Mini JCW BOOM!!!! :( :( :(

Mini JCW BOOM!!!! :( :( :(

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Discussion

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Friday 20th April 2012
quotequote all
Just after a little advice please...

At the beginning of Feb this year i purchased a used via main dealer Mini cooper John Cooper Works with 24,800 miles on it.
Perfect spec could ask for a better priced car.

Since then the car is has reached just over 29,000 miles ( i do a lot of driving )

Last week i took it in for an annual service, the car is covered by mini warranty and tlc so the service was free. This was a week ago yesterday.

Today i drove from London to Birmingham and on my return trip my car pretty much self combusted with in about 5 minutes of a warning sign telling me to keep driving but slowly through to fumes poring into the car, and smoke pumping out all over the place.

Im yet to find out what has actually happened, But i and the BMW service man seem to think already that a new engine is going to be on the list with a load of other things.

I don't drive the car in a stupid way, i always take care whilst driving and this is a total accident.
However i am not happy that i have put a fair amount of money into a car that i thought was sound, to find a huge issue.
Like i said the car was service only a week ago and no faults were picked upon.
Yet today it just goes bang.

Im pretty annoyed to say the least as i use it to travel every day and appearance means a lot in what i do, and I'm now driving a banged up astra courtesy of Enterprise.

BMW have until monday night to find the fault and let me know, i have already decided in my head that if its the engine i will be paying a visit to the dealers who sold me the car won't name at the moment. And asking for a full refund. As i have only had it nearly 2 months and only a week ago they had it to service and should have found any fatal fault.

Im i thinking correctly, what would you do in my situation? I know i haven't got the answer yet but it seems that a new engine will clearly be on the list of things they need to fix.


mike9009

7,078 posts

245 months

Friday 20th April 2012
quotequote all
Hi

I presume your car is an R56. The car was subject to a recall in early feb. this is related to a the pump for the intercooler needing replacement. There have been a few instances of cars combusting.

Obviously not sure if this is what has happened to yours? But it could be. I dthink you have fair grounds to reject. As a main dealer, they should have known about the recall.

Probably no help.....

Mike

Dr Interceptor

7,838 posts

198 months

Saturday 21st April 2012
quotequote all
chowiekid said:
As i have only had it nearly 2 months and only a week ago they had it to service and should have found any fatal fault.
Why? Does the routine service schedule for MINI now include checking every inch of wiring, every hose, every connection, every nut and bolt for something that could potentially cause a problem in the next 12 months?

Didn't think so.

You have two options, let the dealer carry out repairs under warranty and you get your car back... If you go down this route and it's an engine swap insist they change the clutch too, that's one less thing to worry about then - the self adjusting clutches on MINIs have been known to give yup the ghost anywhere from 20k miles upwards. Worth also negotiating a warranty extension.

Or, speak to the dealer about rejecting the car, and let them source another car of similar spec to yours.

Personally though, I'd take the car back with a new engine, clutch, and a fresh bit of warranty.

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Saturday 21st April 2012
quotequote all
I'm not saying they should have known about the fault.
it's just annoying they only had it last week.
plus when I bought it, they claimed it went through a mini check which would surly include engine diagnostic checks.
I can't be driving a problem car due to the work I do I'm always needed to drive just missing one day caused me some big issues.
I love that car tho and would happily take the money and put it in anouther mini.

I'm waiting on the garage it's at in Lemington spa to tell me if it would have been noticeable before sale or if it was cause of mini not recalling it

If its purely a fault with none to blame ill just get it repaired.

:-)

agent biscuit

92 posts

155 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
quotequote all
chowie
was this smoke or steam that came from the car when it went pop??

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
quotequote all
smoke. came in the cockpit, smells like its been on fire frown

si_xsi

1,200 posts

197 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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a similar thing happened to me albeit in a different car - 106xsi. It took the garage ages to find out what it was but turned out to be the ignition module.

good luck, let us know what it was and how it was rectified!

dandarez

13,327 posts

285 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
You bought the car in February - it wouldn't have had the recall pump fitted at that point, so have you taken it in at any point for the recall?

Your car (just looked at your profile) is same as mine 2009 JCW so it definitely needed the new pump.

My new pump was fitted at my dealer before I got the recall letter. Had my JCW from new and just about to hit 34,000 miles.

Sort of points to it, if you didn't have a new pump fitted...

UnluckyTimmeh

3,476 posts

215 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
If its the same as the bike world of BMWs network, they should be doing a recall check as the vehicle enters the workshop.

If it is like the bike world, this should be accompanied with a print out attached to every job card.

We get penalised and fined if on an audit this is found to have happened.

Hth.

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Saturday 28th April 2012
quotequote all
I heard back from the dealer my car is currently at last week, Due to business i have been a lil slow with this reply.

Basically i was told by the technician at Leamington spa that my engine had literally melted, didn't even know this was possible...

I questioned the Recall only to be told my car would of had anything it needed before sold, Don't believe it was done at all, and that is the fault that caused the issue.

i have been messed around so much with my rental car i currently have, to finally be put into a new 5 series today after a whole week of driving wrecks.

I will be taking this up with the dealer i bought from next week, followed by BMW them selves.


cqueen

2,620 posts

222 months

Saturday 28th April 2012
quotequote all
Yikes...

So as a potential JCW customer - how will I know my car has had the recall mod? (without simply asking the salesman who will of course tell me it has).

UnluckyTimmeh

3,476 posts

215 months

Saturday 28th April 2012
quotequote all
Ring any mini dealer and ask the service department to do a recall check (you'll need the vin) if they won't do it I can for you but I'm not at work this week but will be calling in Thursday/Friday time. smile

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Saturday 28th April 2012
quotequote all
Can you do mine for me mate when I get it back? This week so,etime. I was told it was dome but really don't believe them. :-)?

UnluckyTimmeh

3,476 posts

215 months

Saturday 28th April 2012
quotequote all
Of course. PM me your vin (last seven digits) and I will have a look for you.

Cheers.

roganthomson

5 posts

150 months

Monday 30th April 2012
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The recall was for a small electric auxiliary pump that continues to circulate coolant to the turbo once the engine is switched off. The issue was that due to a design flaw the pump wiring could in theory smoulder leading to fire when the car is turned off. It's not common that that happens afaik and i don't see how that issue at all would cause your engine to "melt" as such unless it had led to a significant engine fire.

Difficult to know whats gone on without knowing what exactly happened - was there obvious fire dame in the engine bay or when you say the engine melted do you mean it internal component failure? All very odd anyway - hope they sort it for you on warranty.

Rogan

chowiekid

Original Poster:

330 posts

161 months

Tuesday 1st May 2012
quotequote all
Update.

So picked my car up today. only for it to break down again 5 mins up the road...
Very annoyed tbh
just wanted to ask a few things.
I was told I was going to get a brand new engine. But when looking at my invoice Rmfd Engine. remanufactured I believe is the phrase has been used.

I have today been on the phone to where I bought my car and demanded my money back.

my car is now back In Lemington. and I'm rocking a 12 plate 3 series 320
but I'm extremely annoyed.
I think I'm now at the point where I want my penny's back.
and I think I deserve them. I'm now loosing money wasting my time chasing BMW again and having to miss things by going up to pick my car up today.

jack_st

278 posts

197 months

Tuesday 1st May 2012
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name and shame the dealer

_Leg_

2,809 posts

213 months

Tuesday 1st May 2012
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I bought mine with 6000 miles on the clock from a main dealer. It lew a turbo at 12000 miles. They put a new one on it and it's been great since. Now at 25000 miles.

That's what warranties are for.

dandarez

13,327 posts

285 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2012
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You had a top of the range MINI, that's how I look at my FJCW.

Miss out the dealer and go straight over their heads to the top:

MINI HQ.
BMW (GB) Ltd, Ellesfield Avenue, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 8TA


cqueen

2,620 posts

222 months

Tuesday 15th May 2012
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Any update?