I find it interesting that you bought it RIGHT AFTER the bumper to bumper warrenty expired at 36,000.....then had a warrenty issue....
I'd bet money the prior owner "rode it like they stole it" then dumped it when the warrenty ended....
In all honesty many gen2 cars do have issues.....then add a used car, sporty one at that, driven by a "young musician"...makes me wonder if the car got more of the same....
My car, a 2005 S (prior model/gen) has been solid since new....but I would have dumped it pretty fast if it had a similar number of issues.....then again, I broke it in, matained it, and drive it like an adult....sure you can have some fun...but I usually drive it..well...like a street car. Not a race car like some(on the street).....
Who knows if it was a car built on a bad day or just run hard....but looks like it was just not the " right" car.....

 

There is much truth to the possibility of the previous owner driving the sh*t out of this car before the second (and unfortunate) owner purchased it.
Many Mini Cooper owners (primarily the "S" models) do like to "drive them like they stole them" in a "spirited" way.
I've been a Corvette enthusiast all my life having owned many and from experience can most definitely tell you that if buying one used you had better be very diligent in researching (and I don't mean just a carfax) as obviously many of these cars have had the holy sh*t driven out of them and I believe the same can hold true on many of the Mini Coopers out there for sale.
The old adage "buyer be ware" I believe holds especially true with these cars.

 

I can relate to where your son is coming from. I bought an 09' Mini S about a little over a month ago with 40K on it. Had the CEL on when bought but told it was just an O2 sensor no big deal.

Long story short; I've gotten to drive this car 9 days over the last month and it's been in the shop for 3 and a half weeks and counting. Mechanic is telling us damaged cylinder head and problem with valves. Car was previously a lease and then owned by dealers for 2 years before I bought it. We're guessing it was beat on pretty hard during that time.

Luckily we purchased an extended warranty and are fighting with them to get these repairs covered, since the bill is now up over $5K. Right now just hoping to get the car back in the next couple of weeks; it's frustrating as I purchased this to be my daily driver.

 

There's always the chance you got a lemon. But lemme ask you:

Have you been changing the oil every 5-7k miles? If not, that explains the timing chain issues (maybe, probably). To change the clutch that early someone must've burned the crap out of it. Has the thermostat been changed? If that leaks, overheat, bye bye engine. Does your son work on the car? If not, does he take it to get serviced every 5-7k miles? Is it an automatic? If so, have you drain/filled the transmission at least once? You say you can get anywhere in 30 mins. how many trips are 15 mins or less? the engine takes at least 15 mins to get up to temp and if you take too many short trips that is detrimental to engine health.

 

the motor in these cars is pretty much bad....no way around it. some of your out of pocket might be about to be reimbursed if its was now under recalls. love the car, hate the motor.

 

My 2007 MCS died at 72,000 miles last November. It burned an exhaust valve, and the recommended solution was a new engine, which is just now being installed. This was despite my extended SERVICE plan, which meant that Mini has serviced this car since day one. Does anyone know if there is any recall notice on this engine?

 

Hi,

Do people really think the mini needs an oil change every 5-7k miles?

Are BMW joking themselves with the standard oil change interval?

Can anyone prove this?

I agree that it sounds like your mini had a rubbish previous owner. Skidding the clutch, riding the clutch, dumping the clutch etc. resulting in the required change so soon. It sounds like it over heated at some point in it's life and the cam chain tensioner thing is seeming like a regular issue before the newer updated version is fitted. Minis use oil, so if you don't keep it well topped up, it can hit minimum or below minimum easily between standard service intervals.

You sound like your son bought an unloved model. Sorry for your crappy experience.

Regards,
Steven

 

While I tend to agree that this car may have been mistreated by the previous owner, this could hold true of any used car out there.
However timing chain issues are not uncommon and blaming the owner (or previous owner) for abuse when the clutch starts to crater doesn't always hold up as this link illustrates.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...man-s-r55.html
He may have very well bought a "lemon", but there appears to be quite a few "lemons" out there if we consider the track history on these cars and resulting poor reliability ratings on them.
I think he is more than justified in his concerns over owning a Mini Cooper.

 

All you can do is change fluids regularly and enjoy the ride.

 

Serviced by mini? Does that mean 15k oil changes?

 

Up to you. Changing every 15k will get you as far as the factory warranty period at best. Then it's not BMW's problem.

 

My extended intervals have carried me well beyond the factory warranty period.

 

One thing I will admit to. After buying my '13 Justa, joining this forum and reading the various posts I've read I won't be keeping it after the warranty runs out.

 

2009 JCW owner here. 5.5 years and 37k miles on my car. I have had a few issues like the clutch totally failing at 28k miles. That was replaced under warranty. Other issues like the sunroof cassette being replaced, 2 windshields replaced, lots of rattles etc. No major problems though.

I think the MINI brand is junk. I would never buy another. I still think its a cool car and I do recommend the brand to others but I tell them to lease and give it back at 3 years.

 

The MINI gods have smiled on you. Glad to hear good news!

 

The Justa's are a lot more reliable than the turbo models.

 

Sucks that you spent money on the car and aren't getting to enjoy it, but your mistake was in believing them about the CEL. At minimum running it down to the nearest auto parts store and having them read the codes for free would have confirmed or shot that down, though you'd have been better off just passing on the car. If it was an O2 sensor it's a cheap and easy fix and if the owner couldn't be bothered to do it on a car they were trying to sell, that would've spoken volumes right there anyway.

This would be the case for any car, not just a MINI.

 

I agree with others. I think the previous owner ran the car hard and got to the end of the warranty and sold it. They really didn't care about the car. I am absolutely right on top of mine all the time and do change the oil every 5-7000 miles since new just because I believe in it.

The generation 2 R56, especially the S, does have a history of issues.
Fortunately, my 2007 S which I bought new has had only the recall stuff, covered by Mini.

But I do baby it, and don't run it hard, with a few rare exceptions, just to have a little fun with it and give it some exercise.

But if you want a reliable car, don't buy a Mini or a BMW. If you look at the record of engine failures, they are both among the worst.

Here is the link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...ty-survey.html

It tells us several things. One, those who are touting the new BMW engine of the Mini, may be forced to eat their words after a while. One issue I have with the F56 is that the Justa is now turbo charged, which would indicate less reliability in the long run.

Another shocker in the survey was just how bad the vaunted Audi came out. And MG Rover, with its very expensive Range Rover, is just awful, in spite of its high price.

The real lesson seems to be buy a Honda. That will be my next car. We have a 14 year old Honda Odyssey van which has really been very good. Bought it new as well.

 

Agree, the F56 is already on a couple of recalls. Not slamming the car, just that numerous folks stated everything was going to be champagne and caviar now that there was a "real" BMW engine in the F56. BMW's ratings are horrible just like Mini and VW.

And you are right about Honda and Toyota. Problem is, neither one makes an interesting car. I mean, sure the Odyssey will run trouble free long after we are all gone, but is it an absolute blast to drive? No. Nor is the Civic or the Accord.

That's the paradox....probably more than 95% of us buy a Mini because we want something that is a kick to drive every time we get into it...very few car makes have that. The downside is that we put up with sub-par quality...

 

No doubt about that. And I will keep my Mini as long as I can. But I haven't had to use it as a daily driver. That is what I would use a new Honda for.(Not a van the next time).

 

The justa now being a turbo is one of the main reasons I'm searching for a 2013. Now both are turbo, I'd rather have the old design and feel whether I get another justa or upgrade to an S.

I feel MINI's are the best combo of fun and reliability you are really going to get. Fun and reliable just don't seem to mesh in the car world.

 

Ah, I get you now Kellmark. I agree with your approach. I have a 2010 Toyota Tundra pickup for the same reliable daily driver rationale-55k miles and not a single hiccup. My prior Tundra I had for 10 years and 170k miles, and I kid you not...it NEVER went to the dealer for anything other than routing maintenance. Not even a squeak in that truck. Amazing quality...

 

get used to turbo's, they are going to be in EVERYTHING within the next few years as emissions and CO2 regulations get stricter and stricter. there are few things you can do to improve an engines net efficiency as well as a turbo does.

German cars have terrible reliability ratings because people do not understand the criticality of maintenance on them, and therefore think that if you miss one or two checkups and use whatever junk oil is available you'll be "OK". they are machines designed to drive at 8/10 on the autobahn. americans are notorious for being lazy about maintenance, but given what most american car companies have produced over the last couple decades, why would you bother maintaining it? most were junk when new. it all comes down to maintenance habits and driving style, and unfortunately a lot of people flat out suck at driving and would rather blame the car for their short comings as a driver.

the Cooper S is a performance car, with increased performance comes an increased need for maintenance and subsequent cost of ownership. don't like that fact? go buy a camry and get used to being bored.