Me too. 09/2003 build '04 MCS. Both sides. It hasn't rained for a few days and when I pulled the driver's side off it was still moist so it's really trapping the moisture somehow. In my old Alfa it wouldn't have been a problem because it would just drain out through the existing rust holes in the rocker panel...

 

The thing is he is not the service guy. He is the guy from MINI HQ . He is the Aera Manager for the Southeast Region. He was down in Florida from South Carolina making his rounds.

 

I hate to join this club but I'm in
Driver's side has more than passenger's, but in both case still wet even though I washed the car more than two weeks ago.
I will call the dealer (Bob Smith in Calabasas CA), send them the pictures and a link to this thread and let you know what they say.
Hopefully after 50 pages on this thread we will hear from MINI USA...

 

Just talked to MINIUSA, of course it's the first time they've heard about the problem
I sent my pictures with my VIN # and a link of this thread, can't wait for the answer...

 

Count me in on this. April 02 Cooper, rust on both sides.

I stumbled on this thread today--and was stunned. Ran down and checked and there were very small spots, nothing as severe as others here are showing, but at least 5 spots with the start of rust, on top of the seam or in those unpainted rectangles. What kills me is that the car hasn't been driven in three days, was in the garage and hasn't seen rain in at least 5 and the passenger side was still damp under the rubber gasket! I'm wondering if there are other spots like this, such as under the gasket along the gutter above the firewall.

The car is garaged at home and work, only going out to drive. I always dry the area around that gasket, but never under it. That's about to change.

 

Drying the area under the gasket won't stop the formation of rust; it might slow it, but definitely won't stop it. Rust can form from water vapor (as in humidity) contacting bare metal. The long-term solution is to neutralize the what rust is already present and then seal the metal with a rust resistant paint.

 

---> Moist carpet??

Are you guys finding any moisture in the carpet right below the weather-stripping as well as around the foot-rest pedal??
I just got back from washing my car, and of course, peeling off the weather-strip to dry the rocker seams, I removed the shoe mats and noticed some moisture along those areas....not sure what’s going on.

 

could you back up a little bit, maybe a broader shot of the whole door area, then zoom in on the rust accordingly? I'm having a hard time getting some kind of perspective here as to where on the "door sill." Thanks Jimbo

PS I notice that after I wash my S there's always water and unrinsed soap on the door sills that seems to linger. I wonder if this is contributing?

 

I contacted MINI USA today to add my car to the rust issue. The phone rep said "I was the first one to report this". I wonder how many times that line can be used with a straight face. I told him to check out this thread on NAM, and he said that the higher ups do monitor the major MINI forums. He took all of my information but didn't offer much in the way of any suggestions other than to say that if I went ahead and repaired the damage I should use the same body shop that the dealer would have used in order to maximize my chances of getting reimbursed for the work. Sounds like they're just buying time while they come up with a response that hopefully will be more substantial than electrical tape.
Just for comparison, thought I'd also report on the rust on my 2005 Scion xBox. Also located on the door welds, but not associated with moist areas under weatherstripping; just sloppy spot welds at the joints. The rep said to bring it in to any Toyota or Scion dealer, let them know the problem was documented to Scion over the phone, and they will take care of it under warranty. We'll see if that actually happens. In the meantime, the silence from MINI grows more deafening by the day.
Had the MINI out today and found that the area was dry this morning but had water after it rained. The car was not driven in the rain, it was just parked. That proves that the water is coming from above, not being kicked up from below during driving. Roof to A pillar to door sill is the most obvious path, with the weatherstripping sealing in that moisture for days or weeks after.

 

I've seen rust stains along the entire length of the sill, but it is always under the large black gasket. Open the door fully and kneel next to the opening, facing inwards. Pull up firmly in the center of the gasket and it will come up... it is just friction fit on there. The rust seems to be appearing more frequently towards the rear of the opening... 5 inches or so forward of the B-Pillar (rear door frame).

If you look at post 278, above (https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&postcount=278), the first picture is on the rear side of the door frame... that silver bit at the bottom is the metal of the door sill plate. The second picture is a few inches back from the front side of the opening, as you can still see the curve (and the front side of the door sill plate). The third picture is in the middle of that sill.

 

It keeps them entertained........did you show him the thread on NAM?

The guy at Global .... Dave Cote ..... is a good guy.

 

Thanks for the guidance agranger, I'm scared to look on my 8/04 build 05 S. Btw FYI here's what some folks on M2 who, quite oddly, started a door sill rust thread around the same time (although there's one that goes back to 03 as well...) Please forgive if anyone has cross-posted there

http://www.mini2.com/forum/exterior/...rust+door+sill

For some reason they seemed a LOT less alarmed about this than we are. And they also seem to think WD40 is the cure-all. I have no clue what waxoyl is, and they even suggest fish oil

Could one apply Cosmaline to the affcted areas? Works great in gun barrels...

BMW better well be concerned about this. No excuse for any car to start rusting this early in life. I'm sure they do not want to see their cars go the way of the "Yugo."

Oh and any rust reports from the bonnet or boot areas yet, like say down by the battery? Hopefully this condition is localized and not widespread. Jimbo

 

Ok guys, even though I fall into the rust category, however small it may be on my car, I think i have to break it to you.

Cars rust. they are metal. metal, when exposed to water, rusts.

Bare metal will rust in 7 minutes when exposed to air. I still see no reason why MINIUSA or MINI at all should have to deal with this.

Do you think the Miata guys ***** to Ford and Mazda when their cars rust? No, its a fact of owning a car. If you drive it in any weather besides dry summer conditions, they will rust, no matter how good the car is prepped and painted.

Better get with it guys, I see no reason why MINI should have to deal with this at all, and I doubt they will!

 

Wow! And some of us were actually thinking it was unusual for a premium priced car, designed and engineered by one of the worlds premiere auto manufacturers, to start rusting after just one year... This is such a relief! Thank you!

Attention Admin....Please shut down this thread now. Everything is OK. "Cars rust".

 

I'm sorry, eventhough we all understand that rust is part of a car's life, nobody expect it (and should not) to show up after a year or two.
That is simply not acceptable for a car that young and in that price range.
Bare metals may rust in seven minutes, but I don't expect my car to have much bare metal, everything on the body is usually treated to prevent any metal being left in that bare state.
Rust showing up on my MINI in 15-20 years, I'll deal with it.
Rust showing up on my MINI before I'm even done paying for it, not acceptable. I'm sorry.
I guess next time I'll just stick with aluminum body only....(Ferrari F430 here I come!)

 

Are you kidding?

You better go buy a Saturn, cause you will be EXTREMELY LUCKY to get 8 years out of a car before rust forms.

 

Ok maybe 15-20 years was pushing it...
However, I'm detailing the hell out of that car, so I did expect it to last a bit longer than 2 years before seeing rust.

 

Its surface rust, bud.

I could see rust through, thats not acceptable.

Most cars have surface rust somewhere on the car before its delivered to you.

How does detail the car slow the rusting process?
When's the last time you waxed the bottom of the floors or inside the rocker panels?

 

Sorry, still not liking it that early...

I guess my next one will be an Audi.

 

So, is this your first car that you have owned for more than 2 years?

Because judging from your and just about every other irrational response I have read over 11 pages, it would apprear to be so.


I have a very hard time understanding how some of these people justify thier completely asinine requests for MINI to fix SURFACE RUST!

 

No, but it's my first NEW car.
And I've had used car before without any sign of rust.
My girlfriend's 3 year old Mazda (which sleeps outside and we live 100 feet from the beach) shows no sign of rust either.

Listen, I understand it's only surface rust. I think everybody has a problem with the cause of that surface rust, which may be a problem with a sill or something else....that's what we're trying to find out, that's all.

 

The cause is water trapped under the weatherstrip, thats a no brainer.

MINI wont do a damn thing about it because right now, theres no threat of damage other than surface rust.

Bust asking for MINI to come out and relase some kind of statement about surface rust under weatherstripping (not that you said it, but it was on another page) is extreme.

I could see a service bulletin with perhaps a revised or redesigned weatherstrip, but right now, this isnt a big enough issue for MINI to deal with, they have more important thing to do than mess around with something that wont be a big deal for at least a few more years. Right now this is minor enough to catch before it does get to be any worse. But until it gets to the next stage of worse than surface rust, MINI wont help out.

My MINI has been driven daily including winters (and hardly washed during the winter) in an area that is heavily salted, and I have little to no rust on the car. I think these are all rather isolated issues, all just summed up into one thread, seeing as the entire member pool on NAM only accounts for roughly 13% of the entire MINI population in the USA.

 

You need to take this into account too.

Were you really looking all over the car for rust on your last used car?


I think your noticing this because its brand new and not a used car.

Go outside, look the car over like you would the MINI.

The car has rust somewhere on it, i'm 100% sure of it.

 

Double!

 

triple! man im good, lol