R56 What is wrong with MINI?
#51
12-05-2013, 10:19 PM
6th Gear
I'm assuming that it does but don't know for sure. I bought the upgraded tensioner and my first plan is to replace that. As you probably know, you can tell by sound if there is something wrong. My car has low miles so if it sounds tight on a cold day after swapping out the tensioner I will be confident in it for now. The nearest dealer is a few hours away so that isn't a good option for me. If I knew for sure they would replace all hardware I might go that route but many say that the dealers aren't fixing their problem and since I don't have a dealer locally I will just deal with it myself for now.
I have had some bad luck with vehicles. Years ago I had a '90 Toyota 4wd with the 22RE engine. It was supposed to be a 300k engine. When I hit 116k, the timing chain jumped and it destroyed all the intake valves. Come to find out, they changed the timing chain setup in the late 80's... To a plastic guide and spring loaded tensioner system..... Just like the Mini! It failed but lasted much longer than the mini. Same basic problem though. I pulled the head and oil pan and fixed it. Then I had a Suzuki 2004 GSXR 600 sport bike. They are supposed to be bulletproof also. I was cruising in traffic one day at about 50 mph. I downshifted and the engine took a complete dump and threw a rod threw the front of the motor. It only had 6600 miles on it and was not ridden very hard. Such is life I guess. **** happens, just tired of it happening to me. I take care of my stuff.
I have had some bad luck with vehicles. Years ago I had a '90 Toyota 4wd with the 22RE engine. It was supposed to be a 300k engine. When I hit 116k, the timing chain jumped and it destroyed all the intake valves. Come to find out, they changed the timing chain setup in the late 80's... To a plastic guide and spring loaded tensioner system..... Just like the Mini! It failed but lasted much longer than the mini. Same basic problem though. I pulled the head and oil pan and fixed it. Then I had a Suzuki 2004 GSXR 600 sport bike. They are supposed to be bulletproof also. I was cruising in traffic one day at about 50 mph. I downshifted and the engine took a complete dump and threw a rod threw the front of the motor. It only had 6600 miles on it and was not ridden very hard. Such is life I guess. **** happens, just tired of it happening to me. I take care of my stuff.
#52
12-06-2013, 04:18 AM
It's a 150 mile round trip for me to my closest dealer, but if there was a chance of them replacing the Cam Chain Cassette on their dime I would drive a lot farther. I took my car in for the heat shield and cam chain recall. They installed the heat shield, but did not do the cam chain because the parts were not in stock. They are rescheduling me for next week and supplying me with a loaner. All they did was look at the tensioner, and since it was the original one, they said they would just replace the whole thing. If they see a new style tensioner, they will stop right there because the bulletin tells them to. Replacing the tensioner yourself could end up costing you a couple grand down the road. Another problem with replacing that part yourself is the chain itself may have already been stretched out of tolerance and a new tensioner will not fix that.
#53
12-11-2013, 03:52 PM
1st Gear
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My R56 is a complete piece of garbage. I bought it used with ~45k miles. I now have ~73k on the odo and its been nothing but trouble. Its very sad that the quality is so poor. The car is quite fun to drive when its running correctly. I take very good car of my cars. I have an 03' Ford Excursion with ~175k miles and an 88' Porsche with ~150k miles. Never again will I purchase a Mini product.
#54
12-11-2013, 05:01 PM
#55
12-13-2013, 12:41 PM
I swapped out my timing chain tensioner today for the upgraded (same length) version. Although it wasn't a 20 minute job for me, it wasn't difficult. The only problem I ran into was removing the hoses that needed to be removed, largely because it was only about 40 degrees in my garage.
I am very glad that I went ahead and did this. When I removed the original tensioner, it was barely hand tight. I don't know the history of my car (I purchased it with 24k miles on it) but the tensioner looks to be the original one and I doubt anyone else had been in there. I was shocked at how loose it was. I had a long 1/2" drive ratchet and prepared to put some muscle into loosening it but I barely put any pressure on it before it started turning. I think I dodged a bullet here. The new one is torqued to 65nm.
The plunger on the new tensioner is much stiffer as others have noted, and the car immediately sounded better as soon as I fired it up. Hopefully this solves the problem for at least a few years since I will probably only put 10K - 12k miles per year on it.
I am very glad that I went ahead and did this. When I removed the original tensioner, it was barely hand tight. I don't know the history of my car (I purchased it with 24k miles on it) but the tensioner looks to be the original one and I doubt anyone else had been in there. I was shocked at how loose it was. I had a long 1/2" drive ratchet and prepared to put some muscle into loosening it but I barely put any pressure on it before it started turning. I think I dodged a bullet here. The new one is torqued to 65nm.
The plunger on the new tensioner is much stiffer as others have noted, and the car immediately sounded better as soon as I fired it up. Hopefully this solves the problem for at least a few years since I will probably only put 10K - 12k miles per year on it.
#57
12-22-2013, 06:18 PM
I probably would have had second thoughts if I had read as many horror stories as I've had since taking delivery of my Cooper and reading the forums diligently.
On the other hand, I had been leaning towards getting a Mini since January 2009. I visited a dealership with a friend who wanted to order a Clubman and was impressed by what I saw. Mind you I have NEVER owned a non-Volkswagen in my entire driving life but my last one (2001 GTi) had been fun, lasted me over 12 years but was not going to be easy to replace. I've always been a fan of small cars and VW has effectively abandoned the small car market in the US. So, it made sense to gravitate towards Mini.....especially I wasn't willing to take a chance on a new Fiat 500 or SMART car.
I would visit the MINIUSA configurator every few months for over 4 years, fine tuning what options and colors I'd want and how much I'd be willing to spend on a new car.
So, when I finally did buy one this year, it had been a well-thought out decision. No regrets so far, although I am a little nervous about what I've heard regarding clutch durability.
On the other hand, I had been leaning towards getting a Mini since January 2009. I visited a dealership with a friend who wanted to order a Clubman and was impressed by what I saw. Mind you I have NEVER owned a non-Volkswagen in my entire driving life but my last one (2001 GTi) had been fun, lasted me over 12 years but was not going to be easy to replace. I've always been a fan of small cars and VW has effectively abandoned the small car market in the US. So, it made sense to gravitate towards Mini.....especially I wasn't willing to take a chance on a new Fiat 500 or SMART car.
I would visit the MINIUSA configurator every few months for over 4 years, fine tuning what options and colors I'd want and how much I'd be willing to spend on a new car.
So, when I finally did buy one this year, it had been a well-thought out decision. No regrets so far, although I am a little nervous about what I've heard regarding clutch durability.
#58
12-22-2013, 06:36 PM
#59
12-22-2013, 06:38 PM
#60
12-22-2013, 06:44 PM
ONLY 28000 miles on your first clutch? That's ridiculous. I had 173000 on the ORIGINAL clutch on my GTi 1.8t when I sold the car.
#62
12-22-2013, 10:49 PM
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I have put 36k miles on my 2012 Mini hardtop non S in 2 years.
Other than scheduled maintenance, the car has not had one problem.
If I had read this forum or Porsche Pete's Boxster Board prior to purchase, I would not have had the pleasure of driving the Mini or my 2001 Boxster S for 123k miles!
Other than scheduled maintenance, the car has not had one problem.
If I had read this forum or Porsche Pete's Boxster Board prior to purchase, I would not have had the pleasure of driving the Mini or my 2001 Boxster S for 123k miles!
#63
12-23-2013, 05:43 AM
#64
12-23-2013, 06:14 AM
If you're buying a pre-owned MINI with an unknown history, my opinion is that you shouldn't be all that surprised if problems turn up. Yes, it could have been pampered by the previous owner and be a very good car; or it could have been caned within an inch of its life, with oil changes when the light prompted at 15K, and then prettied up for sale when it started to get sick. I bought mine new, followed the break-in guidelines, I change oil at 5K, take it in for regular check-ups, etc. Aside from the aux water pump recall and turbo oil line heat shield fitment, reliability has been exemplary. Yes, every car is different; but with an unknown history on ANY vehicle, you're taking your chances. Ask any MG owner... ;-)
Just my opinion, and I realize there are exceptions!
Spridget
Just my opinion, and I realize there are exceptions!
Spridget
#65
12-23-2013, 10:55 AM
I think BMW/Mini (and the whole auto industry for the most part) has shifted closer to building cars with disposability in mind....an increasing emphasis on electronics which tend to have a shorter trip to obsolescence than mechanical components as well as increased use of cheaper materials...more plastics, ceramics, thinner gauge sheetmetal... they don't really want you to keep a car running for 10+ years. The more frequently they can get you into a brand new car means a greater percentage of the time you own the car will be exposed to their dealer network (more $$$ for them).
I was poking around under the hood of my Justa Cooper yesterday and marveled at how cheap and flimsy everything seemed. If you ever get to see pictures of wrecked Minis (as some salvage yards show in their Ebay listings) the cars tend to crumple pretty easily. Yes, it makes for a safer occupant but again, win-win for the manufacturer...you'd either have to buy that many more replacement parts to get it running again or....buy a new one.
Sorrry for my long-winded speech. ;-)
I was poking around under the hood of my Justa Cooper yesterday and marveled at how cheap and flimsy everything seemed. If you ever get to see pictures of wrecked Minis (as some salvage yards show in their Ebay listings) the cars tend to crumple pretty easily. Yes, it makes for a safer occupant but again, win-win for the manufacturer...you'd either have to buy that many more replacement parts to get it running again or....buy a new one.
Sorrry for my long-winded speech. ;-)
#66
12-23-2013, 08:07 PM
Komet... I suspect that what you're seeing isn't MINI aiming for "disposablity," but is instead the result of mandates that demand certain levels of fuel economy (hence the lighter-weight materials, etc.) and crash safety that requires the front structure to deform in specific ways to minimize intrusion into the cabin. Obvious, of course, but I only say that to stress that such design is industry-wide, and certainly not unique to MINI. The heavy emphasis on electronic engine controls is likewise the result of laws defining economy and emissions management. In my opinion, however, MINI has gone overboard with the digital management of all the body electrics. Having to reprogram the window lifts? Come now, really... All that to say that modern cars, with all their technical sophistication, actually are capable of lasting a very long time. Even MINIs. ;-)
Spridget
Spridget
#67
12-24-2013, 01:27 AM
I hope you're right Spridget. I tend to buy my cars new and keep them over 10 years. I do know keeping on top of maintenance and small repairs before they turn into big ones is key. I'm just surprised at how much flimsier today's materials are.
As far as Mini's overemphasis on electric controls and programming for non-government mandated systems, I'm sure it's as much for keeping the owner dependent on sophisticated repair equipment as it is for advanced engineering purposes.
As far as Mini's overemphasis on electric controls and programming for non-government mandated systems, I'm sure it's as much for keeping the owner dependent on sophisticated repair equipment as it is for advanced engineering purposes.
#68
12-24-2013, 03:21 AM
Hey Gorilla,
Unfair statement!!!! You bought it with 45K on the odometer. Do you know if the prior owner performed required maintenance? or what about abusing it or was it modded and then retrofitted prior to sale. When you buy used, you take chances especially if it is not MINI Next. You just can't blame it on MINI. This just might be your fault.
Unfair statement!!!! You bought it with 45K on the odometer. Do you know if the prior owner performed required maintenance? or what about abusing it or was it modded and then retrofitted prior to sale. When you buy used, you take chances especially if it is not MINI Next. You just can't blame it on MINI. This just might be your fault.
#69
12-24-2013, 03:50 AM
I agree and this statement could apply to any used vehicle - but I believe even more so with MINIs. When I last fueled up my local station attendant (yes, I'm in NJ) said he could tell who owned vs. leased their MINIs. Owners - premium; lessee - regular. It's a simple example but shows how some folks do not do the right thing for their cars regardless of what's in an owners manual. So who's to say what else has or hasn't been done properly?
#70
12-24-2013, 04:22 AM
As for flimsy stuff, it's a combination of cost, weight savings, safety, and corrosion issues. I'll gladly take a crash in my Mini over a 1968 Mustang.
#71
12-24-2013, 06:21 AM
I did not know that danjreed. I have only owned 6 cars in 27 years of driving, only 2 of those were used and all were Volkswagens until this 6th one, a 2013 Cooper hardtop.
I just found it surprising that I can press my palm into the center of my front bumper and feel it physically give under the pressure. That's pretty flimsy IMHO.
I just found it surprising that I can press my palm into the center of my front bumper and feel it physically give under the pressure. That's pretty flimsy IMHO.
#72
12-24-2013, 06:43 AM
5th Gear
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I did not know that danjreed. I have only owned 6 cars in 27 years of driving, only 2 of those were used and all were Volkswagens until this 6th one, a 2013 Cooper hardtop.
I just found it surprising that I can press my palm into the center of my front bumper and feel it physically give under the pressure. That's pretty flimsy IMHO.
I just found it surprising that I can press my palm into the center of my front bumper and feel it physically give under the pressure. That's pretty flimsy IMHO.
#73
12-24-2013, 07:07 AM
#74
12-24-2013, 07:19 AM
My 2001 (mk4) GTi also had a plastic bumper cover, but it was strong enough to stand fast against mere hand pressure. My point isnt so much that plastic parts are flimsy (since ABS plastic has been effectively used for bumper covers since the 80's) but that it's surpising that a bumper cover which is expected to withstand light taps in low speed situations is so flimsy that I can press in close to an inch with hand pressure.
komet I think you are pushing only on the bumper cover. You can pull that off in a few minutes and that reveals the real works which seems to be fairly efficient in protecting the passenger cabin. I've seen some pretty nasty looking crash pictures, including one local, where the occupants purportedly walked away. These little cars are pretty sophisticated compared to my first new car - '73 Super Beetle.
#75
12-24-2013, 09:39 AM
My 2001 (mk4) GTi also had a plastic bumper cover, but it was strong enough to stand fast against mere hand pressure. My point isnt so much that plastic parts are flimsy (since ABS plastic has been effectively used for bumper covers since the 80's) but that it's surpising that a bumper cover which is expected to withstand light taps in low speed situations is so flimsy that I can press in close to an inch with hand pressure.
Yes there is an "air space" between the bumper skin and the foam/rebar underneath.
If it bothers you, fill it with expanding foam and hope no one bumper taps you.