Posting for the record...

I just checked mine after reading throught the thread, and sure enough, the strut mount on the driver's side is cracked. This on an 06 with just under 5000 miles. I just got back from my dealer (250 miles away) but hadn't seen it until this morning. No mushrooming yet. Now to call and see if they will fix under warranty.

You can see it at about six o'clock...



So if it is redesigned, they still haven't used a quality rubber. C'mon MINI, practice safe struts!

 

There were two people on MINI2 last year who reported broken nuts (in this thread). Entertaining to read Roland (of GT Tuning in the UK) dump on JCW. Besides those two cases, I haven't seen anyone else report a failure before or since.

My strut bar had been put off for other mods (e.g. M7 USS) but I plan to use the nuts when I finally get a bar. Here is the parts listing:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=51&fg=70&hl=7

Joker, I recall that you were machining down the M7 strut bar to avoid hood bulge. Any photos?

 

Well, sadly to say Im a member of this club. Cracked on passenger side. I bought mine used, 51k miles and an 03. I guess Ill have to take it to a garage. If I understand these posts I need to get both replaced. Anything else I should do? I appreciate all your input as I am not mechanically inclined at all. :(
thankyou once again....

 

biz,

you don't have to get both replaced, but it might be a good idea as a preventative maintenance procedure.

Afterwards, you probably should get an alignment.

 

is that right!?
they dont look tha same....mayb they(JCW) r usin' tha same nut now since in tha past they had sum issues.

 

no, not yet bud i dont have a Digi cam anymore i mayb able to get sum pix. 2ya from my homies shoppe.. shoot me an e-mail to send em to.

 

So I checked my 06 S with just 7K on odo, the driver side mounting surface didn't feel as flat as the passenger side, that rang a bell, then I grabbed a tape and measured the distance between front and rear bolts, surely enough the one from driver side is about 1/8' to 1/16' longer, at this point I realized it's indeed an early stage mushroom . I have to throw my doubt at the claim about redesign and how it could help.

Anyhow, guess here are my options,
1. bring it to dealer and have them fixed, from what I heard they will just hammer the deformed part of sheet metal down, which isn't a permanent fix, so should I bother?
2. install a pair of M7 tower plates ($99), with longer bolts, can I buy the bolts from dealer? How easy is it to replace these bolts?
3. install a M7 strut tower brace ($199), as an additional suspension upgrade, it seems like a better bang for the buck. Are the mounting plates of STB as strong as the tower plates? Do I still need long bolts?

 

Just picked mine up from the dealer today, I paid to have the drivers side replaced even though it was not cracked, total was $261 (parts and labor).

Both are now new and with the newly designed mount, hopefully one issue I'll I can write down in the history books.

 

Now the question is whether you are going to get the M7 Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates http://www.m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10036 ?

I am thinking about them (along with some longer mounting bolts).

 

Most likely I will not. Hopefully the new mounts will hold up. But, I'll keeping my eye on them.

 

MINITOR is at the shop for other issues and I was just told that I too had a crack. FYI I also have the BMP/PROMINI strut tower bar, but have noticed some minor mushrooming anyways. Grr... Add this one to the list.

 

So, may I ask what you are going to do to get it fixed? My '05 has a passenger side mushroomed shock tower, and the driver's side has a very slight start. The dealer I use said over the phone they won't touch it. MINI USA says I should have a technician look it over to diagnose the problem and see what needs to be done to fix it. Go figure.

 

It would seem that you should find another dealer.

 

Still don't think that an extended warranty makes any sense?

 

BUt what would you say to the extended warrenty people?

 

I contacted M7 a few weeks ago, the strut tower brace mounts are the same as the strut tower reinforements...

 

I would file a claim (take the car into the dealership) for R&R of the upper strut mount(s) and repair of the mushroomed mounting points.

 

when does mushrooming of the top part happens?
is it because of the cracked top mount "banging" or will it also mushroom even if the top mount is still in good condition?

just cracked mine after 2000km (passenger side, no mushrooming yet)

thanks

 

Mushrooming is most likely to occur once the strut mount has cracked. The elasticity of the mount has been compromised (by the crack) and the forces that would normally be absorbed by the strut mount are transferred to the sheetmetal. Net, net, if your strut mount has cracked, get it replaced. The longer you dither (in replacing it), the greater is the chance that mushrooming will start.

 

thanks! i'll order my parts asap!:impatient

 

If you have a total of 2,000 km on the car, wouldn't the failed strut mount be covered by the warranty on the car?

 

my car is an 03 mcs. and here in our country, we don't have an official mini dealer.... yikes!

 

Got it. How many MINIs are there in your country?

 

Okay I have a 04 MCS with about 26k miles on it. After reading all through this thread I still don't understand what mushrooming is but now my MINI is at the dealer. This morning I checked and low and behold my passenger side strut is cracked big time! You can see the differences between both struts below.






I made some yellow markings showing how far around the crack is. Can anyone see from the pictures if there has been mushrooming? I spoke the tech and asked if this was covered under warrenty and he said that he'd have to check it out to see how severe it is. If it's badly cracked he explained that it will be taken as the vehicle was abused and will not be covered on warranty. Okay now who in their right mind actually looks to hit potholes! Goddamn NEw JErsey, there is contruction everywhere, yo'ure bound to hit atleast one pothole a day.

By the time my MINI got to the dealer I believe the techs were gone for the day, so hopefully tomorrow I'll have some more info on my MINI. I miss him already.

 

not more than 30 i guess (maybe less thn that)... mini population have risen in the past year but now it's a headache to import one.. too expensive!! only less than 10 are active in our mini club here..