My car was stolen and recovered the next day with the clutch burned out. Discoloration to the flywheel and other parts indicated abusive driving. Pearce Autotech replaced the clutch.
A few weeks later I began to have problems with my power steering.
My pump went out and Pearce said that it could not possibly be a result of the clutch job. I took my car to Bay Bridge Motors who had replaced the power steering pump 18 months ago. Even though it was out of warranty, BBM was going to repair it for free until I opened my big mouth and said I had just had my car stolen and the clutch replace. BBM said I needed to take it back to Pearce and have them check their work. Pearce would not look at it so I crossed the bridge to Oakland again to BBM! BBM put her up on the rack and found that the pump was "unplugged"!
Pearce still refuses to admit that he is responsible for that and even told me that BBM had told him they had replaced the power steering pump when all they did was plug the thing back in.
Now my hydraulics system is screwed and Pearce is again saying that it couldn't possibly be connected to his clutch job. He says it may be due to the abuse it took during the theft. Trouble is, I don't trust him anymore.

What do you think? Could the cylinder screw up 3 months after the clutch replacement?

 

If the failure is because of the theft the insurance should cover it.
Talk to your insurance company and see if damage discovered this much later can still be covered. If it is you don't have to fight with anyone about who's fault is is.

 

Was the cylinder replaced with the clutch? If not, chances are it's just worn out. If it was, then it should be warranted. If you have your work done at a MINI dealer parts and labor are covered for 2 years. Sometimes the extra cost is worth it.....how much has it "cost" you to run to the shop 3 or 4 different times now?

What's wrong with it, is it leaking? Maybe the hose just wasn't seated right or the clip came loose?

I think you need to find another shop, one you can communicate with and who will work with you....

Good news is - you got your car back!

 

But the way Progressive insurance has screwed me I would have been better off if they never found it!
Evidently a bad set of circumstances, I thought the car was locked and it wasn't and I didn't realize until later that my "valet key" (for lack of a better word) was in an old wallet in the glove box.
Progressive says that there was no signs of break-in and thus my car wasn't actually stolen and they won't cover anything. I've been fighting with them for 3 months over this. In the meantime, the problems keep stacking up.

Re: a reliable mechanic, I think that I found that in Bay Bridge Motors. I just have to avoid Pearce Autotech

 

The slave cylinder was not replaced when the clutch was, is that common?
so Jacque did replace the slave cylinder, but the car is no better. His crew bled the system a couple of times but still no go.

So it could be something wrong with the clutch job, but isn't 3 months a long time for a problem to show up?

 

Whenever we do a clutch job we NEVER take the line off the slave cylinder. They are such a pain to bleed. If the shop that replaced the slave cylinder doesn't have the special MINI tool to bleed it, you won't get it right. Ask them about that, the slave cylinder has to be compressed when bleeding.

 

Well,
Pearce refunded the money for the clutch job. Now I just have to take the bus until the New year when Bay Bridge Motors reopens.