thx for the help!

 

Sounds like petty stuff to me honestly. An annoyance but petty. Idk what the DME is... #9. But a few loose hose clamps... A chain tensioner that's $35 and 45 min install, and wear and tear stuff... Though A/C sucks but things are bound to break no matter what car you have. My step moms 2009 Chevy Traverse had the whole engine replaced in the first year because the timing tensioner went bad and got out of time and motor went capooie. She bought new and was covered under warranty.

Sorry for lack of support here. I feel like I see this everyday. Maybe I'm just used to never having a warranty and fixing everything myself and don't look at things like that as a reason to hate the car.

 

DME is a major issue. And expensive too.

What can you get for it if you were to replace it and how much to do the switch to another car?

Because of the annoyance and unreliability I would replace it.

 

On the one hand, it looks like all the common problems have been addressed. However, 9 trips to the dealer in only ~30,000KM is a lot. If it were me, I'd have a bad taste in my mouth. Only you can really decide, but if it were ME, i'd think, "This thing is cursed!" and get rid of it. Maybe try to trade it for an R53 if they happen to have one on the used lot.

 

Honest, I agree somewhat with 6speedwtneed... your issues with the hose clamps needing to be replaced/tightened on the intake are common things. I have an 2009 and changed my intake a while back to an NM Eng kit and I had to tighten hose clamps a few times just because they were shitty or became loose over time. #5 and 6 like you said are to be expected at that many miles.

The DME chip will probably be expensive but if you're covered, you're covered. It sounds like you may possibly be nearing the end of your repairs for a while and things may start running smooth again, who knows.

 

Plus the timing chain and hose clamps and HPFP are problems that almost all R56's have.

 

Only you can make that decision. I would agree with 6speedwtneed. Mostly maintenance and minor stuff (yes annoying and time consuming) and a few broken or failed parts. Not surprising on a vehicle with about 70,000 miles. It really comes down to "is owning the car more fun than putting up with the issues", and again, only you can decide that one. I also think you're asking "if, when and what will be the next needed repair"? The answer to that question is like rolling dice. It could be something big and expensive and it could be soon or it could be minor and a long ways away. Best of luck making a decision that you can live with.

 

bump

 

thx

 

I would keep it after this all being under warranty all repair work by MINI comes with a 2 yr unlimited mile warranty (in the US anyways). You are still covered on these issues if they arise again.

 

Good thing you're covered, I wouldn't have bought it with that many miles and no warranty.

 

wanted to give an update on my car...

 

I think you should sell it cut your losses and maybe buy a Toyota Corolla. Not inspiring but probably more reliable than the Mini you have.

 

A few definitions:

DME == "Digital Motor Electrics". That's Bosch's term for the engine management system. Used generically, it means all of (or sometimes any part of) the whole management system, but more frequently it means the "brain" (the computer that runs the thing) or sometimes the relay that powers the computer and fuel pump and such.

Coils == electrical transformers that create the fat high-voltage sparks at the spark plugs which ignite the air/fuel mixture.

Compression test == Replacing each spark plug with a pressure gauge to see how much pressure is built up inside the cylinder when the starter is cranking. Causes of low compression in a properly-performed test are generally bad valves (the ones that let the intake air into the cylinder and/or the ones that let the exhaust out of the cylinder), or bad rings (the metal rings around the pistons that seal them to the cylinder walls when they move up and down). Lower-probability things include holes in the pistons or cracks in the cylinder walls or the head. All of those are serious engine problems and would require someone to disassemble and rebuild the engine, or very possibly just replace it with a new one from BMW.

A compression test doesn't mean your car is having those problems, it merely means that they are taking a few minutes to check if those might be possibilities.

I'd be tempted to dump the car and get a different one. Possibly another MINI, possibly something else (depending on your needs/desires).

 

I went through this with the car I traded in for my MINI. I had a Mercedes C320 Sport and the breaking point for me came last January. I had one year left on the warranty so the repairs did not cost me out of pocket but I got tired of repeated trips to the dealer for repair work as well as driving loner cars. From May 2010 to January 2011 the number of trips in for repair came to 5 and the repair bills totaled around $7,500 and that was my limit. I have three other personal vehicles I can drive so in that time frame I put on the Mercedes only about the 5,000 miles tops. I traded the Merc. in for a Cooper S and so far I have had good luck.

I will echo a few and say this is something only you can answer for yourself. If the issues continue your limit of patience will be reached and then you will do something about it.

 

Well said. For me it's much the same. It would be the repeated trips to the dealer and the loaners that would do me in. Not so much the repairs themselves.

 

thx

 

I am confused. $29,000 dollars is really high dollar for a 2007 Cooper S bought 3 years used and with 46,000 miles on the clock. Am I confusing this monetary U/M? I don't mean to pick but $29,000 is new Cooper S pricing.

 

I agree. I paid about $27,000 USD for my 2010 Cooper brand new with 99.9% of options added.

 

thx

 

Boy I'll say so. That is a ton of ta ta's.

 

"we get gouged on pricing in canada unfortunately :("

That is a substantial price increase over what we pay. I would be interested in knowing where that difference comes from. Is it added government cost, what the market will bear...

MINI in the USA seem to hold their value pretty good compared to other makes so it surprises me that the dealer has depreciated your car so much. I would be interested to know if they have valued your car down so much based on the service history or other factor or if MINI just does not hold its value in Canada like it does in the USA.

Thank you for the response and I hope you find a way to get this taken care of without substantial loss.

 

I'd keep it.
After they've fixed everything, it'll be an almost new car! It sounds like they caught all the things that comonly break, plus a few others. These are dealer repairs, so they are waranted for another two years.

Dave

 

I'd get rid of it long before your warranty runs out!!!!
2007 First of 2nd Gen and first with a turbo. All kinds of issues with it..
When you buy a new car you shouldn't be having that many issues with it, even if they are covered by warranty...

I know the OP didn't buy his new but it's not that old either..
My '06 has 87,000 miles on it and the only problem I have had is a torn CV boot, which also turned into replacing the axle. Luckly it was all covered..

This is precisely why I will not by the first year of the new coupe coming out.
I want one in a bad way but willing to wait an see how it holds up, before buying one..

 

Good point Dave.