the real issue here is that 10% is DOT mandate approved mini has to allow it and live up to it. I have a real problem with the fact mini is testing the gas and is passing judgement with no further fallow up about the station. My Gf happens to work at an environmental testing company that performs the whole spectrum of tests i am just waiting for them to blame some issue i have on bad gas i would mandate a sample be drawn off and sealed and send out for independent tests. I do not think they are being 100% honest. If it turns out to be more than 10% you have an independent lab and can bill the fuel supplier. I am sorry but mini just seems to have more issues with fuel than any other car i have seen.

 

I have run mine on 87 from Sheets and BP with no problems other then a slight drop in mpg and a barely noticeable power loss at low RPM. I find that Shell mid grade is the best in both the above areas. Your comment about mini's having problems with gas seems to be most common with the "S" not the MC. It just seems to me that 90% of all the problems posted are with the "S". It could be more selective due to the turbo. Just a guess and an observation. No real data to back it up.

Jim

Jim

 

What happened to Iceman?

I have two great dealerships around me that have taken my cars without any questions about what gas I use...Prestige and Morristown...talk to the General Managers at both dealership like an old family friend...

Yes...I do drive my JustaClubman like an S...you need six speeds and a sport button.

 

This is merely to point out another obesrvation that your "just-a-clubman" brought to mind. First there was the R-50 then later came the R-53. So actually shouldn't the "S" be the one called a "just-another-cooper"?

Jim

 

Both MINIs and the VW Beetle Convertible belong to the wife...I just drive the one that is available...

The Clubman was a lease that the wife won last year...The car is more than Normally Aspirated when I drive the car...

I have 12,000 miles on it and no problems whatsoever...you can guess what Octane I use.

 

Well there you have it. The MC is the original and best of the two. Prehaps not as fast, but dependable and trouble free.

Jim

 

The Clubman grows on you...I'll like it because it keeps you honest...you can go fast in spurts but you avoid tickets knowing it's not an "S".

I have never had any problems w/ the MCSa either and it has 31,700 miles on it...not even a cold start issue or a hood scoop melt...luckily it was built before 1 Sep 07...No Direct TPMS system...The auto is great in traffic in NYC...

Hopefully within the next 5 months the Red VW Beetle convertible will get traded in for an R52 MINI Convertible...

 

the MCS seems to be the one that is having the issues agreed. The fuel issue seems to be blamed alot when there is no true evidence of that being the true casue of the issue. They put it in a gravity to test for content they have yet to prove to me through all of these threads i have read and my deals with mini for my mis-fires that gas could be the issue. I do not deny that it happens on a station by station basis but this seems nationwide issue with gas coming from a lot of brands in different states. If it was gas you would see many different cars that are DI having this issue.

 

Good point. I have noticed one thing that I had not really thought about until now. If I buy Shell gas the first indicator light goes out between 94 and 115 miles depending where the station is that I buy it. The stations closer to Baltimore, MD get 94 and the ones further away get 115. These numbers are the same all the time. Very odd........

Jim

 

It's not necessarily odd--some areas have ethanol requirements tied to the local air pollution. My guess is that some areas might have more ethanol than others, judging by what some people have written. Houston, and the county above it, require ethanol, and the pumps are marked "up to 10%." The next county up has no ethanol. We fill there as much as possible because it's easier on the engine and gives more mpg with a fill up.

 

Well folks I am back for my last post to end my nightmarish tale. After fighting with the absolute worse Repair Department in the state and then taking it way up to the main Mini Corp of America. I really got no where. The last day I drove my mini it only had 5k miles on it and I purchased it back last November. From November 08 to Aug 09 my car was in the shop so many times my neighbors though I was just renting them to have different colors each few weeks. From what I remember I had my MCS 09 in the shop at least 9 - 10 times. In this day in age when people are loosing jobs, people can't afford to make house payments or car payments. To take a paying customer and basically tell them that 90% of the problems I was experiencing was all my fault. I have never in my life seen such poor customer service in my life. Unfortunately due to the over usage of the Lemon Law in the 80's and 90's basically every attorney that I spoke to said I had nothing to stand on and when it all boils down to it, it's my word against theirs. Which to me is absolute BS. Even though I have plenty of documentation to show any judge. Mini did offer me a BMW 1 series standard. I told them to go to hell. I had a top of the line MCS with tons of goodies why in the world would I swap into a bottom of the line BMW 1 series? So to make a long story short I told them to f off. So I just let them take the car back. My business partner is quite pissed at me. But bottom line is that I refuse to pay $600 + a month for a car that I felt unsafe to drive. I pulled everything out of the car and on the car I could put into a bag and flipped them the bird. All this time all I asked for was for them to take one of the many many Minis off the lot and just swap me out one. As a dealer myself I really did not understand why this was such a big issue. Mini of USA and Mini of Towson will never ever get a drop of my cash ever again. I will never ever give them any praise. (these statements are based on my car so don't go flamin). Besides the fact that I loved driving the car, I had more issues with this car than any other car i have ever gotten into. The car just felt cheaply made and poorly designed. If I had gotten a replacement I would have lived with those little issues that I am sure everyone knows about. But to have a company that doesn't give a hoot about a consistent paying customer. I just don't get it. The best thing about having that mini was that the mini owners are such cool people that are willing to talk and help ya out.

Any way, thanks folks for your words and time. It was fun while it lasted. Good luck with your cars. I hope any of you Marylanders never have to use Mini of Towsons repair department.

I managed to ****** the mini binder with all the booklets and I pulled my mini antenna and my mini badges. If anyone wants them drop me a pm and tell me how much your willing to ****** them up + shipping.

Thanks folks you guys are very helpful.