I have contacted the dealer and they are calling MINI to see if the $3000.00 they want to replace the DISC, Throw out bearing and pressure plate will be waived. 2009 JCW Clubman Car is 3 weeks old sold as new with 137 miles on it. A Clutch kit costs 415.00 probably about 10hrs labor in Chilton book. but that's besides the point.
1.Car had a burning smell from the first day I drove it.
2. Clutch pedal really hard to push down.

My opinion: no free play or bad installation or defective part, no way I did anything and if I did something that car is not for me because it would be the first clutch ever to go out on me in 40 years (probably because I don't keep cars that long). It was never raced most of the miles are highway going 200 miles back and forth between Orange County CA and Palm Desert CA.

Was told I would have any answer in 24 hours that was 40 hours ago will keep the forum posted of the outcome.

 

Who knows what they did in the first 137 miles??? I know how I drive demo cars.

 

Yeah, it would be a pretty weak argument for MINI to assert that this was abuse on your part. How many miles have you put on the vehicle...?

Still, some of these dealers will run just about anything up their flagpole to see if anyone will salute...

Stick to your guns; the facts (circumstantial as they may be) still support your position better than anything the dealer might claim to the contrary. Hopefully you had already complained to them about the burning smell, which would help to support your argument of faulty components. For their part, you should probably be prepared for someone at the dealership to question your skill/experience level in driving a manual transmission. But even if you're a rank amateur, you'd have to do a lot of things very wrong -- and probably for longer than 3 weeks -- in order to burn out a brand new clutch...

Good luck!

 

Isn't this covered under your warranty?

 

Prediction: You will be taken care of.

 

no the warranty doesn't cover determined driver abuse or wear items
i would venture to guess if it fails from normal wear and tear it is covered but if it fails from abuse it would be the owners responsibility. Having said that what if when the car was built the ajustment was to tight causing the plate to have some friction at all times giving so much friction would cause extreme heat and that would also cause the material to explode off of the plate or be torn off.

My issue is I was delivered the car with 137 miles I dont know what those miles were probably demo miles and demo drivers so they could have caused the initial problems also.

I will keep you all posted hopefully today we will find out MINI position regarding the repair I am hoping they are going to stand fully behind the issue!

 

clutch IS a warranty item! The user abuse thing is a reallllllly tough one for them to push...at that mileage anyway.

 

The power train is covered by the new vehicle warranty. Unlike many makes, the MINI does not have a separate policy for power train components.