I'm glad everyone is ok. I think it's time to get a lawyer. That mini burning completely like that is unacceptable.

 

wow, glad to hear she made it out ok.



as for the r53s that burned down, what happened? For the ones that were caused by various component failures, did MINIUSA do anything about it or was it just an insurance claim? i would imagine if MINI dealt with it, you could get yourself a brand new fully loaded cooper.

 

oh hell no....in a r56??!?

this could be really bad news for mini. i thought the whole bursting into fire stuff got sorted out.

as soon as you know, PLEASE let us know what the cause of the fire was ASAP.

and to reiterate the previous statements: i'm glad no one was harmed.

 

I was a fleet manager for a long time (Crown Vics) and I had my share of fires.
Some of the causes were:
1) ABS sensor failure; applied brakes -- heated/boiled brake fluid, vaporized it, burst into flames.
2) CatCon over heated
3) electrical fault
4) cigarette butt out the window went back in

I hope it isn't a design flaw also. Machines break; that's the way of things. Mercifully, she was okay. Let's hope it's not the start of a trend...

 

Thank GOD she wasn't injured!!!!

On a related note.... after seeing these pictures, I altered my order..... I'm getting the bridgespokes... they seem quite fire-proof!

 

Glad she wasn't hurt. As a MC owner I'm anxiously awaiting a reply to what happened.

 

I'm glad she ok. Sad to see the Mini looking like that.

 

Holy crap! That seriously sucks. PS/B even and that is such a beautiful color combo too.

I too can't wait to hear what caused this. Really glad everyone was ok, but, man that poor poor car.

 

Wow, that must have been very scary for all concerned. As stated the pics are very disturbing not something easily forgotten.

 

I was just curious though, if the car was burned while driving it on the road, why would the tow truck company drop it off in what appears to be a residential neighborhood? why didnt they take it to the city storage facility for the insurance company to look it over.

 

Curious that it started in the rear. I'm assuming that was what the driver noticed before the entire car was engulfed?

 

Wow wow wow.

I am glad everyone is ok.

Sounds like the doors were unlocked because I would hate to have to remember to double pull at a time like that.

 

why would the towing service place the vehicle in what apears to be a public parking lot and not the city impound storage facility? arent they worried about someone messing with evidence? I would think the insurance company would want it in a secure lot to investigate it.

 

Started in the rear?? Hmm, Fuel pump electrical problem?? Hopefully an odd occurence, would seem to be a first.

 

I'm glad your friend was unscathed.

 

He apologized, let it go.

 

Sorry, didn't see his apology.

 

... and that is the most important thing! Material objects can be replaced -our friends cannot. Very sorry to see the charred remains of what was once an R56.

To help your friend move forward, she has a great story to tell, and she can look forward to a new MINI and get options missed with the previously driven R56.

 

Yep... in my experience, all makes and models of cars do this at least once... statistically, it only gets really interesting when LOTS of them start doing it... I've seen more Corvettes inferno than anything else, personally. Would be curious to see a study of fire rates (as a percentage of total on the road) by make and model.

 

I thought I saw your car at the Motel 6 in Kissimmee over the weekend, Blimey. But the wheels were different...

 

Sorry to see this, and glad that everyone was OK.

Looking forward to the diagnosis.

 

How scary! Its heartbreaking to see a MINI go like that but Im glad to hear your friend made it out ok. The center console in the footwell area gets extremely hot and has concerned me the entire time I have had the car. Not having a temp gauge isnt exactly reassuring with a car having heat issues

 

Thanks for all the kind words everybody. I'll be sure to pass along a link of this thread to my friend.

Actually a car driving BEHIND them noticed that the car was on fire. Before my friend's friend knew what was going on the cabin started filling with smoke.... It was a bang bang situation....and my friend did mention something about an "overheating light" which I'm not sure about since I'm not familiar with the R56.....and boom, cabin filled with smoke...

 

I've been in two cars which caught fire (as a passenger.) The first was in high school, my buddies super beetle caught fire (fuel line split right above exhaust header). We jumped out, took off our shirts and beat the fire out. Then we shortened the rubber line a bit, re attached it, and went on to school......

The second was another friend who took off down the highway with his emergency brake engaged. The rear of the car caught fire, a lady flagged us down and we got out....the car burned to the ground. It was an 80s (I think) Tercel.

Your friend didn't leave her e-brake on, did she?

 

WTF is wrong with you? Someone almost lost their life here and the best you can do is insult their car?



Thats really odd that it started in the rear of the car. Are the batteries still back there? I was thinking they were moved to the front in the R56.