I just said good bye to Winston. Can't say I'm not sorry to see him go. Just too many problems. I wanted to thank all of you who answered my questions and helped me out...people on here rock!

And good luck to all of you 07-08 R56 owners

 

I feel your pain...

 

Best of luck to you! If you don't mind me asking, which vehicle replaced Winston?

 

Not at all...I stayed in the family and went back to BMW. I bought a low mileage 2004 E46 330i. I used to own a 97 E36 M3, so its like I'm coming back home.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my MINI in many ways and wanted very much to keep it. I just decided to cut my losses before its value dropped to much. I had 62K miles on Winston and got murdered on my trade in. The person who took my car didn't like the valve train noise. Even though I just got it fixed 1.5 weeks ago.

Under warranty I had the carbon cleaning done, and CEL issues. I also had to pay for a new timing chain tensioner out of warranty. My dealer cut some of my costs for repair. But I just didn't want to deal with the issues I could see coming down the road, especially since MINI isn't stepping to the plate to fix obvious design and engineering flaws with their engines.

 

So us being a two Mini familiy, mine 03MCS, hers 09MCS, I have an interest in what you are saying. So your fuel pump went out? My wifes has been changed already, Mini has acknowledged the problem and warranties the system for 100k now. All Minis with the Prince engine have that valve train noise, so the person that took your car will not like any 2nd gen. Mini if that's the case. I personally am not fond of the new engine either, but that what you get if you want to drive a Mini. All direct injection engines have the intake valve carbon build up problem, not just Minis, its the nature of the design. So the tensioner went out, how much did it cost? The stealer is always going to charge more than a regular mechanic. I dont know, you didnt seem to have, "Just too many problems". BTW, my wife traded in a 05 BMW 330ci for her Mini, it was a lemon BTW, and the BMW/Mini stealer wanted to give her peanuts for it, until we showed them a letter from our attorney and they then gave us more for it and the Mini at cost. Good luck on your new purchase

 

JIMINI: I'm not here to pick a fight with anyone. I know you love your MINI and so did I. But I could see myself heading down the road where I would have to drop big amounts of money into a car that is practically brand new. I had no idea about the carbon build up issues with direct injection cars. I thought of it as a successful application used on many other cars: Audi, VW, Mercades, etc. I guess you can blame my ignorance on these matters.

My fuel pump was never an issue. It was tested and found to be within spec. But I have continued drivability issues I was made aware of the Carbon Build Up issue (I have the trips to the dealer and loaner car miles to prove it). Power seems down since I've bought it, and I suspect it has carbon build up issues since the cleaning. Also my tensioner started to make more noise even after it was fixed 1.5 weeks ago. Now from what I've read, Seafoam is a good application to clean things up. But from what I understand it won't clean the valves. The valves need to hand cleaned, or some type of Induction Service that MINI did the first time. I'm pretty sure if I let MINI clean it again, they would charge me an arm and a leg. I could go to an Independent shop, which I've had much success in the past with my old BMW, but don't have a lot of access to them where I live w/out traveling many miles to get the work done. I found out about the Oil Catch Can a little too late, otherwise I would have had one installed after the cleaning service Maybe things would be different now.

BTW I didn't trade my car at the stealer, I went through a Car Broker. I won't argue the reliability between E46 330i and R56 MINI Cooper S. Each has it own problems as I've researched, and I'm good with my 330i. Believe me when I say this, I didn't want things to go down this way.

And I really meant it when I said good luck to R56 owners, I wasn't trying to make anyone mad. I know there are people out there who were like me, and I feel bad for them. People on this site are very helpful and nice to me all the time. For example, ThumperMCS has always answered all of my redundant questions.

 

I hope I didn't come off as fighting? Like I said, "I have an interest in what you are saying". Direct injection is a better way to go, more precise control over what your engine can do, but its not perfect, yet. But you did have 62k on it, its not brand new. I completely agree with you on the the drivability issues, they just dont run as smooth as the 1st gen cars. Also we really loved the way her 330ci looked and ran but after 15 times to the dealer in one year enough was enough. Really I hope you got a good car there We actually might trade her Mini in when we get to see the new Coupe and Roadster get here. Unfortunately they will have the same engine, but oh well

 

You know JIMINNI, its all good. I like many MINI owners. I've met and talked to a bunch. I was just making sure that I wasn't coming across as a jerk in my post. I plan to lurk these forums as I find lots of useful information. And I'd like to see how MINI deals with the issues, or not. And you are right, with the amount info out there, I should of researched DI more closely. Never again...Hopefully when you go to trade your car in, they would have fixed the bugs. Cause when all is right with that car, it rides so well...sigh.

I think I got a good car 42,xxx miles, and pristine inside/out. But its a BMW, so maintenance has to be followed to a tee as we both know.

 

Problem with these forums - you start thinking everything you read will happen to your vehicle......

HYPOCARDRIAC

 

I got 330,000 miles out of my 1998 BMW 323is and still had the original clutch. The engine was great and burned no oil at 330,000 miles! The only issue I had was with the O2 sensors/catalitic converter. What a great car and it served me well. I moved on to a 2010 JCW and it has been back to dealer 4 times for cold start issues....will it last 100,000 miles...affraid not

just the facts

 

Not true. My car had many issues. Just like other cars I've read about.

 

400,000 MILE MINI

 

Ha ha...nice.

 

400,00 is an amazing feat, but that is not a MINI with a Prince engine like the OP of this thread has. It is an R50 with the old dated unsophisticated one.

It will really be something if a Prince engine goes that far. The jury is still out if they will even go 100,000 with regularity.

I'd love to buy a new MINI, but that Prince of an engine scares me. I'll keep driving my old one until they fix all the issues in the new one.