I was thinking of buying a MCS, but now I’m a bit concerned after reading about the cold start noise problem and the hot bonnet problem.

I absolutely love the MCS. It may just be the best-looking car on the road, it is extremely fun to drive, and it gets great gas mileage.

If I don’t get one, I don’t know what I will get, but I don’t think that I will be happy with my car if I end up having to take time off of work to get it service on a regular basis. Maybe if the dealerships weren’t so damn far away it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but they are obnoxiously far away.

So… Do you in general think that the 2nd generation MC and MCS are problematic cars or are they fairly average? Would I be better off getting a MC instead of a MCS if reliability is a big concern to me?

 

If long term reliability is a concern to you, it is always better to get the non-turbocharged car. If you are willing to take the gamble for the turbo, and especially if you don't have a lead foot, I'm sure you won't notice much of a difference in the turbocharged car's reliability.

They are fairly reliable vehicles, and like most cars, have their share of nitpicky problems that won't interfere with driveability. Don't look at the Stock Problems/Issues Forum... of course you'll find loads of problems there! I'm sure most folks don't have too many problems with their MINIs. My grandparents are having a blast with their 2003 MINI Cooper (Plain and S).

 

I've owned 4 MINI's over the past ~6 years, and after about 100k miles of collective Motoring I can say the only actual part failures I've had were a power door lock motor, power steering cooling fan, and coolant expansion tank went bad. None of these were safety critical or catastrophic or left me stranded. I maintain my cars so it was just a matter of a quick part change in the garage and I was ready to go again. These are pretty common longevity issues with the R53's, we have yet to see what the long-term maintenance looks like on the R56's.

It's clear that most MINI owners are extremely enthusiastic about their cars, and with this in mind you're going to hear lots of passion and emotional swinging over relatively minor nit-pickings. An interior squeak here or there, someone not knowing how to properly install or maintain something, or wildly over-hyped situations [like the bonnet scoop thing; it gets warm but it doesn't make a plastic puddle in your driveway].

I hope that offers some useful perspective. I would suggest perhaps a more effective question to get the answer I have a feeling you're trying to get is: "Have you had a part failure such that you've been stranded?" The cold-start clatter that some get some of the time doesn't leave anyone stranded, it's to-date just an aural unpleasantry.

Cheers,
Ryan

--->Noegel: What evidence do you have the turbo car is any less durable? Are you expressing some unfounded fears, or are you taking the "it has more parts thus it will fail sooner" stance?

 

Take my advice.
1. Go get two dice.
2. Roll the dice.
3. If you rolled 1 and 1, don't buy a MINI. If you rolled anything else, go buy a MINI.

 

 

Consumer Reports rates the current MINI hardtops as a full bullseye (well above average.) The MINI overall is rated at average, seemingly because of the cabrio being considered average. In their survey results, at least, the R56 is an improvement over the R53.

 

I'm a relative newbie compared to Ryephile having only motored 42,000 miles. So far no issues that have caused me any concern as far as the ability to motor with my car goes.

If I was to buy a new R56 today I'd buy a Cooper. It handles as well as a MCS & gets better mileage, which to me is becoming more important by the week. The biggest reason for the Cooper choice over the MCS is that damn cold start issue. You get a warranty that goes for 50,000 miles, but if your engine dies because of long term cold start oiling issues once out of warranty it's going to be on your dime.

That's just my opinion. What do others think of this issue?

 

At such time BMW addresses and remedies this I will buy an R56. http://www.motoringfile.com/2008/02/...issue-exposed/

 

I assume you are referring to an MCS.

 

I'm confused. The car is direct-injected, and makes a noise not unlike a diesel. Has anyone experienced an engine failure or been left standing as a result of this noise?

 

 

Don't worry about it, Anti. If you want a Toyota, I guess you should buy one, but I wouldn't bypass a MINI. If anyone would have problems with an R56, I guess it would be me--mine is a week 3 build--Beta testing for the U.S. market, right?

As for the two issues you mentioned, I've had no real trouble with either one. Nothing at all with any cold-start noise. The hood scoop IS hot, particularly after shutting down, but there hasn't been any trouble with the paint. I can see the barest hint of a depression when it's viewed from the side, but I can't even feel it. If it ever became a problem, obviously I'd complain, but it's only 15 minutes to my dealer and I still haven't seen the need. This is after 1 1/2 years, 22,000 miles. My MINI's scoop is fully closed, BTW, and although Hubby and I have considered opening the screen up, or removing it entirely, it's always one of those "probably should but haven't gotten around to it" types of things. Watching the grass grow so that we can mow it again has taken higher priority.

You wouldn't have any scoop problem at all with a Cooper, but you'd miss out on a really fine driving experience. If you've driven one, you already know what I mean!

As for other issues I HAVE had along the way, there have only been a few, and so far as I know they've all been taken care of with reprogramming, or minor parts improvements. Nearly two years into the model (including the time in Europe), this would be as good a time as ever to buy one...

BTW, this is the kind of forum that can either help people, or scare the dickens out of them! Naturally there will be few "I love my car and nothing has ever gone wrong with it" posts, but there will be 3 or 4 entire threads on the "hood scoop problem." If it really were such a problem, I suspect BMW/MINI would be supplying the new ones, and retrofitting the older ones, with titanium scoops. Haven't seen any.

If you do order one, expect to have a "gee, what have I done" buyer's remorse kind of problem of your own. I started one myself back in December, '06, before anyone had even seen an R56 on this side of the Pond. Others have, too (just do a search!). Over 40 years of driving and owning cars, I've seen good cars and bad, but MINIs are squarely on the "good" side of the ledger! And absolutely the "funnest" car to drive.

 

You live just north of Houston. Shocking that you haven't had cold-start issues.


I've been reading through the death rattle threads, too, and it's amazing how many people from Texas, SoCal, Florida, and Hawaii weigh in to report on this issue.

Anyway, I was exiled from Houston to Minneapolis. It's more of a concern for me now.

 

OP, have you found two dice yet?

 

From your signature it looks like you have white bonnet stripes. Have you noticed any possible wearing or aging to the bonnet stripes that could be related to how hot the bonnet gets?

 

+1

I'd worry about it. It would keep me from buying a new MCS with the Prince engine, that is for sure. Not everyone has the problem, but as time goes on more seem to be. If anyone is thinking about buying a R56 MCS they should read what's posted on motoringfile. I'm sure hoping MINI/BMW finds a fix for this problem.

 

Some MCS's are grumpier than others.

 

Very true, but if one buys one now before the problem is found & it affects their MCS they yep they'd be a grumpy owner. Me I'm very happy to keep driving my old school unsophisticated MINI.

How's the cold start issue at the Northpole?

 

Perhaps. But did you read the third paragraph of the referenced Motoring File article? It makes it clear that it is the ENGINE temp, not the AMBIENT temp that is the factor. My MINI doesn't go out every day (I work out of my home). Sometimes it sits 3 or 4 days, and when we've been out on a trip, 2 weeks. Still nothing. Nada.

Anti--you asked about the white stripes. No problems. Some, and I repeat SOME, of the early '07s had problems with staining from what was called "weeping washer nozzles." That did require dealer replacement as the stains were permanent. I didn't have this problem. At any rate, there is now a check-valve to prevent it.