12 MCS 6mt nearing 100,000km:

Front sway bar bushings
Rear sway bar end links
#1 fuel injector
Thermostat housing X2

 

2008 Cooper S with N14 engine. 129K miles on it. New timing chain tensioner at 35K under warranty. Recalled water pump at 35K. Three sets of spark plugs, 2 sets of brake pads and discs, 2 batteries, oil changes at 6-7K miles, air filters, etc. Engine started making a sound like I had a sticky valve or the valve wasn't seating. I had two mechanics tell me that it was my timing chain tensioner, so I ordered the parts and had my shop make the repair. Picked it up today and my mechanic told me that both camshafts had flat spots on them and that the engine was still making a ticking noise after a warm up. It sounds like a diesel now. The chain tensioner that was replaced showed little signs of wear. My mechanic thinks I should sell the car or put a new motor in it. The engine uses 1/2 quart every 500 miles. I replaced both oxygen sensors and one had a lot of carbon build-up. Looks like my rings are shot. The spark plugs looked good and normal wear only because the coils fire so hot. My mechanic doesn't think a rebuild would work as the clearances are so tight and there isn't any material left to do a ring job, head grind, etc... Not sure what to do. The car is worth $4K tops according to Kelly Blue Book. A new engine is $9K with labor. Not sure if the N18 would fit as a replacement. Had I known that these engines wear out at 130K I wouldn't have purchased this car. I've enjoyed driving this car and with good snow tires in the winter I get around really well, and the gas mileage is great. i would get another Mini, but I expect to get at least 200K miles out of a well taken care of engine replacing common parts at maintenance intervals.

 

How often did you change the oil? I hope you didn't follow the factory recommendation of every 15,000 miles. It would explain all your problems if that's the oil change interval you used though.

 

2009 MCS valve job at 47, due to carbon broke at least one valve.
Same time timing chain was replaced 2014. Off warranty.
Last year or maybe around 65, miles water pump & housing & a seal same side replaced .
Year before thermostat & housing replaced.
Brakes @ 65, also now @ 85, miles replacing rear bumper.
& service red light is on next on list.

 

147000
On MCS rebuilt engine with forged pistons, new clutch, k sport coil overs, JCW turbo, thermostat
Housing, vacuum pump, radiator, and little stuff along the way.

 

2008 MC - non S
Followed the 15K oil change schedule until 49K miles (in 2012)and then switched to every 5K
2009 - 6900 miles - Airbag control modules changed due to being faulty - under warranty
2013 - 60K - spark plugs and ignition wires, rear brakes and rotors
2014 - 84K - camshaft solenoid adjuster
2014 - 85K - #4 ignition coil
2015 - 89K - front brakes and rotors
2015 - 97K - thermostat assembly
2015 - 100K - valve cover gasket leak - replaced and ignition coil #1 replaced
2015 - 102K - R/S tail light
2016 - 104K - Hood latch handle and release cables
2016 - 113K - cowl and dash and windshield mouldings replaced due to degradation - replaced windshield at the same time just because of lots of pitting over time
2016 - 118K - Rear hatch switch/ handle
2016 - 120K - ignition coil # 2
2017 - 128K - replace ignition coils 1, 3,4 and all spark plugs
1 week later - timing chain tensioner broke and timing chain has caused catastrophic engine failure

 

2011 MCS, 70k miles and most things have happened in the past few months

-Broken thermostat housing
-2 coil packs
-variable valve timing solenoid oil leak
-HPFP
-cracked intake tube

 

2011 MCS automatic, 50K miles

2011 - Satellite Radio wiring corroded (was replaced under warranty)
2013 - Front breaks and rotors (replaced under standard service maintenance plan)
2016 - Hood latch handle and release cables
2016 - Antenna corroded and broke in half, replaced with shorty antenna
2017 - Front strut leaked oil. Replaced front/read
2017 - Harman Kardan amplifier died, purchased replacement on ebay

 

2012 Justa, 80,000 miles. Water pump, rear sway bar links, plus the usual wear-and-tear stuff like tires, front brakes, spark plugs. I see the Juice replaced his antenna because it was corroded...I just did that last month too. After being on this forum for five years I feel pretty lucky with all of the horror stories!

 

I have 70k plus miles nine years original owner. I've done a bunch from timing chain to clutch jobs. Latest was a turbo rebuild and water pump. It's not miles but age. Most parts will give out over time regardless of the miles. Overall I'm extremely happy with Hilla. If I had to pay dealership repair prices perhaps I'd be unhappy.

 

Posting a few Gen 2 cars for the record that I briefly owned/flipped/sold:

1. 2008 Clubman base manual (N12), this one made it to 178k miles before engine started idling strange when hot. Drove fine although a little down on power. Swapped in a used engine with 55k miles and car is still going strong.

2. 2008 Clubman S automatic (N14), 110k miles and pulls hard, but drinks oil. Had all the typical work done. Chain/tensioner, water pump, coolant tube, oil filter housing gasket, etc.

3. 2010 Clubman base automatic (N12), 140k miles and runs and drives like a champ. Needed a timing chain/tensioner, coolant tube/water pump, oil filter housing.

All of these cars were clean and in very good condition. The engine seems to be the weakest link sadly.

Looking for more stories about high mileage N14? Highest I saw was 154K. Any gone higher?

 

Just changed practically all the engine seals/gaskets, walnut blasted the intake, new plugs, new clutch, new thermostat, new water pump, new vacuum pump and new timing chain kit.

212,xxx miles an counting.
2nd owner.

 

Purchased reasonably the end of April last year with absolutely no records. R55s manual with LSD. So far replaced valve cover and timing chain. Will walnut blast soon. Various minor oil leaks will also be addressed.

 

Nice. Getting up there. Just stay on top of oil changes and maintenance. Most of the issues we see I believe are due to low oil.

 

Updated - 102K

Timing Chain Assembly (3rd)
Vacuum Pump
Blew front shock - replaced all 4 with Bilsteins
Brakes/Rotors again (4 th set)
Thermostat Assembly (2nd), water temp sensor with tube from WP
Front CVT Bellows
Starter / Bad corroded ground (took a while to diagnose)
Always changed the oil every 5K max - uses about 1 quart of oil every 1.5-2K.

Currently runs and drives like new and gets fantastic mileage. However, I think I am about at my limit how much I can take.... My wife really wants me to sell this car and I am beginning to agree - values have dropped like a rock for these cars as none of the reliability issues are a secret - IMO my best option is to sell it while it runs perfect and cut my losses. How much fun is it really anymore knowing every time I press the petal hard.... it could be my last time? I will never buy any BMW product again as long as I live. There are plenty of other cars just as fun with more reasonable reliability.

 

2010 MCS- Driver side wheel bearing just wore out around 58,000 miles. Bushings in aftermarket sway bar recently replaced. I believe they were damaged and worn throughout Northeast Winter.

Never ending engine light, Stutter at idle.
Full check by Bosche Certified Autowerkes- Freeport maine. Unable after $500 worth of troubleshooting to fix problem.

Still the love of my life! HA!

 

2009 MCS Original Owner - 151K
1 dealer trip for early recalls and the first oil cooler gasket leak, all other work my own.

• 2 Water Pumps (bearings failed leaking coolant)
• 2 HPFPs
• Navigation Unit (Probably the HIP Module, replaced with Ebay'd complete unit)
• 2 Oil Cooler gasket failures leaking coolant and/or oil
• 2 Thermostats (gasket leakage)
• 2 Aux Water Pumps, they are cheap and I was working in the area
• 1 Diverter Valve
• Turbo Oil/Coolant Lines (Oil leak, replaced them all)
• Timing Chain tensioner - recall repair, never had the rattle
  
• Other random replacements on suspicion of wear or impending failure, shotgun repairs, standard maintenance items.

No major engine, suspension, transmission issues. Still gets 33 MPG and runs great when she's not leaving blue puddles for one reason or another.

 

2007 MCS original owner (female)

202k
original clutch and engine

-Walnut shelling at 128k
-Heater core at 186k
-1 water pump/thermostat
-Few sets of brakes and tires

Burning a quart of oil every 400miles. Solid 32mpg on highway.

 

Google Bursar Tools PCV repair for our cars. For $35 you will fix your oil burning problem. literally a 10 minute fix. I went from 2 quarts in 3000 miles to zero oil consumption.

 

a link would be better.... IMO... if it was that simple... crude oil prices would have dropped a long time ago....

 

Link please, Google is turning up nothing of relevance...

 

Yeah, Google has nothing about that.

 

First time MINI owner here.

Drove a 2008 Yaris S TRD 110,000 miles with no repairs other than wear and a few maintenance items. One battery, front brakes once. Sold it with almost every original part. Never left me sit.

This thread is scary.

 

Here is the link for the S

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Membrane-va...hYhPZW&vxp=mtr

Here is the link for a Non-s

https://www.ebay.com/p/Membrane-Valv....c100005.m1851

Here is the video for the S

 

Just an update: 108,000 miles since new. High pressure fuel pump at 72xxx miles, thermostat and sensor at 91xxx. My purchased extended warranty covered both. Just time, brake pads and oil changes otherwise. No oil consumption between 7500 mile changes.