant D (Oxford) for installation on the assembly line.
Lets say that the wire from one shift at plant A is under-heated during quenching, resulting in an inferior metal. The bad stock is shipped (unknowingly) and starts into production. The stock is made into springs, put in bins, mixed with springs made from other stock, and then shipped to Plant C.
Plant C builds clutches. Forklifts grab bins off of trucks, feed them to the machines that install clutch springs, and then move the clutches to the tranny assembly line.
By the time the process is done the springs made from bad wire stock are scattered threw the process, wiley-niley.
3,000 miles later some of the trannys are making noise. It's hit or miss on which cars. All the Engineers know is clutch springs on some seem to be brittle or weak and it is causing problems.
Please understand all the above is just an example I made up. Failure analysis is a beach!

 

Been doing that for the past 30,000 miles on my 1st gen tranny and no problems yet.

 

Funny you should mention 1st Gens. Before I placed my order in December, all anyone had to go by was the reliability of the R53's. In reading the NAM threads back then, it seemed to me that the Achilles heel of the earlier MINIs was ALSO transmissions. I'd been hoping that this had changed, yet the same thread topics keep popping up anew.

Strange. At any rate, I'm glad I got a good one, and am hoping that it doesn't decide to...malfunction...right after the warranty period ends.

4xAAA's post is interesting--probably has a lot of truth to it.

 

I'm one of the unlucky folk who have had multiple tranny/clutch related issues.......I can assure you thats not the way I drive. One of the official PUMA reports states that the clutch issues are from "normal" driving glazing the clutch commonly refered to as the 3-2 squeal. I didnt have the squeal on the first clutch, but they replaced the first clutch when they replaced the tranny for another unrelated issue. The "new" clutch they gave me was a Remanufactured clutch. I'm assuming that the reman clutch was one of the faulty ones that was sent back, fixed (term used very loosely here), and then installed in my car only to return to it's sqeally ways

 

I also have a Harley and go to www.harleyforums.com over there you will always find that % that complain about engine or transmission problems on new models - People will read that and then think all have a problem - people on forums have to be a super small % of owners out there - like stated above - we have to remember just how many units are put out each week - I have also learned for every ***** about a unit - there are MANY that are happy... and most are out enjoying their new ride and not sitting at home...

Don't get me wrong - forums are a great place to learn and share about our new found "love" Like the Harley forum - I have learned a lot here. I am placing my order next week sometime, and it will be a 6 speed and I have No concerns about any problems.. **** happens and if so, it will get taken care of..

 

Almost two months of ownership and no problems. Knock on English Oak. I think this forum magnifies problems if your not sensible. There are real problems in all cars. That's what the warranty is for. I could change my perception if when I start up my car tommorow a CEL goes on.

 

My car has been good to me.... it deserves a name. Corona. Just because I put a Corona antenna ball on it. I am calling her Corona.