I'm going into my second month as a new owner of an 05 MCS. Now that the weather is nice and it has stopped raining, I am able to drive with the window open. I have noticed that while shifting from 1st to 2nd and then to 3rd, i am hearing a rather loud clicking noise from under the car. This also happens when down shifting. It does not make this noise when shifting form 3rd to 4th. I am getting concerned and would like to know if anyone has had this problem or knows what it could be. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

You mean like a really loud clank? Mine has been doing that since it got warm. If it sounds more like clicking does it sound like you shifting it when the car is off with the clutch in?

 

No, I wouldn't say it is a loud clank, it's a clicking noise between shifts. I did do a search here and found many threads dedicated to this type of noise but none in the end have stated a defined cure.
It is definitely a noise that does sound like two pool table ***** being hit together.
Does anyone have a defined solution to this inherently obvious problem and did Mini ever disclose this as a recall issue. I have read enough posts about this same and similar noise with not a single remedy described as the solution to the problem.

 

Mine's had that 1-2 click since I got it 30 months and 30k miles ago, has never gotten louder and doesn't effect the operation - it's a mechanical operation, so I don't consider it an "inherently obvious problem" - actually I'm not only not bothered by the noise, I consider it a charachter piece of the MINI.

I wouldn't get too upset about it; there'll be plenty of 'real' problems to get upset about later on ...

 

If it sounds like two pool ***** hitting together then the big *** nut that holds your axle to your front uprights may be loose.

 

I finally had a chance to bring my car into a Mini dealer service shop and they tried tightening the axel nut with no luck in getting the clicking sound to go away. The techs determination was that both axles needed replacement as well as my control arm bushings. I've read that OEM axles are not very good. Are there any upgrades for this part? I will replace Control Arm Bushings with Poly unless there is any reason not to.