Hi everyone, first post.

Are all the Auto transmission for the R50 Justacooper the dreaded CVT?

Other than answering the above, feel free to read below for more info

I have a chance at buying a 2004 non S with 78K miles cheap. It just had the transmission rebuilt, but it doesn't drive right, so they are asking $6500. I figure with a bit of luck, it might turn out to be something simple. If I can get it working right, then sell it, I can then go buy a Mini with a proper third pedal, and an S badge

Here's the conflicting and half information I'm getting from the non technical owner:
Worked fine when they took it into the shop, concerned about a noise.
Automatic transmission was rebuilt using "new genuine Mini parts including spider gears and all other parts"
(Really?!? last I read Mini doesn't sell parts for the CVT??)

Now it only works in "first and reverse", "stuck in Limp mode", and "Just needs to be timed".

Obviously we have an owner that is misquoting someone that may be a complete hack of a mechanic anyway. So this thing is just like Forest Gump's Chocolate. Ya never know what ya gonna get.

But if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. right?

Thanks for any thoughts, including "WHOAH way to high a price!!!" ideas.

Richard in Kansas

 

All R50 automatics are CVT.

If one has high miles or doesn't run just right, run away. You'll never get it fixed and sold for a profit.

 

Yep, CVT.

Very, very doubtful that the CVT was rebuilt. Very, very likely that it has a serious problem. When buying a CVT, make sure it had the fluid changed every 30K miles. Most of the failures seem to be in the 50-100K change, with no prior service.

 

When they say "was rebuilt with genuine spiders" lol...what fails is the metal belt...and if the car does not operate, run!!
The fix is a new/rebuilt tranny from mini....$$$$
Converting to a different tranny would be like building a custom car....
So unless the car is free, I'd stay away!! It will be a money pit.

 

thanks all.
I gathered most of that fear from reading the last couple hours.

It's funny that the resale values of automatic minis have not been effected. That makes me think that this problem isn't as widespread as we thing. OR people are just uninformed (more likely)

I have asked for the parts list that went in, and we'll see if it includes a multi hundred dollar belt. If not, then I'm with you, no touchie! If it did, then maybe it's worth messing with.

Though kind of fragile, these CVTs are not magical.
Richard

 

The fact it does not "change gears" is kinda funny....it is programmed to do one of two things....matain a constant rpm, and sometimes give a rpm change to make people "think" there are gears....internally it is like a metal belt with two different pullies...and the belt slides further up and down on the pullies to matain a content rpm/load and matain speed or accelerate...
One or two folks have claimed to have connection to get the parts....When they fail, they just get stuck....
The one you are looking at is still broken...so do not pay any extra $$ for a car with a failed fix...even if they spent $10,000 on parts...And 1000 man-hours!!!
The tranny from the dealer, rebuilt have a 2 yr warrenty, and cost 6500-7500 installed....so they just about total out the car when they go...buyer beware...

 

Unfortunately it seems the inability to change ratios is one of the symptoms of a "dead" CVT. which the average person describes as "Can't change gears" or "stuck in first gear".

BUT (and this is the But that keeps me thinking about this Mini) There is of course a computer and a solenoid, and a valve body that do this ratio changing before it gets to the CVT belt and pulleys. Solenoids, valve bodies, and computers are all tried and true technologies. They exist on every 300,000 mile BMW and Honda automatic on the planet. So what's different?

For at least half of the transmission it's nearly identical to "conventional" automatics. which means "Stuck in first" issues might be something a lot more simple than an entire transmission. Stuck in first means the belt hasn't broken. The car can move. Wouldn't all of the naysayers feel rather stupid if it turns out there is a solenoid replacement, or valve body modification that can rescue half of the CVTs?
OF course if there is burnt smelling fluid, or metal belt parts in the pan, nope you are done, rebuild time. But is that all of them? or even most of them?

Richard

 

Very interesting. I'll be curious to see what further posts you may have about the CTV in the MINI Cooper.

 

I saw a new CVT belt for sale on ebay yesterday. $950. The supplier gets parts directly from Europe.

 

IMO, if it was relatively simple, someone would have figured it out. It's still a new technology, and the fact that MINI didn't keep the CVT tells us what they think of it. But hey, people win millions in Vegas all the time...

 

RUN, RUN fast as you can away that is a money pit waiting to happen. We've actually replaced bearings in CVT's and got them working again, but I have yet to see a shop successfully rebuild a CVT trans. Seen several try but they all continue to have issues. Just save your money and get a working car.

 

Like everyone is telling you run away. If you are planning on buying a high mileage R50 and flipping it your crazy. The market is down a lot. So even if it cost your $1000 to get it running right your at $7500 in. Then you'd be lucky to get anywhere close to 9k. Or you maybe stuck with it trying to find a buyer. Just not worth it. There are '05-'06 MCS in my area with the same miles going for around 11.5-13k.

 

I saw the same ad on craigslist, there are too many around with that 3rd pedal in the area for a decent price, saw some 02 justas for just a little bit more and with relatively low miles.

WALK AWAY....

 

The early R50's with the 5-speed Midlands gearbox aren't too solid. But, a cheaper fix then the CVT thats for sure.

 

Too many horror stories out there about faulty CVT. I'm a CVT owner and I'm taking mine to the dealership to have it looked at ASAP. Even the fluid change is just over $200!

 

There are a lot of CVT's that have gone over 100K, don't let our disscussion scare you, drive it and enjoy...

 

There may be several reasons why Mini changed to a convensional automatic, not at all related to reliability. First, the major limitation on the CVT is the horsepower it can handle. You cannot match a 200 HP engine to this transmission. So, unless you want to have two types of automatics for the Mini, the CVT must go. Next, we do not know the relative cost of the CVT vs. a Torque Converter type.

I also have never seen any real statistics on the reliability of the CVT (when properly maintained) vs. the convensional automatic. It might not be as bad as others on this forum have implied (note thate these are usually Mini owners who do not drive a CVT).

That said, it is unethical that Mini will not fix the CVT at a reasonable price (say 2-3K). Because of that, anyone with a CVT problem will really scream, and rightly so.

Take care of your CVT, and it should be fine. It is still used in many cars in Europe and models from Japan -- even Fords. If you are considering a Mini with a CVT, make sure it is working properly and has been serviced properly, or has insurance. Note: if the CVT were really a "time bomb", the insurance policies would excude it or charge extra -- they don't.

 

I don't know that insurance would be higher - it's not like the average insurance policy includes mechanical breakdown coverage. And actually, on my '06 R50, which did have a CVT that did eventually fail, I asked for mechanical breakdown coverage and was denied - so that says something to me.

Mine started to go and was "sketchy" for over a year. It was debated whether it was the CVT itself, or the wiring harness into it. Either way, it was a struggle to get it out of park and into either D or R w/o giving everyone in the car whiplash. Until late '06, CVT owners were told fluid changes were not necessary, that it was "lifetime fluid". No notice came out with the change recommending flushes every 30k miles, but all of us failed CVT owners were left holding either a worthless car or a $7500 repair bill. The moral of the store - you have absolutely no way of knowing if proper fluid changes were done or not. MINI knows it too - when I told the advisor at the dealership I had a CVT that was just over 100k miles, his response was "Ah! YOU'RE the one!"

I've been there, done that, I loved my R50 more than anything, more than the MINI that has replaced it...but would I do it again - no. The heartbreak that is inevitable is not worth it. Writing this post makes me teary just thinking about the whole thing. I would have given anything for that car, except $7500 I just didn't have.

 

Yes, I meant mechanical insurance like the kind dealers and shops offer. Maybe you were dealing with a company that didn't offer any policies for Minis.

The information from ZF, the transmission maker, printed in June of 2003, says change the fluid every 30K miles. It is a shame that Mini took so long to follow that advice. It's about $100 for the EZL 799 fluid and about $100 for labor if you don't do it yourself.

 

I have the same carrier, and they did offer MBI on my current MINI, so that's not the case. I honestly think it shows up in the math - a $7500 transmission is a BIG repair, and we know from owner reports here and just anecdotally from the dealership/vendors that work on these cars that they are a high failure item.

 

Way, what was the symptom of these CVT bearings gone bad? Just noise, or something else?

 

My first inclination is similar to the OP's, it's a mechanical part built by humans, as long as parts are available, it should be able to be rebuilt.

However, parts seems to be a big, almost insolvable issue. One things for sure, there should be plenty of parts carcasses out there.

 

The talk of no sources of parts for the CVT commonly mentioned in many threads here on NAM is actually mistaken. For instance, this place in GA has just about everything you could need for a rebuild and/or repair:

http://europeantransmissionscom.x-sh...me.php?cat=958

They also have a pretty nice diagram with most of the CVT parts:

http://www.europeantransmissions.com...0cataloge.html

 

There you go, don't see why they can't be rebuilt like any other auto trans unless it requires some special tools of some sort...........

Exchange at $3450 doesn't sound horrible either.

 

When I tried to sell my "core" CVT, I couldn't find anyone interested...not trans shops, dealer, nobody. I tried giving it away on Craigslist- no takers. I ended up taking it to a metal recycler. I wish I could have found someone who regarded these as a hot commodity.