Bought a used JCW Mini at 23500 miles about 6 months ago from a Mini dealer. The car was apparently owned and used by Mini before putting it up for sale as a used car (per the dealer). On a roadtrip from New Jersey to New Hampshire, the car breaks down in Connecticut and has to be towed to a dealership (I was stuck in stop and go traffic for about 10 mins when the breakdown happened). Dealer says the clutch and flywheel needs to be replaced and they show significant wear. He says it won't be covered by warranty as it a usage/abuse issue. Calling Mini's 800 number hasn't helped either. The best they will do is a parts/labor split (which the repairing dealer offered), which means I have to shell out another $1500. I would understand having to pay the entire amount (without any split), if I had bought the car from a private seller. But, having to pay the cost, for a car bought at a mini dealership and apparently operated by Mini, with me barely owning the car, has me all upset. I haven't driven this car hard or abused the clutch. Last car I had was a manual transmission with about 170k miles on it. Either this car was abused under Mini ownership or their clutches are the equivalent of junk (at least to me :p) Looks like I have no option other than pay up or settle down in CT with my car at the shop....end rant

 

do a title search to see if mini really owned it or if it was a auction car/repo/trade in.

 

hmm...i'll have to check my documents when I get home. But, I was told I'd be the first titled owner of the car...

 

Is this Fairfield or Hartford?

 

It's now at hartford.

 

Sorry, cannot help. Do not know them.

 

Yes... LuK clutches are pretty shitty. Watch out!

Can't wait to replace mine with an OS Giken setup.

 

do not order the lightend flywheel upgrade go with the normal one in the kit.

 

Is there a problem with durability or torsional activity with the lightened version?

 

not at all. the lite flywheel is a little harder to live with on the street with nvh and smooth take offs .

 

Is it seriously that much worse? Are the vibrations that much more harsh that the alternating torque would cause problems throughout the crankshaft?

 

hee hee couldnt have said it better myself good one cbs

 

Spoke to the service manager at Morristown Mini and he seemed to indicate that a clutch wearing out on a mini at 33k miles is normal as the clutches are easier to drive? When I told him, I had driven my old car about 100k miles on a single clutch, he responded with "The mini clutches are different. They are easier to drive" and to my "And they wear out faster?", he just left it at "They are easier to drive and it depends on the driver". At this point, I have already paid New Country mini for the labor and for what it's worth going to file a complaint with the BBB (not that the dealerships or MINI corporate seem to care about it)