So I got The Call from the service department up in Birmingham, AL, earlier today - vacuum pump ist kaput, and the car ain't going nowhere without a new engine. Looking at the math, it's not really worth it at this point (last in a string of recent issues), but now I have a dead car on my hands which at the moment I can't even store anywhere down here in Montgomery.

Any advice?

--
'08 Cooper S

 

So, you're not going to have it repaired? If so, I'd get on the phone and call some import salvage yards in your area and unload it..

 

Buy a used engine and have an independent MINI shop install it.

 

I maybe in the same boat I have the worst knock in the top end I'm awaiting my diagnosis report from the stealership since I still have CPO warranty but I'm sure it's not going to be good news so I'm eager to see what your plan is with yours

 

Send it over to us in Atlanta and we'll fix it up. Much more affordable than the dealer.

 

+1 for Way.

Thats like 2.5 hours from you.

 

How long does it take to push a car 150 miles?

 

With 4-5 people rotating who steers every 15 minutes, about 2.5 days.

 

Sorry to hear about the vacuum pump, you can find a motor in salvage of a newer engine which can be a task. Or get a new reman engine from MINI which is around $4100 with 500.00 core charge.


11002158705 KT Factory Reman

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11002158705KT/

 

First, have an independent shop look at it to confirm the diagnosis. If you do need a motor, I would recommend a reman vs. a yard motor. You just don't know how a yard motor was cared for. Spend the extra buxx and buy your way out of a future headache.

 

You have comments from 3 sponsors of the site, all are respected and helpful. Way is a solid shop, and a MINI specialist. If I were you, I would rent a trailer and get the car to him to look at.


If it is $5k for repairs, can you find a replacement car for $5k? New engine will fix 90% of the problems that you will have with your 08, assuming the rest of the car is in good shape.


If you love the car, then you can probably replace the clutch at the same time as the new engine, do other maintenance that Way recommends (control arm bushings, trans lube change, etc) and have a fun car for years and years.


If the car is a piece of crap (multiple crashes, odd vibrations or noises), or if you don't like it, then see if you can get $1500 for it at a junkyard.


IMO, it is up to you, and it depends on whether you want to drive the MINI for another 5 years, or you want to move on.


Good luck with your decision.
Mike

 

When i bought my Mini in 2012, I confidently said, I am going to probably keep this car forever. Roughly 2 years later I was eating crow and the engine **** the bed (ate valves or rings on #3); my Mini dealership hooked me up (considering I am 3rd owner and way out of warranty). It was a huge hit, but the car was already in great shape at the time (brand new tires, battery, year old ball joints and control arm bushings etc) and considering its market value vs what I still owe on it, it made no sense to dump and and end up in something else with further unknowns that would still need maintenance. It sucks that the "light at the end of the tunnel" is full engine replacement, but these cars just have too many issues on the early production years (mine was 06 production, so very early) to be reliable long term. I am quite confident that I can milk at least 100k out of this engine, and statistically speaking, the car will probably get hit and totalled by a tweaker talking on a cell phone and speeding. Regular maintenance is critical on cars with this much complexity, and a 15k oil interval means the oil was changed about 1/3 of the times it needed to be changed IMO.

Unless you've cared for it since new and been meticulous about oil changes, they are very failure prone. I think you should bite the bullet and keep it. Sure, you can go buy another used car for $5k (around so-cal 04-06 R53 S models are dime a dozen with minor salvage titles for $4-6k), but you're just going to end up with more problems down the road typical of a higher mileage used car. The way I see it, I've got the "freshest" 07 on the road now. And with a new clutch, flywheel and engine, I preferred it to the F56 S loaner the dealer gave me for a week (and I could never survive on the pinner 10 gallon fuel tank those cars come with). If I were you, I'd take WAY up on their offer and go for it. I'd rather fix the known issues then dive head long into the unknown and take a huge loss on something you've probably already sunk a lot of money into. I test drove quite a few cars while the Mini was in service, and none of them spoke to me the way mine still does, and being 6'3", there are precious few "sports cars" that I could realistically be comfortable in on a 6+ hour road trip to go mountain biking with another 6+' tall buddy.

 

I am also in Montgomery. If you need a place to store it that badly, It will fit in my back yard. But I would recommend a tarp Because of trees overhanging. BTW, are you part of the River Region Minis or British Motoring Club of Montgomery?

 

It's looking like Way is probably going to be my least bad option (not sure any of them rise to "good" at this point). At least I'll let them take a look, once I can get hold of a truck with a tow hitch. If nothing else I srick with the old plan and sell/trade it in next year but with a newer engine in it

 

Get yourself a reman engine. Thats exactly what i did. I understand your frustration, but in the end if you love the feeling you get when you drive your mini then it is worth it.

 

The cost of a new engine (actually less) and you could have an engine filled with better aftermarket forged rods and pistons.