R56, Cooper S... The ongoing saga!
Discussion
Car back in dealers tomorrow to try and get all the problems sorted out. I've stick the list below... But this is the last time they get a chance before I get really annoyed! I love the car but I cannot believe mini have launched it with so many problems. if I was unique I'd be pissed off but put it down to a dodgy car, but looking on Mini 2 in particular it seems I'm not alone. Anyone picking one up then make sure you inspect them carefully first!!!!
problems...
• Gearbox / clutch makes a shrieking noise when dropping from 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd under a bit of load.
• Gearbox is very notchy, sometimes 3rd and 5th gear does not engage properly and I have to dip the clutch again to get drive properly.
• On start up, especially if the car has been in the sun it sounds like a diesel engine. The noise does ease as the car gets warmer but before that time the engine is very noisy.
• Intermittently the car sticks of petrol. It does not happen all the time but very strong when it does happen.
• The central locking stops working every now and again. No pattern to this but when it happens I can't disarm the alarm, I open the door on the key and then put the fob in the ignition to stop the alarm.
•
The steering is all over the place. The car pulls significantly the left. When I am on the motorway I can drive in the fast lane, take my hands off the wheel and the car will move across all three lanes on its own. I have to actively steer to the right and on smooth right hand bends it can be difficult to steer the car round the bend.
• The dashboard is rattling, seems to be coming from the starter button. Not a huge issue but really irritating. Also there are rattles coming from the top of the driver’s window and both of the rear door bins.
• The suspension crashes a lot both from the front and the rear. On badly surfaced roads the car also hops around and crashes rather than flowing.
The engine periodically misfires. It seems to happen under acceleration in 3rd, 4th or 5th. Again doesn’t happen all the time but you feel it when you do. A passenger in the car noticed it the other day.
• The Cooper S sill strip on the passenger side is lifting from the rear.
Nightmare....!
problems...
• Gearbox / clutch makes a shrieking noise when dropping from 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd under a bit of load.
• Gearbox is very notchy, sometimes 3rd and 5th gear does not engage properly and I have to dip the clutch again to get drive properly.
• On start up, especially if the car has been in the sun it sounds like a diesel engine. The noise does ease as the car gets warmer but before that time the engine is very noisy.
• Intermittently the car sticks of petrol. It does not happen all the time but very strong when it does happen.
• The central locking stops working every now and again. No pattern to this but when it happens I can't disarm the alarm, I open the door on the key and then put the fob in the ignition to stop the alarm.
•
The steering is all over the place. The car pulls significantly the left. When I am on the motorway I can drive in the fast lane, take my hands off the wheel and the car will move across all three lanes on its own. I have to actively steer to the right and on smooth right hand bends it can be difficult to steer the car round the bend.
• The dashboard is rattling, seems to be coming from the starter button. Not a huge issue but really irritating. Also there are rattles coming from the top of the driver’s window and both of the rear door bins.
• The suspension crashes a lot both from the front and the rear. On badly surfaced roads the car also hops around and crashes rather than flowing.
The engine periodically misfires. It seems to happen under acceleration in 3rd, 4th or 5th. Again doesn’t happen all the time but you feel it when you do. A passenger in the car noticed it the other day.
• The Cooper S sill strip on the passenger side is lifting from the rear.
Nightmare....!
Sounds very similar to a lot of problems reported on mini2. If the work cannot be fixed this time tell them you want a new car. I know a few people who have had the petrol smell appearing in their car and the dealership has advised them that the car is not safe to drive.
Hope you get it sorted though.
Hope you get it sorted though.
Well dealer now has the car and it seems they are going to pull it apart!!!! Hopefully that'll at least shed a bit of light on the issues, gearbox / clutch fix is not ready yet but apparently is imminent!!! We'll see... Now got a Cooper as a loan car, seems OK even if it is like driving with the brakes on!!!!
Assuming I get the car back I have decided I'm going to have to do something about the handling and the ride. The mix of 17 inch wheels, run flats and sports suspension just isnt working - its too hard. So I am going to bin the 17's and buy some 16's with proper tyres, I'll go for multispokes (bit like those on the Clio 172 cup)in black. They will look way cooler and hopefully make the ride better. Only thing that worries me is the potential gap between wheel and arch.
After that its time to get to work on the engine...
Assuming I get the car back I have decided I'm going to have to do something about the handling and the ride. The mix of 17 inch wheels, run flats and sports suspension just isnt working - its too hard. So I am going to bin the 17's and buy some 16's with proper tyres, I'll go for multispokes (bit like those on the Clio 172 cup)in black. They will look way cooler and hopefully make the ride better. Only thing that worries me is the potential gap between wheel and arch.
After that its time to get to work on the engine...
I suspect thats what I'll end up doing but I'm giving them a chance to put the faults right as per sales of goods act. if they sort then great, if not then I'll reject. Only downside to that is that I'll not go with mini again! Which is a pity as I really like the car... To think I bought the mini as a cheap alternative to spending much more on something a bit more exotic!!!
That'll be the way I go if this goes wrong me thinks!!!!
That'll be the way I go if this goes wrong me thinks!!!!
Mine went back for a fuel pump replacement, took four weeks and then only because I pestered MINI UK to play fair. Annoyingly it was one of the batch that were held up just before xmas with the same fuel pump problem. MINI UK admitted they never changed the pump on mine, just left it to fail in service, very annoying. There is something loose in the tacho, rattles rather a lot. I'm waiting for a replacement unit to arrive from Germany. I think they use rowboat, it always takes weeks for deliveries from Germany.
There are some good 'uns about. I have experienced the downchange shriek but apart from that ours has done 9k in four months without any issues and makes a great alternative to my Z4. Going to have to swap the tyres round though - front ones will only last another couple of thousand if I don't!
Well... Mine is back! And apart from the gearbox issue and a twang sound occasionally form the rear it has all been sorted! The two remaining issues are known and BMW are working on them and the dealer will call it back in when ready. So for the moment I'm happy. I gave the car a right caning on the way home and it felt much tighter and there were no rattles, the ride is still shite but thats sortable.
The cooper I had for two days had 17 inch wheels, runflats but NO sports suspension and the handling / ride etc was much better. So I'm inclined to believe that 17s, runflats and sports suspension is just too much and makes the ride way to hard. To try to sort it I think I'm going to try 16 inch wheels with non-runflats and see how that goes. I also think 16s look better than 17s as 17s just a look a bit big and 18s... Saw one with them on, OMG way way too big and the ride must be awful!
So fingers crossed...!
The cooper I had for two days had 17 inch wheels, runflats but NO sports suspension and the handling / ride etc was much better. So I'm inclined to believe that 17s, runflats and sports suspension is just too much and makes the ride way to hard. To try to sort it I think I'm going to try 16 inch wheels with non-runflats and see how that goes. I also think 16s look better than 17s as 17s just a look a bit big and 18s... Saw one with them on, OMG way way too big and the ride must be awful!
So fingers crossed...!
No idea yet! But BMW told my dealer to check the rear anti-roll bar as there was a chance the mounts were allowing to move under cornering and going over bumps etc. They did this, said it needed tightening, and the car now feels much tighter at the rear the rattling has gone. BMW are looking into the twang as a puma system job so there will be something about it soon.
For those with a rattle from the starter button... The dealer took the whole button unit out of the dash and insulated it with foam sheet and put it back in. Its worked, it doesnt rattle at all and that really was the most annoying of the rattles!!!
Can't fault the dealer, they have been great!
For those with a rattle from the starter button... The dealer took the whole button unit out of the dash and insulated it with foam sheet and put it back in. Its worked, it doesnt rattle at all and that really was the most annoying of the rattles!!!
Can't fault the dealer, they have been great!
Look on www.mini2.com to get more info of the issues... though bear in mind people tend to post when they have issues, and say nothing when cars are fine. It does however sound like there are a few cars with "teething troubles"...some quite majot "teething troubles"...and other 100% fine.
Its way way more than a few, even the factory and BMW have admitted that, but the main problems seem to effect the cars delivered before Jan/Feb this year.
As far as mine is concerned, the problems have been sorted. I've still got the odd rattle here and there but the big issues have been sorted including the gearbox. I'm happy with that, but had to put a lot of pressure on the dealer and BMW to get stuff sorted.
Anyway happy enough with car at present. As a runabout I think its pretty hard to fault - nice to be in, looks Ok, goes Ok and handles well. It'll do for now just a pity it wasnt as it should be out the box.
Mini2 is the place to look - lots of people have had problems. Whilst I agree that people only post when they have a problem and the sample size is not representive; there was a point early in the year when just about everyone who picked up a new car had it back in the dealer getting problems sorted. Just be aware if you are looking at early delivery R56s
As far as mine is concerned, the problems have been sorted. I've still got the odd rattle here and there but the big issues have been sorted including the gearbox. I'm happy with that, but had to put a lot of pressure on the dealer and BMW to get stuff sorted.
Anyway happy enough with car at present. As a runabout I think its pretty hard to fault - nice to be in, looks Ok, goes Ok and handles well. It'll do for now just a pity it wasnt as it should be out the box.
Mini2 is the place to look - lots of people have had problems. Whilst I agree that people only post when they have a problem and the sample size is not representive; there was a point early in the year when just about everyone who picked up a new car had it back in the dealer getting problems sorted. Just be aware if you are looking at early delivery R56s
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