The night before leaving for a week on vacation, I noticed the floor mats (and carpet beneath) on the driver’s side of my 2011 Mini were moist. There was no time to take it to the dealer or garage, so I shop vacced the floor and mats and left my keys with a friend. He also mopped up the water after two big rainstorms while I was gone.

So I rush home in a cab from the airport, drop my bags in the house, and got in the car to pick up my dog a few blocks away. Within one block some of the sensors were acting up (like the trunk open sensor) and by the fourth block small tendrils of smoke were slowly coming out of the air vents. I parked, exited the vehicle and called 911. Police and fire were there immediately, got the driver’s door open to release the hood, and disconnected the battery.

No flames but enough smoke to leave residue on the inside of the windows. The driver side airbag deployed and the interior pillar where the hood release is located sustained some damage. The firemen apparently had to open the hood with some hardware (they probably couldn’t find that release button under the hood rim). The car has been towed and I’m awaiting the insurance company report.

Can a Mini have any chance of repair after such an incident? Or is it hopeless?

 

if it was a classic ......