What did you do with your MINI today?

Discussion in 'MINI' started by KittyMini, Jun 17, 2011.

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  1. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Jul 31, 2009
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    What happened to it?
     
  2. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

    Oct 27, 2015
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    It's an N14.....
     
  3. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    Aww, com'on!
    There is nothing wrong with the N14 engine. Mine has given me no problems and there are many, many others that have been completely reliable.
     
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  4. J Free

    J Free Member

    Jan 2, 2016
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    I think you've just been lucky then it is not a good engine. Burned up valve at the beginning of the year, dealer rebuilt the head then a few weeks later same thing happened. Sounds like the same thing and worse just happened, should know something today. one cylinder is completely dead and the three others have low compression.

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  5. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

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    The many lawsuits and complaints say otherwise. People are buying them used because they're affordable and they cars go to shit before they pay them off. Sure they likely didn't know that with a MINI comes a laundry list of potential issues and require tons of attention but still... I'm sure there are some, like yours, that are meticulously maintained and looked after. Most are daily driven and treated like a Honda. They're FAR from a Honda in several ways, but reliability is the stand-out.
     
  6. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

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    Yours sounds like a very neglected car. Also don't use stealerships, much like N14's some are good but most are garbage. Find a good independent Euro shop.
     
  7. J Free

    J Free Member

    Jan 2, 2016
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    Neglected, really, how do you come up with that evaluation? The only reason it's at the dealer is because if they screwed something up on it it's under warranty.

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  8. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    The N14 is a crap motor and BMW knows it.

    I don’t think anyone was specifically saying “you” neglected it but it is a main reason they fail plus the crap (untested) design.

    Like you said, your dealership screwed up a warranty repair.
     
  9. J Free

    J Free Member

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    I guess I just interpreted it wrong, it sounded like he was saying I very much neglected my car.

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  10. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
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    If one treats a MINI like a Honda appliance they are going to be in a world of hurt.:Dead: That goes for any generation of Mini-MINI ever made.

    I don't mean you J Free....
     
  11. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

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    Your symptoms/problems. Didn't say by you, maybe previous owner. Either way those issues are due to neglect and likely 10k oil changes w/o any level checks in between. And possibly a fair bit of abuse. How many miles are on the car?
     
  12. J Free

    J Free Member

    Jan 2, 2016
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    I got it at 38K 3 years ago. It looked like a new car (still does), the guy had all the receipts for work done. It's got 107K now. This is not my first rodeo with odd/maintenance intensive vehicles. I have a Benelli TnT motorbike, and '75 Mini, currently. When I first got it the timing chain was replaced-I have a BMW code reader, every time something comes up suspect it gets fixed immediately. Just did brakes all around, they had over 70K on them-mostly highway driving. Oil gets changed every 5K and it's never been more than a quart down since I've owned it.
     
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  13. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    I think that the dealer fixed a symptom of the problem and not the root cause. Burned valves don't happen overnight. I really hope that you have a good dealer that will warranty this work. If I am not mistaken, the warranty on work is 2 yrs on parts and labor. Keep us posted. I would be very interested in 'why' this valve burned if that's the problem.
     
  14. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #16534 MCS02, Nov 28, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2018
    Man you guys a harsh on the N14! They do take more attention then the R53 engine true. The PVC system is the main problem with them.

    If your car is burning valves that fast something is wrong that the dealer should be looking into. I hope they are doing this under warranty.

    My R58 JCW has 57k on it I have replaced the timing chain, I could have gotten away with just doing the tensioner but for peace of mind I did both. The previous owner had it walnut blasted. So far it has been fine.

    Thank of it like the old adage "Attack the ambush" Since the car is back in the shop just go a head and through a big valve head in it, Pistons, bigger injectors, Meth and a tune by RMW. Problem solved. :D
     
  15. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    :Wtf::Devilish::D:D:D
     
  16. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Mine has 83K miles, trouble free. I did have the dealer replace the timing chain kit right before it went out of warranty but other than that....no issues. I do change the oil regularly (every 10K miles) but other than that I just do routine maintenance. They used these engines in lots of Peugeots as well as the MINI, there are literally millions of them out there driving around just fine.
     
  17. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Today I looked at my clean but dusty MINI in the garage and told her I scored 2 tickets to see The Rolling Stones June 4 2019. Don’t ask how much they cost. :rolleyes::eek:

    After a trouble free trip to the Dragon she may get to hear the Stones from the parking lot this time.

    It’s only Rock and Roll but I like it.
     
  18. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

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    Speaking of trouble free trip to the Dragon, did you ever get a different expansion tank?
     
  19. J Free

    J Free Member

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    I couldn't get a why out of them the first time, and they wanted to blame the tune the 2nd time. I thought they missed something for sure the first time, but what could I do if it was running right after the fix? The only reason they did that work is because they had replaced the HPFP about a month prior. I brought it to them because symptoms were similar and thought maybe the pump was failing again. Otherwise I would have had someone else do the work. If it's the head, they will cover it, if pistons are involved then that's additional I'm assuming. I've been really on top of this car and it's just cost a fortune. I don't know if the original owner could have neglected it in a way that doomed it, or it's just bad luck. We shall see.....
     
  20. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I bought a new trickle charger for the daily driver, since it's likely not going to get driven much at all this winter. Really nice unit with all the reconditioning, charge and maintenance mode tricks of the most expensive chargers. It even has an LCD readout that tells me charging voltage and current in realtime, etc..

    [​IMG]

    ignore the reviews that state the lead polarity is reversed. May have been a bad batch, but mine is wired like any other charger.

    $36 on amazon

    Then I shoveled the driveway so I can get out with my fatbike and head to work.

    In other Mini news: Looks like in January, there'll be a chance to add two more Minis to the stable:

    LEGO-75894-Speed-Champions-1967-Mini-Cooper-S-Rally-and-2018-MINI-John-Cooper-Works-Buggy-2.jpg
     

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