RE: Mini Cooper S JCW (R56) | PH Fleet
Discussion
Love that soul red. There is joy to be had in even the most humble hack. Balls to the mini, what car goes from a whiff of smoke to grenading it’s engine, it’s dead to you now. I would get a spare set of tyres and book a few trackdays in the Mazda, might be a good dose of the MX-5 fairy dust in the chassis, would be fun finding out…
Edited by Itsallicanafford on Thursday 2nd May 20:40
pb8g09 said:
Leins said:
Sorry to hear of the car woes Matt
Just to note the previous gen MINI (R53) does actually have an engine temp gauge. (Just seen Riccardo’s post above saying the same thing) There’s also an auxiliary JCW pod available with oil temp and battery voltage:
That's interesting - sure that wasn't just the facelift R53 with the better steering wheel? My R53 didn't have either of those gauges on it, just an empty void.Just to note the previous gen MINI (R53) does actually have an engine temp gauge. (Just seen Riccardo’s post above saying the same thing) There’s also an auxiliary JCW pod available with oil temp and battery voltage:
I never really liked the engine in the R56 as seemed quite troublesome so gave it a hard swerve and waited to see what the next gen was like. No issues with my R53 or F56 engine wise
Oh no, Matt. I had a very similar experience 2 years ago with my wife's 2011 R56 Cooper S.....lost coolant, first warning was the engine was overheating. I was 1 mile from Clacket Lane services, so coasted it in. The engine was gone by the time I got there. It cost me £18k buying her a F56 JCW as a replacement!
We had quite a few engine and high-pressure fuel pumps before that as well, so I wouldn’t go near another. Pretty much the only car I have ever had an engine issue with in over 25 years of driving.
We had quite a few engine and high-pressure fuel pumps before that as well, so I wouldn’t go near another. Pretty much the only car I have ever had an engine issue with in over 25 years of driving.
Edited by bencollins4 on Friday 3rd May 07:55
I loved my R59 JCW. It was a great car but the issues kept coming, even including a front suspension failure and a busted heated seat, failing HVAC and I had the timing chain done as it was getting mighty rattly along with other niggles.
I simply lost faith in it so off it went, a great experience and a great car let down by some very shonky engineering. Such a shame as I would have kept it long term otherwise as it was such a lot of fun.
I simply lost faith in it so off it went, a great experience and a great car let down by some very shonky engineering. Such a shame as I would have kept it long term otherwise as it was such a lot of fun.
Very sorry to hear that Matt. I remembered reading your excitement when you bought it, but fearing something like this would happen. Our R53, N14 JCW clubman equally had the makings of a perfect family friendly, all rounder to deliver hothatch pistonheads type fun, but alas random disappearing oil and water levels, without warning, combined with the ever-present worry of death rattle from the chain led me to sell and replace with a Clio.
I really think some car companies have taken the absolute piss out of the buying public, particularly BMW, by pushing ever more complex and expensive tech buit to a price, that they know is not fit for long term service as sold but know that the folk buying will move on to the next shiny toy, leaving ordinary buyers of s/hand cars with the grenades waiting to happen. I've been buying and playing with all manner of cars now for 40 years and the one's that stand out fondly in my memory are the ones I trusted implicitly to be reliable enough to get the odd bit of abuse yet still turn up for duty Monday morning. I suspect the Mazda might well be that car.
Perhaps there's a whole other thread to run on "cheap(ish) cars that on reflection were far more worthy of our praise"
I really think some car companies have taken the absolute piss out of the buying public, particularly BMW, by pushing ever more complex and expensive tech buit to a price, that they know is not fit for long term service as sold but know that the folk buying will move on to the next shiny toy, leaving ordinary buyers of s/hand cars with the grenades waiting to happen. I've been buying and playing with all manner of cars now for 40 years and the one's that stand out fondly in my memory are the ones I trusted implicitly to be reliable enough to get the odd bit of abuse yet still turn up for duty Monday morning. I suspect the Mazda might well be that car.
Perhaps there's a whole other thread to run on "cheap(ish) cars that on reflection were far more worthy of our praise"
Edited by Hothouse on Friday 3rd May 09:59
Robertb said:
Its surprising how many cars come without more comprehensive gauges and warning lights.
The X150 XKR/XKR-S for example doesn't have a water temp gauge, let alone oil pressure/temp.
Our R56 Cooper recently expired, due to excessive oil usage. Bloody penny-pinching lack of oil level warning, and a dipstick thats virtually impossible to read was I dare say a contributor, along with the fact they like to use oil at the best of times and a small oil capacity. Shame as it was a great fun car to drive, and much more characterful than its peers. The Prince engine is truly awful... definitely check for any sign of smoke after idling for a bit.
100% thats what happened to my 2008 Cooper! The X150 XKR/XKR-S for example doesn't have a water temp gauge, let alone oil pressure/temp.
Our R56 Cooper recently expired, due to excessive oil usage. Bloody penny-pinching lack of oil level warning, and a dipstick thats virtually impossible to read was I dare say a contributor, along with the fact they like to use oil at the best of times and a small oil capacity. Shame as it was a great fun car to drive, and much more characterful than its peers. The Prince engine is truly awful... definitely check for any sign of smoke after idling for a bit.
-rebuilt crappy 1.6 lump out of sheer pig headedness and added a revised dipstick with flat reading surface.
Its just a good fun city and C road drive. The ownership is as stressful as sharing a forward trench with Russian Comandos.on 50% off a Drone day.
The Mazda reminds me of a melted Mars bar on a window sill with the sunset reflecting off it. Terrible.
Rather have more or less anything than that.
That’s an absolute pisser re the MINI.
BMW have been sod’s for removing temperature gauges for a while now or adding oil temperature garages to some cars but not others. I’ve not got much faith in their low coolant level sensors having checked cars in the past to see the float way down in the tank.
The Mazda will probably be dull but absolutely great to live with and you’ll probably only ever realise that after it’s been moved on.
BMW have been sod’s for removing temperature gauges for a while now or adding oil temperature garages to some cars but not others. I’ve not got much faith in their low coolant level sensors having checked cars in the past to see the float way down in the tank.
The Mazda will probably be dull but absolutely great to live with and you’ll probably only ever realise that after it’s been moved on.
Sorry to hear it as it was a lovely looking car. Not sure the engine can be blamed in this occasion as am sure most other engines would be in the same situation if they lost that much coolant. Having no temp gauge inexcusable! Reading this means I won’t take a chance on another having lost mine to a cracked piston after 3 weeks are ownership!.
you do get a temp warning
it pops up on the gauge as an engine hot warning
trouble is its not much of a warning - its your engine is now too hot kind of thing
what I don't understand about this sorry tale is you have a 9k budget but seem to forgotten about the RX8 ? as you can get a good S1 car with a recent rebuild for about half that
that 9K would have bought the rexi plus a 4 k hatch
for example
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312305...
it pops up on the gauge as an engine hot warning
trouble is its not much of a warning - its your engine is now too hot kind of thing
what I don't understand about this sorry tale is you have a 9k budget but seem to forgotten about the RX8 ? as you can get a good S1 car with a recent rebuild for about half that
that 9K would have bought the rexi plus a 4 k hatch
for example
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312305...
Edited by 350Matt on Friday 3rd May 20:01
Truckosaurus said:
350Matt said:
... RX8 ...
Fortune Favours The Brave!...but he bought this Mini instead...
...because he was worried the Mazda's engine might blow up expensively.
Or as Alanis didn't quite sing -
Mr Play-it-safe was afraid of rotaries
He packed in the sports car, kissed his rear-drive dream goodbye
He spent his whole damn savings to buy that Mini
And as the steam hissed out
He thought "well bugger, that's finished"
Sorry to hear it as it was a lovely looking car. Not sure the engine can be blamed in this occasion as am sure most other engines would be in the same situation if they lost that much coolant. Having no temp gauge inexcusable! Reading this means I won’t take a chance on another having lost mine to a cracked piston after 3 weeks are ownership!.
A kick in the nutts for you is that. Pity I was following the ownership experience & progress with interest. Surely sheds network of grease monkeys could have sorted the crock of s
te that befell you or did it have a don't re-suss sticker on the engine cover? The replacement by comparison whilst practical is so underwhelming that the speed cameras probably won't bother taking a picture of it.
te that befell you or did it have a don't re-suss sticker on the engine cover? The replacement by comparison whilst practical is so underwhelming that the speed cameras probably won't bother taking a picture of it. Truckosaurus said:
samoht said:
...because he was worried the Mazda's engine might blow up expensively.
It always seems the RX8 is fundamentally reliable, you just have to treat the engine as a consumable 
Their engines don't ever 'blow up' do they, just get a bit smokey and down on power etc?
After that, and craving a little more reliability, he bought a BMW e36....
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-fleet/ph-fleet...
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-fleet/ph-fleet...
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