The short story... complete engine failure due to sludge buildup at 20,000 miles and no assistance from Mini. The long story here:
http://stormyworld.net/?p=576

 

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how you can blame BMW or Mini or anyone else for that matter, dude. And I don't even own a mini yet!

 

That is terrible! I don't know if you knew this, but regardless of the service indicator, you are entitled to one free oil change a year under the 3 year/36k free maintenance agreement, if you are under mileage. I'm surprised the dealer you bought it from did not e-mail you or send you reminders to come in for maintenance.

Unfortunately, 20,000 miles to wait for an oil change is way too long, even with synthetic oil. You were probably atleast 5,000 miles over due.

Also, you might be better off trying to find an engine off E-Bay and having an independent mechanic do the swap. This might be the cheaper alternative than dishing out 11k.

Just a heads up, put on your flame suit, because the flaming will commence shortly.....

 

Well this is exactly why I hate that "service due in 13270 mi" that comes one when I start the car. I know good and damn well you dont go that long!

 

Funny, according to my service interval indicator, my first oil change should have been 22,850 miles. Of course I did not wait to get the free oil change.

Sorry to hear about your engine and the lack of help from Mini.

 

Synthetic oils in modern engines can go 20K miles and beyond without a problem. For example, my previous 911 had a scheduled oil change interval of 20K miles (strictly mileage based -- not determined by ECU software). And Porsche doesn't provide "free" oil changes, so there's no profit motive to extend the oil change interval.

The problem might have been the OP didn't replenish the oil which was consumed between the changes in a timely manner. If the oil gets too low, even synthetic oil, all bets are off.

 

Sorry for your troubles. Good luck with your next choice in cars. If you plan to keep the MINI you can find a replacement engine and ECU w/harness for around 4-5k.
Oh and.....

 

I have no clue why the interval counter on the new cars is going out to 20k or so. That's really excessive. Mini blowing you off on a service claim like this is bad service, plain and simple. The last 2.6k miles aren't going to be the difference between a happy engine and total failure. Sounds like you had the "cold start clatter" and that it got bad enough to break stuff in the valvetrain. This wouldn't be sludge related, as many a MINI has cold start clatter independant of oil age.

Matt

 

And would you trust your paper oil filter to last that long?

 

The owner is responsible for making sure the car has proper maintenance. NOT the car's onboard computer. You have an odometer, and hopefully the mathematical ability to figure it out.

Whatever did people do before warning lights.

 

Comment removed. No need for this type of retort.

 

I put my LCD TV in water because nowhere in the manual did it say that I shouldn't submerge my TV in an aquarium. Then I flung my Wii controller and broke my aquarium glass. WTF Nintendo?

Seriously though, sorry to hear of the engine failure. No matter what the cause, the consequence is sad and a total bummer. I understand you are ranting but seriously?

Roadside Assistance is “outsourced” by BMW/Mini. The fact that the service is not provided by Mini is probably the ONLY reason that it was good!

and

Don’t buy German vehicles:

Sigh.

 

This is why I change my oil every 7.5k miles

But seriously, it is pretty obvious when the car needs service, there is a number everytime you start your car which indicates how many miles you need until service. OP, what was that number before your car broke down?
If it wasn't 0, and saying you needed service, i'd say you have a good case against MINI, because they're always so insistent that you don't need an oil change until the computer says so.

 

My blood boils every time I hear of MINI denying a warranty claim...BUT...sounds like you're leaving out some of the details and maybe a little personal responsibility. MINI's assertion that you car was 2600 miles overdue for its service implies that the Service Indicator was showing negative miles every time you started the car. And you mean to tell me in all the time you owned the car you never noticed the service indicator mileage that was steadily declining as you drove the car? You never cracked open your owner's manual to see how your car worked? How your service indicator showed you different intervals for different systems? Their contention is that you ignored the car's service indicator, if so, then your beef is sullied a lot. A good friend of mine had his engine blow up from a very similar circumstance, i.e. cold start issues, at 38K miles. All of his services were up to date so there was never any doubt that they were going to pay for it. You were negligent in your duties as an owner, it would be nice if they would fix it anyway, but don't place all the blame on MINI.

 

We've got several pages of bitching about Mini, but there are three key questions totally unanswered:

1. Was the oil level checked regularly during the 20K miles? Was it low when the engine failed?

2. Did the maintenance reminder system warn of service required? Did it go negative 2.6K miles prior to the failure?

3. How many calendar months had it been since the last oil change when the failure occurred?

Until these questions are answered, it is really impossible to know whose fault this is. If the owner kept the oil above the "add" mark, wasn't informed by the computer that an oil change was due, and a calendar year hadn't passed since the last oil change, then I don't see how Mini can deny warranty coverage. And as someone else said, going 13% over for an oil change interval shouldn't cause catastrophic engine failure. If it regulary did, then the 17.4K interval recommended by the computer is WAY too long, as you're getting excessive engine wear long before the engine fails. If the entire reason Mini is denying this warranty claim is the 13% overage in the mileage interval, this is chicken ****. It may be within their rights, but it's nit-picky and shame on them if true.

I'm surprised that the maintenance reminder system doesn't put up some kind of extra warning light when you go negative on the mileage you see at startup. Although I don't think this lets the owner off the hook, relying strictly on a little number going negative at startup doesn't seem adequate to me. Mini is saying you don't need to track mileage - just follow the maintenance reminder system. As such, they should make it obvious when the car needs attention, not subtle. Doesn't the car put up some other kind of warning light?

To those who say that the owner should know better, change the oil more often, and manually keep track of mileage, I say BS. Yes, I change my oil more often, but if an owner is following Mini's maintenance recommendations and have a failure within the warranty period, Mini should cover it - case closed.

Something tells me that we're not getting the whole story here.

- Mark

 

Sorry, I could not resist...
20,000+ miles with no visit to shop for a oil change???
And now, MINI is to blame?
How about some common sense?
This reminds of the story from last summer here in Toronoto, where lady drove her MINI 80K+ with no service visit at all and her CVT tranny broke. She blamed MINI and stinked up the whole local media...
MINI is a spoiled little girl, and if you treat her nice, she will do good, but if you don't ...
I am sorry for your big bill, but this should be a lesson to you and all of us...

Service your cars, people. Just like you did 10, 20, 30 years ago. Don't rely on gadgets and displays 100%...

Common sense...

 

Yes, if that's what's specified in the manufacturer's own maintenance schedule.

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen

 

Worked fine on my Cayman S...not to mention all the other Porsches with the same service intervals. All of them having engines that are much more highly tuned/stressed than MINI's little four banger.

 

It does not matter at all what the computer say's. The dealer will change the oil and inspect everything on your car when your one year of ownership is up. Even if your car only has ten miles on it the service will be done. Read your manual and you will see not to let your car pass the one year mark without calling your dealer and getting it done. ("That is if covered with the maintenance warrenty.")

I called when my first year of ownership was up and my dealer not only changed the oil & filter but replaced my wiper blades and checked all other filters and under / above the car. Ain't no way I would go over 7,500 miles on my oil. 20,000+ miles is just plain stupid to go without changing the oil. I'm sure anyone with 1/2 a brain would know that.

When changing the oil be sure to use the correct stuff or you will also have a problem.

 

I guess the Porsche engineers (who seem to know a few things about building high performance engines and cars) all have half a brain, as well as the owners who follow their recommendations. The OP's engine blowing up at 23K miles had very little to do with their oil change interval, much more to do with the longterm effects of an untreated cold start problem. That said, they didn't follow MINI's recommendations apparently so MINI is using that as a reason to deny the service. The peanut gallery can continue here balking at the long duration between synthetic oil changes, but the roads are not littered with Porsche and BMW engines, who have been following them for years.

 

Judging from the guys web page.....I bet he oils the chain, sprockets and performs maintenance on his bicycle on a regular interval.

 

Did you read my post at all, No matter what the computer says you need to bring the car in once a year to have it serviced. "Once a year." I don't have a Porsche Manual but I'm willing to guess they also want the car in for service at least once a year also. """"ONCE A YEAR"""

 

I don't even care about the 20k miles. 20k miles *could* legitimately go by in a service interval, the way it's configured to work in the MINI.

But two years?? No way.

 

Was the oil level ever checked?