FYI:

When I went to jack my car up the other day I came across the plastic lift mounts under the car. Strange, I thought, never seen something like that before. Every other car I've owned just put a notch in the frame. Mini puts them there to use so thats where I put my floor jack.

Unfortunately, my initial suspicion was proven out. The drivers side block broke free and dropped the car off the jack! The side skirt was crushed up to the door, thankfully sparing the door any damage. More importantly, I wasn't damaged either. Southbay Mini is repairing the skirt damage under warranty but didn't seem too concerned about the incident. I'm surpised Mini would have a potentially huge lawsuit waiting out there for no good reason I can see. Anyone know of any other cars using these plastic lift points? In any case you all have been warned: Be carefull out there.

 

Thanks for the warning. Ouch!

 

Were you on level ground? Was the car in gear and the parking brake set? I don't see how it would possibly 'break free' without a lateral forcebeing put on the car. I could put a loose block of wood between a floorjack and the car, and it won't move an inch unless it's forced to slide. Please elaborate.

 

An early MINI owner had the same thing happen to him back in September 2002. There's a thread discussing what happened and the ultimate outcome at this location on mini2.com

 

Those pads suck.I went to rotate my tires yesterday and one pad was missing!!!!

 

Those rubber pads are fine if using the emergency jack that comes with the car.

Otherwise, I put a small block of wood just behind those jack points when I use my floor jack.

 

I read that this happened to some people a few years back and decided to make a jig out of oak that is round on the floor jack side and square to fit inside the MINI lift point. It keeps the pressure off that plastic piece. I have lifted the car many times without any problems.

- Dan

 

Yeah...he also tried doing it in his DRIVEWAY (show me a driveway poured LEVEL)

 

Yeah, use the floor jacks on the frame of the car, not the jack point plastic.

The first time I jacked up the car I put the jack under the plastic piece, then I thought "Don't wanna die just yet..." and instead jacked up the car on the side rail with a piece of wood to distribute the pressure along the frame.

 

what year is your MCS?? it appears that there might have been an engineering change to the later vehicles in the mini2 thread cited above.

 

I use a peice of wood on the floor jack when jacking up the car. Here's a shot taken from Webb Motorsports site. It shows a good position for the floor jack.

 

My 2005 S was in gear and brake set on level asphault. I had jacked the car up several times over the previous 24 hours without incident. Obviously some lateral force was applied to the block, as one side of the car goes up and the other stays down, that's what you get. Apparently it doesn't take much to get this part moving out of position. My point is this: why have a plastic block that can break away? EVERY other car I have owned simply had a notch or indent in the "Frame" at the lift point. Short of the metal tearing your not going to have the same problem. It seems like a ridiculous liablity.

 

my car's been jacked up MANY times and ive been under the car
at least 10 times with my jack stands holding the car up at those
plastic pieces. RandyWebb also mentioned that it's safe if you use
the right stands or know how to place the jack under there. I agree
with him.

i has never felt unsafe...otherwise i wouldn't go under there.
but it's at your own risk.

I use a Griot's Garage jackstand which hold the plastic block perfectly.

 

EDIT:
I wrote this before I had my morinig coffe! I should have pointed you back to the post with pictures (a positive post). Please be safe.

Liability. The key word. YOU are responsible for safety when you work on your own car. This is an important point. If you don't understand the forces involved or whether the plastic blocks are properly in place you shouldn't be jacking up your car. Until you understand how it happened you shouldn't put yourself in danger! Stuff happens! I had my 2002s roll of the factory jack changing back to street tires after an event. Cause, stupidity. I did it on not so solid ground. I have been around cars all my life and thought I could get away with it. After all "just a quick change and off I go". Please take this in the spirit it was given. And yes I wish MINI had put a jack point to jack up the front or back of the car.

 

Any chace of some pictures. I have thought about doing the exact same thing for mine.

 

I love the internet where everyone tells everyone else what to do, whatever the "Spirit."

I posted this up as a warning to any other mere mortals to be CAREFUL when jacking your car. The factory supplied lift points do not appear to be perfectly reliable. I was using a floor jack and taking reasonable care. Having to worry about a factory supplied/installed part ripping free of the vehicle when being used for its intended purpose shouldn't have to be a concern. It will be for me from now on. I am irritated that I have to construct a custom part to make the operation of jacking your car safe. I'll repeat my question again: Does anyone know of other cars that use plastic blocks at the lift points? These are the first I've ever seen.

 

Obviously your floor jack was not rolling, to keep itself centered under the jack point, as it should. This caused lateral force on the jacking block and it came out of it's mounting hole. Had you been using the factory jack, you would not have had that problem. Had your floor jack not been in a bind on it's casters, or on a rough surface, preventing it from rolling, you would not have had the problem.

I'm not sure you can blame this on the design, although the temptation is certainly there to use the jack points with whatever jack you have. I certainly will be more careful myself in the future.

 

Obviously, if the jack had a hard metal contact to lock to it would have been pulled through any "binding." Can Mini do no wrong here? Speaking as an automotive and industrial designer I feel I can speak with some authority that this is a bad design. Why are the plastic parts there? What's the advantage given the possible liability?

 

The advantage is that they can be replaced rather easily at little expense as opposed to a deformed floorpan. I thought you said you were an automotive designer...?

I've used the plastic lift points tons of times with no issue. Proper jack and/or jackstand placement and use is paramount.

 

The REAL warning here is, don't play mechanic, if you don't know how to use the tools.

 

Only slightly related, but I found a house yesterday with a 3 car garage that will accomodate a LIFT. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

There's being snippy, and there's being a jerk.
Happily, I don't live in Florida anymore.

 

I thought those jacking points were strictly for the jack that came with the car.

 

Petercrosby has the probable cause. That is what usually happens with a floor jack, so you have to watch out for it. Was that the cause?

I was at an autoX and a husband and wife team who had been racing and instructing for a long time had just jacked up their ACR Neon. Unfortunately he moved the rocker panel up 2 inches before he realized it!! The ACR Neon has a metal jack point just like you described. He has an SM Miata which he built himself but wasn't paying attention.

2 things: Thank you for the warning. THAT is one of the more important things this forum is for. And I truly thank you for it. I hope I didn't discourage you from posting about any troubles you may encounter in the future!

And now that you got some useful, and not so useful info, what do you think was the cause??

 

user error. jk.