Tires are nothin---lol. I go through tires every 15,000 miles, lol. I've got an '05 with about 84,000 miles--my daily commute is 100 miles-6 days a week. The '05s are greatly improved over the '02 in many ways--it's my favorite first gen model year as they did mostly everything right.

You can't go wrong with Danny at Minicorsa if you're considering it. He's a great guy to be friends with.

Richard

 

I'd say "marginally" improved. They still suffer from mushrooming/strut mount failure, as well as one of her original problems (failed power steering pump).

 

I'm talking about gearing and LSD among them....marginally? I doubt that. If I were in the market for a used MINI, I'd take an '05 over an '02 in a heart beat.

I never had mushrooming or strut mount issues (well the the top part was torn on my '03 but replaced under warranty) with either my '03 or '05 so I guess I'm lucky. I've had relatively few mechanical issues with my '05--I realize that all builds are a bit different--some people have practically lemons and other's have nearly perfect builds.

 

I don't think anything changed on the suspension between 03 and 06, but lots of other things fixed through the years. Sounds like they screwed up the head gasket install and are not willing to fess up to it. Now that there may be real damage from overheating, they want you to pay for the repairs. They screwed up the gasket job, they should repair the damage! I don't know if anything else would cause the coolant and oil to mix.

 

Ooh Ooh, I know, I know.....the oil cooler has a hole in it....the oil pressure is higher than the coolant pressure, so the oil is "pushed" into the coolant. I had one do this one time. I even made a plate out of aluminum to check it with o-rings. I have a picture of the plate somewhere. I put a pic in my gallery.

Here is a copy of what I submitted to PUMA

• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Car towed in Customer complained of coolant gauge going into the red, car started running rough, drove another 100 yards and stopped. Customer looked under hood and found oil mixed coolant overflowing out of the coolant tank.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Verify customer complaint , coolant has lots of oil mixed in it.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Checked oil, oil is 2 quarts low.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]R and R cylinder head to check[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Checked cylinder head for out of straight, warped .006”[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]R and R oil cooler to check for leaks, using finger to plug one end and low air pressure on other end of oil side of cooler, submerged in water, couldn’t see any leaks[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Replace o-rings on oil cooler and reinstall[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Sent cylinder head to machine shop to have it checked for cracks, none found. Cylinder head was machined .011”[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Flush coolant system with hot water to get as much of the oil out as possible. Radiator plugged with oil, used light air pressure to clear, continued to flush[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Reinstall Cylinder head using oversize head gasket[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Replaced thermostat[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Changed oil and filter and topped off to exactly the top of the crosshatches on dipstick, to check for oil consumption[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Started car and Flushed coolant system with Joy, radiator treatment and Purple power 5-6 times[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Car running fine, recheck oil to verify level[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Test drove car 36 miles(home that night)[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Oil level significantly low, suspect oil cooler as culprit[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Made a blockoff plate with recessed o-rings to check oil cooler while submerged in water, found that oil cooler was leaking with as little as 40psi air pressure[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Replace oil cooler and Flushed cooling system 5 more times[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Topped off oil, test drove and rechecked, car is ok[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

Ooh Ooh, I know, I know.....the oil cooler has a hole in it....the oil pressure is higher than the coolant pressure, so the oil is "pushed" into the coolant. I had one do this one time. I even made a plate out of aluminum to check it with o-rings. I have a picture of the plate somewhere. I put a pic in my gallery.

Here is a copy of what I submitted to PUMA

• Car towed in Customer complained of coolant gauge going into the red, car started running rough, drove another 100 yards and stopped. Customer looked under hood and found oil mixed coolant overflowing out of the coolant tank.
• Verify customer complaint , coolant has lots of oil mixed in it.
• Checked oil, oil is 2 quarts low.
• R and R cylinder head to check
• Checked cylinder head for out of straight, warped .006”
• R and R oil cooler to check for leaks, using finger to plug one end and low air pressure on other end of oil side of cooler, submerged in water, couldn’t see any leaks
• Replace o-rings on oil cooler and reinstall
• Sent cylinder head to machine shop to have it checked for cracks, none found. Cylinder head was machined .011”
• Flush coolant system with hot water to get as much of the oil out as possible. Radiator plugged with oil, used light air pressure to clear, continued to flush
• Reinstall Cylinder head using oversize head gasket
• Replaced thermostat
• Changed oil and filter and topped off to exactly the top of the crosshatches on dipstick, to check for oil consumption
• Started car and Flushed coolant system with Joy, radiator treatment and Purple power 5-6 times
• Car running fine, recheck oil to verify level
• Test drove car 36 miles(home that night)
• Oil level significantly low, suspect oil cooler as culprit
• Made a blockoff plate with recessed o-rings to check oil cooler while submerged in water, found that oil cooler was leaking with as little as 40psi air pressure
• Replace oil cooler and Flushed cooling system 5 more times
• Topped off oil, test drove and rechecked, car is ok

Chadtoolio!
Thanx so much for making this post! This is some interesting 411 to know, perhaps to run by a Competant Mechanix... if I ever see my MINI again. I really appreciate your time and help. The drama continues. I will update this horror story asap. I was encouraged a bit when I got an "offer of assistance" via private email here on the NAM site from 'someone' @MINI USA. Identity of which is still a mystery and it's been 3+ days now and still no word from headquarters. So, where's Lassie? Timmy's been long drowned now in the well.

Keepin' a healthy sense o' humour tho,
~jelaine