Went to the dealer for service today & discussed the scoop issue. Was told that was normal wear & tear on the Mini. HUH?? I then said "normal wear & tear on a MINI is to melt down after 5000 miles?? How about it is the turbo melting it down"? The new replacement scoop is on order, no charge. Don't ya just love 'em?

 

Sorry to hear about these problems with the hood scoop.

I've had my '07 MCS since August of 2007. The highest temperature ever recorded by the car was this last summer in stop and go rush hour traffic was 107F here in Denver Co. I have a chrome hood scoop that was installed when I ordered it and it is still in perfect condition.

I wonder it there could be a problem with the heat shield surrounding the turbo charger?

If the heat shield is bent or incorrectly installed it can cause excessive heat build up. The gap between the turbo charger and heat shield is very important.

Just some food for thought.

Starski

 

The dealer rep also said that the NEW scoops used as a replacement, would not "melt" down.

 

And the reason they will not "melt" down is because someone in his or her infinite wisdom decided to replace the plastic scoops with ones made of metal. Duh. Why didn't they do that in the first place. I had mine replaced about two weeks ago.

 

So your new scoop is made of metal? That's big news, hadn't heard that before!!!

 

I'm not sure if your response was "tongue in cheek" or real. Why would it be big news? It seems to make sense to me that if the plastic scoops are deforming due to turbo heat that Mini/BMW would change to a heat resistant material.

 

It's big news because even though it makes lots of sense, no one has had their scoop replaced with a METAL one, they all get the same plastic one. So if indeed they're finally replacing them with metal it's BIG NEWS, BMW/Mini finally woke up! I really doubt it's true, it would be really expensive and difficult to form a scoop like that made of metal.

 

My new scoop melted faster than the first one .

 

My September-build 2009 MCSa has a plastic scoop. Tell us when you've seen a metal one and at what dealer,if it was a retrofit.

 

My old scoop used to have a "shape of the day" depending on my driving and the weather. I added a CF scoop and did the following work under the hood. This has greatly reduced the temperature to the touch on the hood/scoop.

 

Like Starski, I also have an OEM chrome hood scoop. I think they installed it at the dealership. So far, I haven't noticed any melting. Has there been any cases of the chrome scoops melting or just the body-color ones? Just curious. My MCS is about 4 weeks old and now I'll have to keep an eye out for the melting!

 

The chrome ones are subject to melt too because the scoop is still made of plastic with a plastic "chrome" layer on top. Someone posted a picture of a "chrome" scoop that was melting and peeling here somewhere... Keep an eye on it!

 

^ AAAAAAAAAH! Say it ain't so! *horror!*

I'll hunt for that...thanks for the heads up!

 

Sorry, look at post #289 on pg 12:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/128350-i-think-my-hood-scoop-is-melting.html

 

^ Beni,

for some reason, it keeps saying "page not found" when I click on your link. I did look at post 289 on page 12 and it's not a chrome bonnet scoop. I'm confused.

 

I don't know why the link doesn't work but if you copy and paste the link in your browser it'll take you to that thread and then go to page 12 post #289. Strange...

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! My EYES! My EYES!


Beni,

That's truly horrifying! Thanks for the visual evidence. I will definitely have to keep a check on that.

 

I haven't been around for a while; has the WMW turbo wrap gone out of style? After my wrap, no more hot hands or scoop on my car...

 

Can this still occur with the ones being made as of today?

 

^ Not sure,lawnboy. I'm keeping a close eye on mine. I have an 09 MINI Cooper S with an OEM chrome hood scoop. So far, no melting problems. *fingers crossed!*

 

My replacement scoop was not made of metal but the same old plastic, there isn't a metal OEM replacement. I was told the new one would not melt down, I'll wait & see.

 

They do make high temp plastics so it would be possible to make a plastic one that will not melt. I just got a S last week and am wondering about this melting thing. Does it just one day reach a given temp and the thing just melts or does it slowly happen over time a little every day?

 

SaltNPepa,

Good question...let us know in a year or so. (So far, no melting on my 09 MCSa with 9/30/08 delivery, but then again I only have 1700 miles on it).

 

^ Not sure, Salt. I haven't had my S yet through a summer, so I guess we'll see then. I got mine last November so it hasn't been subjected to intense environmental heat + engine heat. *shrug* I hope there will be no problems. I already had the ominious cold start issue from a frozen throttle valve. *sigh* I had to have the manifold replaced.

 

I never noticed the dip in the scoop until I read about the "melting scoop problem" on this website. By the time the dealer finally got the new scoop in to replace it, it was even more noticeable. So, I guess it just gets worse with time. I'm hoping the new scoop doesn't melt. But if it does, it's going back.