Sorry about the issues Lee. My take is that the charge pipe has changed due to the time & the heat it has been exposed to under the bonnet. That brittle piece cracked when removed or reinstalled. I really don't see this as the shops fault. Stuff happens. As for them not wanting to install a part you supply, some will & some won't. Even if a shop does they won't warranty their work or the part. If it breaks again the cost is all on you. IMO the only way to fix the sunroof is to replace the complete thing. No one wants to touch those things, even the dealer. When you go out to eat do you supply your own ingredients for them to cook? < winking me.....
I always just call Steven at eMINIparts.com, for me it's good to talk with a friendly human. I find there is a lot of knowledge on the other end of the phone. Why are you replacing that hose a bit of duct tape & it's good to go.
I can't believe they're charging you for something that was likely damaged when they removed it. Then again, BM'r plastic is SUPER brittle as it (prematurely) ages. And I'm sure they have some sort of documentation that says they're not liable for parts broken during removal...
If your car is over 10 years old, be prepared that anything made of plastic or rubber that has never been replaced before will be brittle or warped and easily broken. I dread taking my car in for anything other than oil changes now. My trusted mechanic friend always warns me now that whenever they find something, there is a good chance there will be other parts that need replacing simply because they are old plastic. I am not taking my R53 MINI back to the dealer for anything anymore because, even though my local dealer has been great during the course of my ownership of this car, the staff has completely turned over now and nobody left there was there when the R53's were discontinued and MINI moved to the R56 generation of cars. For my last oil change there, they did not, nor did they know how to reset the oil change indicator. I could have done it myself, but I made him look it up and do it. It's his job and he should learn to do it. Getting back to the topic at hand, anytime you need to replace anything anymore on your older MINI, be prepared to replace plastic bits around it also.
That is the trouble with all cars now. The plastic carp doesn't last & crumbles once touched. Planned obsolescence.
The car only has 70k on it but it is an 07. I guess it just rubs me wrong that everywhere I looked they have the part cheeped. I already did not won’t to let someone els do work I could do. some may say I am a grumpy old man!
I am the same way Lee. I don’t feel like doing mechanical work on my car other than brake pads, tire swaps and the basic maintenance. I have my new motor almost 100% ready to go in my car in February when the one guy I trust returns to PA. The motor is a 1.62 RMW with full forged internals. My RMW head will also be refreshed.
I don't like having others do work for me. The fact that I'm an old fart comes into play. Some things I can do & others I can no longer do. I have made sure the mechanic's who do work on my cars are the best available. So far they haven't let me down.
Mileage on the motor has little to do with how fast the plastic bits dry out and become brittle. On the other hand, MINI has been very good at addressing common problem areas with our cars. When they noticed a trend, such as the R53 power steering fan issue, or the 2007 chain guide issue, or the high pressure fuel pump problem, they recalled the cars to have them fixed. I can tell you, I am totally blown away by how well MINI has treated their customers in comparison to other car brands that I have owned, including BMW. Also, the plastic bits for MINIs that need to get replaced are not terribly overpriced in comparison to other car brands. Most of the time, you might be able to get cheaper aftermarket parts, but at your own risk of quality and fit. There are some after market parts that are very good.
Don't kid yourself that MINI did those recalls from the goodness of their heart. They were made to do those recalls & did you notice how long it took them to implement some of those recalls? The longer they waited the fewer cars they'd have to fix.
Drove my Mini to work a couple of days this week. Just tucked it back in the garage where it will stay nice and warm. I HATE WINTER!!
Tomorrow I'm replacing the front wheel bearings in my Blue 09 Clubman, It's got 95K on it and is still going strong! I was surprised how quickly it failed, it went from a light growl to making huge noise and a vibration I could feel thru the wheel in about 20 miles or so.
Whole hub assembly.....broke one of my rules doing it too - I usually buy only factory parts, but the local dealer wanted $200 for one, I bought both fronts for about $90 shipped off Amazon.
I've been driving the R50 now that the snow has melted and the roads are dry and ice free again. I guess it's time to head over to MAG next week for a fluids change before Winter reappears. The R50 just has all seasons and only is driven occasionally in cold weather when there is no snow or ice to muck things up.
Today I put my MINI back in the garage and on the battery tender. My full detail of a 2017 Honda Type R was picked up / delivered. Customer was very happy, yes it is very quick & fast and handled great.
Drove my wife to BMW of Lancaster for a test drive. Several hours later she drove home a 2020 M240i Convertible with a manual transmission! It has runflat all seasons (yuck), so I ordered a set of winter tires and wheels (BBS SR 17x7.5 and Michelin X-ice Xi3 nonrunflats in 215/50/17) from Tirerack and a compact spare kit from bimmerzone when we got home. Will ditch the all seasons for Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on the original wheels when Spring rolls around.