Many of you know the stories about the 1.5 months (give or take a few days) the local tom bush bmw/mini dealership had my car. no answer, brought someone in, and they had fixed it in 8 hours... turned out to be a high pressure fuel pump. This bit of news and informance of issues is just involves further degradation in the quality and reliability of the car.

Also, please don't tell me to

1. Tell me to call MINI USA. They don't care. I've done it many times.
2. Lemon law it. I bought it in Georgia. I live in Florida. and it's 200 miles shy of 20k miles. So i'm not eligible.
3. Sue. It's not worth suing MINI USA
4. Stop posting about it here wanting help, because I know there's nothing you guys can do right now, lol.. Nothing I can do. I am posting to let you guys and gals know what's going on with my situation. Maybe someone will have this happen in the future, god forbid, and will reference back.

And let the story begin

My keyfob died… both. So I cannot unlock or lock my vehicle, or open the trunk from the remote. Nor can I start my car or gain entry WITHOUT use of the key, since my car is equipped with the comfort access system. Because the comfort access system is ****ing up.. my trunk likes to open at random times… for instance, at 72 mph on i10 5 miles from chaffee road.

Additionally, the issues with the fuel pump (high pressure) in the past, cause the engine and valve timing to get thrown off… so the car doesn’t get the gas mileage it should be, anywhere near it actually. Additionally, the transmission likes to act up… and think it’s in manual shift mode, and shift at the redline, further “killing” my gas mileage.

My dad and I took the car to Downtown MINI who said that they “cannot trouble shoot anything, until I remove my aftermarket speakers, amplifier, and sound processors. Accusing that the amp and speakers are drawing power from the comfort access system (when the car is NOT on mind, you,.. NO power goes to my stereo equipment) A fairly expensive process, as the following would have to be done:

Pay Audio Designs 75.00 some - odd an hour, to remove the equipment. A 18 hour job… 1350 plus tax. at 75.00 an hour.
Order the original , HiFi Mini Speakers, Amplifier, Wiring, and Wiring Harnesses, as I no longer have this equipment. 1200 plus tax
When Downtown mini realizes they’re wrong, pay Audio Designs, another 1350 bucks plus tax to put my stuff back in
And then, I’m out the 1200 plus tax for the original equipment I had to order for no reason.
It’s not going to happen

I found a nice VW Eos 3.2L hard top convertible, but the dealership that has my car says it’s only worth 19k… which may be true, but I think my pay off is 30k… keyword, think. So I’d go 12k and some change upside down and add a bunch of money to my already, 535.00/monthly car payment on the MINI.

To lock and/or unlock my vehicle, I have to dismantle the keyfob and remove the actual metal cut key, insert into door, put it back into the fob roundel, then place that in the slot in the car… which is what people who don’t have comfort access use.

Comfort access aside, cause I care less. lol.. I don’t have working remote lock and unlock buttons.

It’s the stupidest thing… And I’m not paying 5k to have them say oh we were wrong.

I’m at a loss… unsure what to do. Other than let it sit in my driveway… and rot. Cause it likes to do the following at random:

Not start
No shift correctly
Turn off interior lights
Turn off my HID Headlights, randomly. Only one at a time.
Turn off my tail lights
I’m double posting this on north american motoring, and seeing what they think.

 

30k car...why is it NOT worth suing

so are u over the states limit for lemon lawing it? if not, tow the sucker up there and lemon law and make them pay for the tow

 

Im not really sure what to say other then....That sucks!

I guess you should have bought an R53?

 

Dude, thats too bad!

If you get determined you could remove the equipment yourself. I did the stereo install on my car myself, and its not too bad. Would save a lot of dough. Couldn't the stuff be just unhooked to appease them? Also, would you have to order the hi-fi stuff? You could either have nothing, or run stock speakers to the head unit if possible and necessary...

Good luck, if you lived in the area I'd give you a hand.

 

No it's not, because the mechanical and electrical issues are not consistent enough to, at this moment, be proven in a court of law.

And I think it's 30k mileage limit to lemon law a car in georgia. however, you cannot just tow it, and lemon law it. Plus MINI is NOT going to pay for a tow, I've already pushed, pulled, begged and pleaded for that.

You have to bring it in, 3 times, and let them say they cannot fix it. Additionall. If the dealership in Georgia will not do it, without me taking my aftermarket stereo equipment out. I will not bother with it.

Because, when they tell me that, I have to pay to tow it BACK to Jacksonville, Florida. Then order all those parts, having the existing removed, new stuff put in, and pay to tow it back up. This whole time, not having a vehicle to drive, because of the already high mileage, and it being dangerously close to the limit.

Then I'd have to pay for a hotel in atlanta, and 3 separate tows, totalling 6 (to and from) on 3 different occasion.

With all this, we'd be looking at, in total, with the hotel, all the towing, and the radio stuff, 8-9k dollars. A few more thousand and I could go upside down

See my point? It becomes not only a issue of money, of which, I don't have 5k to **** right now for that stereo mess, it also becomes an issue of principle.

 

They at least want the amp. Which is 800 bucks.

The dealerships are just being dicks... cause they know of the entire situation with how much it'll cost, and how much of a hassle.

 

I second this!

 

Sorry to hear about your ordeal.

I'm no expert at this, but could you maybe look for another MINI dealership to take it to that might be more reasonable about fixing your issues? I thought there were at least a couple of them in Florida.

 

Why don't you take out the audio stuff yourself? Its really not that difficult. Then buy a flatbed off ebay for a few hundred bucks.

 

I have NO talent or patience to remove the audio stuff

Ther are 2 or 3 others, one in tampa, and the rest in south florida. As my membership to NAm, and the publiciation of tom bush having my car for so long, with no loaner, rentals, or repairs, sullied my relationship with them. So I cannot have it serviced in the dealership near where I live.

Nor Orlando

I'm not driving my car around the state, trying to locate a dealership to do this.

MINI Should stand behind their product, and say. this is the policy at ALL dealerships.

i AM NOT taking the audio stuff out. Sorry. It cost tooo much money, and time, toput it in, and even acquire it in the first place.

Plain and simple, the car needs to go. What I need is for someone to steal it LOL or run over it with a mack truck or somethin

 

then just disconnect it. They should all have plugs and connectors. Then there's no power drain, no nothing.

Also, see if anyone in your area has factory BMW diagnostic tools that isn't a BMW dealer. There is one near where I live that does, and there are companies that sell them for anywhere from $4k to $20k. Call around to high end BMW shops. The Mini stuff may be in thier tools and they're just not "selling" the service, so to speak...

Matt

 

The dealership gm said, mini policy is that it's put back to factory

and as far as calling high end bmw shops.. lol. I live in Jacksonville, aka Cracksonville, Florida. We just got a Coach store, lol

 

It certainly does sound like there's an electrical issue. And having aftermarket audio equipment (which is tied to the electrical system) does muddy the waters quite a bit. I don't blame the MINI service department one bit for not wanting to do electrical system diagnosis on a car that has aftermarket audio equipment under warranty.

Have you talked to the shop that did the stereo install? That's where I'd be looking next if it were me.

It's not so much that the audio equipment may be drawing power from the comfort access system (which doesn't even make much sense to me). It's more that when installing the audio equipment, someone may have damaged some factory wiring somewhere causing a (periodic) short. Perhaps messed up the grounding of the electrical system somewhere. etc.

My money would be on the audio shop messing up the car's electrical system.

 

Already spoke with them.. the work is not tied to the electrical system. they tapped from the alternator... and didn't splice any wires

 

Bsides the Lemon Law there is the Magnason-Moss Act (federal) that should be considered. Additionally, unless they can prove that your stereo caused the electrical and computer problems, there is still the manufacturer's warranty and their failure to fix is a breach of contract!

 

I'm aware of the act... I have to sue to fight it.

 

From what I read at the FL AG's website, Florida lemon law applies for two years from date of purchase; I did not see any mileage limit. The law also limits dealer working on the car to 15 days. It would seem that you have some options with the Attorney General's office. A simple call from one of their investigators might be enough to trigger a favorable resolution. Good luck - I hope that it all works out for you. We all fear this kind of situation.

 

I cannot lemon law it

I bought it in Georgia

I stated that earlier

but thanks for the advice

edit: i was told by a lemon law attorney, that because I have not been working with the dealership in the state it was purchased, I am not allowed to lemon law the car.

 

I had a 2005 Nissan 350Z that had similar issues and they WERE caused by an after market stereo system. Cars are so "wired" today that any change to their original electrical system can cause all sorts of problems whether the equipment is on or not. Wires that are run along other wires can induce a magnetic current and cause all sorts of problems. This is why you can't use electronic equipment on aircraft while taking off or landing, all those electronic devices can and do interfere with the aircraft navigation systems. I'm sure you're heard your cell phone interfere with your car radio or home stereo. There's also a warning in your Mini owner's manual about installing non factory electronic equipment. If the car is worth $30K then it's worth paying $75 to have someone remove the equipment. I yanked it all out of my 350Z and the car was like new afterwards. It's worth a try, what do you have to loose?

 

don't people read

75 an hour

at 18 hours

to remove the stuff

i did extensive local research and that shop, who also originally installed it... is the ONLY shop in jax that would work on the car. and have any sense of what they were doing.

MINI's excuse would be valid, if it wasn't the COMFORT ACCESS system being screwed up. The comfort access wiring is NOT related to the wiring that the speakers travel over.

As a matter of fact, it's in the rear view mirror. I know that, because Vann, At Downtown MINI in Orlando, said that the systems for the remote unlock and stuff checked out fine.

Then he came back with some BS excuse that there was a dip in voltage, which is what was causing my keys not to work.

That's also BS, because if I push unlock on my keys (yes both) the trunk opens. The key fobs work... and OCCASIONALLY you're able to use the comfort access unlock/lock button on the exterior door handle, and the start/stop button in the car, WITHOUT having the key in it.

That means, the key fob is screwing up. Most of the time, however, it does not work with the key fob. And sometimes, when you manually insert the key into the dash, it has a key with a slash thru it, and won't start, You have to take it out and reinsert, several times.

It's the key.

I am NOT paying for keys. they are 250 a piece.

Additionally, furthering the incompetance of Downtown MINI. I asked Vann what, if any trouble shooting he did on my keys. He said NONE. It's not our standard procedure.

I actually asked a sales guy to borrow a battery, just to check that in my key. Sure enough, that's when we noticed the trunk pop open issue.

I'm aware you recharge the comfort access batteries in the car, that's what I do from time to time.

But when We put this battery from a MINI sitting on a show room floor, in my key fob and the button worked, albeit the trunk opened? That means you

1. didn't do regular technological and electrical diagnosis, by checking the simplest of things.
2. are stupid.

I asked him. when you're remote control to your telly at home stops working, what do you check? He said the battery. I said EXACTLY!

But, even after showing this information, they wanted the speakers out. It's not going to happen.

Additionally, they would not prove this voltage dip, their manager, who is also incompetant, Mr Patel (Jatin Patel I think) said in a smart *** tone, we don't have to give you that.

So, how am I supposed to believe that's the reason?

edit: Please don't take me as being a jerk to you guys on the NAM site ok? I know it's not your fault. But I have done most everything I can. Feel free to offer input, and I'll give you a according answer. My "tone" lol. if you can apply such a thing to the internet, is like this, because I'm just aggravated, upset. I have been so stressed from the issue, that I have been physically sick.

 

We have someone in Midcal Minis having their stereo equip ripped out due to problems as well............his mini is also 30-50,000 by now
He is doing it.........so we all wish you luck, but I am sure it is not the mini
Good luck & the best to your mini

 

Well, you sound like you have a tone and attacking those who are giving you advice. If you dont like their input, then stop talking about it here.....

 

It doesn't take 18 hours to remove stereo equipment, I pulled my $5000 stereo system out in about 2 hours. I think the stereo shop is ripping you off more than Mini. I'm an Avionics Technician on aircraft and have installed many stereo systems in my cars and I see this type of thing in aircraft all the time. The newer cars are getting harder and harder to install because you always cause interference with something, I wouldn't be surprised if your high pressure fuel problem wasn't a result of your stereo equipment too. Remove your equipment and maybe fix your car or don't and just keep whining away and let your car rot on your driveway. Just my advice to you , take it or leave it.

 

The reason I know it's not the stereo

Is the problem with the keys occured 2 months after the stereo was installed.

If it was a problem, esp voltage, it would've done this from day one.

It's the key.. proven... because pushing a button pops my trunk.

 

The stock equipment was in the car, when the high pressure fuel pump went out. And unfortunately, I can't have my stuff removed anywhere else. except locally.

so , unless you, mr avionics tech are going to fly a jet down, I'm SOL. and bound to the high per hour rate of the stereo shop lol :p

edit: i never said I was asking for help, as this has been a issue for 4 months. You can be assured, all of you, that I've done almost everything I can, outside of a lawsuit.

I posted this, to make the people who paid attention to my previous situation with the fuel pump, aware of more developments. I also stated much earlier, at thread creation, that I wasn't asking for your help, and not to tell me to stop whining. I'm not.

When I repeat something, its' cause YOU didn't read it the first time. So I simplify the statement, and hope you catch it.

caveat emptor placare,