So I picked up the car on Friday, put 350 miles on it, and the clutch started slipping. Shortly after that, it completely went out. Right at 36K.

So my question is this: should I keep the car or take it back to CarMax? I am still within the 5 day return policy, so I could take the car back.... But if it was just me being a horrible manual driver, since it is my first one.

What do you guys think that I should do? Could it be the car, or is it likely just me?

 

I don't think anybody could kill a clutch in 350 miles, unless those miles were accumulated from quarter miles passes lol

The driver before you was probably a moron.

 

Take it back unless they will fix it.

 

bring it back....see if they will fix it...if not just give it back!! Bet the last owner dumped it due to the clutch....
a clutch on a MINI is about $1500-2000.....
so a BIG job....

 

Impossible to blow a clutch in 350 miles. Even learner cars last longer than that.

Take it back and have them replace with a full clutch kit including flywheel, pressure plate, clutch disk, input shaft bearing, etc... Make sure they do the entire thing, especially the shaft bearing and seal. Parts are cheap. All the labour is in getting to the clutch and reassembling. Have them do it at their cost.

They must have known it was slipping, sounds to me like the clutch was gone when they sold it.

 

Odds are that car was sold to Carmax because the previous owner knew that failure was coming. I don't believe your 350 miles caused this. If they fix it & fix it all fine, if not give it back.

 

I'd give it back. Couldn't trust them to fix it right..,

 

I'd take it back, you're lucky to have that option. What did you do OP?

 

Wrong...

It's very possible in a MINI...I've seen it fail in 75 miles on a BRAND NEW JCW. And no, it wasn't mechanical failure.

 

Take it back tell them to fix it or take the car back, the problem was more than likely existing when you bought it and like most of those places they probably doctored it up and hoped for the best.

 

Have carmax fix or take back the car while you have 5 days to go as warranty. don't tell them you are a manual driver nooby or they will try to blame it on you.

 

So I had the car towed back to CarMax after it broke on Tuesday night. They then called me on Wednesday morning and told me that they had looked at it, ordered a clutch kit including input bearing and pressure plate, and had begun fixing it... All with no fuss or questions.

I'm relatively excited about how quickly they began working on it, so as long as it turns out well, I think I will keep the car!

 

This being you first introduction to a manual gear box keep these DO NOTs in mind to maximize the life of the clutch and TO bearing.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal ever. Foot flat on the floor unless shifting.
Do not sit at stop lights/signs with clutch disengaged. Shift to neutral, foot off the clutch. Stopped on steep hills, you can use the handbrake to keep from rolling back as you start to accelerate by easing off the brake as you gain forward motion.
A couple of DOs:
When shifting, clutch pedal clear to the floor - every time.
Before you take on down shifting, learn from someone who knows how, how to rev match.