I hate to beat a dead horse but as I stated before the dealers don't want to see me. No warning lights = no problems. I am not freaking joking. I was at Mountain View Mini for over an hour and they WOULDN'T take my car in to look at it. Hell they still don't know the color of my Mini (except for the one tech who went for a short ride and told me that it isn't a BMW), that is how much attention they gave me! And again, when I had Mini of SF on the phone he told me NOT to bring my car up.

I'll be in Chicago in June. Red Sox vs Cubs!!

 

The second driveway is pretty nasty. That is more like it but it is considerably longer.

 

lagunacat,

I agree the problem is question is how the SA mishandle your problem as well as prior similar cases of owners of similar problem. Though the 05 MCS is geared about 11% lower on the 1st so would have 11% more torque, the pre-05s should have not problem tackle any public road in SF unless there is indeed a problem with the said cars.

What happened the to MiniUSA angel that swooped down from heaven to offer help? Told by the MiniUSA God not to intervene?

 

Exactly! I asked the SA if they were stating this problem to prospective buyers in SF and he said "I don't know, I'm not in sales".

I don't know what happened to that angel. I haven't heard a word from Minui USA and I know they have my number.

 

Chicago in June should be FUN! (too cold before then, too HOT after )
Wrigley field is a blast, too :smile:.

I'm going to go out on a limb and ask my MA what HE would do, if his MCS had trouble similar to yours. I know his answer already though - He'd take it to "Adam in Service", describe the symptom, and Adam, being an experienced MINI Service Manager/Technician, would "just know" what to look at/fix/replace. You should consider writing something up in the Dealer Review section here.

Freakin' Mcdonald's "succeeds" partly because you KNOW what you're getting. From 'Frisco to Boston, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese... It's very frustrating for owners to deal with the dramatic "variations" in responsiveness and level of service at different dealers! Guess I should thank my lucky stars for a working MCS, and for a local dealership that doesn't abuse its (potential repeat) customers.

Mechanical problems that you "ignore" (I know that's the wrong word) are obviously a risk. You're betting that the problem won't do lasting harm unto your engine, just because things mostly work. If past experience taught me anything, it's that issues like this usually come to a head a month or 2 after the expiration of your warranty . Dodge/Chrysler taught me that lesson well.

 

When you buy ANYTHING there is an implied warranty of fitness (for the particular purpose that it is designed). You should be able to get your money back from the dealer from whom you purchased the car or, perhaps, MINI USA. You need to consult a lawyer who handles consumer problems.

 

These are two of the hills I drive up.



and down

 

I mentioned the supercharger bypass 2.5 weeks ago in this thread. Have you checked it yet???

ripley.

 

That is rediculous!

 

Let me know what he says.

So here are 3 photos of the driveway. The view looking up is steeper than it looks and the 2 views from the top are more accurate, though it is not as steep as the second photo that Meanboy posted yesterday.

 

No I haven't. I need to be able to find it first.

It is on the list of the many things I need to do concerning this problem.

 

Lagunacat, have you let anyone else with a MCS try your car out on that driveway yet?

A bunch of us are heading down to Laguna Seca next weekend, I think we could manage to swing by and put on a little show for your video camera. I'll try and get up it in reverse if that helps prove your case to the dealers.

 

That hill doesn't look all that much different then the SF hills I climb. I think the bypass valve is a good place to start troubleshooting. But definitely, your car should be able to climb it and it did until recently.

 

Lagunacat, those pics look almost exactly like my grandparents driveway in Pittsburgh PA. Any driveway with stairs next to it is a beast. Too bad I'm in Florida and the MINI is probably not going to see Pittsburgh any time soon. Our Saturn (~120 hp) made it up there fully loaded several years ago. My dad took a trip up with our Honda Insight and it made it up too (although with electric assist, max torque is at 1500 rpm ).

I see the problem with the gearing as your only just above 1k rpm going 10 mph in 1st. Going up a driveway like that at 15+ mph is not very feasible.

 

Not yet. I don't know the owner of this property that well and still trying to get permission from her to do my 'shoot'. I am hoping this weekend but if she agrees maybe I will wait until next weekend. I am not in any particular hurry. I know Mini USA and my attorney will be around for awhile

The property is about a mile off Hwy 1. I live about 7 from Laguna Seca.

I was also planning on taking it up in reverse. I don't think it will have a problem in that gear.

 

I agree. I think it is a torque problem. Just from driving the car for a year and comparing to others I have owned. Plus it doesn't hurt that the San Fran. SA STATED THIS!

 

No, it NEVER made this hill, without a running start.

You have a Cooper or and S?

 

Our MINIs actually have good torque, but also have heavy flywheels that take away torque until you get the flywheel spinning good enough which means getting some RPM going before releasing the clutch.
I've taken hills here in SF and will admit that taking off from a standing start in the middle of the incline takes practice and clutch material . I use the e-brake while I work the throttle and let out the clutch. Once I feel the clutch engage, I give more throttle and release the e-brake and the clutch at the same time and I'm on my way. Using the e-brake to keep the car from rolling backwards take some strength, but always works for me.
Good luck and give me the word if you'd like us to stop by.

 

I have a MCS and I travel up hills similar to the pictures you posted daily(I live on top of a hill). I even got stuck a couple of times in the middle of one of those hills. Because of the lack of throttle response on such hills, I grab the e-brake sometimes and rev it to 2k and release the brake and away she goes. I don't know if I could go up at a constant 5 mph(haven't tried) but I can definitely make it at a constant 10 mph.

 

Wow. Judging by the rise vs the run of the stairs, that looks to be at least a 30-40% grade.

 

No it isn't that steep. I am thinking in the 22-25% range. The photo from the top looking down looks exaggerated and the the view looking up looks under exaggerated.

 

lagunacat - I live fairly close (Hollister) ... let me know if you want to meet up and try the hill again - using my MCS.

 

I think we would get a better representation using Mini's without mods , as mine is. Well no engine mods , yet.

agreed? input? There are a couple ways to look at this.

 

No problem - just remember the offer is open.

 

Heck, I'm going to be at Laguna Seca next weekend, I'd be glad to stop by also...