Hi everyone!

After reading numerous posts arguing for/against certain mods because it voids or keeps the warrantee, I'm starting to question the value of keeping the warrantee. Naturally, my first instinct is to preserve that precious warrantee. BUT.. what exactly are we preserving besides peace of mind?

What exactly is likely to go wrong with a modded-out MCS?

...or even a non-modded MCS?

What is the likelihood that it will be covered by the warrantee? Or happen before the warrantee runs out? Seems most things happen right away or the day after expiration!

Are we really lowering the risk factor by preserving the warrantee, or are we just making it easier to sleep at night and rev those engines?

I've owned 5 cars. Only one engine had weird, costly problems (Geo Storm was known for cracked engine casings that affected the oxy sensor and thus ruined cat converter etc.) The rest needed new clutches, nothing else that was engine-related.

Peace of mind has led me to buying warrantees that didn't cover the little things that went wrong, nor regualr wear-and-tear. 1500 bucks down the drain. I don't want to be a sucker and pay for the JCW just for peace of mind if Randy can give me something that gives me a smooth HP and Torque increase for half the price. I always did want to visit Denver, after all!

I've never owned a modded-out car or dated someone who did. What are the real-world possibilities of engine disaster?

I'd just like to get the benefits of everyone's experience. Thanks! :smile:

 

Hi Cat,

I was thinking seriously about getting the pulley mod until I talked to my brother, who has his bachelor's in automotive engineering and is currently an electrical engineer. He said that the 15% reduction is a very high percentage, and that the potential damage to the supercharger over time COULD be serious. It could mean that I would need a new supercharger, and very likely other things, sooner than if I didn't have the mod. How much sooner is really hard to tell.

The mods make your car run in ways that the original designers didn't intend. They make the car work harder than intended too, which leads one to the conclusion that things will wear out faster. There is no sure way to know what exactly they will do to your car, and if there were to be ANY problems that could be associated with the mod(s), most dealers wouldn't honor the warranty. Since my MCS is my daily driver and only car, I opted to wait until my warranty runs out before getting any mods. That way, there will be plenty of data on what various mods have done to other's cars, and I can pick the ones I want with a little more confidence. Also, by then, I will hopefully have a second car as a daily driver and can really baby my MCS.

Hope that helps a little.
:smile: :smile: :smile:

 

Well if it's ok with JCW and BMW then the pulley shouldnt be all that bad (stressing the engine that is).

Now what I would assume to cause the engine more stress is any extra hp, coming from anywhere really. Why? Because your foot gets heavier the more hp you get. If you're redlining it all the time then the engine is going to live a shorter life. So in my none expert opinion even if you do have the pulley it shouldnt be any worse as long as you're not driving the car hard all the time.

Make sense? (I can talk very well, but sometimes when I write without edit, as I do on these boards, some things dont always come out clear)

My $0.02!

 

Warranty or not?
Car insurance or not?
I've driven since 1975 and always had car insurance. No accidents on my record.
Should I discontinue my insurance because I have had no previous problems?
Nope. Likely or not, I maintain my insurance (and my new car warranty) if I feel risk averse. If I do not wish to be totally responsible for the risk of failure of my car in the event of an accident (due to me or not) or due to mechanical or design fault, then I would be wise to have a new car warranty intact as well as auto insurance.

Sure you can do anything you want on a car you own. Not really an option if the car is leased. Yes you can push the limits of auto design and do some modifications- but you have to think about the long term effects that might have on your engine life. If you plan to keep your car for 3 years then sell- then it doesn't matter as much as if you plan to keep your car for 20 years.

If you look at upgrades like the JCW kit with it's 15% reduction pulley, you will see that unless they (JCW) made some error in judgement as to the safety of this sort of upgrade, they are within bounds of providing a significant upgrade that still lies within relatively safe design parameters for "normal use".

It's like clock chipping your CPU in your computer. Can it be done? Yes. Can it harm the CPU? Yes. Do people do it anyway? Sure. Are there other ways to get more performance safely? Sure. Take your choice.

So if you really like your new car warranty and don't want to have to pay for trouble due to mechanical failure, poor design-and failure under normal use, or trouble caused by something added to the MINI that was never designed for the car then
Don't do performance mods. Again, it's your choice.

 

>>What exactly is likely to go wrong with a modded-out MCS?
>>...or even a non-modded MCS?

Famous last words: "What could go wrong?"

Dude, given what we all have learned about the MINI's design glitches and shoddy build quality by now, you should be asking yourself what WON'T go wrong?!?

 

I have a 2003 MCS with over 5000 miles on it.
I have gone through one leaky coolant bottle.
No other problems at all.
Your results may vary.
I don't think I am in the minority as I have asked other MCS owners in my area
about their problems.

I used to drive a 91' Dodge Caravan which is super notorious for having a bad transmission (failure rate greater than 20% in the first year)-and you thought that a leaky coolant bottle was bad.

I sold that old van in 2003 with 125,000 miles on it nearly all original with the first and only transmission in it still running fine. Why? Because I did my homework and bought the three speed transmission and not the super popular 4 speed. Results vary.

 

Generally speaking, I think waiting for the warranty to expire is the stupidest reason I've ever heard for not doing mods. If you wait til the warranty expires and it breaks, you have to pay to fix it. If you dont and it breaks, you have to pay too.

That being said, this car and company have been a disaster for me and every thing that goes wrong has been an uphill battle to get fixed.


--
Cheese

 

>>>>What exactly is likely to go wrong with a modded-out MCS?
>>>>...or even a non-modded MCS?
>>
>>Famous last words: "What could go wrong?"
>>
>>Dude, given what we all have learned about the MINI's design glitches and shoddy build quality by now, you should be asking yourself what WON'T go wrong?!?

When my dealer told me about their SX package, I was very careful about the warranty. I'm buying a British car. I intend to keep my warranty near and dear to my heart. Maybe if I learn to shift better, I can beat that VR6 consistently.

Btw, has anyone noticed on the Bridger site that Mini is offering to extend the 3/36 Maintenance program to 4/50 for an additional $500. Seems like that's at least 1-2 oil changes and about the time you might need new rotors. Which would go well past the $500 mark. Something tells me that BMW shop rates won't be any cheaper in 2008.

 

Dear cheese,
Yes I have read about your car. Sorry to hear about it and your experiences. Maybe you can trade with someone that has a "trouble free" car. There are some cars that are quite reliable.

As for waiting. This is a personal choice. In all the cars I have ever owned and drove, I have wanted to do mods but never had one that I did mod. Other than a K&N drop in filter everything was stock. Not much fun. Nothing to write home about.

Since I got the MCS, there are many choices and lots of fun doing mods. As long as you don't get too out of hand it can be a reasonable hobby. Like Big kid toys.

Then again there are those H2s.

 

>>Well if it's ok with JCW and BMW then the pulley shouldnt be all that bad (stressing the engine that is).
>>
>>Now what I would assume to cause the engine more stress is any extra hp, coming from anywhere really. Why? Because your foot gets heavier the more hp you get. If you're redlining it all the time then the engine is going to live a shorter life. So in my none expert opinion even if you do have the pulley it shouldnt be any worse as long as you're not driving the car hard all the time.
>>

Yes, the JCW kit also uses a 15% reduction pulley. But in addition to that, they swap out the supercharger for one DESIGNED to take the reduction, along with changing the ECU and several other mods, all designed to work together. If you are just going to get a pulley, with or without an ECU upgrade, and not swap out the stock supercharger, you still risk blowing out your engine a lot sooner than you would under 'normal' conditions. I'm not saying that its definitely going to happen, but it is a stronger possibility with those mods. Also, the warranty on the JCW is only 2 years, not 4. Why do you think that is?

 

Cheese, I've read about your problems too. My condolences. I'm really sorry to hear that your car was such a lemon. That said, most of the rest of us DON'T have the problems that you've had. I've got over 8,000 miles on Peanut, and the only problems I've had were brown coolant syndrome, some weather stripping that came out, and a passenger side speaker buzz. All fixed under warranty.

Obviously, you don't really get what I meant. "If you wait until the warranty expires and it breaks, you have to pay to fix it." OF COURSE I do!! That's exactly the reason why it's OKAY to get mods done AFTER the warranty expires. If I get mods done BEFORE the warranty expires and it breaks, I will have to pay to fix it. If I DON'T get mods done before the warranty expires and it breaks, I WON'T have to pay to fix it. DOH!!

 

Scoop,
If you mod it and it breaks, you have to pay to have it fixed. Whether is tomorrow, next tuesday, or 2006. So no matter, YOU HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. Logically speaking, I dont see how one is better than the other when you have to pay either way.

The only arguement that stands is that the engine wont last the warranty period either way (with/without mods), which at this point I tend to believe! Then modding it would invalidate your usable warranty. But you only have weather stripping problems tho, so I wouldnt sweat it :smile: I'm not taking my chances.

If your only concern is the accellerated wear associated with mods, wouldnt they be more usable and more fun on a newer engine?



--
Cheese

 

Scoop,

Judging from the number of us who've done the pulley on our MCSs (several hundred I'd estimate) and the number of catastrophic supercharger meltdowns I've seen posted (0, zip, nada, zilch), plus the fact that even with the 15% reduction, we are still within the manufacturer's specifications for the performance envelope (Eaton's no one elses) I think its safe to say that the pulley mod is not one that will be problematic. It will definately void your s'charger warranty, but doesn't seem to be creating s'charger failures, so the call is yours. All I can say regarding my pulley is WHOOPIEE.

 

Just keep in mind the mods you do only affect the warranty for that particular area. If you put springs on the car and the transmission goes, the warranty on the tranny should still stand. The dealer has to prove the mod had a direct affect on the malfunction in order to not warranty the item.

This being the case, some mods are "safer" to do than others as far as warranty concerns go. An aftermarket intake and exhaust would be the least likely candidates for any kind of warranty problems. Suspension components are also a pretty safe bet. All these are good mods, and yet don't impact the more expensive areas of concern (ie. engine and transmission). And truthfully, unless you're racing your car or are into street racing (which, if you are, you bought the wrong car to begin with), nothing more is needed.

 

If your car is experiencing ANY problems with the engine or transmission, DO NOT
do any engine or transmission mods untill they get resolved.
The rest of the car is fair game.<JMO>
In my case I took the conservative approach, I waited for the 10k service before
modding the car. My car is a daily driver and has been trouble free before and after the 15% pulley. I found that I am easier on the car after the pulley 'cuz I
don't have to flog it to get it to freeway speeds.

MGCMAN,
BTW. There have been some reports of "nuked" superchargers in 100+ deg F. areas.

_________________
DS/B/B MCS with every option known to man
- CD changer

 

I usually don't post here because I know so little about the technical realm, but since we're talking about NOT modding, I'll add my 2 cents. I'd be one of those conservative types (...but not in politics ) who want to keep my warranty. I do watch the mods, though, so I can study to see which ones work best and how they affect the car. There's so much discussion and so many new products that I'm content to just watch. The thing that I've wondered (and this was touched on in the pulley discussion) is how Coopers get modded to the 165hp range and no discussion is given to the transmission (or other components for that matter). Granted, folks doing this probably aren't concerned about blown transmissions but it does point up the "unintended consequences" that certain mods may have. This hasn't been addressed enough probably because, in the end, its a personal choice how one wants to treat their car. For me though, its too soon to tell what mods, if any, I might do someday. I'll keep studying the situation. Besides, my MC's given me everything (and more) that I've asked of it as a daily driver.

 

>>MGCMAN,
>>BTW. There have been some reports of "nuked" superchargers in 100+ deg F. areas.
>>


Do tell, please. I wasn't aware.

 

I like your approach! I'm going to have to wait to see how my funds are doing anyway. And you make a good point here - it makes sense that your car would be doing less work if it's more efficient and powerful, doesn't it? RPM wise if nothing else. Just because a mod will increase the power it doesn't automatically follow you'll be flogging it even worse.


>>If your car is experiencing ANY problems with the engine or transmission, DO NOT
>>do any engine or transmission mods untill they get resolved.
>>The rest of the car is fair game.<JMO>
>>In my case I took the conservative approach, I waited for the 10k service before
>>modding the car. My car is a daily driver and has been trouble free before and after the 15% pulley. I found that I am easier on the car after the pulley 'cuz I
>>don't have to flog it to get it to freeway speeds.
>>
>>MGCMAN,
>>BTW. There have been some reports of "nuked" superchargers in 100+ deg F. areas.
>>
>>_________________
>>DS/B/B MCS with every option known to man
>>- CD changer

 

>>Scoop,
>> If you mod it and it breaks, you have to pay to have it fixed. Whether is tomorrow, next tuesday, or 2006. So no matter, YOU HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. Logically speaking, I dont see how one is better than the other when you have to pay either way.

Cheese, I know that. But at the moment I don't have money to burn, nor a spare vehicle in case anything DOES go wrong. My point is that when I have to pay to get it fixed anyway, I will feel better about doing some mods to the engine. I am simply being conservative at the moment.


>>The only arguement that stands is that the engine wont last the warranty period either way (with/without mods), which at this point I tend to believe! Then modding it would invalidate your usable warranty. But you only have weather stripping problems tho, so I wouldnt sweat it :smile: I'm not taking my chances.

I'm not either.

>>
>> If your only concern is the accellerated wear associated with mods, wouldnt they be more usable and more fun on a newer engine?

That they would. And again, if I had the money to burn, I would most likely have some done.

As for those of you who've had the pulley done, congrats and Enjoy! I'll be watching closely to see if any problems occur to numbers of your cars within the next several years. I really hope they don't!!

 

>>As for those of you who've had the pulley done, congrats and Enjoy! I'll be watching closely to see if any problems occur to numbers of your cars within the next several years. I really hope they don't!!

Neither do we!

 

Remember, there are no guarentees in life (or autos for that matter). Maybe your MINI will break under warrenty or maybe it won't. The real question is enjoyment. I have the following on my MCS: Pulley, EVOTech ECU, Madness intake, Milltek header, Magnaflow exhaust, Alta intercooler air diverter and 16" SSR Comps with Yoko EVS ES 100. I find the added enjoyment offsets the possible warranty issues for me. And that is the important point - it isn't a problem for me. For others it may be a big issue. Perhaps I feel the way I do because of several serious health issues I have had and continue to have. Why wait, I may not be able to do it tomorrow. It all boils down to the cost/benefit ratio. The benefit to me is greater than the potential cost. Every one has to answer that question for themselves. What other people think is simply what's right for them. If it breaks, I will stop grinning - but only until I fix it. Then the grin starts all over again.
Either way, enjoy your MINI.

 

Well, I have been running an aftermarket exhaust for 16K miles (since last October) and 3 different intakes since May. My "Serivce Engine Soon" light came on yesterday just as my miles to service went under 1000. So I've got my second service appointment Monday and also told them about the light. Question is - do I leave the latest intake filter I have on? Can't change the exhaust, but I could go back to the stock airbox. Obviously they'll hook the car up to a computer, so who knows what that will say. Now, if had done the ECU upgrade - I could see that being a bigger problem.

 

Firebreathing Newt, Well stated. Enjoy your MINI any way you can.

 

>>>>As for those of you who've had the pulley done, congrats and Enjoy! I'll be watching closely to see if any problems occur to numbers of your cars within the next several years. I really hope they don't!!
>>
>>Neither do we!

Here's an update for those of you who missed it: blown engine (pulley and ECU mod) waiting for service at a dealership with 3 other blown engines with same mods. His car, though had a problem with the oil initially.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...c=15494&14

the JCW looks a mite better to me now...

 

I am 54 years ole, I have owned more new and used cars from US manufacturers and plenty of old English sports cars. I have done modes of all types over the years and got all that 'crazness' out of my system. Over the long run the peace of mind is worth it to me to keep the warrenty. I can look back with experience and say that keeping the warrenty or at least the modes within warrenty does help sell the car down the road. You have decide for yourself what is more important.