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Making your R61 more reliable.
Hi everyone!
I must say that I'm a super excited being new owner of my 2013 JCW Paceman. Owning an R53 since 04 it was time for me to upgrade. I really wanted something different, unique and rare so I found this perfect condition JCW Paceman....:cool: I must say I got a great deal on this car... A fully loaded 2013 JCW Paceman with 23k miles. In outstanding condition. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...2b021826b8.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...00a1728665.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...473d557779.jpg Now.... on to the main question. -How can I make the N18 ... R61 more reliable? What are the must do modifications to help make my new car last for many more years to come? -What are the common failures of the R61? And what are the ways to fix, prevent or resolve the potential failures/ issues? -What are the things to be watching out for? I read that one the must have modifications is an Oil Catch Can due to potential blow-by. Any specific brands to consider over others? I kindly look forward to your suggestions and or recommendations. Thanks in advance. -Iris |
Any common problems to look out for?!
Any common problems to look out for or must have parts to keep reliability on check?! Searching the the web show that Minis are highly unreliable. I’m hoping that I can have a long reliable life with my Paceman... but many sites and videos show the N18 being notorious for issues... is this true?! Help a newbie out! 🙂 |
Just from reading about people's issues, it seems that modifications to increase power tend to reduce reliability. Another factor is using aftermarket parts.
Just my opinion, others will chime in soon. |
Exactly. Don't be stupid, and you won't have reliability issues. Kinda goes across automotive realms, not just Minis.
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Originally Posted by scf
(Post 4441113)
Exactly. Don't be stupid, and you won't have reliability issues. Kinda goes across automotive realms, not just Minis.
Browsing and Googling around for "N18 reliability" shows quite a bit of serious concerns hence this thread I made. It seems as if the N18 is quite prone to some issues even in stock form. And I'm certain that giving the car power mods would only induce and premature its condition. My goal is trying to make my car as reliable as possible.... My R53 is nothing but problems after 80k-miles. So I'm trying to avoid as many problems as I can while I have low miles on my new R61. I don't have any intentions on modifying it for power... The R61 JCW is nice and quick as it is.... And if I need a fix for speed then I'll drive my Subaru WRX STi... (highly modified pushing over 400whp.... My husbands daily driver). ;-) Im more concerned on my making my R61 as reliable as possible... I want it to last 200k if I can... So...., What are the common issues to expect and how does one avoid them or make the car more reliable? Thanks |
Since the R60 and R61 are very similar (2 less doors) I will add my two cents. First off, nice find! That’s a good looking paceman! Most notably with the N18 are the well known issues..... turbo, HPFP, FRM (footwell module) are the biggies that come to mind first. But don’t fret, those all have had the warranty extended on them, and with your mileage you are most likely covered. You can check for recalls and what warranty extensions you qualify for at the Mini USA website. Go to recalls and enter the last 7 of your VIN. The catch can isn’t as important on the N18 as it was on the N14, they did some redesign that improved the issue somewhat. Other than that, it’s hard to say, sometimes parts fail. With a good service history and continued proper maintenance, it could well not give you any trouble at all, you just never know. But I would think you will be fine. These forums are fantastic for getting help diagnosing and fixing issues, but don’t use it as a judge of the cars! Most people don’t post to say “everything is working fine” they post when there is a problem. That’s just the way these things work. It’s a beautiful car you picked up there and should make you smile a lot in the future! I’m on the other side of the Tuning debate, but that’s not the purpose of your post. Good luck and let me know if I can help in the future |
Originally Posted by MrGrumpy
(Post 4441254)
Since the R60 and R61 are very similar (2 less doors) I will add my two cents. First off, nice find! That’s a good looking paceman! Most notably with the N18 are the well known issues..... turbo, HPFP, FRM (footwell module) are the biggies that come to mind first. But don’t fret, those all have had the warranty extended on them, and with your mileage you are most likely covered. You can check for recalls and what warranty extensions you qualify for at the Mini USA website. Go to recalls and enter the last 7 of your VIN. The catch can isn’t as important on the N18 as it was on the N14, they did some redesign that improved the issue somewhat. Other than that, it’s hard to say, sometimes parts fail. With a good service history and continued proper maintenance, it could well not give you any trouble at all, you just never know. But I would think you will be fine. These forums are fantastic for getting help diagnosing and fixing issues, but don’t use it as a judge of the cars! Most people don’t post to say “everything is working fine” they post when there is a problem. That’s just the way these things work. It’s a beautiful car you picked up there and should make you smile a lot in the future! I’m on the other side of the Tuning debate, but that’s not the purpose of your post. Good luck and let me know if I can help in the future Thanks for the info leading me to the Mini USA site.... I put in my VIN info and no recalls. :thumbsup: What do you mean "Turbo, HPFP, FRM" are the biggies? Did these particular parts have issues on the Pacemans? Any links to them to study on? What issues have been extended on warranty? I definitely want to get a catch can for my N18 as Im certain there is vapors sneaking by causing havoc in my intake valves as we speak..:sad: Any suggestions on what manufacture have a good Catch Can setup with baffles? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.:) |
Pretty much all of the N18 Mini’s have well documented issues with turbocharger failures, they have extended warranty coverage for many of them. They supposedly changed something between the 2011 and 2012 model years to remedy it. It is usually caused by the oil feed line getting gunked up from the heat. The extension is supposed to be 5 or 10 years (don’t recall) or 120,000 miles. The HPFP is the high pressure fuel pump, these have been redesigned a few times and have about the same warranty as the turbo. The footwell module controls many of the cars electrical system and is know to go out on some. The warranty on those has just been extended more, out to 150,000 and 10 years I think. (It’s been a while since I got the letter) Also the thermostat, but those go out on any car sometimes. If you do a search on the site there is tons of info. And like I said before, don’t let it freak you out. There actually are some positive posts too, you can probably dint the equivalent to the “What did you do to your Countryman today” thread. It’s full of happy owners who post about new or fun things they did in their Mini. Most of all, just have fun and drive the hell out of it! I love my R60 S All4. They’re just so much fun on a nice twisty road! Enjoy it and do something to it to make it your own, it’s already pretty eye catching, so you’re a step ahead already! |
Originally Posted by MrGrumpy
(Post 4442092)
Pretty much all of the N18 Mini’s have well documented issues with turbocharger failures, they have extended warranty coverage for many of them. They supposedly changed something between the 2011 and 2012 model years to remedy it. It is usually caused by the oil feed line getting gunked up from the heat. The extension is supposed to be 5 or 10 years (don’t recall) or 120,000 miles. The HPFP is the high pressure fuel pump, these have been redesigned a few times and have about the same warranty as the turbo. The footwell module controls many of the cars electrical system and is know to go out on some. The warranty on those has just been extended more, out to 150,000 and 10 years I think. (It’s been a while since I got the letter) Also the thermostat, but those go out on any car sometimes. If you do a search on the site there is tons of info. And like I said before, don’t let it freak you out. There actually are some positive posts too, you can probably dint the equivalent to the “What did you do to your Countryman today” thread. It’s full of happy owners who post about new or fun things they did in their Mini. Most of all, just have fun and drive the hell out of it! I ove my R60 S All4. They’re just so much fun on a nice twisty road! Enjoy it and do something to it to make it your own, it’s already pretty eye catching, so you’re a step ahead already! Your right! One, can easily get overwhelmed buy all the concerns people seem to post about their cars issues.... I did what you recommended and searched around the site for issues of the N18 and quite a few pop up making me a little concerned about my Paceman. I just hope that it last me a long time as I'm one to keep a car for 10 years plus... I just want it to be reliable and I can make it more reliable with some small modifications then I would do so...;) Q.? -If turbo issues are prone to the N18 and some updates where made to later models, would there be a way to tell if I have the issue or if the updated change to fix the issues has been made to my 2013? -What are things I can do to remedy or fix the turbo issues before it happens? -Is it a good idea to get the turbo shield covers I see on vendors websites if the turbo heat seems to be the cause of turbo oil line issues? -Is an oil catch can a good idea as this is one of the more confusing modifications I'm looking into. Some catch cans have baffles and others don't. So I'm not sure which to get. Any name brands someone can recommend? :) |
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