Very well said...

Having been mostly an American car owner (mostly GM) I have to say that the 3 minis I have owned are heads above any American car.

Unfortunately, you are reading posts from people who are having problems.

Don't believe me? Log on to Corvetteforum.com and read about mouldings, headlights, exhaust, bodyside mouldings, etc, etc, etc...

Doesn't mean that a Corvette is a POS but you'll read mostly from people that are having problems.

Go onto the Hummer forum, same thing.

Very rarely do you read about how well a particular car is doing.

Hope you find what you're looking for. Having being in the bodyshop business for over 25 years, I've had a long time to see the quality built into most cars and I'm here to say that Mini is definitely in my top 3 for quality. (and I typically don't like German owned/built cars because they're so over-engineered)

Good luck,

Mark

 

Interesting statement, given the list the OP provided in the thread "Don't be shy... List all the cars you've owned!": 71 Olds Cutlass supreme / 66 VW type1 / 67 vw type1 / 57 vw type1 / 85 GMC s15 / 86 mazda b2000 / 96 chevy crewcab dually / 95 camaro z28 / 05 cadillac STS / and now the 08 MCS.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&postcount=594

 

The mazda is a ford.The only ford i've owned.VW's what kid didnt own one?

I forgot to add to that list. 97 Caddy ETC,99 caddy etc,02 ETC and a My beloved 59 cOUPE DE VILLE. Thanks for reminding me to add those.

 

You sure about that? It was assembled in Hiroshima, and had a Mazda engine and Mazda body. No Ford involvement at all, as far as I know.

The Mazda B-series *did* merge with the Ford Ranger in 1994, but Ford and Mazda didn't have much to do with one another in 1986.

 

NICE catch !!

No foreign cars = 4 foreign cars ??

 

Your probably right,I always thought it was the updated ford courier

 

Hmmm....if I recall correctly, Chevrolet was responsible for Corvettes AND Chevettes! Same maker...different standards!

 

Lets not forget the:
Cadilac 8-6-4-0 Engine
Gee I wounder if this Chevette Transmission will work in a Caddy
Lets see if we can make a Diesel out of a gas engine and put it in the caddy

and fine GM thinking

Front wheel drive is no good and we are going to build a car that proves us right. ( Birth of the x body car) along with Fuel injection is no good lets just add a few more polution controls to this carb then watch it come to a dead stop on the highway when they go to accelerate.

Ahh yes the '70s and '80s RIP

And now We have Xmillion FlexFuel vehicals on the Road! arent we Green!
(Ive been from Maine to Florida saw 1 FlexFule station in Mass off RT 91 Havent seen one since. not to mention that it cost more than gasoline and reduced the fuel mileage.

 

Actually, it's not a silly post - gokartride brings up a good point.

The MINI isn't a $30k, $40k, or $50k car, even though it's possible to configure one to any of those price points. It's a $20k car with a long list of options, none of which change the basic build quality of the car. If you compare the fit, finish & quality of the MINI to other $20k cars, it actually fares quite well.

 

I understand this guy's pain (the person who wrote the initial post on this thread). I mean, he spent 30k (as did I, and many of us on this forum) for a car that we want to love. It sounds like this guy has had some problems w/ his Mini and it's probably upset him (deservedly so). I know that I've been feeling sick over the fact that my $32k MCS has a pretty significant oil leak. It's a brand new car (only 1.5 months old and 650miles). It leaves a pool of about 1-4oz of oil under the car every time I park it. It was quite embarassing to have my brother-in-law point this out after I left an oil stain on his driveway. It makes you feel upset to get a brand new car only to have problems w/ it.

Putting this into perspective, I'd suspect that most all car makes from most all car companies are subject to creating a car that is not up to spec and 100% perfect as the rest in their fleet. I as this guy got one that wasn't 100% perfect. I think what defines a car company is how well they handle the issues and how well they catch these issues before delivery of the vehicle to it's new owner.

In my case, I give Mini a failing grade in catching this oil leak before delivery (the $695 I paid for delivery prep should have covered this ..right?) and it is yet to be seen how they'll handle the issue as the car is currently back at the dealer. I do know I was peeved when I called to tell them of the issue and they had to check to see if this was under warranty (mind you my car is only 1.5 months old and only has 600 miles). At this low mileage and age it should be 100% covered no questions asked (in my opinion).

I've owned 4 other new cars in my life. American and foreign. I've never had any issue w/ any car, this is the first. Maybe it's just bad luck?

I am sticking w/ the Mini for the time being as I have a lot of faith that Mini will remedy the issue. But if the problems continue I could see myself following the lead of the guy who made the first initial posting on this thread. I feel his frustration, yet not blaming the manufacturer as a whole (like he does).

We should just keep his frustration in persective. ...we might feel the same way if we owned his car as well?

 

Thank you for seeing it how i see it.I'll agree I was a touch harsh,but that's how I felt.I dont like to spend my money and have to deal with a silly issue.Its not really that big of a deal,i guess.I just dont want my car to be blemished because of this.
I'll say it again,I feel the dealer or the vdc should make sure the cars dont leave the lot with this problem.Nobody likes to have to deal with a seepage of goo on their new car.
I was shocked by most of the response stating , "oh, its just part of owning a mini" LOL. I dont think so. We shouldnt have to clean up the problem

 

I agree 100% w/ this statement. -And again, I thought that is why we paid them $695 or $900 or whatever we all paid for "dealer prep" fees.

That's my frustration, I love my Mini, yet am pissed that my brand new perfect car that is less than 2 months old is not perfect and has some engine problem that shouldn't have been there.

...I am sure this will be behind me at some point and the issue will be fixed. So, I do plan on giving my Mini another chance, as it is a blast to drive and it is a beautiful car. I just want it to run as well as it looks and feels.

 

^ +1

My dear disillusioned friend, your fixation with the cosmoline issue has all but blinded you to the fact of what it is that you possess.

clnconcpts, after reading all of your responses I have come to the conclusion that your purchase of a MINI must have been impulse buying. If the only problem that exists is the issue of having to deal with the cosmoline then I can assuredly say that you have not driven your MINI to any great extent!

If you had I have no doubt that you hardly would have noticed anything other than the driving exhilaration that this car delivers! Try getting that kind of feel out of a '59 Coupe deVille!

Is there help for you to keep you within the MINI fold... Well that is entirely up to you BUT you have to make a conscious effort to help yourself.

As surfblue says... "Get off of your computer and go drive your MINI!" If that treatment doesn't work and you still suffer from the pain of the cosmoline issue then I believe that nothing less than a Caddy will ease your remorseful conscience...

That's too bad because you have never discovered the meaning of driving enjoyment and how well the MINI delivers that to the person who owns one!

So clnconcpts my hope for you is that someday you do find Driving Nirvana, and recognize it for what it is (perhaps a CTS-V will deliver that... Its a Caddy and American). Just remember that the MINI gives you all that and a bag of chips for way less $$$.

Enjoy and try to Motor On!

 

Once again the point of my message is not being seen .Its not about the car isnt fun to drive,Its about I/We should not have to clean this mess up!Its not our responsiblilty to do this!We dont buy a product to watch it drip crap all over itself.
I find it funny that those who think like you find it acceptable to pay hard earn money for a product and then spend your time cleaning it when it should have been done for you before you picked it up.
I will never drive the CTS-v.The STS-V,yes.
Btw , I love and enjoy cruising the 59.Its fun and relaxing.

Was not a complete impulse.I bought it cause of the fuel mileage and figured it would be fun to drive.
Gm offered nothing at this time,that i want to own.Ford doesnt make anything i want to own either.Chrysler only offers the 300 that i'd consider,but I didnt like the fuel mileage and i'm not really a fan of Chrysler.
I will never own a Japanese car again nor will buy a Korean car.

Just let this thread die cause you do and will not understand the message I'm speaking of.Only a few of you see what I'm saying

 

This is so not fair. Here this guy is complaining about small, micro things or things that haven't even existed, and here I am, ordered less than a month ago with no production #, combing the NAM threads like a crack junkie......trying to get a fix but ain't got the car yet.

 

I understand where you're coming from completely and agree that we should not have to clean up the yellow goo mess. The dealership should take care of this issue before we ever see the car. But I think you're missing what everyone else is saying.

You're blaming the tree because you found a bad apple.

Your examples of more reliable vehicles are poorly chosen and you are communicating yourself terribly. What you mean to say is that you have been treated better by GM dealers in the past, with reference to the condition a car is in when you took delivery. But that's not what you've said here. What you've said is that GM cars are better than MINIs and Hondas and Subarus... and my friend, a lot of folks are going to disagree with you on that, especially on a forum dedicated to a car that was not made by GM.

This is a forum for people who chose to drop 30k on a car, and people who choose to drop this much money on a car don't like to be told that they made the wrong choice. That's essentially what you're saying, while not meaning to say it.

 

Maybe if the OP understood what Cosmoline is and why it oozes out, he might be a little more understanding. All the MINI's have it, because it's used as a protectant to keep our MINIs safe during the journey across the open water from the UK to the USA. It's sprayed all over the MINI, and once it arrives at the dealer, it is cleaned off to a large extent, but there are two things that happen.

1.) The dealer doesn't spend the time to get it full out of the engine bay and other areas that have a lot of cracks and crevices.

2.) Over time the Cosmoline may drip out of these places that were previously inaccessible.

There are a number of easy ways to clean this up, but the important thing to remember is WHY Cosmoline exists in the first place--it's to protect your precious car before it gets in your hands. Now Cosmoline is a hard waxy substance. You shouldn't have to clean it everytime you drive your car.

I've owned two MINI's--an '03 Cooper that I ordered from the factory and currently an '05 Cooper S that I bought used. Neither of them had Cosmoline dripping out all over in the way you describe it. Yes it was in the engine bay, on the strut towers, and various other areas, but I never once had to clean it up when I went driving. Instead I cleaned off the paint, or I waxed it, or I polished it. Or I cleaned my dirty white wheels of brake dust.

Richard

Now

 

I'd be curious (mildly, not extremely) to know why cosmolene seems more of an issue now on R56s than it was on R50/53. Different method of preparing for shipment? Why, I wonder?

 

I didn't realize it was more of an issue. I've seen a few minor drips on R56's, but probably just the same as on a GP. I've also seen plenty of other R56's with no issues--Ashley's '07 R56 doesn't have any issues--I see it every day at my shop.

 

I'm not telling anyone they or I made a wrong choice on the car they bought.
If this issue was happening to my STS when I bought it,I'd be complaining as well,cause I feel its not acceptable to put up with.

 

So take it back to the dealer and demand they clean the car up properly instead of whining about it. I know you have said it is a long way but deal with it. And if you don't want to deal with it sell the car. End of story. You have 3 choices and you do not seem to want to commit ta any one of them except to come on here and whine.

1. Take back to dealer and demand they clean it properly, free.
2. Sell the car.
3. Keep on as you are.

That is all.

 

I agree that it's not acceptable and I definitely think you should talk to your dealer about it. What else are you paying that dealer prep fee for, if not for them to take care of problems like this? You're absolutely right on that point.

You're not directly saying that, no, but when you say things like, "I wish I'd bought American." It does tend to make other folks think that you think you made the wrong decision, and by proxy it implies that you think they made a poor choice as well.

 

Went to a BBQ yesterday and my Mini sat in the hot sun all day. When I got home I noticed some cosmoline had run down onto the front bumper and the side plastic wheel arch. I grabbed a rag that I keep in my boot, wiped off the the cosmoline and then threw the rag back in the boot. I'd say it took me all of 30 seconds. Man, I need to get rid of this car, maybe get an American car, I can't stand wasting 30 seconds of my life wiping cosmoline off the bumper once a week. NO, NEVER, NOT !!!

 

Siily boy,Its not about the time.It does wipe off easy,but Mine has a permanent stain on the fender flares from the cosmoline.
So, if your flares are stained from it?you are ok with that?

 

If they were permanently stained I would probably get pissed but I keep Armor All on my black plastic flares and along the bottom black plastic so it seems to protect it from getting permanent stains, the goo just wipes right off.