surfblue: BMW emphatically states to its new owners not to try to top up after the fuel nozzle shuts off. This can contaminate the vapor recovery system resulting in a "check engine" light.

 

My MINI guy told me that ethanol can wreak havoc on the fuel gauge senders. He also said that if it causes a problem, I have to deal with the gas company, not MINI. Not so sure about the truth in that one.

 

Well, I got my car back from Mini of Manhattan after two days. They could not replicate the driver door noise or the squealing sound at idle, so they didn't look into it. The SA told me to bring in the car again and drive it with the foreman. They tested it on the West Side Highway, which is a little too congested to appreciate the door wind noise. The SA told me the place is pretty strict about service since it is a BMW corporate facility, not a franchise.

At least, they updated the software, fixed the door handle trim they broke last time when they adjusted the driver-side window, and charged me $50 to rotate the tires. I let them do it thinking it would be like a generous "tip".

Well, I'm taking my car anyway to Morristown on Monday to install my OEM alarm for half of Mini of Manhattan quoted. They said they charge premium prices cause rent is high in the city. I think they are busy enough and can get away with it. Though driving into the building for service is cool, I feel like a second-class citizen, surrounded by all the businessmen, talking away on their headsets while dropping of their bloated BMWs, although I do feel more pity than anything.

 

It is extremely expensive to run a business in Manhattan, especially if you need a large service area. They may even be losing money on a lot of stuff. Since Morristown MINI is pretty close, you're probably better off going there for accessories and parts, and maybe even service, as they'll be able to devote more time to your issues.

Several people have commented on Morristown's great prices and good service.

 

Hey--a BMW dealer doing warranty work on a MINI? This is what a lot of us have been campaigning for. Or did I miss something?

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=118837

 

Okay, I've got a BIG beef with my '07. It's a rattle--oh, I know where it is. The dealer refuses to work on it, though.

It's my radar detector. Seems it doesn't fit flat on the dash like on my previous cars. Still working on a better location for the velcro.

Seriously, I've got no complaints. The cruise control was reprogrammed (January cars only), the secret compartment was installed (also January cars), the SZL has been replaced, and a few nickel and dime things were fixed long ago. I've got a good one!

 

My MINI dealer is a BMW dealer. They are also only a five minute drive away. I didn't realize how lucky I was until I read about how few MINI dealers there are out there.

 

Thanks. Is that in writing somewhere? Just wondering. I misstated what I do. I pump till it clicks, wait ten seconds, hit it full bore again and it CLICKS off in less than a second or so. I've done this for over half a year now with no ill effects. When you're holding the pump handle ON at full boil, gas is somewhat turbulent in the tank, and I can't believe that that extra little blast is a problem, citing my car as the lab experiment. I DO understand about overfilling a tank. Tell ya what, I'll STOP doing it and see how that goes.
I should also add that I have no list of problems, as the MCS has been trouble free. It's a rather stripped down car outside of the performance oriented bits LSD, 6 speed, DSC and sport suspension. Other than that, just a little interior stuff...anthracite headliner, chromeline, stereo upgrade. The less electronics the better IMO. I'd buy one stripped with rollup windows if I could get it. Motor on...

 

Okay, I misunderstood. I thought you meant that your BMW dealer had begun servicing MINIs even though they don't sell them.

 

I know what Surf's talking about. Some years ago I had a nozzle pump gas all over my shoes. The explanation was that there's a little sensor (can't remember the name) in the nozzle, and it had gotten clogged, so it didn't shut off properly. On the other hand, if the gas flows vigorously (as normally happens), the gas bubbles up in the tank and makes the nozzle "think" it's full. If you wait a few seconds the bubbles will settle down and the nozzle will function normally.

And there's nothing wrong with doing this.

 

Thanks for explaining the pump/fillup operation better than I.
I should mention that with my OLD 62 Mini Cooper, this operation went on several times to get the tank to truly full. Same thing with the Grinnall Scorpion. Both those vehicles have very different filler neck angles, but the process was necessary to get the tank FULL.

 

You know those guys who go for long distance max mpg records? They push on their cars every which way to get all the air out. I'd think that would be a problem with the MINI...

 

Frustrated with my dealer experience so far, I stuffed a T-shirt around the driver door latch below the window and slammed it shut. No more wind noise, but kind of a pain unless I just jump through the window Dukes of Hazard style.

Guess the noise is coming from lack of a good seal around the door frame and the body, not the window. A wider gasket or adjusting the door against the body frame should get rid of the noise.

 

Didn't you say that the door panel didn't line up right with the body panels? Seems like the hinges would need adjusting, which shouldn't be a big deal for the dealer to do under warranty. I'd be making a big stink about it, and if it chipped the paint, I'd demand a whole new panel. This ain't a Yugo where they'd send you off with a touchup pen.

Can you post a picture of the problem?

 

Yeah, that's what I told the dealer was at the top of my differential diagnosis, but he said they found nothing wrong with the alignment. I'm not sure they really checked after they could not reproduce the noise. To be fair, it is not very obvious visually.

Hopefully, I can reproduce the noise while riding with a mechanic, have them adjust the hinges, and then see if it works.

 

I have an '07 MCS, and haven't had the little problems, only big expensive ones. The scariest was when it would completely stall when you punched it, as in ramping onto the interstate in front of an 18 wheeler going 65-70 mph. It did it a few more times before the dealer could get it repaired. It was a computer problem that involved the super charge. (I'm a girl, so forgive me for not being technical) Then we had an oil leak, where they had to order a liquid seal from England, and now we have a cracked thermostat housing, and is leaking coolant. The latest one occurred at 51,000 miles of course, after the warranty expired, and we also have to replace the brakes and rotors all at the same time, which we are going to do ourselves. $$$$. But other than that, "Wander" is a ton of fun and in the real estate business, gets me a lot of attention.

 

Wow. 51,000 plus miles already. That's a lot of driving. I'm jealous.

 

Are you sure you have an '07? Besides the mileage, you mention a supercharger--the R56 has a turbo. When did you order/get it?

 

I found that if I push the nozzle in all the way, then pull it back a couple of inches, it fills up without stopping until it is full. We don't have the extra sealing sleeve on the nozzle here in New Mexico that many states require, so that may not be an option for everyone.

gl

 

Here is a list of users I found stating a similar door wind/road noise problem (not windshield or sunroof related). So far, I only found one success story.

Mike 621 (traded in his car )
andyde (got it fixed )
Msteadman (update? )

Anyone else out there?

 

Daffodil, Thanks for catching that, Sheena was having a senior moment. Ours is an 05. I just drove an 08 R56, manual trans loaner while ours is in for the thermostat housing replacement. Very nice, it feels like it has more horsepower than Wander. What are the MCS R56's rated at for HP?

John, husband of Sheena

 

Fellow MINIacs, please feel free to correct me, but it's 175 HP for the turbo.

What's really neat is the greater torque range the R56 has--I love to put my foot into it!

 

Woo Hoo! I just got Wander home from the dealer and they didn't charge us a dime! We had been told when they ordered the part that it would be around $375 including labor but... nada! They didn't even charge for a new ashtray we had ordered. I don't know if they did this because it was so close to 50,000 miles or what, but I got outta the parking like a bat out of hell

Regarding the R56, I checked a couple of stickers on the lot while I was there and they say 172 HP. I think our 05 has 167, so that's not alot more. However, having had the opportunity to put my foot in it several times on the way into town, I see what you mean about the torque curve - looonng, a good bit more so than with the supercharger (and I am totally jealous!). I don't know if the manual trans made any difference or not, but I'd love to try one out with the automatic for a better comparison.

jdf

 

Okay, you're right about the 172. I actually looked on the internet but could only find 175 in the test reviews (my memory was the former).

I've driven the automatic S, and of course I didn't like it as much. I'm not experienced with the "manual automatics" though, so it probably was just me. I've driven stick so many years that I'm spoiled! (I keep looking for a clutch pedal in my husband's 5-series.)

 

I have driven a clutch for many years, but I drive so much in my job, thru towns, and houses, on the phone, etc., that I was ready to chill a bit. Getting older and lazier I guess too. Just too much to deal with all day long. The paddles are always there when you want them, for quicker response and such. I love having a choice. I would love to have a new one, but that'll have to wait a while, until the housing market stabilizes.

Later....
Sheena