My 06 Mini S is GARBAGE!!!

It has had a new windscreen (Cracked), new washer bottle (cracked) , new wheels (peeled), new clutch T/O bearing (engine out job) new radio (CD skipped) , more rattles than a spray can of paint, all under warrantee.

Strut towers mushroomed thus needed to be banged back into shape and strut tower braces put in.

Now back in for rattles and smell during acceleration, another engine out!!! for a new clutch, new radio (cuts in and out) new top dash pad (rattles) new inner passenger rear trim panels (rattle) new rear speakers.

just over 20k miles and I don't hammer the car.

What would you do?

So looking for a new car this weekend, Warrantee expires at the end of next month.

Peter

 

Peter, dump the car really. I think at this point you absolutely hate the thing. Time to move on.

Mine (sans the clutch) has been great. But your experience may vary

There is no use in driving a car you dislike. Cut your losses and get something else. The grass may or may not be greener on the other side. A new car always carries a new set of risks. But if you find something that tickles your fancy, then go for it!

How about a new VW Scirocco? Or a Seat Leon Cupra? Ford Focus RS? You guys on the other side of the pond have great choices.

Good luck.

 

We have our choices and you hit on my 1,2 and 3 almost in the order I would buy them, swap 2 and 3,

1) petrol over here is extortionate!!! I could not afford to run any of them on my commute
2) The road tax and insurance would make them very expesive choices
Its sad, when I lived in the states (my home) I usually had something neat to drive, vintage muscle was always in the garage and a V8 in the drive of some sort, but living here, although my choice and I live it, makes you reall watch financial decisions, A fill up of petrol in my ford 4 door costs 50 pounds, about 70 dollars, about 40 pounds in the MINI or 56 dollars. When it was 2.00 dollars to the pounds you can see how painful it was. Insurance and road tax are tied to engine size so it forces you to buy smaller engined cars and drive a bit less, it spoils the fun really.
Sadly I think a honda is in my future and they have all become butt ugly.

peter

 

Was that MINI a lemon from the start or did all these things start to crop up here of late ?

Considering you say you don't beat the car up, and assuming you take reasonably good care of it, it would be hard to believe this one wasn't a lemon of the lot.

But yeah, if it's giving you this many problems already, time to unload it.

 

Car was problematic from the start. I contacted the previous owner by mail. I figured it he did not want to chat he would avoid me, he called the day he got my letter and we chatted for ages. Said (and this concurred with what the selling dealer promised) that he had never had a need for any warrantee work whatsoever on the car.

I have no idea why this car is junk but it has to go as it is fraying my nerves. Driving it is like being in a 25 year old junk box, You just can't believe the rattles.

peter

 

Sorry to hear about the problems you've been having. With the way you say you take care of the car, and the mileage you shouldn't be having those issues.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

Sorry to hear your problems. Most of the cars are rock solid but there are always the the problem cars.

 

I have a early 2006 MCS (Nov. 2005 build) 51,000 miles with the only pro-

blem being one stressed cracked windshield. So sorry to hear these things

happen. One question to throw out to everyone, how can two cars that

are really the same be so different? Is it a throw of the dice?

 

Thanks for the kind words folks, I have the dealer fixing (under warrantee) the existing problems and they are going to make me an offer on the car, I am sure it will not be good. Retail over here varies between (on ebay) 10k to 12.995 pounds, About $14-$18k US dollars with the exchange rate. If they offer me 11k pounds I will bite their hand off but I expect 8500-9k pounds will be the dealer offer in pounds (I live in the UK) I paid 13,500 pounds just short of a year ago but the MINI has seen a horrid drop in value since then, they used to only drop about 500 pounds a year before the credit crunch.

When I asked the dealer and contacted the previous owner I was sure I was going to find the car was a returned lemon but that was not the case. The warrantee examiner at the dealer told me off the record that I had a "friday afternoon car" that she had worked at all the major car co's and these cars pop up from time to time.

 

I had a Pontiac that had the same issues, after I sold it I snooped around a little and found it had a born on date when the plant was on strike. Sorry to hear about your car.

 

cept for the radio and speakers and wheels and clutch i got all your issues at first too . ignore the rattles now . i gotta say the car has been a dissapointment except for the fun in modding it . if i were stock i'd be selling . so i guess i'm saying i feel you . and good luck . how bout an a4?

 

Peter, you have some neat diesels and Turbo Diesels there in the UK. Probably not as fun as a petrol car but considering the running costs that could probably be a better option.

In Europe you guys have the Honda Civic Si 5 door hatch that American Honda has refused to bring to the United States. Not the prettiest car to look at but worth considering. Also you have some nice looking Alfas, Pugs and Renaults there...

 

So just got it back, new dash pad, new clutch, new center bearing? new rear speakers, new rear interior trim panels, still noisy but squeaks where it used to rattle.

Oh and they mentioned they ordered new power steering hoses/pipes as mine are leaking, they were on backorder thus I have to bring it back, Thats if I still have it then.

What a PITA!

 

Trade it in on a brand new never owned Mini with a Warrenty and you will probably be happy with it. Personaly, I never had any luck with a pre-owned car. Most people just buy a car and drive the heck out of it and never keep up on the maintenance at all.
They also skip taking care of a car they know they are not going to keep.
It seems like you like the Mini so just get a new one.
Ronnie948