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I have a 2012 hardtop with around 55k miles. I noticed a thick black oil spot in the driveway, so I lifted the car to see where it was coming from, but all I could see was where it was dripping from on the suspension. Any ideas?
View from behind passenger side wheel looking towards engine.
Looks like back if the valve cover or VVT actuator. That's really far back so it must be coming from above as opposed to being pushed by the wind from a lead farther forward.
Look on the back of the valve cover....preferably from under the car.
Now that's a good point and makes more sense! I never new the OEM units were fluid filled and Ive changed mine 2 times. I'm pretty sure my 2008 had solid rubber bushings. Maybe its because 2012 upgraded to fluid filled to fix the horrific ride of the early R56 models.
That being said...don't use Powerflex low-tech garbage bushings. Fluid filled is there to help dampen vibration. Yes it might allow more flex and may fail more easily, but you'll pay the price in ride quality if you use lowtech, Power-garbage. If urethane or whatever they are made of bushings were so great the manufacturers would have been using them to start with.
If your goal is a super tight suspension then yes go with urethane but dont do just one side.
Its an easy fix bro...and not engine related. Be happy.
That being said...don't use Powerflex low-tech garbage bushings. Fluid filled is there to help dampen vibration. Yes it might allow more flex and may fail more easily, but you'll pay the price in ride quality if you use lowtech, Power-garbage. If urethane or whatever they are made of bushings were so great the manufacturers would have been using them to start with.
Okay boomer.
There is very little NVH coming from the front control arm. I could see someone going off the rails about solid motor and transmission mounts, but the LCAs? That is totally absurd.
You've changed yours twice. That should be a clue.
There is very little NVH coming from the front control arm. I could see someone going off the rails about solid motor and transmission mounts, but the LCAs? That is totally absurd.
You've changed yours twice. That should be a clue.
Why do you think they put fluid filled in the control arm to begin with?
The ball joint broke that's why they were changed.
Go to the children's forums if you're gonna behave like a prepubescent, Scotty
Nobody buys Mini because they want a ride like a Cadillac. If you want a smooth soft riding car the Mini isn't for you.
Neither does anyone buy a Mini because they want to use it as a Bus. Does that in turn mean, that all Mini owners have to remove all passenger seats and only use their Minis on track days?
The world is made of more than just two opposing extremes (despite many politicians denying it in public). I like my Mini Cooper just the way it is from factory. Should any part of the suspension need fixing, I will certainly make sure that any replacement parts do not alter the car's behaviour.
You're telling me....I've had cars on pillow ball mounts (metal on metal), coil-overs with super high spring rates, urethane engine mounts for high boost, imported engines etc etc to the point where the entire car would vibrate. I've done all that.
The thread starter drives a base Cooper. He or she may just want to keep the ride the same. It may be his wife's car and his wife wants as soft a ride as possible. Powerflex is low tech and isnt going to isolate as well as liquid filled.
Thank you everyone who replied! I ended up dropping it off for service, I will post an update when I find out what it is. Sounds like it may be suspension bushing, I didn't realize they were filled with fluid, so I've learned something new.
So it turned out to be the control arm bushing, which is filled with fluid. The dealer (Momentum Mini in Houston) quoted… $1,650.
Because of the price, which seems high, plus the overall horribleness of the communication and dealer experience at Momentum, I took the car to an independent Mini shop today.
Momentum moved into a shiny new building last month, and every part of my experience has gotten worse. When I dropped off the car, I asked them if they needed to know why I was bringing it in, and the person recording my information told me I would have to speak with the service writer. Who thought there needed to be another layer between the customer and technician?!
I would have maybe let them do the work if they could explain a little more about the job, but I was never able to speak to anyone, and the service writer never returned my calls. The quote is all automated through text message and a web link. I’ll pass.
Holy Carp!!!! $1650 for a control arm bushing?!?!?! Yes they are a PITA since they have to be pressed in and all but man, they trying to rape you. Get ready to join the #metoo movement if you get them to do work for you.
Any shop can do that work. Don't bother with Mini. Look up the price of that part at ECS Tuning just to give yourself some perspective, then add maybe $300 in labor at a shop. That's what you should be paying. Not $1650.
