Exactly one day after buying my 2007 MINI Cooper, the hesitant sunroof stopped lowering on the front driver side. Took the glass panels out, cleaned and lubricated the whole mechanism, triple-checked for foreign objects, held down the windscreen spring bar to make sure it wasn’t binding the mechanism, but nothing made any difference. Taking it to the local European car shop Monday morning and I expect that I will have to pay for a whole new OEM assembly, which is either $1600 or $2400 depending on what’s included in the kits, and who bloody knows what the labor will run. OUCH!

I’m hoping the front driver-side section can be repaired instead. I suspect it jammed on the previous owner and he just left it partially opened and exposed to the elements under his tree for some time, as I scraped and vacuumed out a bunch of leaves and twigs and stuff.

Oh, and OF COURSE the sliding sunscreens were toast. I pulled them out and threw them away; the springs were both borked. So that wasn’t the problem with the main mechanism. Of course they will have to be replaced too.

Anyone ever have to deal with this overdesigned and unnecessary BMW atrocity? I generally dislike sunroofs but this car was otherwise in such good shape for the money that I just had to buy it from a nice man around the corner whose family has simply outgrown it. But it’s looking like I will pay more than half as much as I paid for the car to have a working sunroof. Oy!

 

I can’t really help with the sunroof, don’t have one, but I might be able to help find one. Check Facebook marketplace, there are tons of parts there and I’m almost certain that I ran across a sunroof that was already out of the car, plus you will see plenty of parts cars where you might be able to find one there. Local junkyards might also yield one. All mag great source for parts they part minis. If looking for new outmotoring, ecs, or way might have you covered, outmotoring or way “might” have used parts as well.

 

This is great! I didn’t know about WayMotorWorks, Outmotoring, or Allmag. I’ve just ordered some small parts I need for my restoration from all three outfits, just to check them out. Many thanks, Jason!

 

This guy has a good video to make sure things were cleaned up.

On the sunroof parts there is only soo much you can replace, without replacing the whole mechanism https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2007-.../Body/Sunroof/

 

Thanks for the link to your sunroof parts page. My mechanic says I need to replace the entire sunroof except for the glass. Do you have ALL of those parts he will need to do the job with all OEM parts? He can’t get any of this stuff from his usual parts supplier except for the sunroof motor. Does your Panoramic Roof Frame include cables and everything except the motor? If so, I’ll order from you directly. Thanks!

 

Hmmm. I’ll try taking my wind shroud out and see if it does the trick. Thanks for the link!

 

Yep, just no glass, it does not have the motor, you have to swap over the glass and motor.

 

Got it out, didn’t make any difference. Damn.

 

https://www.allmagautoparts.com/coll...r/r56+sunroofs they got one

 

I saw that one, but thanks anyway. Showed it to my mechanic and he said he would not work with used parts, period. I’m gonna call the only other place in town that works on Minis tomorrow, but I’ll bet they’ll have the same snooty attitude.

 

it’s that kind of attitude that would make me look for a new shop and most likely not take any business back there or fix yourself. As these cars age parts become no longer available or your paying an arm and a leg for it.

 

I’m with ya man. I’m thinking now that I will take all my parts charts and quotes from Mini parts suppliers to my local non-specialty auto shop and see if they will do it. I can’t take out a headliner, replace a drive motor, or install drain hoses and such — I need a mechanic! These parts may be European, but they aren’t left-handed threads or something exotic like that, and a sunroof doesn’t need special codes to program the computer. It’s just wrenches and common sense, right? And I know they won’t overcharge me for labor or have a arrogant attitude about used parts. I’ll report back on my progress, if any.

 

I honestly try to google what I’m looking to do and see if there is a video or two. I also have a Haynes manual and an account to Newtis which are the online manuals for bmw. If I had too my buddy has a Bentley manual that he takes pics of and sends me. If you send me your email address through pm, I’ll send you some info on the online manuals, 😉 like a free invite.
I maintain my clubby and my wife’s best friends R60s, I’m no mechanic just love turning wrenches and figuring stuff out.

 

Thanks but I do pretty much the same thing and I just got my shiny new Bentley guide today, so I’m set. I’m just old, fat, and have a hernia so these repairs are really challenging.

 

Just to follow up…

I have appointments with two other “Euro” shops several weeks out, both of which say their policy is to never use used parts unless new ones are unavailable. It must be a liability thing. Seems like they could just offer to let me sign a waiver regarding using such parts? I’ll ask, but I doubt they will.