Do you mod them and then just run as a stock car does?

I ask because I just picked my car up from the dealer with a long list of items that weren't fixed because they blame my aftermarket parts.

1. Steering wheel - It doesn’t seem to be straight and I believe I found a TSB on this issue. Due to aftermarket parts I have lowering springs.
2. Exhaust rattle - issue mostly when stopped and it changes depending on what gear I’m in. Worse when in R. Due to aftermarket parts pulley, intake. My header is bad for the 2nd time. They say the car is running too rich.

3. Squeek in rear - Probably my sway needs some more lube. Won't touch due to aftermarket parts. I have a larger rear sway bar.


4. Noise on the passenger side. They say there is loose bolts on the undercarraige and they let me leave like this without fixing it. They were more concerned with getting paid to tighten a few bolts. WTH

So to say the least I am in a rut. My car needs probaly $1500-2000 in work and I wonder if I should just pay the piper or demod and ride stock.

What have others done in this case?

 

Get an alignment, grease the rear swaybar, and tighten up the bolts.

Most of the aftermarket swaybars kits I've seen have grease fittings...a squirt or two will shut it up.

The alignment needs to be done by an alignment shop.

The exhaust rattle should be fairly easy to figure out once you get the car up on stands or ramps, and while you're there tighten those bolts. If you're concerned about torque specs, I'll look them up for you if you tell me which bolts are loose.

Rawhyde

 

car isn't necessarily perfect in factory form, but mine rides
pretty much factory-like...meaning no major rattles or annoyance,
no squeaking.. and tracks straight, etc.

 

How do I get around blowing another CAT? These things are expensive. I could go aftermarket but I really don't want my exhaust being super loud.

 

I don't have nearly the mods that some folks have. My car has a few rattles in the dash and such. Other than a stiffer ride, no other differences from stock. The lady has a MCSC which runs a little differently... not so stiff. I attribute that to the run flats & lack of suspension mods. The gearing is also a little different from my 04 to her 06 MCSC. I think that is just normal progression of BMW engineering. hope that helps. As said above, tighten & lube.

 

How rich is it running, and why is it running rich?

 

They didn't go into detail and I didn't ask. I just don't understand how I have gone through 2 CATs so fast and how others don't. They did mention that it "might have to do with how you drive it"

 

BS. OEM cats are meant to last the lifetime of the car. Aftermarket cars are 200 cell or worse, 100 cell and will blow out early but not OEM cats. Further, unless the car is over 5 years old or more than 50K miles, per EPA regs you can only replace with an OEM cat (legally) so I would bet Tate ain't going to install an aftermarket cat unless its for "off road use only"

MINIs run rich anyway, just check the black crap on the exhaust tips. Maybe the Unichip did something

 

MDS, which headers/exhaust do you have? I have heard something about the Miltek exhaust/headers having problems. Did you talk to the "new guy"?

 

If you have a unichip get a tune

Milltek has bad cats and they know it and will fix...which header do you have?

find a good speed shop that will work with you and let them do the minor maintenance..... use the same mechanic over and over so he can't blame the "other" guy.

when you start to mod a car things can happen but I drove a couple of fairly modded cars last week that ran like they were born that way.....

 

Spider has a good point here. LDG mentioned that to me ... they didn't want to work on stuff others had done but I dont know their current thoughts on that. Makes sense though.

 

I'm new here, so forgive me the stupid questions...

What made them decide you needed new cats? Failed emissions test?

Has the car been on the dyno with a wideband O2 sensor?

 

The car is running stock header, exhaust and ecu as of the last 7-8k miles. Or since this CAT went on.

The reason the cat was suspect was I complained of an exhaust rattle. They said the cat sounds like it has peices rolling around it which is causing the exhaust rattle. Which is the same issue as before.

Yes Jay, this was the new guy and he got very excited and tense when I started to question the work performed on my car. I said the warranty doesn't state anything about how I drive the guy. He then asked how I drive it. WTH? I'm done with this dealer. I'm with Will right now and boycotting Tate MINI of Annapolis, MD. If I have to pay out of my pocket for good service from LDG then so be it.

I have called LDG and asked when they have time to take me in and give me their verdict.

 

Might be a stupid suggestion, but could you try another dealer? Maybe one a little more mod-friendly? My dealer installs Mini Mania accessories including exhaust, headers, pulleys, etc., so I can't imagine them blaming mods for problems and they've always been fairly helpful.

 

You know, there might be a bit of a stick here. If the catalyst has failed, it has to be replaced under the emission control system warranty. I haven't checked the language in a while, but there may not be an exception where the manufacturer can frivolously deny to repair/replace under the emission control system warranty. Nothing like having the U.S. EPA go after BMW/MINI for a failure to honor their obligation under the law....

 

My modded MINI runs "perfect." My stock 2003 Mercedes E-500 has had dozens of problems and the service is total SHITTT

 

MDS, you are making me scared eek: I don't want to have to "fight" for my car. Oh well, we shall see what happens tomorrow. I didn't want to go to Tate, but I didn't have a choice. Once MoS is up and running, I will probably go there. I need to check out MoT as well. Good luck man.

 

Not that I agree with it, but more likely the owner would get busted for tampering with emissions equipment. If I remember right, it's illegal to remove or replace a cat converter on a car with <70K miles unless it is damaged.

Rawhyde

 

Brian... Do yourself a favor and call Frank at Checkered Flag Mini. He's our SA here. I suggest you talk to him about your specific problems (with the exception of the easily greased rear sway) and don't mention what mods you once had or not. Perhaps it's worth a trip down to good ole Norfolk if they'll take care of your issues.

757*490-1111 Ask for Mini Service..then ask for Frank.

Once you get things right one way or another... dump that lemon dude! Mini should buy back that car for all the trouble you've had! I'm postitive NONE of your mods caused some of the serious issues your ride has had... they just weren't that extreme, nor anything more than a JCW would have been if you purchased one of those up front.

Keep me posted on aol man.

 

For 1995 and later vehicles, it's 8 years / 80,000 miles.

http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/warr94fs.txt

 

Exactly what I was thinking. My SA at Mini Yaletown is as excited as I am by mods and sees them as an improvement to the existing product if they're a quality product and installed properly. Sure he'd rather sell me a JCW product, but knows that the prices are restrictive. Never has anyone at Mini Yaletown even hinted that mods were responsible for something that was caused by wear and tear.

 

I would say it is worth a shot. Take the printout from the URL to the obnoxious MINI dealer (along with the documentation of failure of the car to pass an emission control test) and tell them your next action if they decline to repair/replace the catalytic converter is to forward the file to the U.S. EPA for action. You may get a different response. I didn't see an exclusion for aftermarket parts added after the converter (cat-back exhaust).

 

As has been pointed out before...the warranty is from BMW NOT the dealer...they could always punt to the BMW corp and you will get squeezed in between (take it to another dealer first ...my suggestion)...warrantees are not fun when you have a dealer that is like this...In the end, if you stick with it...you will probably win. Had an incident with Audi Corp a few years ago concerning windshield film (after 2 yrs of ownership) They wiggled and wormed for all the 2 yrs! I reported the "defect to the NTSA and traded the car (would not sell a defective car privately). All they would say weekly is "we are looking into it!

 

I agonized about doing any mods to my 04 MCS but decided to
1) Put on a milltech cat back
2) an Alta 15% pulley

* (MY servicing dealer is Mod UGLY!)

Figured it was not my everyday driver and there was only 1.5 yrs left on the warranty anyway with a dealer that is over 100 mi away. so I took the shot.

So far no problems, rattles etc after 3 mos and a couple of thousand miles. Still leaves a bit of fear out there though since Mini parts are so expensive. Lucliky I have a Local Bimmer mech who works on Mini's at a decent price and gets parts from bimmer also at a decent price.

 

My approach has been to become some what proficient at being a mechanic...at least to the degree of modification that one has changed...ie, if I just swapped wheels, then I should be able to change a tire. Having others do the work is less taxing on my nerves but then you're at the mercy of their schedule and labor charges to which you are finding out

The answer to your question is...modded cars do run perfect (most of the time) when the driver is also the mechanic because he has intimate knowledge of what has been modified and who did it