Well, I've had nothing but bad luck with my mini...

It's currently been in the shop for over a week getting a new transmission installed.

Story goes something like this:

1) Drove to work, no issues
2) Came out to the car for lunch, started the car
3) Shifted from P to R with a large CLUUUNKKK sound.
4) Yellow check engine light popped up
5) Yellow check transmission light came on
6) Shifted find to D
7) Noticed car wasn't shifting when driving a short distance
8) Pulled over and put it in park, shut it off
9) Started it up, same scenario.
10) When leaving work there was no hard shifting, the lights where still on
11) By the time my appointment came around, one week later, the lights where gone
12) Dealer says no stored code, and your transmission is fine. (friday)
13) Dealer says we've ordered your new transmission, we'll keep you updated (tuesday)
14) Dealer says it's all done, just need to wash it up, and we'll call you (friday)


It's now sunday, I didn't hear anything fri/sat

A new transmission every 30k miles could get spendy out of warranty, especially for something violent like shifting from park to drive *gasp*.

Every day I pray for a non-injury car totalling accident.

 

God must be wondering why two people are asking for the same strange thing to happen to them.

 

auto transmission problems do happen, but seem to be rare on the second gen car.

Matt

 

Went to pick it up because it was supposidly read.

1) Sat in front seat pressed on
2) Large death rattle


Fing really? Nobody noticed a large death rattle like that? Had to stand around for 20 minutes before the shop manager would come look. He did try to fix it on the spot but it was too late and he was the only one left. Like I'm not going to notice that after you replace my transmission?

Insulting.

 

So now what? Did you leave with the car?

 

No, I waited patiently for him to look it over, when he said there wasn't anything he could do I was put back in the same loaner mini I just turned in. I guess I get to wait until tomorrow and see what's going on.

 

I have a feeling it's not the transmission, but something awry in the Steptronic (stick, paddles) interface's communications with the car's ECU. Problems with the Aisin tranny are very rare, and most auto tranny problems reported here and on other MINI forums are diagnosed as Steptronic issues.

 

Just got mine back a week ago for the clunk problem: One morning I put it in reverse and "CLUNK"... backed out of garage, put in Drive, "CLUNK" again! drove around and no shifting... was in limp mode... came home, parked it...
Called dealer, was able to bring it in next day, of course when I started it in the morning it was working fine, though the light was still on. They ended up replacing the shift mechanism.... whatever.... until the next time... It's been making a weird clattering/ratcheting noise when shifting for about a year now, dealer can't find a problem.

I think I may fork out the $1,300 for the extended warranty. I just don't trust the car at all and I've only got 6K more miles till the factory warranty is over...

 

Sounds like exactly what I experienced. My car makes way more mechanical not nice noises since the replacement. I'd ask them to fix it but I can tell this dealer isn't capable of it. I'll have to wait until I can bring it to the one dealer in the area I've had good luck with.

I will be trading my mini away before the warranty is up. While I do love it, I just can't see buying another one with all the issues I've had.