Hi guys, short story, I was driving my Cooper S auto with only 5.000 miles on the highway back from Dover to London ( i usually drive on the city ) when i noticed a change in the engine sound becoming louder / rough with a noticeable performance loss. When the car is at idle it sounds like a diesel car. I can even feel the engine vibration on the steering wheel and the rough sound. The car hesitates to accelerate, like if it were a delay between pressing the throttle and the actual acceleration. It also seems to have difficulties reaching high revs. So i took the car back to the dealer - (HEXAGON MINI - car is out of warranty for 3 months, so they charge me £198 just to look at the car ) and three days later they called telling there is a fault with the water pump, and the cost for replacement would be around £280+£198. Despite i find these prices abusive for a car of such low mileage, I'm worried this might not be the problem with the car. What do you think ? Should i take any action before taking the car ? It would be possible to drive the car before paying/collecting from the dealer ? What if the problem persist and already paid for fixing ? I'm desperate !! Thanks !!!!!!

 

Have you checked the oil level lately? What year is it?

 

Hi, thanks for the reply. Yes, the oil level was checked before and after the 'sound change'. I've then added a litre but nothing changed. It's a 2008 R56 MCS.

 

Forgot to say that no engine or other warning light came on, and the car runs but it has some kind of acceleration delay and the rough idle sound as well. Thanks !!

 

Sounds like a timingbelt or chain issue.

 

Our 2008 MCS had to have the water pump changed three times in the first year of owning it. Never had a problem since the last change. I don't recall it affecting performance nor making any sounds remotely similar to this. You only have 5000 miles on it, I would't think the timing chain, but making noise and performance issues does lead me to agree with mrluckypa. Another thing to check: once I had a failed coil plug (a Ford) that caused a cylinder misfire that didn't get picked up from the computer that caused really poor performance, hard idling, change in engine noise, and aserious drag in acceleration.

 

When I had the timing chain issue, it only happened when I first turned the car on. After it warmed up the car would sound normal.

 

Hi, thanks for your comments. Have you got any lights on the dashboard when the water pump failed ? In my case there is no warning light at all. I'm not a mechanic but it seems to be more related to the coil plug as you said than the water pump ... Hopefully the dealer knows what is doing, but i have serious doubts about it ...

 

In this case the cars runs in the same 'reduced' way warm or cold.

 

* update * Today I've collected the car from the dealer. They've changed a friction wheel from the water pump, and the timing chain tensioner. Cost £511, the car has now a better response but still hesitates to accelerate randomly, some times very late. The noise is still there. Will take the car back to the dealer on monday. Unreliable car and service as well.

 

If it's a 2008... Shouldn't it be under warranty still?

 

Im from the UK, here is three years and that expired in June.

 

That's BS!!!! Should be the same for everybody 4yrs.
Sorry about the car, hope everything works out.