So i finally purchased a "new to me" 2005 Cooper! and apparently I have a perma-smile every time im drivin' it!

Im just curious about the transmission/clutch. Maybe im just so used to the previous Honda 5 speeds ive owned in the past that im just looking for anything that sounds or feels different than what im used to. But I do notice a bit of a clunky, loose sounding noise coming from the gearbox every time i shift. Is this normal? I usually get a 'clicking' noise in the same area when i press the clutch pedal in.

The car only has 16,000 km's.


Thanks,
Paul

 

Welcome to the club! I've got an '05 MC and had the tranny replaced at 3K because of a groaning, whirring noise. It sounded more like a straight-cut racing tranny than a street car to me. It was fine for a bit, but then started acting up again on and off yesterday. I don't race my car and am easy on the clutch and tranny, but mine still gives me problems. I think BMW built a great car, but the tranny really needs to be improved.

 

Paul,

Without hearing the sound it's making it's tough to say. Maybe there is a problem, but maybe not. Getrag gearboxes are just not especially quiet. It's not out of the ordinary to hear a variety of mild clunking sounds. My suggestions would be to take it by the MINI dealer and demonstrate it for the SA. Or, you could find another MINI owner with the same tranny to compare to.

You are still under warranty, right? No worries.

 

check out the other threads...there was one I recall that discussed "tapping noises" comming from the tranny and it was attributed to the "throw out" bearing in the tranny. I have that noise and I'm planning on having it looked at when its time to take mine for its scheduled maintenance.

 

Thanks for all your responses!
I'll bring my car to the Mini dealership tonight. I need to get a small paint chip that's down to the metal by the sport-spoiler looked at anyway. (weirdest place for a chip).
Yeah maybe i will take out a similar '05 MC and see if the gearbox sounds the same. Its really not a big deal i guess, as long as i know that its a 'normal' noise from that gearbox.

 

I owned an 05 MC, after 12k miles, i lost the tranny completely.

Final drive ended up breaking and the clutch and flywheel were damaged in the process..... (it still makes me wonder how, but i havent ever seen the internal working of an MC tranny, besides the 5 inch diameter holes that was in the bottom of my transmission housing)

The car was acting up and i had to double clutch to get it into second, it was like it had no synchro.

 

Sounds like it all depends on what day the MC Getrags gearboxes were manufactured...Hopefully mine was produced in the middle of the week and not on a Monday or Friday!!:impatient

I was talking to the mechanic at the Mini dealership this morning and he said that the Getrag gearboxes are generally 'noisier' than the usual Honda or Toyota's that we are used too. So unless the clicking/knocking noise gets rough, I shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Plus he mentioned that sometimes the linkages/cables need to be greased occasionally to ensure proper, quieter shifting. Makes sense.

pj