What the heck are they going to do to my MINI? It's due for an oil change, but I'm close to 60,000 so they want to do the inspection as well. Do they change the belt or anything?

I'm thinking of denying the version 39 upgrade too.

Whutcha guys think? thanks

 

Do you have an extended warranty? If so then cost doesn't matter.

Are you paying for this servicing out of pocket? If so, then you can take your MINI manual and go to any independent garage and do the servicing at a fraction of the dealer price.

Did you do the recall that included installing software V.39x or higher that was covered by MINI? If not you can and are required to install the software upgrade (hope that doesn't overwrite any ECU upgrade software you have).

There is no timing belt to change since it is a metal chain. You can change the rubber drive/pulley belt if you have not already done so.

Look in your owners manual for the items done at 60K servicing. You can get an estimate of the cost if you call your service dept.

 

thanks for the reply Minihune, I do have the extended warranty so no worries about paying for anything, I just don't realy want them doing anything, but the oil change. I know that to keep my warranty honorable, I have to let them do what they recommend.

I did get that notice about the Version 39.upgrade, guess I'll have to let em do it. I'll look up how to reset the ecu if I don't like the way the car responds. thanks again

james

 

You might want to check with your local dealer to see if your 60k mile service will be covered with your extended warranty. If you had a upgraded Maintance Program that would cover your 60k miles service- BUT MINI doesn't offer a Maintance Program over 50k miles.Extended Warranties don't cover "maintance or routine services"- more like, transmissions that sort of thing. Just a word of caution!

 

Carissa, thanks for the heads up. If the 60,000 mile is not covered, it'd be fine with me. We'll see wah happens when I get there.

James

 

Hey James,

I know the oil change from the dealer is almost $80. They suggested I not extend the warrenty. Said it wasn't worth it. Now that I have the manual I may change the oil myself. First item I read, how to reset that pesky maintenance milage reminder. Then the brakes. Hmm, but then I have to stop long enough to do it.

 

I had the v39 upgrade a few weeks ago and Wanda is running better than ever with a really enhanced exhaust note, too! I had worried about having it done, but HAD to do it to re-register her for her new plate tags. :smile:


Clover

 

My computer on my MINI said I was was do for service inspecton II. Called MINI Service,THEY WANTED TOO MUCH MONEY!!!!!
Called Jack my independent man at D I A Motorsports in Laguna Niguel,CA.

ONE HALF THE COST ! ! ! ! !

 

Just how much did MINI want for inspection II?

 

Well over $500.01 !!!!!!!!!

 

Alrighty, all went well, I had them perform NOTHING .

Thanks to Carissa again for the heads up about my warranty.

My wife and I were first time buyers when we got Brutus and I'll tell ya, they sure made it sound like EVERYTHING was covered under that extended warranty when we got it. No hard feelings though, we still have coverage where we want it.

David (new MINI rep) @ Concord MINI was realy cool to deal with. We went in letting him know straight up that we needed clarification on our warranty, wanted to know if the Maint. 2 was covered.
We got some pricing and when he started that process, we kinda figured we'd be getting charged, he confirmed we would. When we told him that we were passing on the service, he got more helpfull by letting me know exactly what my MINI needed to have done to it :smile: . Seemed like he kept telling me things in hopes that I would buckle on something , but remained a nice dude the whole time.

Anyhow, My wife and I are happy campers, realy feel like Brutus is ours now.

The cost would have easily gone over $1000. btw.

I'll save over $700. easy doing it myself.
thanks again everyone......now, where's my wrench?

 

What were they saying needed to be done? I've been doing the maint on mine, and it didn't look to me like there is any 1000.00 items that needed to be done.


Nik

 

Inspection 2: Oil change, spark plug change( something they said would be changed at 100,000 before ), pulley belt, brake flush (had special going on for $179. ), Coolant flush (same special as brake fluid), brake pad and rotor inspection (replacement, there almost done), air filter change (have K&N though), Micro filter change (have to look into), oh yeah spark plugs and you know the real pricey stuff like looking here and there.... all in all, nothing I'm not willing to do myself, my MINI S is just like a BIGa-- R/C car to me.

 

thanks, thats what I thought, nothing that big or difficult. I do the maint like that on all my cars. but for some reason I actually have fun when its the MINI .

My closest dealer is over 200 miles away, so I tend to do most of the work on it myself. I had the first two "free" ones done at the dealer, but now I'm out of warranty I dont plan on going back. (except to buy the next one)

Nik

 

Be thankful you are not in Europe. I am Italy with a US spec 2003 MCS and I was told that Inspection II would cost 550 Euro. With the current exchange rate, that equals $709.

Oil changes cost more than $100. A quart of oil is about $7.00.

 

I wish all the stories had happy endings like that. I had the v39 upgrade done to my '03 which had original software that worked great and the v39 completely screwed everything up. The driveability worsened considerably, there were dead spots in the pedal and there was a yo-yo in the 3k RPM range that made it very difficult to drive in the 3k RPMs unless you like getting randomly jerked at frequent intervals. Luckily I only had to deal with it for a few weeks before I added the GIAC ECU upgrade. That completely transformed my MINI into something really special AND got rid of 99% of the problems that v39 introduced.

 

The Micro filter change is for the A/C ventilation system. What about the spark plugs? Do they change them or just inspect them?

 

Ah spark plugs.....well during our 50,000 "free maint. period" we were ALWAYS told that the plugs were good for 100,000 miles, I changed them at 25,000 anyway.
They said they were going to change them during Insp. 2, but who knows for sure. Since I changed them at 25,000, they would prob. just leave em and call it a plug insp.
The originals did look pretty good when I took them out. We'll see how the current plugs look, hopefully the same as the originals.

 

Please report back on this - I have the original plugs at 68k miles.