My very lovely 2007 MCS just lost compression in cylinder 3. It at least needs a head gasket, which the garage quotes at 20 hours and about $3500-4000 by their estimate assuming that there isn't a bigger problem as well. I know that the car didn't overheat, so I'm assuming that it's just a head gasket and it didn't blow a hole in a piston or something more serious.
I'm torn about spending $4000 on a car that's only worth about $7000. Does anybody know the salvage value of a very clean R56 MCS that was well cared for?

 

Nice looking MINI....sorry to hear about the problem. You might ask the shop to pull the head so you can make a more informed decision. You would then have some choices-
1. Sell the car as is....probably to a recycler or maybe to an individual looking for a car to fix up and use the proceeds and more $ toward a replacement.
2. Part it out yourself - can be a lot of work and take some time - and use the proceeds and more $ toward a replacement.
3. Compare the cost to fix it to the cost to replace it with another car you like.

The book value of the car is interesting, but shouldn't be the only factor in your decision.

Best of luck - I hope its only the head gasket!

 

I asked the shop about stripping the head, but they said it'd be about 10 hours just to get that far. Apparently you need to pull a lot of accessories out of the way.
Unfortunately I don't have a place where I can do the work myself. I'm pretty confident that I could do the head gasket in the course of a weekend, but I don't want to disassemble the car in my driveway.
Are you interested in trading for that '60 Bugeye?

 

It could be a lot of things wrong with the engine. When i lost compression in one cylinder it was because i melted a hole through an exhaust valve. I removed the head and had a new valve and seat put in. The head work itself was only about $300. It was a lot of work to get to it but i had the time to do it myself. total cost ended up being less than $1000.

On the other hand i think a reman shortblock from mini is in the $3k-$4k range.

 

Is the shop 100% sure it is the head?
Carbon can cause valves to stick...
Make yourself 100% sure by asking the right questions.

 

Yes, it is the head. Leakdown showed compression leaking from 3 coming out the spark plug hole on 4.
I have seafoamed the car every 10k and have stayed on top of carbon buildup.

 

Very sorry to hear that.....

 

You might look for a used engine from a wrecking yard and have an indy shop swap it for you. That might cut the bill to $2K or so.

 

would make a lot more money if you part it out your self!

 

I can't see parting out a good car. I did the used motor on my daughter's Jeep Cherokee back about 10 years and got away under $2K including labor.

A quick search for "2007 mini used motor" found this link...and others...

http://www.automotix.net/usedengines...8soRoCrXXw_wcB

 

Unfortunately you have to weigh not the book value but how much you like your car. You'll never recoupe what you spend on any car. If you spend 4 grand on it, what could you buy that you'd like as much for 4 grand plus whatever you got out of the car as is. Probably not anything in the condition it's in and you may not like it as much. Just my way of thinking.

 

Without a place to do your own work, you're pretty much limited to someone else's labor. Gaskets, TTY bolts, will cost at least $200. If the shop doesn't have the special tools needed to work on a Mini, they'll add that to their labor (altho, I wouldn't use a shop without Mini tools --- probably not enough experience to do anything right). Then possible machine shop labor. If you're gonna keep it, start with pulling the head, then make informed decisions based on what's found.

 

Nice looking '07. You really kept that clean.

Any chance that you have an indy Mini/BMW shop around? It doesn't take 20 hours to do the head gasket. That may represent "the book hours charged", but it can be done faster, and cheaper.
Me personally, I'd have it fixed, and take care of any other issues that could crop up while the head is removed. Assuming the car is paid for, you won't find a nicer one, for the money it would cost to fix it.

 

I second that......

 

unfortunately so many of these n14's fail it's really kept the used engines priced excessively high, like 3000+ for an engine

 

I love my car too much to consider getting rid of it when the $ to keep is greater than the book value. I'd consider an engine swap or maybe convert to electric.

 

Downgrade to the base engine. It should be cheaper and more reliable. Went from an S to the Base and missed the brakes more than the horsepower. The base engine really isn't bad and makes a nice sound.

 

I don't think you can just do that, it's not a simple job converting and then buying all new ECU/cluster that alone is probably 1000 $ and the base engines are excessively expensive too

 

I am just about done rebuilding mine. Minor starting issues for the 1st time after the rebuild but I would say its a shame you are in California. I'd help you out if I could but honestly if it's only the head its easy to pull but in my case it was the piston. I would not go with a used engine. I would look at new or rebuild with local shop. I could have bought a used mini cheaper but I believe my new setup will be tough. Message me if any questions.

Good Luck!

 

The salvage value is probably the book value minus the repair value, divided by half. So $1500.

The question you need to ask yourself, is whether there's a car you'd like better that you can buy for $1500 plus the cost of the repair. If yours is in good condition otherwise (have someone check the turbo) and doesn't have too many miles, I doubt you can.

That price does seem a little high for a head gasket, but for just a little more, you can probably replace the engine (at an independent shop that works on Minis regularly) with a crate long block from Mini, and I would consider doing that. You'll get a good warranty if you do (2 years, I think?), and there were a lot of design improvements after yours was manufactured.

Fix the car, drive it for 23 months, and sell it.

 

I just saw your other post looking for a shop near SJ. Maybe try BR Racing in Los Gatos, or Edge Motor Werks in Mountain View. Also, one of the most recommended MINI specialists in the Bay Area is Bay Bridge Motors in Oakland if you want to tow your car that far. Give them a call them to see what they estimate for a head gasket. I don't think it would be twenty hours... does it even take that long to R&R an entire motor?

 

just found this thread in my searches as I also just got the news that my 2007 cooper S with 59K is losing compression in Cylinder 3. It's not bad enough to lose power yet, but when the car is cold you can feel the misfire. Took it to my local Mini shop - they say there is an air leak in cylinder 3 which is causing the misfire and also putting air bubbles into my engine coolant causing the overheating message I'm seeing intermittently. Anyone in the NY/NJ/Tri state area that can recommend a good mechanic/shop that could do the engine swap for me?

My shop quoted me $1k just to take the head off and confirm the diagnosis that I either need a new gasket or worse, cracked head or block... basically at this point I think I'm leaning towards getting a rebuilt engine like you guys suggested and getting that installed, hopefully keeping costs at or around $3K. Rather than pulling the engine apart and getting destroyed by labor costs and band-aid style fixes...

 

Can you borrow a garage? BMW does seem to be on a parts price kill move on R56's.

The steel gaskets on these are good, so the head will be warped from heat and you have 18 thou ( Ive gone 21) if you cant you may try welding the head or you will have to find a spare and I agree dont go used unless its a core for rebuild and only pay $500 max. That leaves a MINI reman and prices are up on those. If you are in Cali I would sadly call it a day unless you can regularly work on the thing.

If you are by NY I could lend a hand for an afternoon I hate to see 07 pepper whites go down.

 

Did they scope the bore?,,,, $3000 is in fix it mode but it doesnt have to be a band aid fix if its the head it can be done,,, if carbon locked up the bore,,, and caused damage,,, then the remans seem to be $5000 now.

 

not sure if they scoped it. can you recommend another shop in the tri-state area that can give me a second opinion? I mean what they say makes sense, but their estimates are pretty high just for diagnosing, etc. although I know that you really have to take off the head to see what's what.