I have had my Mini Cooper since march of 2008. Upon receiving it , i was ecstatic. I felt like it was the perfect car for me. Unfortunately, I'm starting to think that this car must be a lemon.

Within my first year, I had a hatch latch replaced, window that refused to close(went up and then immediately rolled back down, computer was reset and it now only occasionally does it), large speedometer was replaced, cigarette lighter came apart (and I was easy on it, barely used it ), door guard came up(silver plate that says Mini), door was not latching correctly, sputtering of the engine, and occasional clicking in the engine(which never seems to happen when dealer has it).

Last year, I dropped it off at my local Mini dealer for a week to see if they could find out why it was sputtering. I came back to find out nothing had been found ot what was wrong with it. Shortly after, my Mini stalled 3 times and when I brought it back the dealer for an oil change I asked them why it stalled. They ran tests on fuel and found that the fuel was not the problem.

The last problem is that the camshaft position sensor code is coming on. I am trying very hard to be patient but it is becoming harder and harder every time another problem occurs. The car was custom made (I had to wait for it to come after ordering it through a dealer). I was wondering if anyone else has had this many problems with any year of Mini

 

Let me guess, you've owned Asian vehicles before your Mini, ya'?
Non-stranding situtations aren't something that's new in the automotive world. Please... you're far from a 'lemon'.

Was this under warranty or out of pocket expenses?

Because the hatch should be a standard TSB.
Window regulator logic is standard precedure for pinch protection (use a light silicone spray to reduce friction on the window seals to prevent glass sticking and therefore the auto-roll down)
What was the speedometer fault / failure? Circuitry or other?
Cig-lighter is cheap and easy.
The rocker panel plate is due to faulty adhesive; but you could do it at home for a $3 tube of super glue...
Sputting of engine: what was the diagnosis?
Clicking of engine: be more specific where? Or when it occurs?

As much as I love to help the community, your rant isn't showing us much in terms of what's been done (in terms of diagnosis) or what's been worked on.

- Erik

 

Doesn't sound like your dealer is putting in a full effort. I suggest talking to the service manager and tell them how many times you've been in for this problem and not to give back your car till they fix it. Or take it to another dealer and explain the problems you've had with the current dealer.

 

No, I didn't own an Asian car before.

Sorry I wasn't more specific.

Most of it was warranty work except for the stalling and recent sputtering diagnosis.
Clicking happens when idling, but only after long drives.
Sputtering - no diagnosis, as the dealer could never get it to happen for them. I would say this happens at low speeds (such as in town 25 mph and under.
Speedometer failed after 2 months, not sure of reason.
Also forgot to mention a strange sound coming from the hatch while idling (thumping sound).

All of above problems in my original message have been investigated by the dealer. All except for the sputtering, clicking, stalling, and the thumping have been resolved. This is mainly because of the dealer never hearing these noises even when I tell them specifically when they occur.

Thank you.

 

The timing chain tensioner can make a clicking sound, although it seems to be less common in the Cooper than the Cooper S, from what I've seen on here. I would search around on here for information on the timing chain tensioner and maybe bring that up to the dealer next time you're there. For what it's worth, my Cooper has some clicking at idle at times. It's not nearly as bad as some of the videos I've seen from people with the timing chain tensioner issue, so I may be overthinking it... but I'm keeping an eye on it, just in case.


That sounds like the fuel tank pressure equalization (or similar) noise. If you search around on here, most everyone confirms they have that noise at times and considers it "normal". I would keep an eye on the clicking and want a resolution to the stalling, but the thumping from the rear seems to be normal.

 

I'm not sure that just because we're talking about MINI's we should redefine the word "normal". Normal is the absence of clicking, thumping, sputtering and stalling. The presence of these things is abnormal at least in the non-MINI world. Just my $.02.

 

agree with Chaswyck. None of the above is "normal". And if you have to say "Let me guess, you've owned Asian vehicles before your Mini, ya'?" as a comparison between cars that work and cars that don't, then it makes me wonder the kind of choice I made on my not yet received Mini. It is absurd to think that it is the owner's responsibility to buy their own glue and glue improperly placed plates, or to silicone windows so they go down properly, etc. It's a 2008 for crying out loud. And nearly a 30 grand one. We all should have a reasonable expectation for our new cars to, oh i dunno, work? Now I do know it isn't as bad as it seems on here. No body goes on and posts hey my car runs awesome, end of story. They are here because they have questions to some problems, so I take it all with a grain of salt. But to call any of these problems normal is absurd. I have an 08 Ford Focus and with 70+k miles on it, it runs as perfectly as it did from day one with all functions working properly.....THAT's normal....and my .02cents

 

For what it's worth, I've got 60k on my MINI and haven't had any issues with it. Regarding calling the "thumping" normal, it seems to be very common and, so far, harmless. I would call a random interior rattle or buzz 'normal' also because it fits the same criteria... common and seemingly harmless. That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask the dealer about it, but it sounds like the OP has more significant problems like stalling. I just wanted to alleviate the concern, somewhat, that the thumping was a *serious* issue.

 

All in all, I agree with you that these cars are not well built and could definitely be more reliable. But the fun factor makes up for it. The japanese car comment above is valid imo. This is because a honda is known for its reliability. Not for its fun factor. Its a cookie cutter car that is made for practicality. The MINI is not. Its made to be unique and fun to drive. So you give up some to get some, can't have your cake and eat it too.

At the same point, my brother's S4 and my parent's S500, A6, etc all had issues within the first few years too. No car is perfect, thats for sure, but thats also what makes some of us love it, since we are constantly tweaking things. But trust me, i've had the same frustrations in my '08 and have tried selling it MANY times, thinking I wouldn't have timing chain tensioners, clutch assemblies, warped valve covers, new sunroof seals, reinitialized windows, drooping driver side vents, cracking leatherette seats, new trunk latches, etc replaced/fixed in my car in the 3 years I've owned it. But there are certainly other issues other cars have as well. Instead of auto-up windows that don't work in the S4, its the actuator arm that is common to break, which is $250 to replace vs reinitializing software or lubing the seals. The thermostats get stuck open causing r/r for another few hundred and a coolant flush. All in all, there'll always be problems with a car thats aimed for something outside of reliability. An extreme example are race cars, they drive so well and so fast, but the engines have to be torn down after every race. You buy a 500k lambo and it drives amazingly, but requires a $2k oil change and a $10k service every 10,000 miles. You buy a honda civic and it goes 45k miles on original tires and brakes, and requires $12 oil changes (my gf's car). Never been back to the dealer for a warranty fix. Its also an amazingly boring car that feels like it floats across the road.

 

I guess I just don't buy the idea that there is a necessary trade off between fun and build quality. It's not as though it's impossible to build a car that's great fun to drive and that's also put together well. Most of the issues discussed on this forum are not things that are related to parts and systems in the car that add to its fun value. I also think that we need to make the distinction between "common" and "normal". Just because something commonly happens doesn't mean that it should happen (i.e. that it's "normal"). As long as the loyal customers are willing to accept these "common but abnormal" issues, there is little motivation for MINI/BMW to correct them. The warping hood scoops on MCS's are very common, but is there anyone who would make the argument that a part of the car melting is "normal"? Owners of these cars have come to accept this, and other, flaws and that may be why MINI has not bothered to actually fix it (replacing the scoop under warranty is NOT fixing the problem) despite it being an issue ever since the car got a turbo charger in place of the super charger. There simply is no excuse for this to go on year after year when there are at least two simple and guaranteed fixes (metal scoop or heat shield). Would these things cost a few bucks more per car? Yes, but this is what companies do that care a great deal about quality. Those that don't care just keep fixing things as they break.

 

I have a 2002 MCS that has been modified here and there. I know mines Gen 1, and we're talking Gen 2 here for the most part, but I've had my share of garage time! In regards to the clicking sound, I would hear a clicking, or a rattle after a good drive. It was annoying, but the car was doing fine, and it didn't sound like she was in pain, so I didn't really think anything of it. On an interstate at about 80 mph, I went to downshift, and couldn't find ANY gear! Once on the shoulder, I could sort of find 1st 3rd 5th, but nothing else. Once I got it in gear, gave it gas, and nothing. Engine revved, but she wouldn't move.
New Clutch, Flywheel, and Bearing. I think my problems come from a hard driving previous owner. I drive pretty easy, usually very defensive!
Good luck!
I know what it's like to have this cool little car that I love driving and working on, and it seems like half the time I have to share her with my mechanic! He should be paying half right!

 

Normal means "usual, typical, or expected." By that definition, melted hood scoops and thumping from the rear area at idle can be considered normal. There are a lot of things in life that are 'normal' but still undesireable. For instance, if most of your relatives have heart attacks at an early age, then it is 'normal' for someone in that family to have one. Does that mean you should just accept it? Of course not, but it's normal. Now, let's say you're part of a family that is particularly prone to farting when seated. It is 'normal' and it's not even remotely comparable to heart attacks, so while you might mention it to your doctor, I would recommend focusing on the heart attacks, not the farting.

Similarly, the trunk thumping is normal amongst the MINI family, but doesn't seem to affect vehicle function, so it's not something to lose sleep over or prioritize comparably to stalling or even engine clicking.

On another note, MINI did change the material of the hood scoops a while back and the issue seems to have greatly subsided from what I've seen.

 

It would be useful to confirm that the car is a 'regular' Cooper as the OP states to avoid confusion. Many of SuperCuperErik's suggestions (HPFP, Direct Injection, etc) are exclusive to the Cooper S and therefore can't be issues on a Cooper.

 

The window dropping to the half-way point is a well-known issue. To fix the problem, the vehicle's software needs to be updated at the dealer. There are plenty of threads about it here. And this fix has been published in a service bulletin available to your dealer for a couple of years now.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone!

A couple things:

My car is, in fact, a Cooper.

It's good to hear that the thumping is not something to be completely worried about, but I still worry about the stalling (which, by the way, the stalling usually happens while in heavy traffic. Not sure if that is relevant, but I thought I would mention it).

When I say idling, I mean with the car on.

The window dropping issue was supposed to be corrected by updating the software when it first happened. Apparently, it did not work because I still have problems with the passenger window (driver side window is fine). But I will try the silicone spray to see if that will fix it. =)

 

BMW has updated the FRM a couple of times, you probably need it updated again (if it was updated more than a year ago).

Also you can try to perform the initialization procedure

Close the window and door fully.

Lower the window by holding the switch in the "down" position. Continue to hold the switch down for at least 5 seconds after the window has been fully lowered.

Raise the window by holding the switch in the "fully up" position. Continue to hold the switch in the up position for at least 5 seconds after the window has been fully raised.

Repeat steps 1 to 3 for the window on the other side.

If the window bounces down to the half-way point during this you will need to take it in for another software update.