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Hatchbacks MINI Cooper MINI Cooper Care & Maintenance
282 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 6:07 PM
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Replying to: tica (Mar 26, 2008 4:34 pm)
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Replying to: rlmiller9 (Mar 26, 2008 9:34 pm) Just curious ....why do you suggest this? If I re-read the posts correctly, tica hasn't had any difficulty with the car other than a warning light issue, which doesn't appear to be an issue any more, and which apparently incurred no costs to get resolved.. tica doesn't appear to have an extreme amount of knowledge about this car, judging from the earlier postings regarding oil changes and oil filters, and has apparantly done OK with the Mini. SO, why would you suggest that? |
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Replying to: busiris (Mar 27, 2008 11:06 am) A year or so old car that can not get the check engine light off, that does not seem like a minor thing to me, just my opinion. It sounds to me like the issue DID NOT get resolved. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/mini.html
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Replying to: rlmiller9 (Mar 27, 2008 5:27 pm) I guess it isn't very clear whether the light is still on or off, so I will only say that I agree with you in that I would like to have an explanation why the light was on. I'm not sure what the "It's not the gas as it has happneed when I didn't gas" comment means, either, but it also doesn't appear that the dealer was offered much of a chance to resolve the issue (based upon the limited posting).
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Replying to: busiris (Mar 27, 2008 6:40 pm) 
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Replying to: lweinberg (Mar 26, 2008 12:52 pm) |
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Replying to: rlmiller9 (Mar 27, 2008 5:27 pm) "http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/mini.html" web-site that you listed on your earlier posting. Specifically, it appeared that well over 50% of the complaints were from non-original owners, but I wish to add that its just a guess...no scientific analysis performed to arrive at that number. It got me to thinking about the issue of reliability on both the Mini as well as other cars. First of all, and I think you would agree with this statement, you can find a blog/forum/posting site detailing disgruntled owners of just about any vehicle made in mass production, so the very "existance" of a posting site detailing complaints does not necessarily mean the model is trash, whether it be Mini, GM. Ford, Mercedes, etc. But, don't infer from that statement that I am saying there are no lemons out there. Believe me, I have had 1st-hand experience in that arena! Most recently, a 05 Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback LT with all options. It never saw a dirt/gravel road and was always garaged when not in use, and at 34K miles the car was literally self-destructing...I even purchased the Helm shop manuals when I bought the car, intending to keep the car for an extended length of time. I guess I was fortunate, in a way. Even though the MPG never approached what the EPA figures, the car never suffered from any mechanical issues, so I was never stranded. However, it literally began falling apart at around 24 K miles...As examples, It was on the 3rd sunroof, doorhandles came off and the CD player played only at its convenience, whenever it felt like playing. I don't mean this to be a gripe session about the Aveo, but to simply illustrate my point, in that some fowners really love this car and have no issues with it, even after very high mileage, and would buy another one without hesitation. It strikes me any "performance" car like the Mini (Nizzan 300Z, Corvette, any car in this category) should require a slightly different viewpoint when it comes to viewing service and reliability. That's a topic that no dealer wants to bring up with a prospective buyer, since in sales, you "prefer" to avoid negatives. Think about it for a minute...If you have ever purchased a car with performance tires, did the salesman stress that you would not get nearly the mileage on the tires as compared to "all season" tires? When we purchased our 05 Mini, for example, the run-flat extended warranty wasn't mentioned (along with the reasons why we should buy it...by the way, we didn't) until after the deal was done. In our case, our Mini Convertible has over 30K miles with the only issue being a bad temperature sending unit, which the dealer repaired while I waited...less than 4 hours, and covered under warranty. Now, my wife is the primary driver, and she in no way could be considered an aggressive driver, so that is one reason I think we have had a "clean" car. I also have the oil/filter changed every 5 K miles, even though BMW/Mini state you can get by with a lot more miles between changes. Even then, during the 1st 3 years/36 K miles, you get a free oil/filter change once a year...no charge. So, no excuses for no oil changes in that time period. In the used car world, this car would be called "cherry", due to its history. However, simply due to the nature of this type of vehicle, ours is probably the exception, and I would think most owners push their cars a little (maybe a lot more) than my wife does hers. Of course, the sales folks encourage these behaviors as well. Have you ever heard a car salesman state that driving his product aggressively will cause it to fail prematurely?And, while there are many owners who drive very conservatively, I would guess the average Mini driver to be more "sports driving oriented" than say, a Ford Taurus owner...and, that's one of the reasons why they bought the car... Since I have dragged this out much further than I should have, I'll end with a few bullit points... - Buying a used "performance" vehicle probably entails additional risks, as those cars have probably been driven more aggressively by previous owners. - Service history should be more important to a potential buyer when considering a used performance-oriented vehicle. - When buying a new vehicle, the buyer should look at the "entire package". By that, I mean looking beyond price paid for the car. Are you planning to have the selling party also perform the service? Have you taken a look at the service facility to ensure it looks clean and professional? Does the dealer have a good reputation and a lot of repeat business? Things of that nature... - Shopping for a car like you would a TV set or a blender will, more often than not, get you a better up-front price, but also, again more often than not, ultimately lead to a "less than completely satisfied" owner experience. Most TV sets and blenders do not require on-going service to remain in service. - A dealer that attempts to take advantage of you in the sales process will probably do the same in the service process. - The dealer with the lowest selling price is quite often going to have a higher percentage of dis-satisfied customers in the long run. My attitude in buying an automobile has always been that, after the deal is done, we should both be able to leave the table "frown-free". Again, lemons are built by every manufacturer. Sometimes, the best we can do is to hope we aren't the one getting it... Sorry about the long post...I guess I had too much time on my hands today... |
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Replying to: lweinberg (Mar 26, 2008 12:52 pm) You are better off taking the $6448 they want and putting it into a high-yield savings account and using that for any repairs or maintenance not covered by the warranty that comes with the car. |
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Replying to: lweinberg (Mar 26, 2008 12:52 pm) 1. The dealer makes a lot of money off of the money they get from you. 2. The dealer needs to charge that much $ cause the car will require it.
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Just bought an 08 clubman yesterday. came from the opposite spectrum with 3 land rovers as last 3 cars. looking forward to triple the mileage. dealer offered several extended coverage options: 5 years ding repair ~$600// 5 years leather guard ~$600// 5 years clear coat ~$600// maint included to 72/100 $1295. this includes shoes, .... this didn't sound like a great deal as it only included maint items. I can't image at their service interval that would pay for itself. she said they buy that agreement for 1095 and sell for 1695 (her initial offer)// and finally extended warranty to 72/100 $2695. said they buy this for 1995 and she would have probably gone to around $2295. said that if we do not make a claim on this extended warranty then the entire amount gets refunded at the end of the warranty (an interesting gamble). also said there was a one-time $100 deductible. I can picture myself at 70/95 K faced with a $2000 repair bill and eating it rather than loosing out on the refund. I don't like gambling on things like this because the MBAs that come up with the odds are smarter than me. I don't play the lottery either. I got a simple dealer 72/100 on my wife's new pilot in 06 for $750 -- good piece of mind. Anyway, I really want a straight forward extended warranty (did I mention I have experience with leland vehicles). Can anyone give me some advice on how I can get an extended warranty, preferably dealer authorized repairs, which is straight forward? thanks and hello to the club. |
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