5 years ago, I fulfilled my dream of owning a Mini Cooper. I purchased a 2003 Mini with only 15,000 miles from a woman that barely drove it and mostly to the Colorado mountains! It currently has 89,000 miles on it, but a month ago the clutch went out. It was not a cheap fix ($2200) and when I went to pick it up, I noticed that putting into 1st gear, it grinded... I returned it to the mechanic. After he assesed, what he could- he determined that there was NOW damage to the transmission- more than likely the "synchro ring"... but it would cost another $2000 to remove the transmission to assess the problem! He said that because I drove it while the clutch was "going out" I probably damaged the synchro rings??? Anyway, long story short... I was wondering if anyone else has had an experience like this???

 

When you say it grinded, do you mean while moving the car in 1st gear, or while physically shifting up into 1st?

I've had no clutch problems but have had some issues shifting into 1st that seem to come and go with no apparent pattern. Dealer has promised a good will repair since they were unable to diagnose it on three occasions while I was still under warranty.

 

Midlands Transmission.

 

Yes, It grinds if I'm even slightly rolling to put it into 1st gear...sometimes, even when at a complete stop, if I don't put the gear shifter as far to the left of 1st gear!!!

As for downshifting....I can downshift from 5th, 4th, 3rd, and even to 2nd....but not to 1st...

 

p.s. I did not have shifting problems before they repaired the clutch!!! Guess I'm wondering if when they removed the transmission to repair the clutch...they could have done damage???

 

I wish I could be more helpful, i don't have much information for you though. The fact that it started right after the installation is a little suspicious. The Midlands transmission in the earlier R50s has been known to have some problems. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be able to chime in here and help you.

 

If this wasn't a MINI dealer that did the clutch, I wonder if they got the clutch slave bled properly, it requires a special BMW/MINI tool to do this, or else intimate knowledge of how it works to do it without using the tool.

If the clutch still has a little air in it, it will be most apparent when trying to shift into first or reverse.

If it only does it in first, it may be a worn synchro, but since it worked fine before the clutch job, I'd bet on it not being bled. Without the tool they may think it's bled, but there can still be a small pocket of air in the system which will cause exactly the symptom you describe....

Or it could be a 90,000 mile transmission with a worn synchro.