Want to buy r56, can death rattle be cured or should I avoid
Discussion
Am thinking of buying an r56 MCS bujt all the talk of the death rattle on 07/08 cars has slightly put me off.
Can the death rattle be cured for good with the latest fix from BMW or a specialist? I'd buy an r56 if it was curable but if it's going to keep coming back I might look for another car.
Also does anyone know the cost of fixing it or doing a pre-emptive fix before it occurs?
Is it worth changing the timing belt etc as soon as I buy even if the rattle isnt present?
Can the death rattle be cured for good with the latest fix from BMW or a specialist? I'd buy an r56 if it was curable but if it's going to keep coming back I might look for another car.
Also does anyone know the cost of fixing it or doing a pre-emptive fix before it occurs?
Is it worth changing the timing belt etc as soon as I buy even if the rattle isnt present?
Hi, i bought an r56 clubman from a specialist. Had the death rattle when i first saw it and specialist replaced some tensioner with the modification. To date (five months later) i have no complaints.
I think it was originally solved by simple replacement of the part but i believe from various searching of the interweb the modification in 2009 works.
Mike
I think it was originally solved by simple replacement of the part but i believe from various searching of the interweb the modification in 2009 works.
Mike
Paying for it is a weird one, I personally think it should be under warranty (our 08 Cooper S was), however BMW still dont recognise it as a recall issue and may contribute but wont do it for free. I would speak with your local dealer and see if there is a contribution in order before going elsewhere...
If it isnt happening there is no point getting it done in advance, its not going to cause the engine to fail, so just wait and see if it occurs. There are 1000's of them out there that have never failed...
If it isnt happening there is no point getting it done in advance, its not going to cause the engine to fail, so just wait and see if it occurs. There are 1000's of them out there that have never failed...
Chr1sch said:
If it isnt happening there is no point getting it done in advance, its not going to cause the engine to fail, so just wait and see if it occurs. There are 1000's of them out there that have never failed...
So is it just an irritating noise rather than a sign the engine will go bang at any moment?I was worried that it would suddenly start one morning and then it would all go pop on the way to a dealer. Any idea of the cost if it was to need doing?
If 1000s haven't been affected does anyone know why some are and some are not? I had read so much that I assumed every r56 MCS would suffer and was begining to think I should avoid them all.
JAM35F said:
So is it just an irritating noise ...?
That's what I was told when my previous 2007 MCS started doing it, but when I casually mentioned that my current car was doing it when I took it in for a service last year they suggested that I ought to have brought it in straight away...Anyway, the fix has worked (over the last 10 months at least) I reckon it would only be a problem if you completely ignored it for a very long time.
JAM35F said:
So is it just an irritating noise rather than a sign the engine will go bang at any moment?
I was worried that it would suddenly start one morning and then it would all go pop on the way to a dealer. Any idea of the cost if it was to need doing?
If 1000s haven't been affected does anyone know why some are and some are not? I had read so much that I assumed every r56 MCS would suffer and was begining to think I should avoid them all.
This maybe completely wrong.... but I seem to recall the part is about £20 and the job takes 45 minutes. So not too expensive - but I didn't pay as I made it a condition of sale.I was worried that it would suddenly start one morning and then it would all go pop on the way to a dealer. Any idea of the cost if it was to need doing?
If 1000s haven't been affected does anyone know why some are and some are not? I had read so much that I assumed every r56 MCS would suffer and was begining to think I should avoid them all.
HTH
Mike
Sam.F said:
JAM35F said:
So is it just an irritating noise ...?
That's what I was told when my previous 2007 MCS started doing it, but when I casually mentioned that my current car was doing it when I took it in for a service last year they suggested that I ought to have brought it in straight away...Anyway, the fix has worked (over the last 10 months at least) I reckon it would only be a problem if you completely ignored it for a very long time.
Found some information about it.
Here is a link to the replacement part
http://www.minigenuineparts.co.uk/mini-parts/info_...
Here is a loooonnnngggg thread about it.... It can make worrying reading but don't let that put you off. The R56 is a hoot to drive and can be surprisingly economical with it......
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-fault...
HTH
Mike
Here is a link to the replacement part
http://www.minigenuineparts.co.uk/mini-parts/info_...
Here is a loooonnnngggg thread about it.... It can make worrying reading but don't let that put you off. The R56 is a hoot to drive and can be surprisingly economical with it......
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-fault...
HTH
Mike
mike9009 said:
Found some information about it.
Here is a link to the replacement part
http://www.minigenuineparts.co.uk/mini-parts/info_...
Here is a loooonnnngggg thread about it.... It can make worrying reading but don't let that put you off. The R56 is a hoot to drive and can be surprisingly economical with it......
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-fault...
HTH
Mike
Thanks. I'll skim read that over lunch. Currently have a r50 cooper which is fun to drive and only sometimes feels down on power (hate the build quality and rattles though) so am hoping the jump to an r56 MCS will be a fun one.Here is a link to the replacement part
http://www.minigenuineparts.co.uk/mini-parts/info_...
Here is a loooonnnngggg thread about it.... It can make worrying reading but don't let that put you off. The R56 is a hoot to drive and can be surprisingly economical with it......
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-fault...
HTH
Mike
SSCooperS said:
I've had the timing chain tensioner replaced under warranty on my '07 R56 Cooper S, and I still get the death rattle occasionally on startup.
Just another reason really to get shot of my Mini. Avoid at all costs - terrible car.
Sounds like you have been unlucky, we have had a few Mini's the previous one being an R56 and it was great. The death rattle thing can be fixed completely but the total cure wasnt established/released until late 2009 iirc. I dont think its a terrible car at all, howevere I do think they suit the younger person who is happy with the amount of room and stiff ride they have as standard.Just another reason really to get shot of my Mini. Avoid at all costs - terrible car.
In terms of fun factor, the noise, pace, and general ambience of the R56 Cooper S & JCW is fantastic...
I'm not a young person sadly but enjoy driving a standard cooper so hope a MCS will be more fun. From what I have read in the last few days it seems the rattle is curable though the first few 'fixes' didnt work. The only thing is no one can tell me how much it will cost. I'd be looking at a 56/07 car so it will be out of warranty so need to check I won't be made bankrupt should the work need doing.
When Mrs SeeFive's early R56 had the issue at about 30k miles, we had the timing chain and new-size-jetted tensioner replaced under the aftermarket AA 5* warrantee free of charge. The only issue was that the ...erm... "motor engineers" that the AA saw fit to have do the work kept phoning me up over the 3 weeks that they had it to ask me how to do it.
The noise (I am told) is the chain rattling caused by the tensioner not taking up the slack due to the jetting being too small in the original design tensioner. In extreme cases, the noise can be the chain slamming against the casing, so they should, as best practice, also replace the chain under those circumstances.
So this is not a big worry for you, a relateively easy fix in the low hundreds of pounds even if out of warranty. But the unfixable hesitation on pickup unless sport mode is on, the endless erroneous electronic messages (one steering lock message that BMW have not managed to work out for close on a year) and that poxy, poorly designed cheapo front armrest in the way / falling to bits all the time, really bad tramlining on a run / jump steer under light power etc may be an issue for you.
Without doubt the worst car I have ever bought, and we have owned some reputedly crap cars over the years. A completely hateful little s
t box, but as SWMBO said, "funky and a pretty colour"...
Never again.
The noise (I am told) is the chain rattling caused by the tensioner not taking up the slack due to the jetting being too small in the original design tensioner. In extreme cases, the noise can be the chain slamming against the casing, so they should, as best practice, also replace the chain under those circumstances.
So this is not a big worry for you, a relateively easy fix in the low hundreds of pounds even if out of warranty. But the unfixable hesitation on pickup unless sport mode is on, the endless erroneous electronic messages (one steering lock message that BMW have not managed to work out for close on a year) and that poxy, poorly designed cheapo front armrest in the way / falling to bits all the time, really bad tramlining on a run / jump steer under light power etc may be an issue for you.
Without doubt the worst car I have ever bought, and we have owned some reputedly crap cars over the years. A completely hateful little s
t box, but as SWMBO said, "funky and a pretty colour"... Never again.
SeeFive said:
really bad tramlining on a run / jump steer under light power etc may be an issue for you.
Without doubt the worst car I have ever bought, and we have owned some reputedly crap cars over the years. A completely hateful little st box, but as SWMBO said, "funky and a pretty colour"...
Never again.
Agreed. The tramlining and torque steer are horrendous. Without doubt the worst car I have ever bought, and we have owned some reputedly crap cars over the years. A completely hateful little s
t box, but as SWMBO said, "funky and a pretty colour"... Never again.
SSCooperS said:
Agreed. The tramlining and torque steer are horrendous.
TBH, I'd expect torque steer when piling it on with that many turbo delivered horses through the front wheels, but this has extreme bump steer as well. For example, with very light power on out of a roundabout, run over a cable fix a foot wide across the tarmac and the thing jumps 2 feet to the right! This will happen on any similar road repair when on a lock unless you are completely off the power. Yes, it has been laser aligned as it felt about 10 degrees toe out on the tramlining - all ok, nothing to change with camber/caster 
OP, we probably had a lemon, but I would watch for this type of thing as you look at them if I were you. Also, I hear the the power steering is a common source of expensive fun.
Gassing Station | New MINIs | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff