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Mini Cooper Troubleshooting
Mini is a British automotive marque founded in 1969, owned by German automotive company BMW since 2000, and used by them for a range of small cars.
Automobile Troubleshooting
Loose Timing Chain
The timing chain is known to become loose prematurely in Mini's road life, which ends up requiring early replacement. If you ignore this issue, often diagnosed by a rattling sound under the hood, it could lead to the chain breaking, which can cause major engine damage.
Front Radiator Support and Coolant Hose
Hitting a curb is never a good thing. As the Mini sits a bit lower to the ground, a curb presents a formidable opponent. The radiator supports located in the front are constructed of plastic, and while they do work well to reduce weight, they add a bit of vulnerability concerning impact. Any significant bump to the front of the vehicle can damage these supports. Larger bumps may also damage the coolant hose, which can be quite costly and problematic.
Movement in the Timing Chain Can Create Noise and Vibration
As the timing chain and assembly wear, they can develop a bit of slack in the mechanism. It’s important to address the issue immediately, as it can quickly lead to further damage and increased expense if ignored. Preventative maintenance on your Mini Cooper is important, and this is an issue that can likely be avoided by staying ahead of the game.
Automatic Transmission Failure
One problem that has become quite apparent in Mini Coopers with CVT transmissions is transmission failure. Many point fingers at the manufacturer, who stated that the transmission does not require transmission fluid flushes. In reality, they do and they should be completed every 30,000 to 40,000 miles to ensure a long-lasting, healthy automatic transmission.
Power Steering Pump Failure
The electric power steering pumps are known to fail without warning. If your steering becomes more rigid or if it becomes difficult to turn the steering wheel while traveling at low speeds, you may need to install a new pump. If you do, it will be worth testing the cooling fan and other parts in the area at the same time, since the vehicle will be apart to perform those repairs, if necessary.
Clutch Failure
Mini Cooper clutches have been known to fail at relatively low mileage, especially when the vehicle is driven regularly in heavy traffic. If you catch a whiff of something burning while driving your manual transmission Mini, be sure to visit an expert mechanic to have the issue properly diagnosed and repaired.
Transmission Problems and Failure
The Mini Cooper has long struggled with transmission issues. The manufacturer suggests you do not change the transmission fluid. This has led to problems for many Mini owners, and qualified mechanics strongly advise changing the transmission fluid at regular intervals.
Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Issues
The timing system in the Mini requires an ample amount of oil to perform as intended. If the timing assembly does not have enough oil, increased friction can lead to damage. To prevent this damage from occurring, it’s important to check and change your oil as part of your routine maintenance.
Water Pump Leak
Mini Coopers with more than 50,000 miles are known to spring leaks from the water pump or thermostat housing. Replacing the pump and housing before a leak develops can save hours of labor down the road.
SOURCE: https://www.paddockimports.com/blog/common-repair-problems-mini-cooper/
Mini Cooper Troubleshooting
Mini Cooper problems
Mini Cooper broken
Mini Cooper issue
Mini Cooper difficulty
I bought my 2007 Mini Cooper S in July 2009 and in August 2009, I had to have the car flat bed towed to San Antonio because the clutch and all parts had to be replaced $2793.09. March 2011 - water pump drive belt cracked $1106.52. October 2011 - excessive carbon buildup $851.00. March 2012 - timing chain $941.98. Total spent on repairs $5693.05 in 2 years and that is with them discounting.
I love my Mini, I just dont care for the people who I believed would help me when the Mini had problems. The Mini Company needs new leadership. Someone who cares about customer support and takes problems with the Mini serious. The only way WE can fix these problems are to join together and take these guys to court. Separate we are weak and unimportant, but TOGETHER we can form a wave that can change things. That is the only way to right the wrongs that have been waged against us.I have owned a Mini countryman since November 2011. The car is a 2012 model that I had made at the factory. The car now has 63000 miles and the repairs include: 1. replaced fuel pump 2. replaced spark plugs 3 replaced all four tires 4. replaced battery 5. replaced light bulbs6. replaced the thing that holds your accessories on the railWith all the replacements, I still have a few problems with the Countryman. 1. The engine cannot handle driving for long periods of time with the air conditioner on. The engine malfunction light will come on and I have to let the car cool in order for the error to go away. That problem alone is something that Mini knows and just does nothing about. 2. The battery I replaced was faulty from the start. I thought that my car just had problems but once I replaced the battery with a battery outside of the Mini dealership, the car started doing things that it had never done before. Like for example, you are not suppose to be able to lock your keys inside your car but I did. I didnt realize that that was a problem until I did the same thing with the new battery and the car just opened back up after two beeps. It was amazing to see the car do something it was suppose to do. The car misfires all the time.Now that I explained my problems, I have some advice. Dont go to Mini to get your car fixed. They are hurting your car more than helping it. If you have to go to them dont leave your car alone with them. Watch the repairs like a hawk. This might help them not break something for future repairs. NEVER BUY A USED MINI!!! ITS STUPID... Its best to buy the parts and have another shop repair whatever it needs. I recommend Pep Boys. They are good and reasonable about the repair rates.
Has anyone else had trouble getting the wheel-controlled Bluetooth phone controls? Mine comes and goes, without any apparent cause. Dealer said he could fix it for a thousand dollars US. No way. Others have told me this is a known fault. Any and all suggestions appreciated. By the way, I love my Mini Cooper S 2008, 54,000 miles, hardtop.
Our car had problems that we could detect before 38K so we took it to a local dealership. They claimed that they do not see any issues and paid for transmission fluid replacement. We have a MINI Cooper 2004 that could not be driven, has 40k on it, was garaged, maintained properly, problems were apparent, but all we could do was to take it to a local dealership that sold us the car. They suggested that we change the transmission fluid and other maintenance, which we agreed to. The dealership assured us that nothing is wrong. They drove it over 100 miles and nothing was noted. We took the car home and had the same problems as before.When we called, there was no other response but that they cannot find anything wrong. Yet the car was towed several times and the dealership denied anything needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, at the time, we had experienced great personal tragedy and could not attend to a car or anything, just the bare essentials.Finally, when we took it to another private small company, they told us about the transmission problems that not only plague MINI Coopers, but that dealerships are known for not assisting with this and deny any responsibility. The same thing happened when we tried to call the corporate office. There is a class-action suit in CA and NJ, but what about the other states? We cannot put out almost $8,000 for another transmission on our MINI. What can we do? What do others do? Why all owners who have similar experience do not get together as folks in California? Why dont we inquire about MINI/BMW taking responsibility for a clearlyfaulty car that has brought us more headaches than we could ever imagined? Most of us saved years to get this car, as did our son. Most of us bought MINI as the dream car and depended on the MINI/BMW reputation. If anyone is able to put together a Web site and gather information from all owners from the U.S.A., I think that MINI would eventually have to assist us with the replacement of a transmission that they put in the car knowing that it does not work.We would do our part, but do not know what or where to turn, it helps to write for others not to buy the car. How could we get together and have something done? The corporate offices deny any culpability and claim that they are not aware of any problems. Transmission is way too expensive to replace and it is not the only thing people complain about, yet, outside from California activism, we just complain and do nothing.Does anyone have any suggestion? Someone with legal expertise? Someone who has experience with car mechanics? Someone who knows that it is possible to put pressure on MINI/BMW to request that they do something--given the years of knowledge of faulty transmissions?It is a sad story. We thought this was a reputable company. I am over 70 and would not want to part with the car that belonged to my deceased son. Could anyone suggest what can be done? Please contact me at ** if you believe that we indeed could accomplish something together.
I have never felt so disrespected, unappreciated and taken advantage of by a company in my life! Minis recent decision to extend the warranty on the faulty power steering pump for models between the years of 2002-2005 as well as some 2005 Mini convertibles has caused there to be literally no replacement parts available in the North Texas area where I live. I happen to be one very unfortunate 2005 Mini convertible owner who has had to pay an inordinate amount in repairs on the car, such as paying close to $8,000 for the CVT transmission to be replaced after only 70,000+ miles, having to get the control arm bushings replaced, and so many other problems that should not have happened with the car considering how cautiously I drive it. I am being told by local dealerships that I can expect to wait up to a month before my car can be fixed. Until then, however, my car cannot pass state inspection with its current lack of power steering. I have now been left without a car and no options that I could feasibly afford to get into a temporary vehicle. I have received absolutely no help from Mini to assist with temporarily getting into a different car until mine has been repaired. Again, I only have to wait because Mini does not have the parts available, not to any fault of my own. I am left to decide whether I want to break state law by driving without current inspection and risk getting more citations for it, or dropping out of school as I will have no way of getting there. I have been completely screwed over by Mini, and it appears as though they couldnt care less that they have left me and possibly others in distress.
I purchased a brand new Mini Countryman in May. It has now been in the shop four times for problems that have escalated in degree. Now it has brake issues. They have now had my car for six days this time.
I have the 2.0 Mini Copper S Petrol, well built and well finished. Beautiful to drive and great fun. However the most annoying thing for me, is the use of extremely cheap and discolouring plastic trim on the outside. My car is a very late 2017 and the plastic is marked and get, I have tried all sorts of plastic treatment including the one in my mini pack but nothing really restores it. Compared to my Wifes 2016 Mazda CX5 which is still perfect and any plastic product makes it look like new. Before the Mini, I have owned BMWs since 1999, never experienced this problem before, its very poor and lets the whole car down.
I bought a beautiful brand new 2012 Convertible Mini Cooper, and sold it after 1 year and 20,000 miles. I got rid of the problem car. I refused to listen to my friends who suggested to me to buy anything but a BMW product because it is overrated. I could forget about the inconvenience of having only 2 front seats, because the 2 back seats are useless, they are very uncomfortable, feeling as if you are seating on a rock, my 5- and 2-year-old kids refuse to sit on the back seats.The car is poorly designed. You have to reach far away and over the top to reach the window controls, sunroof and lights. I had to buy myself an air compressor, to pressure the tires, because the stupid tire pressure sensing valves will leak air all the time. I bought a convertible car to be able to open the top as I please, but frequently, anything on the trunk will trigger a stupid switch, that will prevent the top from opening. My little Mini used fuel as if it was one of those Lincoln Continental of the 60s. I bought a Mini without Turbo Charger, but it is a gas guzzler. They claim the car makes 37 miles a gallon on the highway. The best it can do is 25 mpg. The car has a massive 14 gallons of fuel and for a good reason, it uses a lot of gas.To be objective, I can only cite one or two good things about this car. As small as it is, it has a rough ride. It feels as a go-cart ride, but it takes the road curves really good. This car is a city car; it was not made to ride for longer than 2 hours. If you have back problems, they will worsen with this Mini problem. The other advantage is that for a convertible car, it is quiet. You can have a conversation and listen to classical music.I do not recommend this car if you like the comforts of being in the city. Please do not buy a problem. The customer service is horrible. When you are buying the car, they offer you free 36,000 miles maintenance. They ripped me off - I had for brakes after 15,000 miles, and it was not cheap, because BMW cars do not replace pads. They replace rotors, packing, pads and bearings - $500 brake job. The worst part of the nightmare was the overheating problem. The car has been poorly designed with a bad cooling system. It provides weak air conditioning. If it is freezing, the hot air reaches you after 15 to 20 minutes. In a hot day, the air conditioning is worthless, and on top of that, after 20,000 miles, the stupid car developed overheating problems. I took it to the dealer and they did not want to even answer the phone. I took the car 2 times complaining about overheating, and they could not fix the problem. Instead of doing the lemon law frustration, I just sold the car and gave the problem to another fool. I do not recommend Mini Cooper. It is the worst investment you can make.
My 2006 Mini Cooper S convertible has the same transmission issues as others here. Very dangerous to drive. Hesitates and then slams into gear and lurches forward without warning. I have been without a vehicle for about 6 months. I was hoping to get a rebuild on the transmission through a third party, but was turned down for most of the financing. My situation has changed since I purchased the vehicle and I am no longer in a full-time paid position because I am traveling back and forth 3000 miles two to three times a year to care for parents who recently lost their mobility.Now, I find myself in a similar situation because of a car company that did not care about putting out a quality product and denies the problem. What they didnt tell me when I shelled out the 36,000 for their vehicle 6 years ago was that in 3 to 5 years the car will theoretically be totaled and there is nothing you will be able to do about it. I would not have bought the car. One of the reasons I bought the car was that I thought BMW was a good make. I was familiar with their motorcycles. When I first bought the car, I raved about it to everyone who asked. I can no longer recommend Mini Coopers to anyone, and I’ll let people know whenever I can not to buy their vehicles. There should have been some kind of back up plan for the failed CVT transmissions. It is not like it is a $2000 fix. It is a $6,000 to $9,000 fix, and even a new or rebuilt one is the same situation. No guarantees, really.
Wife had been looking for a new car - one that fit her personality - and chose to order a top of the line Mini - specifically a fully loaded 2018 John Copper Works Countryman All4. After waiting for almost 3 months to have the car delivered from Belgium (BMW) factory, we took the train down to Mini of Portland to pick up her car. Upon inspection we noticed white slime coming from outside the interior of the car and staining the black trim. Dont worry we will get it cleaned up for you was the managers response. After driving it 2 hrs home we noticed the next day that the black trim molding was stained as the Clear Coat (extra by necessary living in the west mountain regions) was bubbling in the front bumper. After taking a day off from work it was brought to the dealership where I was told there was a notice out from BMW but since the model of the car they hadnt received it from corporate so they wouldnt fix it because they would have to pay for it!!! Doesnt matter that it is a 4 hour round trip plus my cost away from work. When it was finally down they had to take the hood off and clean the slime off - which is what they stated was used to prevent rust from the transatlantic trip. OK, if that is what a takes, even if it was inconvenient and expensive for us. She wanted her dream car and said it was worth it.A week later the white slime was back and a passenger side window molding fell off. Called the dealer and they said to take another day off from work and make a four hour trip down - of course at my convenience. While trying to figure when to take it down we noticed that some of the Mini medallions that are throughout the interior were starting to peel off. I finally got so angry I called the Mothership; BMW of North America to file a complaint. After nearly 2 weeks I was called today and told I had to deal with the dealership only and that BMW of North America had nothing to do with.I said the dealership didnt build it and that BMW of North America does indeed have everything to do with it as they represent the brand and factory and that whether a car cost $5,000 or $5,000,000 there should be no reason for shabby workmanship. He continued to deflect responsibility until I just disconnected the call. So, save your money and buy a used Yugo - at least you know the quality to expect.
I have a mini cooper 2007 with less than 67,000 miles that has given me many mechanical problems. Just a few months ago $6000 was spend on mechanical issues. Once more at the shop, but this time Mini Cooper wants to charge me $3000! I cant believe Mini Cooper doesnt give a warranty on parts being of such good standards!
My power steering has failed AGAIN. The first time was in 2013. Mini replaced it.... after much hassle... free of charge... (The car is 2005 model). It has just gone... in the middle of a roundabout! Scary experience! Diagnostic charge of £160 confirmed the obvious. Mini are adamant that they will only pay 50% of the charge... yet it was them who fitted the 2013 one that has failed. I need some advice, please. Thank you for reading.
2010 Mini Cooper - Had been wanting the car for quite some time. Bought a used one in Nov 2013. Had one previous owner and low mileage. Approximately 25K. Four months later in Feb 2014 had to change thermostat. Thank goodness it was under warranty. It was downhill from there. In Oct 2014 had a needed oil power flush to the tune of $165. Dec 2014 brakes and rotors needed replacement, yet no warning ever came on, $1300. Jan 2015 ignition coil $700. April 2015 valve cover gasket $600.Sept 2015 thermostat replaced again as well as defective tire sensors $700. Nov 2015 took in for oil change to find out radiator hose has detached, oxygen sensor not working, and engine vacuum pump is leaking oil. Got all but engine vacuum for lack of cash for $500. And still have to take back for engine vacuum for another $600. In almost two years Ive spent close to $5000 in repairs plus regular maintenance and oil changes. With what else to come. Seems like the cars werent built for longevity.
I purchased my Mini from a Mini dealership four years ago. It was a used certified car. In the time that I have had it, I have replaced every major part, including clutch, alternator, water pump, thermostat housing, all coils, timing chain, cooling fan motor, blower motor, both rear electronic locks, headlights, brakes, and even the passenger seat (the airbag detection sensor went out). Even though I did most of the work myself, Ive spent over 6500.00 on it. If I had a shop do it, it would have been well over 10,000.00. I DO NOT recommend anyone buy a Mini. I am paying it off and selling it. Im done.
2009 Convertible S - Engine began making terrible rattling noises at cold start. Tensioner has a campaign for replacement. Mine was so bad the entire timing chain had to be replaced. Now the car backfires and has severe carbon build up. There has been significant power loss and increased fuel consumption.
A year after I got the Mini Cooper, and just by coincidence, I looked at the car jack. It had some surface rust on it, but nothing else was rusty around it. I asked the Service Agent to correct it, but he told me, that it would not be an issue in the future. Now, 3 months after the warranty ended, the rust has corroded the welded seams and springs. When I took it back, of course, it was not their problem now, and the clerk told me that if it was broken, maybe they would look into it! So it means that if I used the car jack and it broke on me, with physical harm or injury, then maybe Mini will do something? I guess liability is cheaper than a $75 car jack.
In the summer of 2016 I bought a used 2013 Mini Countryman S from a Mercedes Dealer at 75,000 KM (just under 50,000 mi) thinking it is German and therefore, quality. I also bought a 3 year extended warranty through a 3rd party carrier and thank god I did. The car is now at 105,000 km and we have had the vehicle into Mini BMW 4 times. The thermostat, solenoids, spark plugs, water pump, hoses, pipes, chains, belt and the headlights have all gone in that time. Every time I go in I have to pay the ridiculous diagnostic fee and the $300 deductible. Some of those repairs are routine maintenance, sure, but I also own a 2013 Kia Soul at 160,000 km which I’ve only had to replace a couple lights and the brakes and tires on. I’m going to sell the Mini as soon as I get a reasonable offer for it. It’s an absolute piece of garbage. I would never buy a Mini product again, and by proxy would never buy BMW. I’ve heard they’re just as bad.
Mini CVT transmissions - Another family member wrote on this forum about the Mini repairs that have been done on our 2004 Mini Cooper. Well, to top that off, the transmission died at 77,000 miles and they wanted $7K to fix. Great fun car, but reliability is the pits. Our other cars? A Saab 9-5 with over 154K and a Jag with 51K. All with less problems than this BMW Mini. I would not recommend anyone buy a 2004 used Mini at all. In fact, we traded our Mini in for a Honda. Yes, I know, its boring!
By now, every Mini owner should know of failures of the power steering fan, pump and guard and that Mini has pledged to repair or reimburse owners for breakdowns. I applied for reimbursement in May 2013 and have yet to receive it. Mini-USA told me it may be 2014 before I receive my check. My automobile shifter linkage failed within a month of purchase; it spent ten days in service five or more times the first year alone for this one problem that freezes the transmission in 5th gear. Repairs made to this automobile: At 90k miles, I have replaced 4 or 5 clutches, a transmission, power steering pump, throttle body, ac compressor and condenser, fan, alternator, both power window regulators, motor mounts and rear strut. Electrical harnesses connected to the warning system are prone to fail from rainwater leaks and/or require cleaning service. Dealer estimated charges for each of the above repairs average 1000.00 USD. Responsiveness of dealer and manufacturer is almost non-existent. I estimate I have paid 6000.00 for repairs in the last 30,000 miles.
I took my Mini in and complained that there was a humming noise coming from the engine and that the check engine light kept coming on. But every time I took it in, the dealer kept telling me that this was normal and that there was nothing wrong with the car. After awhile, the car kept getting worse and started making a knocking sound and losing power. I had it towed to the Mini dealer and they told me nothing was wrong with the car, turned the light out and sent me on my way. I am tired of Mini refusing to fix whats wrong with the car. This is a serious problem and needs to be dealt with.
I bought my daughter this Mini Cooper Clubman S 2009 a year ago. AMAZING condition... Only 55,000 miles. We did not know there was a Recall on the timing belt tensioner. The tensioner backed out and the car lost all oil. Therefore damaging the engine. Mini Cooper of Kennesaw took the car in and said that due to the recall, Mini would cover 50% of the cost of the repair. After 4 weeks they tell me the engine cannot be fixed. Now we need to replace.The cost to repair further is prohibitive. They changed the offer, Mini will cover 50% to install a new engine, but I am 100% responsible to pay for the repairs up to this date. They refused to cover more as they needed a service history for the car. I researched and provided a FULL service history for the car because one of the mechanics on the list was no longer in business, they claimed his service records were fraudulent and have removed all financial assistance. I am devastated!!!!
Our engine light came on on our 09 Mini with only 18000 miles on it. Took it to the dealer and they told us that there was excessive carbon build up on the intake valves and it would cost $1000 to grind the valves! I asked why this happened to a new Mini with such low mileage on it and was then asked what gas we used. We use Costco Premium almost all the time and then we were told that this is the problem. They said Costco gas was poor quality gas, it caused the problem! What BS!!! Its poor quality engine! We are also seeing other people having this same problem, so it is just not us. Mini should stand behind this problem!
BMW Corporation were rude and wanted no responsibility once you bought the car, if things went wrong. Now experiencing a steering and fan pump issue and was never informed of their extended warranty offered and Im very disappointed once again in the company. The company has put my life in danger by not informing me of this imperative and vital information!
I purchased 4 Mini Coopers for our company. 2 of the Minis experienced serious braking issues. 1 of our engineers got in 2 low impact collisions when the brakes locked and failed to stop. The 2nd Mini, our engineer was on the freeway, going 70 MPH, when traffic started stopping. He put on the brakes and they went to the floor. Completely failed. He used the emergency brake to slow down and the brakes started working.Both cars were towed to Crevier Mini. I complained to Crevier & to Corporate. Corporate investigated and found nothing wrong. Crevier went through the software logs and found nothing wrong. However, these cars were in US a couple of months before these incidents happened - which makes them intermittent problems. Our engineers refuse to drive these cars. I wanted them returned - but to no avail. I asked Crevier to buy them back - I cant in good faith sell or turn these cars in as a trade-in if I feel there are serious problems with the car. Crevier offered to purchase them back at an approximately $18k loss. I am so unhappy with this whole experience.
My daughter and step-daughter both bought new Mini Coopers in 2003. They drove them and loved them until 2013 when they both bought new ones - then my daughter gave me her 2003 because my Kia SUV was a repair nightmare. I have had nothing but good luck with the auto... And I do maintain it as Im supposed to. Last year my power steering pump went out - cost $808 to replace. Then I found out Mini had a recall on it so I sent them my bill and a letter. Now, remember, the car at this point was 13 years old, and they refunded every penny of my repair. Now how can you beat that? I get great mileage, everything works great. Yes, Ive had normal repairs done, but the only complaint I have is there is a lot of road noise which has been corrected with the newer Minis. PLUS... No one realizes this car is now 14 years old - looks like the new ones.
One prob after the next. Blown clutch not covered under warranty. Dealer asking 4,300 to repair. Bad thermostat 550 to replace (diff to access). Fuel pump defective, 800.00 to replace. Dealer, agent, manager at Hassle BMW, indifferent, rude, did not return calls... Do not buy a Mini. Inferior mechanics and no accountability.
I took my 2007 Mini S to a dealer for a free recall repair last year and was told I needed new brakes. The car had only 27,000 miles and I paid over $1000 to have the work done I was told needed to be done. That was last year. This year, the warning lights for the ABS and traction control started coming on at random times although I dont see any difference in the handling when the warning lights are on or off. I went to a dealer which is 135 miles from where I live to have it checked and was told the black box that controls these functions has failed and would need replacement to the tune of $1350 plus 3 to 4 hours labor plus tax. Im still under 40,000 miles, and over $2,500 for repairs in 2 years on a car with this low mileage seems excessive. I was going to have them set up an appointment to do the work, but since there have been issues with reliability of this model for this year, Ive decided to hold off and see if I can get feedback to help me decide in what direction to move. I love driving this car. It has all the options I could want and then some. It cost $31,000 new in 07 but if repairs are going to start being a major issue, I may need to rethink keeping this car or trading it on a vehicle on which I can get service locally.
I purchased a brand new 2008 MINI Cooper (back in 2008). I currently have 126k miles on the car. I bought this car because of the good gas mileage. Unfortunately, once I actually paid off the car (60 month financing), thats when coincidentally the problems started. I have had to replace the coils and spark plugs (several times), cyclone separator, and water pump and thermostat. After a lot of research, it seems like these are common failures. Now it has cost me much more to repair/service the car than what its worth. As much fun I have driving the car (easy to handle, sporty) - the total cost of ownership isnt worth it.
I was in love with my Mini until it hit 70,000 miles. The first time I was stranded for an engine malfunction was a disappointment as well as a safety risk. If that would have been an isolated incident, I would not have thought much about it. Unfortunately, I keep having issues and getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. The Motor-On slogan should have a disclaimer that tells you to motor-on to the nearest dealership. I contacted Mini and there is nothing they are willing to do besides sell me another one. Why would I buy another least-reliable-vehicle-I-have-ever-owned? That would just be irresponsible. Do not buy this vehicle! Unless of course you have unlimited money to burn.
My 2017 Mini Cooper Coupe is amazing, she is so fast & compact, I can fit her in any parking space! I like the British racing green color & white accents, sunroof, futuristic look, and dealer personnel.
I purchased a 2003 MINI (used) in 2004. Loved the car, but the engine was constantly overheating. While it was still under warranty, I brought it to the MINI dealer in Annapolis, MD. The service department would do various things to fix the overheating, such as, replace the radiator cap, replace the thermostat, replace fan motors, replace hoses and refill the fluid levels. Nothing they did under warranty was a permanent fix. After the warranty expired, and the problem continue to rear its ugly head, I was informed the head was warped. Several thousands of dollars out of my pocket later, that problem was fixed and finally the car no longer had overheating problems. Then I started hearing noises which I suspected were coming from the transmission. I changed the transmission fluid hoping that it would fix the problem and noise; however, the noise - albeit aggravating - continued, yet the MINI continued to operate at a normal rate. Then the unexpected happened: while driving at just over 30 mph, I heard a sound of metal breaking and the car was powerless. Under 90,000 miles and the transmission was gone!
My Mini just died - will not move. Was told trans is bad and will cost me about $7,000 to fix. The repair shop told me a very common problem and Mini wont stand behind the problem. There should be a recall. It seems they dont care about the consumer. Its really sad that all they are worried about is fattening their pockets and not helping the customer. SAD!!!! REALLY SAD!!!!! I will never buy another Cooper and I will pass this info to everyone.
I purchased my 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop in October 2014. First issue with the car was at 6,000 miles (April 2015). Vehicle was having a hard time going on a slight uphill, car then misfired - white smoke came out of the tail pipe. Within 5 minutes, the car misfired 4 separate times altogether. My car began to chug along and go very slow, an alert came on the dashboard saying Drivetrain Malfunction - drive moderately.. Oil below minimum. Add 1 Quart of oil as soon as possible. Car was then towed to dealership. They had my car for a little over a week. They called & said there was a lot of carbon buildup on the injectors. They then asked what gas I use which I said 89 or 91 and always getting it from Sunoco gas stations.. which is what they recommended when I purchased the car. They replaced the spark plugs and the injectors.For about two weeks after repairs, car was driving okay, seemed as though it accelerated a little slower than when I first had the car. I, then had an alert show up on my dashboard saying Oil below minimum. Add 1 quart of oil as soon as possible. I had to turn around on the thruway & take my car to the dealership. Again, they had my car for over a week. They replaced an oil sensor that apparently was bad. The service department manager gave me a service log for Mini Cooper that said, ALL Mini Coopers that have a turbocharged engine should top off their oil with 1 quart every 750-1000 miles. Seems very, very strange. But the car was repaired & they sent me on my way.The following Friday (6 days later), I decided to measure my oil while my engine was warm.. the oil meter seemed to have lost a quarter of oil in the past 6 days which DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL. The next day, Saturday, I had an alert come on my dashboard yet again that said Drivetrain Malfunction - drive moderately. Luckily this time, my car seemed to have been driving normal - it didnt misfire at all. Turned around & drove the car back to the service department. They had my car for about a week. They said there was a crack in the valve over the gasket, so there was some oil leakage - which the service department manager said that would explain the excessive oil loss in a matter of 6 days. A warranty extension was presented to me, 6 years instead of 4 years.However, the service department manager failed to mention that the last 2 years of warranty would not cover exactly what the first 4 years covers. I am EXTREMELY displeased with their customer service. I am eligible for a brand new Mini Cooper but I had told the service department manager I do not want a new car, or my current car - my 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop falls under the Lemon Law & I want a FULL REFUND. No brand new car with only 6,500 miles on it should have this many issues. How can a brand new car be unreliable? This car has immediately lost its longevity as well as its resale value. Mini Cooper is an unreliable product.
I purchased a 2006 Mini Cooper from an individual with only 60000 miles on it. They had spent quite a bit on a new clutch and flywheel ($2800), $800 for new brakes and calipers, and $800 for new tires. I bought this car in 2013 for $8000. This car has sat in my garage more than I have gotten to drive it. First, oil was spewing out everywhere, so had to have the whole front end removed to replace oil pan gasket, got that fixed. Not 2 weeks later, steering fluid was leaking everywhere, had to replace hoses ($80 each) and clamps. Then the transmission fluid started leaking, so I put gook on it just to stop it from leaking and to get rid of it. I absolutely loved this car, so much fun to drive, but who can afford one? Had considered buying a brand new one, until I read all of the reviews. Anyway, couldnt get myself to sell to an individual, so I sold to Carmax. Bought for $8000, sold for $4000 just to get rid of it - of course they are going to take it to an auction. Couldnt let myself sell it to an individual because I knew it was junk! So buyers, be aware of what you are buying. They are so much fun to drive, but you better be rich!
Bought my 2008 Mini. Second day engine light came on. Brought it to pep boys - there for a few days. Got the car back. Fix a few minor issues. They did tell me I needed to replace the catalytic converter. Couple days later engine light came on again. Brought it to the dealership. They resettle the engine light - told me if it happens again to bring it back. Next day driving to work car starts shaking losing power - had to call triple A. They towed it to an auto repair shop which cost $165 to fix some other issues. This car is already too much - only had it for 17 days. Out of those days 2 weeks it was in the shop. Lost for words how these dealerships can sell the consumer crazy cars and get away with it. There has to be some kind of protection for us. Pissed as hell.
I no longer own my 2008 Mini Clubman. Happily traded it in for a new Prius on July 18. 2013. Mini Cooper never responded to my correspondence outlining the many problems I had experienced with the vehicle and my request for a response by July 19, 2013. Minis failure to respond sent a clear message to me that consumer confidence and satisfaction is not a priority. While I will always love the Mini for its cute design, I will be the first to advise anyone looking to own one to steer clear, unless you have a lot of time and money to waste.
I have a 2007 Mini and it currently has 38,000 miles on it. The timing system has to be replaced which I find ridiculous considering the low mileage and how well I have taken care of it. Do not buy one of these cars - they suck!
Bought my MINI Cooper S hardtop new over 3 years ago, and so far no major problems. It has been my favorite car I have owned after the x 1/9 I had many years ago.
I have (had) been a loyal Cincinnati Mini customer for the past 10 years. I have owned 2 vehicles and feel that that should have warranted me as a loyal customer. However, after my latest vehicle had over $15,000 in repairs, causing it to be worthless to both me, Mini and anyone else, I am not a happy customer. ($3000 repairs in February. Repairs in May estimated initially to be another $3700 (transfer case issue due to All Wheel Drive poor design), ended up being the transmission failure (additional $7000 estimate plus $4500 clutch that was shot after they put the transmission back in). I was willing to accept my loss, but the dealership decided to rub my nose in the issue by charging me an additional $590 to tell me the news. (And they expected me to be grateful for not charging me restocking fees for the parts they could not use).I was told by the service department manager (Steve) that he would look into my loyalty dollars and see about getting me a deal on a new mini. (This was on Friday afternoon). By Monday, I had to call them to find out what the deal was. Basically it was a used demo that had no special features and would cost me over $30,000. I was basically treated like a piece of garbage. I ended up paying the $590 to tow it away (sold it for parts for $700). MINI offered to “keep it” in exchange for my $590 bill. How kind. There was no way I was going to give it to them to fix up and resell to an unsuspecting customer. I’m amazed that there hasn’t been a lawsuit come down about All Wheel Drive transfer case. Steve shared several times that it was a design flaw MINI was aware of. (I have been so upset by this experience it has taken me several months to calm down to report it. Do yourself a favor and really research the dealer and the car before buying).
Nothing but a junk transmission gone on 70.000 mile and cost me $4800.00. 2 months later, engine gone which cost extra $5500.00. Nothing but the junk.
Purchased a Mini Cooper s new. After 32,000 miles engine started having major problems. Long list of repairs totalling $7,000 were needed. Sold car for a loss. I was sold on Minis styling, fuel economy, and small size. I wish I had paid attention to its lack of quality and longevity. I been driving for over 30 years and have never had a car with so many issues with such low miles. The service people and dealers seemed to imply my mini was some kind of unique problem. Guess theyve been drinking the Kool-Aid too long.
I have less than 65,000 miles on my 2006 Mini Cooper Hatchback. I took it in for an oil change and my air conditioning stopped working. I was told the air conditioning was due to the compressor failing. So, $2000 later, I have air conditioning. However, on the repair order, I am also told that the strut mount ($645), Engine fan ($985) and some misc. things like a side axle seal ($347), crank sensor o-ring ($349) muffler bracket ($260) also need to be done.My question is, what is the muffler bracket made of for $260(?) and who has to replace a engine fan in less than 65,000 miles on a car? Ive driven some old vehicles and driven them for a long time but never had the engine fan go out. I cant believe after 6 years that my car should need almost $5000 worth of work! I should also mention they found the O2 sensor was out, again. This is the 3rd time that has had to be replaced. Thank God Mini gave me a lifetime warranty on that - but the dealership wanted $140 to diagnose that it was needed again.This is the 2nd incident I have had with the a/c - the last time it was leaking (thankfully while under warranty). Ive also had the thermostat replaced already. I feel uncertain that I can afford to drive this car another 2 years. The parts seem to go bad so fast I cant imagine what another 2 years will do to my wallet!
I love the car and I have always wanted one. Its small and compact but plenty of room. Its excellent on gas too. You can go two weeks on a tank of gas. But I dont like that its a 2 door. When trying to put something in the back seat its hard to do. Ive had the car 2 years and the thermostat sensor has went out on me 2 times. I recently had to replace the thermostat and you have to replace the whole housing unit. Overall the car is fancy looking and if I was to buy another car it would probably be the same model with a little more options to it.
I got my 2009 Mini Cooper convertible back in 2013. It was below 18,000miles so I thought I was getting a good vehicle. By far the worst decision I ever made, and am at this point willing to lose money on what remains to be paid for the vehicle just to see it behind me. In the past 4.5 years, I have easily spent around $6000 in repairs, and I have another $2400 to repair on the engine and brakes just to pass this years inspection. Not little things, mind you - HUGE issues. Things that kept it in the shop for days.And it seems like every day there is something else that needs to be done. Will be trading it in, and I tell everyone I know that unless they have a bottomless pocketbook, and dont plan on really using the car very often - i.e. if its your fun/weekend vehicle, not your primary - then dont go there. It isnt worth the stress or the expense. Like a mechanic recently told me when I hit another expensive brick wall with this car: its a toy, not a car for people who actually need to drive somewhere.
I purchased a used 2005 MINI Cooper in October 2010 with less than 27,000 miles on it. I thought I was getting a good deal, especially with the low miles. Less than 100 days after driving it, the transmission went out. It now needs a new transmission costing anywhere from $5,500.00 for used to $9,000.00 for new. Seriously? As others have noted, MINI Cooper knows there is a problem with the transmission on the older models. Although they have changed the transmission in the newer models, they refuse to help with the older models.
2009 MiniCooper JCW, silver and black. Love the car, but...The first clutch linkage had a problem at just over 9000 miles. It was making a noise when I engaged the clutch and accelerated. I took it in. The service dept. at my Mini dealer where I bought the car said the clutch had been abused and that the clutch had to be replaced. The service technician sent me a picture of the clutch linkage, saying the linkage had been glazed because the fluids inside the casing got so hot. I drive the car to and from work. I dont race it. Ive driven standard on Mazdas, Pontiacs and Audis. The least distance a clutch lasted with driving in my 20s (read: probably drove much harder then) was 30,000 miles. Today, the same issue started to happen to the replacement clutch. I have 20k miles on the car. Now, the service dealer will not do anything unless I guarantee to spend $2000 to check out the car. They say if they determine that the clutch wore out because of my abusive driving then I will owe them $3400 to replace it.I called BMW of North America. They connected me with a Mini representative who would do nothing without my commitment to spend the $2000 for a diagnostic. Amazing. These guys are putting clutches out there that fail in under 20K miles every time. Nice business, if you can get away with it.
Advised by Mini, I need a new engine below 100,000 miles on a 2003 Coopers. Original clutch, all recommended and required service done by authorized Mini dealers. Owned since new. Experience is that MINI and BMW do not stand behind their product. Buyer beware!!!
Have a Mini (2006) that will crank over but wont start. Similar problem to Lura ** below. Does anyone have fixes or suggestions? Any help is welcome.
A year or so ago: “Well, what can I say? I’m a lucky MINI owner when someone like Andre will eliminate that strange little rattling somewhere bugging your mind. Claude **, who has helped me resolve Mini issues, took notice. I said to everyone that the gentleman is a dear (referring to Andre). Sweet natured and eager to be your friend.” I have also always received excellent service from Corey.Well, that was then and this is now: I’m sorry Andre is no longer at Mini. I used to be treated like royalty there and have continued to patronize the shop. However, current service (06/09/20) team seems a little adversarial/contentious. The repair bill today came to almost $2000 — isn’t that outrageous? I was shocked. Even worse is that I wasn’t warned of the full cost ahead despite being a woman in the middle of a pandemic, widespread unemployment and riotous unrest.Frankly, the advisor was not so eager to help with my insurance adjuster, which would have been a relatively minor issue due to specifics and deductible. I resent that he, instead, took it upon himself to feed the insurance adjuster information he never discussed with me first, extrapolating from whatever he thought led to this Mini repair. Our conversation is, by the way, substantiated on texts due to my bout with laryngitis. Again, that was very disconcerting, as I’ve been unable to talk and on antibiotics to boot.One person can truly make all the difference in the world. I’m disappointed and more. I hope Mini service makes it up to me for my follow-up to this here review. After all, I had my Mini flatbedded there from Goodrich tires In Glendale where I drove right as the tire sensor light came on. I don’t need attitude. I need good friendly, honest, fair service and advice as a loyal customer. We all do. I continue to be speechless. Deserve response.
2006 Mini Cooper - I am the second owner of this car, bought a year old from CarSense in PA. I have about 111,000 miles on it, bought it at after ~35,000. I faithfully change my synthetic oil well before the recommended mileage, yet my transmission began destroying itself anyway. My previous car, a 1997 Toyota Rav4, lasted over 250,000 miles before my family traded it in without issues. The clutch alone lasted past 200,000 miles. I am very disappointed that BMW would put such a shoddy product on the market. My car is currently being dismantled by my mechanic to determine the extent of the damage. My first indication was a clicking sound which seemed to be coming from the front left wheel area. I was able to drive it for several weeks like that and took it to the repair shop for that noise, only to learn it was the same transmission issue that is plaguing many Mini owners. I do not recommend that anyone purchase a Mini Cooper due to this issue, which is not acknowledged as a known issue by Mini service at the dealership. I would love to join a lawsuit to resolve this and hold BMW/Mini accountable for their shoddy products.
Purchase a Mini Cooper 2011 Countryman with 47,000 miles. I had dealer in north Scottsdale look the car over and was advised that mechanically the car is perfect. As the warranty ran out at 50K why would they want to find anything. At 56,000 miles the fuel pump in the fuel tank failed. I was told this is not unreasonable. The solenoid valve also failed and leaked out into the electrical harness and almost onto the electronic board (I was advised). The cost of this repair was about $4,600. I also had to replace all four break pads (not unreasonable but it was just another cost - $800).At 60,000 miles the clutch went bad most likely due to the fuel pump causing the car to buck like a horse for a while. I was told that this is to be expected from a mini. Cost $3,200. Total cost of the two repairs is $7,800. Considering I have had the car for 12,000 miles and the dealer told me that the car was in perfect working order when I purchased it I am to say the least very annoyed and angry. We bought this car to be a low cost effective vehicle. It has been nothing but a money sink. And to quote the dealer these issues are reasonable. So at minimum I can expect these costs to be incurred every 60,000 miles. Possibly more if other things go wrong.Dont buy a Mini if you have the choice. They are defective, unreliable and expensive to own. Buy a V8 truck. It will be more cost effective as you wont be paying for repairs to a poorly designed car.
I was pressured into buying a car that I didnt need... purchased car because warranty was running out. I asked if I could extend... they lied, saying that I could not pay for an extension.
I love Mini Cooper Countryman 2011 but the car I was driving and the steel wheel lock by self when I was exit on the freeway. Scare me. So now I don’t trust the car anymore. Pls let me know if that happen to anybody. Thanks.
I purchased a 2009 Clubman S as a certified pre-owned vehicle. The dealer never processed the proper paperwork to actually get the car warrantied through Mini. Mini refuses to cover the car. The dealer has given me a letter stating that they will cover any repairs, which would normally be covered under a CPO warranty. However, I paid an increased price for this car, and that value is not, nor has ever been with the vehicle, since it is not a CPO vehicle. Mini USA refuses to certify the car, and other than the letter I have received from the dealer, there has been no attempt to correct my situation, which was the result of the dealer not completing and submitting the proper paperwork with Mini. I feel that they have profited from their mistake, at my expense. No attempt to properly rectify situation or refund the increased price, which was paid for a CPO vehicle, that the CPO process was not completed. Mini USA refuses to certify the car, even though the CPO inspection was completed prior to the sale of the vehicle, and the Federal Warranty notice clearly states the vehicle is being sold as a CPO vehicle, with a warranty. Complaints have been filed with the Attorney Generals office of Ohio, in which the dealer has stated they made a mistake in not completing the required paperwork. The AG office is attempting to put a value on a CPO car vs. a non-CPO car.
My 2010 Mini Cooper Clubman S had 14100 miles on it. Within 4 days to continue driving it I would have had to put out over $2,000. First the brake pads which needed to be replaced could not be done without replacing the entire brake unit... over $800.00. Two days later the engine started idling roughly and the check engine light came on. I brought it to the independent mini dealer I was using and they told me that Peugeot was actually providing the engine for the Mini and many of the parts were made of plastic. The error reading was indicating *engine misfiring... Like badly*. It would cost around $1,000 to fix it and it would take 2 days and of course there would be labor costs also and the same thing could happen again. They cleared the check engine light and said drive it until the light came on again and then when it did repairs would have to be done. They were surprised, very surprised, that at 14,100 miles brakes and engine part melting was happening. I had 2 extended warranties but they covered nothing (brakes aside - wear and tear items). Now tossing and turning about this all one night, you gotta figure $2,000+ is like 5 car payments. When they erased the error, I RACED to the Honda dealer and got a Civic. The simple maintenance cost and repair cost of having the *hottest* car on the road wasnt worth the lack of reliability and exorbitant cost to maintain. I was always having to have sensor lights cleared at the dealer and after the check engine light situation I, sorrily simply passed the problem off to a non-Mini dealership. I dont love the Honda but I feel safe that I will not have to always be ready for some costly thing to happen before the next car payment is due. Amazing dumping a car because it is a financial and safety risk to drive!
I got my Mini used in 2008. Two years after, my alternator went. A month after that, gas pump and brakes followed and then a couple of months, transmission went quoting me $6,000 to $8,000 to fix it. My car has been parked for almost two years while I am still paying for it. Its not even worth fixing because it cost either more or the same amount as I was to buy another used 04 right at this moment. This car only has 89000 miles. My purchase price was $13,800 plus tax plus about $3,500 in repairs before the transmission went. If I fix that, another $6,000 to $8,000 more. Hmmm, over $26,000! Insane. Im not even sure what to do with it anymore. I have put so much money in it that even if I get rid of it, it would be pretty much for free because I would never get that money back! You pay for Macys prices and get Wal-Mart material.
I bought a 2016 Mini Cooper from Monrovia Mini Cooper in 2016. Im the original owner. I have taken the car back for tire vibration and was told that is because I bought the sport edition and the ride is rougher. I later found out that was a lie when I took my car to Just Tires to do an alignment. I was actually told my rear tires are cupping and this is due to either the shock or the rear struts are worn out. I took my car to Mini Cooper and they told me this is a low problem with the Mini Cooper as the rear end of the car is to light. So you either have to rotate your tires more often or buy new tires more often. I also noticed that my transmission started feeling like it was slipping as it would jerk my head back from time to time. I took my car to the same dealer for this issue as well and they said there is nothing they can do until they can replicate the issue.I have taken my car at least 10 time for the same issue with the transmission. I told the service Mgr. if I would have known about the tire issue prior to my purchase I would not have purchased the car. I also said that the transmission is a safety issue as I was stopped at a red light and it turned green but I have no transmission as the car would not move until I raced the engine and it grabbed into gear and I almost hit the car in front of me. NOTE: I feel this car is a LEMON but Mini will not do anything.
I have a 2008 Mini Convertible S. NO ONE wanted to love her Mini, like this girl, but... its been one expensive repair after another. The latest was a WIRING HARNESS. Really? On a car with 75,000 miles? I have owned a lot of cars, and even on my really OLD ones, I never had to replace a wiring harness (I had thermostat issues and intake hose issues at less than 30K miles). It turns out MINI re-engineered the original part. So there was no replacing it. I had to had a new throttle valve (nothing wrong with the existing one) in order to make the NEW harness design work. The cost was $1850.00. I argued, like mad, and Mini agreed that I shouldnt have to PAY for their shoddy design. Thats ONE point in their favor, but their reaction is one that suggests, You should be FINE having to completely rebuild this car after six years. I DISAGREE. That, to me, is a recall item. I also think about the HUNDREDS I put in to replacing a faulty thermostat at 20,000 and an intake hose that must have come from the factory with a hole was money I shouldnt have had to come up with.This car is made by BMW. I, frankly, expected better quality. TWICE, (first the right and now the left side) rear window pulleys have just SHATTERED when I raised the top. I swear, I thought someone had SHOT me. I looked for shattered glass. My husband is handy and can repair that, but he has to take the door apart and its a big PAIN. Its a cheap, plastic $248 part. I dont know how much it would have cost us with their labor. Also, the cup holder was placed right in front of the stereo, so when I hit a bump, my Starbucks went in to my stereo, burned it up, and that had to be replaced (Live and learn. Ask for a cup plug). Oh, and my convertible top is pulling apart at the seams now, and I was told its about $4000-5000 to completely replace it. I wanted to be a generational LOVER of the Mini. I wanted to buy my kid one for college, and maybe even treat my mother in law to one. As fun and sexy and cute as it is to drive, it hardly makes up for its expensive breaking ways. I almost traded it in on a second Prius. Emotionally, I am bonded with its cuteness (I dont really like the new models. They dont look cartoon-worthy like my year, but I GET that they want it to look more like a BMW) or I would trade it in on another car. Its like a BAD BOYFRIEND you just cant bring yourself to dump. I wonder how many more thousands of dollars I need to pour into it, before I can break up? Hubby is SO over this car, and vows NEVER AGAIN. He would have bought me a brand new one, this year too, had this one not given us such a headache.
Timing chain broke 30 days after I bought the vehicle @ 59000 miles.
I am the original owner of a 2009 Mini Cooper and without warning - no lights, no other issues. My car died on the way to the Mini/BMW dealership. Funny, it happened there as I was going to return a product I purchased the previous day. It almost felt as if the truck next to me was pushing me around on the highway in his side draft. When I couldnt get gas to get around him into the turn lane, I started to get scared. As I got into the turn lane to exit the highway, the car started to lose more power and began to sputter. I coasted to a stop at the end of the ramp at the stop light and the car sputtered to a halt. I was unable to restart it through three lights and was on the other side of a divided highway from the Mini dealer.After more restarts and a lot of angry drivers behind me, I literally coasted up to the service department at Dreyer and Reinbold Mini in Indianapolis, IN. I was shaken and scared as I have not had any luck finding employment out here in Indy since losing my job just eight months after purchasing my Mini and terrified at what this might mean. The service person was new, and much better than the previous person and in a calm, intelligent manner took me right in and took the car to be diagnosed. Two hours later, he revealed that there was coolant in the oil and needed $250 something to find out what was going on. I paid and they gave me a loaner. I have put some miles on my car as I am from outside of Philadelphia, PA and have made several road trips home since owning the vehicle. I also purchased the car from a Mini dealer in West Chester, PA as at the time, I absolutely hated the dealership and the dealers at the dealership my car is now getting serviced. As it was explained to me, it could be a blown head gasket, or a cracked engine - either of which would cost in the thousands to fix. As I currently owe about $8,000 on the vehicle and have no income and am only 12 weeks out from graduating with a BBA in Management, finally, I am completely distraught! How could this happen? The vehicle has been serviced pretty regularly and I even pressured them to change the oil over 11k when the oil change light didnt come on. Weve done it ourselves, taken it to a mechanic and to the dealer. No lights appeared on the dash. The vehicle is out of warranty now. I live in Indiana and have no way to get to class to finish my degree and no credit now after two years of unemployment to buy a new car. It is quite a drive to get anywhere and almost 30 miles to class two times a week. The last temporary job I had was 35 miles each way. I am terrified. The service person did mention to me that it may be this issue began before I ever possessed the car, like maybe the engine was faultily produced. That would be a godsend. But, really? What could I have done for this to happen at 74,000 miles? I drive like a grandma. After reading many of the statements on the site, I feel that Mini is aware there are issues with the engine and the transmission. I am anxious to see what they have to say when they call to tell me what the reason is for the coolant leaking into the oil. If they do not take responsibility and repair it or replace it themselves, I will, and perhaps even if they do, I would like to take my place in whatever class action is pressed against BMW/Mini for my loss, inconvenience and aggravation. If they do not fix it on their own dime (as I did nothing and had no warning, no lights or otherwise that something could be wrong), I will not be making any more car payments to BMW. I will not beg, borrow and steal to keep a car I cannot utilize. They will be calling me tomorrow (Friday) most likely.
When driving is becoming a boring task, you probably want to give Mini Copper S a try. It is designed to be different. It is not as comfortable as my Prius. But it makes driving to work a little bit more interesting. As long as you are not comparing it to Prius, Mini Cooper is quite reliable. But if you do need to get something fixed, dont count on the CPO warranty. It is just a marketing gimmick. Even if Mini has a list of items not covered by the CPO warranty, it does not mean items not on the list are covered. In fact, it would be quite amazing if you could find anything that is covered by their CPO warranty. So, if you want to get a pre-owned Mini Cooper, make sure it still has some standard warranty left.
So first I want to say I own 3 currently and sold my forth a few years back. I loved the brand for a number of reasons like handling and performance and the overall style. At this time my stable consists of a 2012 MINI JCW GP, a 2012 Countryman and an older 2006 JCW. The Countryman has been in the shop almost every month since we owned it. It has had taillights replaced as well as the heating/AC replaced numerous times during ownership. Right now it’s got another check engine light and on its way back to the dealer since it hates to start. The heater will not warm up the car unless it’s floored and since it’s 18 degrees out that is unacceptable. Especially since it’s been fixed numerous times.Now onto the GP. This is the company’s flagship performance car. Its very limited and one would think well documented. Yet when brought in to have an alignment done, the techs were unable to figure out the adjustments and I had to assist by providing the details they needed and showing them how it should be done. The GP had a tail light out. This resulted in them frying the radio trying to replace it. Not sure why it’s connected but it is. So they had to replace the stereo and the ECU. The problem was the dealer installed the wrong ECU software version so the car ran like crap. I did not notice right away. It wasnt till after I installed a cold air intake that I noticed the car was running off. After convincing them on the 3rd trip there to install the latest ECU version did they see it was wrong. This was after blaming the CAI on the issues it was having. So I should be happy now right? They finally installed the correct ECU software and it should be back to normal. Nope. Now the car bucks on the highway. I tore the intake apart thinking it was the problem. I tried everything down to boost leak testing the car and duct taping the MAF tube in case it was leaking. I was TIRED of talking with the dealer. When nothing worked I brought it back in. They said it was the MAF. They replaced it. I got it back a day later and the same problem persisted. Here I was going back for the 4th time only to have them tell me my modifications were the issue. They said they fixed the seal on the CAI (which was fine) and the car was tested and perfect.On the way home I noticed it bucking again and no longer had the sport mode pops and burbles you get from the exhaust which is a key character of the car. I refused to bring it back. I looked around the engine bay and studied the MAF connector more closely. It had a brand new MAF so I knew it wasnt that. Turns out all the problems I was having was due to a loose wire in the harness connector. This did not fix the sport mode button but at this point I dont care. Im tired of missing work and dealing with the hassle of going to the dealer and being stuck with a loaner. Now mind you both my older 2005 and 2006 MINIs had issues but were basically bullet proof and well over 100k miles. The newer ones are nothing but problems so far. Neither new car is over 30k miles and have spent most of their ownership in the dealer for one stupid reason or another.
First of all, I drive about 25,000 miles a year. This is my only car... I didnt buy a warranty past 50k miles. I should have done both warranties, the service and the general warranty. You need both... I didnt do everything perfectly.... I have a 2006 Mini Cooper S with the JCW engine upgrade. Obviously, this car has a 6-speed manual. It is my 2nd Mini Cooper (my first was a 2002 that I bought used). Do I love this car? Yes. It has had issues, most of which are known to those who research the car before buying: 1) Thermostat housing. Its known to warp and leak. Ive had this replaced 2x. First time was under warranty. 2) Crank position sensor O ring. Replaced 2x. Failed at 75k miles and at 150k miles. 3) Front strut mounts. Once for each side (left/right). These failed because of road conditions - i.e. potholes that I was trying to avoid but could not. 4) Passenger side engine mount - This is a known issue where the oil leaks out. A solid mount wouldnt be a problem, but solid mounts create vibration and noise that many do not like. 5) Exhaust header flex joint failure after 150k miles. This will happen to many cars, not just Minis. 6) Clutch. There is a service bulletin on the throw-out bearing. Clutches are rarely covered under any warranty by any dealer because it is really easy for the operator to screw it up. In my experience, most people dont know how to drive a standard transmission. Im on my 4th clutch (the first was replaced under warranty, the 3rd was a performance clutch that wore out so I cant blame anyone...) 7) Brakes. These are a standard wear-and-tear.....8) Control panel for A/C and radio. Half of the lights went out and the whole unit was replaced under warranty.Ive upgraded certain parts with performance parts (suspension, struts, springs, brakes). Ive never had issues with the windows. I baby my car as much as possible. I feel for the people that bought the CVT. Its not a good transmission. I feel that any brand can have issues. I also feel that if you pay for a service warranty, truly understand the terms before you sign. If you dont understand the terms, get a 3rd party to help you. If you sign it and dont understand, you are still liable as it is a contract, so try not to get indignant with the service people. Ive had multiple cars, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Volvo, Saturn. Ive had weird problems with all of them.Will I buy another Mini...? Yes. Will I be very careful with what I actually buy? Yes... Do I have a bias? Probably. However, find someone that doesnt have a bias to a particular brand of auto... Very hard to do.
Reading these reviews renewed my anger at this crap company. Bought a 2008 Clubman 3 years ago. Fine the first year minus needing brakes. End of year two: dies in the middle of an intersection. A tow bill later Im told a belt in the engine snapped and bent valves. Engine is basically rebuilt (I later Google and find out that at 60,000 this very belt goes out in almost every Mini Cooper). LESS THAN A YEAR later, car dies in an intersection. Another tow bill. Faulty cylinder heads in rebuilt engine. Then, this winter. Driving to Ohio on the dark roads of Indiana country with my fiance and our dog. Car stops accelerating. We smell burning and pull over. Car is dead and barely makes it to the side of the road as huge semi trucks fly by and shake our stupid car. We feel like we are going to die on the Indiana interstate in a dinky small town. Merry Christmas to us. One day, two tow bills, one hotel night, one rental car fee we are at our destination. It took Mini a full month to tell me (after I borrowed a friends Triple A to tow it over a hundred miles to Chicago) what was wrong. That changed about 5 times. First, the cylinder (AGAIN). Then, a hose. Then the radiator. Then I was told the warranty wouldnt cover it because I had maxed the extra warranty I bought which had thankfully failed for the first two engine failures (at this point my warranty had paid 9,000 MORE than the stupid car is worth). After a full week of arguing with the ** head of maintenance (whom was ONLY nice when I was giving them money, but was a huge ** once I called Mini out on their crap cars) now my insurance is paying because Mini convinced them the damage was caused by a flying pebble we somehow didnt feel hitting the engine. I will be selling it for nothing near what I paid and NEVER EVER EVER getting this car again. I have told every single person I know not to buy one, either.
2006 Mini Cooper S Transmission Issue - The transmission on my Mini went out. The car is six years old and has 68,000 miles on it. It’s certainly not old enough or driven enough to have this kind of problem. According to the dealer, it will cost $8,600 plus tax to fix. I have seen a number of comments online that suggest this is a common problem with this make/model, yet the dealer will do nothing, except take my money, since the car is no longer under warranty. It seems to me that if this is a common problem, there should be a recall or some kind of compensation for this problem.
I bought my 2005 Mini Cooper S (automatic) brand new and now, 7 years and 85K miles later, it needs a brand new transmission at $10K! Are you kidding me, after only 85K miles? After reading the posts, this seems like a class-action lawsuit waiting to happen. Previous to this, I had a BMW 325i with 140K miles on it and it was 11 yrs old, before it started having severe issues. So disappointed in BMW/Mini.
So here is what I think should be taken care of under a recall for my 2006 Mini S: 1 ) coolant tank - Should be molded from one solid piece; too close to the heat shield. Thats what makes it crack. And they all do it. 2) transmission - Thing is made to break. There are over 1000 complaints on this problem. And nothing has been taken care of. Big problems. Other than those problems. Love my car.
2005 Mini Cooper - When car is going between 5-8 miles per hour it goes into neutral, but if you give it gas and get it rolling faster its fine. Automatic with only 69,000 miles.
2005 mini. In August 2011 at 74,000 miles the electrical fan stayed on after work the next morning the battery was dead and the dealership wanted 5k to do the repairs of the power steering pump/fan, radiator fan, and new battery. I could not afford that so the car sat in the driveway until I decide to attempt the job myself. Well $500 later, and two weeks. I completed everything the dealer ship said was wrong. EBay man’s best friend new radiator fan $180, Rebuilt pump (send yours in the rebuild yours) $250, new battery $85 advanced auto parts.January 2012 the transmission starts to slip. Seems like it is going from second to third gear. Seems to be getting worse. For as expensive as these cars are you think they would be a little more reliable. All the reports I read online say the same thing these issues all start between 70-80k. Come no MINI / BMW fix these on your dime, you know there is problem quit sucking our pockets dry while you are getting stacks of cash from people buying these cars and paying these ridiculous repair costs.
1009 Mini Cooper S suddenly died after getting off of OC Freeway in the rain. Dead stop, cannot even charge battery. Clunking noise the day before. Towed to auto repair ... tensioner broke, blowing up gaskets, engine. Repair $3500. No warning light came on at all, just the clunking noise the day before. Engine light comes on for low tire but not tensioner!! The thermostat went out last month and then a week later the water pump. $5000 in one month. Very discouraging since after reading about it the tension will break again, since its such a bad design. Is there anything one can do?
I purchased a new 2017 Mini Cooper Clubman from Vista MINI in Florida. The car currently has 30k miles and it has had several problems. The car currently has a strong vibration problem which affects the acceleration. The car has been in a MINI Service Center 3-times for the same problem. The dealership acknowledged this problem to affect the non-turbo models. There is no current fix for this safety concern according to the dealerships service center. MINI solution to the problem is spending more money on a more expensive S model. If you are interested in purchasing a MINI please check all consumer complaints before the purchase.
I just bought a 2010 Mini Cooper S Manual Transmission car from a private party. Drove it 500 miles and clutch started making metal-on-metal grinding noise when leaving first gear. It now needs to be replaced and is going to be extremely costly. I found a number of people with the same year, make and model and having the exact issue. The clutch obviously was made cheaply. It cannot handle the torque the engine. This is completely unacceptable. I will be pursuing legal action. I recommend that you look into your clutch and if youre considering buying a Mini, make sure you the clutch looked at. I enjoy the brand, style and performance of the vehicle but this is a real hassle.
I took my cooper in for a tire noise. I paid diagnostic fee of $120 to figure out that it was an almost flat tire. They refused to apply the diagnostic fee towards the installation of the new tire. Also, I was charged $70 to put in two light bulbs. Has anyone had this experience? I feel very ripped off.
I bought 2 Mini Coopers. I bought a red 2005 Mini Cooper automatic for the wife and a silver 2008 Mini Cooper S 5 Speed for myself. I dont know which one of the 2 was the worst, they both spent more time at the repair shop than on the road. For such a good looking car they turn out to be one of the worst cars on the road. Even my dads old Ford Pinto was a far better car than the Mini Cooper. Why do people keep buying them is beyond my expectations, we spent almost what we paid for them in repairs, when it wasnt one thing it was another overheating problems, brake problems, electrical problems, sunroof problems, but the worst was when we needed to get the oil change, we was charged $110. per car. We will never ever own another Mini Cooper again even if they were giving them away for free, my wife Mini Cooper only had 46k miles and it was always in the repair shop. Meanwhile we traded her 2001 Honda Civic with a little over 200k miles and in all the time she had it, all it ever needed was oil changes and a new timing belt. We were so scared to drive too far from our home because we didnt know if we make it back home that night. BMW Mini Cooper thats one in the books for you as one of your biggest failure.
2006 Mini Cooper S Convertible - I bought my Mini used in June 2013. Within the first month my roof was leaking, my tire pressure light came on and my check engine light came on. The leaking roof turned out to be the window being uneven. The dealership spent the day and repaired it free of charge. My tire pressure was off and they added air as needed. Neither of these problems have been an issue since. The check engine light is another story. Turns out it was the oxygen sensor. They also replaced that free of charge (I was still under warranty). They also had it for more than a day because they told me it was fine to drive until the part came. But, the sensor had seized and because of that they had to repair my exhaust. After getting my car back and having it for 3 hours, the light came back on. I took it back and again they repaired it free of charge. I went to pick it up again and it came on before I left the parking space. I ended up going back and forth to have the oxygen sensor repaired six times in 5 months. While the dealership did fix it free of charge each time, the point is I had to run back and forth several times and every time they said it was fixed and should be no problem. Since the last time I got it fixed, the 3rd brake light has gone out and it is connected to a chrome bar that frames the whole back end of the roof, which they claim was working when they inspected it in June. The vent guard that is in the cowl on my roof has come up missing since it being in the dealership garage last and my hood shows a big gap between it and the top of my front bumper on the drivers side and no gap on the passenger side. My drivers side window is not working properly now. With the convertible the windows go down a bit when you open the door and back up into a groove under the roof when you shut the door. My drivers window no longer does this. So, every time I open my door you hear a loud sound like the release of suction from the window coming out of the groove and when you shut the door, the window hits into the roof and creates a pretty big gap from pushing the window out. To shut the window properly, I have to put it down and shut the door, go around to the passenger side and get in and put the window up so it goes up into the groove. I called the dealership because I am now ready to get myself out of this car if at all possible. After my 5th visit for the sensor, I contacted a firm regarding the lemon law but they couldnt help. They said my car was too old. I feel like my car is turning into a money pit. While these things may not be major, this is my first Mini and I have lost my faith in them to the point that I do NOT want another Mini, ever! I really love how fun the car is and how it corners like its on rails and I looked for reasons to drive it but, my love for the car has fizzled. I feel like its one problem after another :(
I bought a used 2011 MINI Cooper S in 2012. One year old, 11K miles. Although fun to drive when its running properly, this car is a LEMON. Im currently at 62K miles & change, and have had to replace the ignition coils twice, spark plugs, a cracked hose, brakes, pieces of the interior and am now facing a major engine repair. Oh, and the pin holding the rear windshield wiper fell out, and the emblem on the hatchback fell off. This car is a CONSTANT source of frustration--and a very expensive one. Out of warranty, but at the dealership every other month for some repair or another. Its infuriating. As soon as Im able, Im trading this car in and getting a Honda/Kia/Hyundai, something reliable. This has truly been the worst ownership experience Ive had in 27 years of driving. I HATE THIS CAR.
Thank you Mini! Mini has contacted us directly and we are very satisfied with our resolution.
I have Mini Cooper Clubman 2009. When I start the car the engine RPM is going up to 3, then going down and up weirdly, then it go back to the normal under 1, then the exhaust pipe is spitting out a black dirt when I started the car and the gas smell is everywhere. When tried to stop the car while driving, specially when the automatic transmission is going down from 2-speed to 1-speed. The car is going crazy like I cannot stop and the RPM is going up and down again. Please help me, thanks.
I am sitting here waiting for a tow truck now going on 4 hours. My car - Mini Countryman 18 with 8800 miles just died. It won’t start and keeps shaking. No one was available from the diagnostic area so the roadside called a tow for us. I had to get the roadside info from the closest dealer - 45 min away. My dealer - Mini Annapolis didn’t help at all since their service dept. closes early. The roadside employees seemed calm and wanted to help but 4 hours for a tow when AAA takes 30 min - this is unacceptable!!!
I have a 2009 Mini Cooper S with 58,000. I drive the car daily. Recently a oil drip started to appear in the garage. I take the Mini to dealership (they are the only ones I take this car too) and they tell me I need to replace the gasket for $1,800.00. I am also told - that this is a common issue and 1-3 are seen each month for the same work. I am told the cause of the gasket failure is the engine goes from cold to hot and then back to cold. I asked like normal drive - from the house to the office then back home 9 hours later - I was told yes. Upon further reading and investigation - the issue is not the gasket but the housing becomes warp over time - due to poor design - no bolts to attach the oil housing to the oil coolant - thus a heat warp is created and oil starts to leak out. So, even if I pay $1,800.00 for the gasket repair - the warped housing is not corrected and the oil leaking will start over again. If Mini is aware and so many are being seen each month - why not a recall and a corrective fix.
Mini Cooper knows there is something wrong with the air bag seat tensioners in their cars in the first generation and now in the 2nd generation because of all the online complaints and act as if nothing is wrong. I have a 2007 mini coopers with 54,000 miles in excellent condition. Back seats sat in twice and front seat around 6-8 times and that dreaded air bag seat beat tensioner light is on. Oh yeah, whenever I was my car. It wont crank either. What the hell is that. This car is too expensive to have these problems. BMW/Mini.Cooper need to take Care of their customers or stop making these cars. I contacted BMW/Mini and they were like sorry, l cant help you. I wanna file a class action lawsuit against them.
Purchased a 2006 Mini S last year with 67,000 miles. Have put another 1000 miles on it... until it stopped working. Last week I drove it around town to do several errands. Got in it to go home and turned the key, it cranked but wont turn over. Had it towed to a mechanic who three days later said come and get your car. We cant help you. Towed it to the nearest MINI dealer. Theyve had it for two weeks and cant their diagnostic equipment to work on it. Said they created a case file and asked for advice from a corporate engineer. Called yesterday and asked about progress. Still working on it. They asked if I had any ideas. Ah ha ha ha.... Really? Like the look of the car... am not trusting the BMW engine. How can they be proud of their product?
Summary: My Mini had bad quality, and almost killed me twice in 3 days; horrible service; completely unacceptable. Car situation: 6 months old, around 4,000miles, purchased Aug. 2016 from mini of St. Louis. Details about car quality: 2/26 Sun.: When I drove on highway, my car lost power immediately. Luckily I could make it to road shoulder. Car was towed to Mini at the same night. I got my car back on 2/27 and was told that this issue was caused by bad gas. But I only went to Sams Club to get premiums gas. After I got my car, I drove home directly. This morning 2/28, I drove my car to work. My car was broke down again when I was driving on highway around 7am which was rush hour. This time, I couldnt make it to road side, because there was too much traffic and I was using most left lane. Due to drivetrain malfunction which was shown on the panel of the car, the car stopped on most left lane. I almost got killed by this situation. I had to call 911 to get help. Policemen came over to shut down the highway and pushed my car from the left lane to the road shoulder.How could my car broke down when its just 6 months old and only has 4,000 miles? How could Mini of St. Louis gave me the car without fixing it and put me in life threaten situation??? Whats really wrong with my car??? Whats Mini quality??? My Mini almost killed me twice in 1 week!!! Details about service: Mini road service: 2/26 Sun. When I called Mini road side service, they used 1 hour to locate my car, when I was stuck on highway. Your road service finally located me and told me the tow car would show up in 50 mins. After 50 mins, your customer service called me and told me the driver cancelled it. And she told me they couldnt find any tow car and asked me to leave my car and would tow my car next morning on the highway. I refused it. I told her I was on the highway, nowhere to go and worried about my car would be hit by other cars. Finally she agreed to help me to find another tow car which showed up around 1 hour later. Totally, I sat in my car around 3 hours on highway to get your help. Thats unacceptable!!! This morning, when my car broke down again on highway, I called Mini of St. Louis to get help. But they answered my call and refused to help me and asked me to call Mini road side service. When I called Mini road side, your customer service asked me to call local service and told me that I could get service quicker. How could both sides just kick me around when I was forced to park on the high speed lane. Finally, road side service agreed to help me and the tow car shown up around 9 am. Total 2 hours. Police station has this record, since they came over to shut down the highway and moved my car.Mini of St. Louis dealer shop service: gave me back the unfixed car and put me in danger. This afternoon, I went to Mini of St. Louis and told the sales manager what happened again and requested to changed to another new car. Because what has happened to me, I couldnt continue to trust this Mini. The sales manager refused to replace my trouble vehicle with new Mini. And he told me I was unreasonable!!! This car and service threatened my life twice, and the response they gave me was totally unacceptable.
I purchased a used 2011 Mini Cooper in 2013. Let me start off this complaint by saying I LOVED the Mini and always wanted to own one. Needless to say, I have had nothing but problems! Since I have had the car, the following repairs have had to be made: new thermostat, new cooling system, 2 sets of spark plugs, front light replacement, rear light replacement (the bulb burned the casing...should not happen!). Latest issue...clutch burn out. This car has cost me thousands of dollars. The worst part: nothing covered under the sorry warranty that came with the car.
Love the car although its not as reliable as Toyota. But then, you dont buy a Mini if youre shopping for Toyotas. Ive had some issues with bad battery connections and the cap on my emergency break has been broken since I got it. I will day that Ive left it parked for up to 3 months and it started up just fine.
I bought my wife a Mini Cooper 2006 R50 in 2010. It already had 52k miles on it. It now has 120k on it. I do most of the work myself because its simple, but very time consuming. If I dont do this Id look at spending about 40k dollars (overall) at the dealership to fix everything that wouldve gone wrong with it. And I should point out that Houston where I live is extremely hot so the more heat the more prone to failure. I usually go to the dealer for an inspection every 10k miles. They tell me what the problems are (charge a fair bit) but its worth it to get their knowledge. I think I was around 400 dollars, but had them replace the oil & filter as well etc. Then I go fix it myself.To avoid costly repairs the engine oil needs to be checked and topped off if necessary every month (about 6 or 7 hundred miles! Not changed).. Topped off to the max. If the engine oil goes low thats when plastic chain tensioners start to get hot and fail/break off causing catastrophic failure. I dont go for the oil change every 3k garble. I have the dealership do it every 10k (when they inspect it).Lately Ive had a misfire on cylinder 4. It cost me 20 dollars for a compression tester and will tell you that it has low compression (could be something else). Note 400 dollars if you want Mini to do it. Youll also be able to figure out if its the top end or bottom with a drop of oil (Google it). In my case it was a burnt valve on the head. As stated before its very simple to do these repairs. Its just very time consuming. The head was put to a machine shop though. Machine shops are pretty cheap.Over the 70k miles Ive had suspension issues, radiator fan issues, thermostat issues. Oxygen sensor issues. Engine mount issues. And numerous others I cant think of. 400 dollars to change a crank shaft sensor O-ring is a little excessive especially if youre changing the pan gasket at the same time. But in all its not complicated. It just takes time and some elbow grease.I have to say though I was tempted to buy a 40 thousand dollar BMW, but after the last time I took the Mini in and the guy said Its pretty good shape for a vintage that was the clincher for me. Its clearly obvious BMW do not want to work on cars over 5 years old, that is why they are charging so much. They want you to buy a nice new car every 5 years. So look forward to either spending 40k in repairs or 40k on a new car. I remember when Mini was Mini. Cheap and cheerful and would save on gas! Now its just spend spend spend. And can we please stop making plastic manifolds and plastic thermostat housings!!!!!!!!! Geesh Ill pay the extra 1k dollars and wont complain either!!
Minis are great as long as they are under warranty. I was having mechanical problems within the first 3 month. The car was repeatedly at the dealership for various problems. That was all ok for the first 4 years. Just don’t keep it past the 4th year cause Mini won’t recall any of the many known problems and it’ll gets costly. The repairs don’t end.
We purchased a brand new Mini Cooper, a countryman. It has less than 7,000 miles on it and there was a nail in the tire. The repair shop replaced the one tire with a different brand without our authorization. We explained on a brand new car we would like the tires to match. We purchased this car for over $30,000 new less than 6 months ago and are concerned that there is no replacement tires on a brand new car?
I have a Mini Cooper 09 FOR 5 years with 51,000 miles. Just a couple weeks ago as I was driving home the engine light came on along with the temperature coolant light on. Right as this happened, I headed towards the next freeway exit when my car slowly started to slow down and came to a complete stop. My engine had died. I towed it to the dealership and told me that I needed to do a diagnostic test which I did and found out that my coolant had been leaking but later informed me that I need to do a engine tear down to see the core of the problem and figure out if this was the cause of a faulty part. Couple days later I found out that the dealer did not do the breakdown because Miniusa had told the dealer that a claim cannot be filed because through a remote, they said that since I drove 8 miles after the warning light, this is a case of negligence and nothing can be covered.Would anyone just stop there and then in the middle of the freeway when the warning signal comes on? Because the first thing on my mind was safety. Now I am stuck with a bill and a car without an engine which is going to cost me $8,000 to fix...when the car is worth only about $9,000 if it was running. Do not buy a Mini. It has too many problems which they know but would not acknowledge. Mini USA is even worse when it comes to customer service. All they say is that this is their policy and decision is finalized.
60,000 and I need a new engine. Had the car 1 1/2 yrs. Mechanic told me damage was done BEFORE I bought it. Timing chain, oil, etc just like all the other complaints and Im getting the run-around. Thought BMW was a great product.... Guess not.
I was just informed by Mini that my transmission has likely failed. I have babied this car from the beginning and people routinely ask me if it is brand new. It has been taken to every service as required and generally well cared for. I took the car to the dealer after several codes came up at inspection that my general mechanic was unable to address. The car was occasionally starting in EP mode and running very sluggishly. Shortly after that the car began revving in second gear and failing to shift at the appropriate time. Eventually it does shift but only after revving at 3 to 4 thousand RPMs. After a $120.00 evaluation the dealer informed me that it was one of two things. I could either flush the transmission at the cost of $800 and the service technician stated there was a 50/50 chance that it would resolve the problem or it would not resolve the problem and the car would actually be worse. The service tech said that I could baby the car in the meantime or I could order a new transmission at a cost of $5500 plus at least another $2500 to install the new transmission. After reviewing an article on the internet I discovered a class action lawsuit that (of course) closed last year and addressed the problem of the failed CVT transmission. I owe one more year of payments on the car and WILL NEVER BUY A MINI AGAIN.
At 38,790 miles, my clutch suddenly failed on my 2008 Mini Cooper. The car was towed to the dealer. Although it is still under warranty, the dealer first said clutches were never covered. When I read the warranty to them stating clutches were covered (unless misused, a vague reference), they said it was mostly, always the drivers fault and refused to cover the cost of replacement. The estimated cost is $1,710. I have driven manuals for nearly 30 years and have never had a problem. The car has been at the dealership for 7 days, and they are hoping to finish it in the next couple of days. I was not offered a loaner. I am disappointed in BMW, and after reading so many other complaints, I am considering selling it.
1. Right and left engine mounts cracked at 55k. 2. New transmission at 55,123 miles. 3. Weather stripping rotting and replaced often. 4. Convertible roof replaced due to rotting weather stripping (twice). 5. Power steering hoses leaking and replaced. 6. Thermostat replaced. 7. Thermostat gasket replaced. 8. Oil pan leak and gasket leak. 9. Trans harmonic converter replaced.10. Bushings.... The most exciting part of this car is that indicator lights dont come on for some of these issues... I can tell you from experience that its very unsettling to have some of these issues arise when on the freeway or on busy city streets .P.S. I maintained this car accordingly my Mini advisor told me so... along with that he stated he just didnt understand why I was having so many problems.
Our countryman (standard) is fun and does good on gas. Very roomy. Im 64. So I know what Im talking about. We just dot back from a 650 mile round trip. Enjoyed the trip. Do it again. We would highly recommend the countryman. If you want a little fun in your life this is the car. My age is 68.
I purchased a 2009 mini cooper hard top used with 50k miles from the dealer. I was so excited to finally have my dream car, and for a year or so it was heaven. The car was not only adorable, but fun to drive and got great mileage! Sure, I had to pay for premium gas and oil changes were around $100, but the car was a dream. That was until the problems started to roll in at around 60k miles. The car began making a thumping noises after driving (with the engine off) and the engine would idle very loudly and even rattle. I took the car into the dealer and they assured me it was fine. One night the engine died. The cars oil had leaked into the engine and the engine was done. Third parties wanted 7k for a used engine replacement and mini wanted 10k for a new one. I was devastated. That was over half the price I bought the car for. I found someone who was willing to rebuild the engine for 4k. That lead to more nightmares. Several nights making long drives the car just died on me. Stranded and alone I had to have a friend pick me up and the car towed (at least 3 separate times) and then wait for weeks while the car was in the shop. The car was on its last leg, huffing and puffing around, ready to die any second. More repairs were needed. Mini said the car needed a part, I cant remember what it was, and that it would be $900. And only mini had the part. Recently I was rear ended on the freeway and the car was totaled. It was a rare case where the person whose car is totaled is actually happy about the situation. I still have a few more payments left on the car, and the payout will cover just a bit more than the payments and the engine rebuild, but at least this is done. Everyday driving my mini was uncertain. I never felt safe in the car. That said, I loved the car. It was still fun to drive and so cute, but the anxiety and maintenance repairs make this car criminal. I would not recommend this car to anyone unless they are leasing it or rich and dont care about all of the repairs.
I bought this car from a Mini dealer in June 2011, supposedly to have a normal years warranty and full service when required. Within a couple of months the cam chain snapped on the M25, breaking the casing, which drained it of all oil. The Mini was repaired under warranty, and I was told that there would be no further detriment with the car. Within a few months, a leak appeared within the car and damaged all the upholstery, which again was cleaned under warranty, but has subsequently reappeared after the warranty expired. The car was recalled for a part replacement whilst still under warranty. The car had been burning oil at a phenomenal rate which it still is. I was told that this is normal and generally have to put two liters a month in the car, despite not doing many miles.Within a month of the warranty expiring, all four tires needed replacing, despite having only done 4000 miles since the purchase. A fault light appeared regarding the wiper reservoir, which will not reset. Then after only 39,000 miles, the clutch started slipping and needed replacing which cost over £1000 to replace, which seems to be standard as I know two other owners which have had to replace the clutch at such low mileage. Since having that done within a month the front two new tires have had to replaced at a cost of £150 each as a result of the suspension bushes wearing, and which this is going to further cost more money to rectify. All I get from the dealership is literature on new Minis and as yet they havent even offered me the service as promised. Buy a new one, no thanks.
Hi, I purchased a used 2010 Mini Cooper less than a year ago which I am still financing, Yesterday my wife was on her way home. The car started smoking from the vents and soon after the car locked down while I was driving and could not breathe. While driving on the left lane she was able to come to a stop and turn off the vehicle then the door open for me. With the door open she then turn back the car as other vehicles saw that the car was smoking. They let me merge to the right lane. A police officer in his car noticed that something was wrong and came to my aid. As he was asking her what is wrong, she tells police officer that the car is smoking and thats when the car lit up in flames as the horn was going off. The car and all of hers and my personal belongings got destroyed in a blazing fire that almost killed her. What should my next step be? I am out of car, my laptop, cell phone, sneakers, etc. A response is needed. Thanks.
I have a 2007 Mini Cooper 7 that died on me. I was driving home and the check engine light went on, gave me a message about the catalytic converter. Took it to a local and trusted mechanic shop and they basically told me I needed a new engine (rough cost for used $7k and new $9k). Found out this is a known issue with the R56 engine so I decided to contact MINI USA to see if they would cover the costs. They requested that I have it towed to an authorized Mini dealer so off it went to Mini of Concord. They performed their own inspection and stated, I dont need a new entire engine, just the top portion! It was going to cost roughly $5k but they would give me a 25% discount so my cost would be $3600. I stated that I dont feel that I should have to cover any cost considering it is a KNOWN ISSUE with this engine. Still waiting to hear from MINI USA on what they are willing to do and hope they do the right thing. There is a class action lawsuit going on regarding these cars/engines, so my question is, why havent MINI USA/BMW recalled these vehicles??? Very disappointed that they are refusing to do the right thing and making customers pay for a known defect. Here is the link I found about the class action lawsuit. Please read and take action people! https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/consumers-complain-of-mini-cooper-timing-belt-failures-080113.html.
My 2007 Mini Use 1 quart oil every 3 week! After 60,000 miles. My dealer told me that is normal. I do not think so.
2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible - I havent even had this car one year - the turbo has been replaced and now the check engine light wont go off and they are saying it is carbon build up... but the In Drive that I utilize with State Farm says Power Train failure.

