Wife's Mini's tranny on borrowed time? Time to shop?

[Rick Lee]

Took Mrs. Lee's 2006 Mini (65k miles) in today for an O2 sensor warranty repair. Of course, they came back with $1800 worth of work they say needs to be done. I thought it was kind of funny where they wrote the engine oil looks dirty and needs replacing, given it has all of 2500 miles on it. Or how the coolant is old and diluted, given Eric Coffey and I flushed it two mos. ago.

Anyhoo, I was a little concerned about the CVT transmission fluid, as I'd always heard it was "lifetime" and was not meant to be changed. Stealer said it should now be done every 30k miles and I think he assumed it had been done at Inspection I, because he said it was 5k miles overdue. For $200 I told them to do it, knowing the stuff is $20 per litre and a headache to change. They called back and said it took them three flushes and it was already 2 qts. low, old fluid was black, thick and in bad shape. Stealer said he suspected the belt was going south and contaminating the fluid. Amazingly, he said they would no-charge the job. So we got another $0 invoice.

Now I'm really worried that this tranny is on borrowed time and it's stupid expensive to replace, like $7k. Is it time to just trade it in or drive it til it dies? Trouble is that, when it dies, it won't be worth more than a parts car and my wife will need something immediately to get to work. I've not read of any stories of Mini goodwill'ing out of warranty tranny replacements. What to do?

[m21sniper]

Your wife has a midget transsexual?

[ODDJOB UNO]

AS obama SAID "buy her a VOLT!"

[Scott R]

That's a sign that the CVT is going, the bearings burn up on them and it turns the fluid dark from the heat in the gearbox. 2006 was the cut-over year and a lot of these CVT's go south.

Consumer complaints about Mini Cooper

$5500 for the transmission at cost from BMW, no rebuild parts available on them at all. I've seen a few $20k paperweights at this point, sadly. I hope yours hangs in there

[Rick Lee]

Stealer said it made a slight noise when they fired it up after the flush, but that it went away quickly and you can't hear it from inside the car. So I'll fire it up in the morning and see how it sounds. Why isn't Mini fixing this? Their definition of lifetime is the life of the warranty. BTW, on previous inspection report, they report the "manual transmission" oil looks dirty and needs to b changed. I doubt they even looked at it and it's not manual. They have a photo of an old fuel filter and a new one on that report. Trouble is that it's not even close to a Mini fuel filter. The reports are just insulting, they're so false. So I really don't know how much credibility they have when they say the tranny is going south.

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

. BTW, on previous inspection report, they report the "manual transmission" oil looks dirty and needs to b changed. I doubt they even looked at it and it's not manual. They have a photo of an old fuel filter and a new one on that report. Trouble is that it's not even close to a Mini fuel filter. The reports are just insulting, they're so false. So I really don't know how much credibility they have when they say the tranny is going south.

Those reports should be banned. They are only used to justify an over priced inspection and oil change. Hmm, that will be $600 to change the oil, air and oil filter and check 10 things in ten minutes. Hate stealerships...

[Heel n Toe]

I hope they take care of you, Rick.

I had no idea automatic Minis had CVT's. I knew automatic Nissan Muranos and some other Nissans... Altimas and maybe Maximas had 'em.

What other (present day) vehicles run 'em?

[Rufblackbird]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

They called back and said it took them three flushes and it was already 2 qts. low, old fluid was black, thick and in bad shape. Stealer said he suspected the belt was going south and contaminating the fluid. Amazingly, he said they would no-charge the job. So we got another $0 invoice.

Unless there were some major reasons (sentimental?) why she wants to keep this particular MINI, and you don't feel like doing a trans swap (I suppose they're cheaper if you can find a low mileage one from a junkyard) I'd get rid of it before it starts going more south, and you can't get much money for it anymore.

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

I had no idea automatic Minis had CVT's. I knew automatic Nissan Muranos and some other Nissans... Altimas and maybe Maximas had 'em.

What other (present day) vehicles run 'em?

me neither! glad ours is a manual!

going through Lexus training right now for my new job, and found out all Lexus hybrid vehicles (at least the sedans so far) uses CVT's...

[red-beard]

What does a used mini transmission cost?

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

I hope they take care of you, Rick.

I had no idea automatic Minis had CVT's. I knew automatic Nissan Muranos and some other Nissans... Altimas and maybe Maximas had 'em.

What other (present day) vehicles run 'em?

Dodge Calibers.

[masraum]

CVTs are a great idea. If done right, I would think that they should maximize power and efficiency. I've not really read/heard much about them other than they are not as sturdy as regular manuals and autos. I assume that will change. I read that when they first came out, the manufacturers made them work in steps so that people would hear/feel what seemed like various gears. I think it would be neat if they were actually allowed to be CV.

I'd try to determine if the dealer's assessment was true since it sounds like they are otherwise FOS. If they were telling the truth about this one thing (and not trying to get a good used car and a sale of another car to you), then I'd sell that thing post haste.

[Rick Lee]

I've actually heard far worse things about the manual Mini transmissions. But, of course, those are a little easier to deal with changing fluid and finding used, even aftermarket ones. I've seen some CVT's on eBay for $2k, but there's no telling what kind of shape they're in. I read a lot that no one repairs these trannies. They're replace only. I saw the belt on eBay for $975!!!! WTF?

My wife is not taking this seriously. She thinks nothing can go wrong because it's always felt and sounded fine. I don't want her to have to buy a new car, but if this tranny dies, there is no cheap fix. It's going to be crazy expensive and/or her car is going to be a paperweight and then we'll have to make quick decisions. I'd rather she start shopping now while she can still be picky and we can trade the car in.

[masraum]

Personally, if I thought that there were any truth or possibility of truth to it at all, and I didn't have a way to confirm one way or the other. I'd be looking for a new car.

Don't you just hate shops that are FoS and constantly trying to screw you? I've had shops try to screw me, when I was in the auto parts business I spoke to lots of folks that had either been screwed or were getting ready to get screwed, and just the other day, my daughter took her Jeep Liberty to get the oil changed when they told her that the tranny and rearend were both going bad. Fortunately, when people tell her that sort of thing, she comes to me instead of letting them do anything.

[Rick Lee]

This dealer knows very well we have never spent a dime there and that I DIY whatever they say needs doing in addition to regular maint. And then they no-charged this tranny flush. So I'm not sure there's a strategy here. Why would they no-charge this? Do they think I'm gonna not say anything if they tranny quits?

[fastfredracing]

This is exactly what I hate about new high tech vehicles. Once a major component fails, there is no repair that does not cost about what the vehicles used value is, and like you stated, without repairing it, the vehicle is worth nothing. If I had any suspicions that it was about to fail, I would begin shopping.

[Rick Lee]

I just fired it up and drove it around the block. There's definitely a high-pitched noise on startup. I let it idle in the garage in park for a few min. and it went away. Drives totally normal and no noise when I parked it back in the driveway. I really wish my wife would take this more seriously, but I think she'll have the car paid off in another month or two (ordered it new) and I can understand her wanting to enjoy it for a while without a payment.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I've actually heard far worse things about the manual Mini transmissions.

We've had to replace them in 2 cars. Cost was about $3500-4000 including labour. that's for a used or rebuilt tranny, not brand new.

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

This is exactly what I hate about new high tech vehicles. Once a major component fails, there is no repair that does not cost about what the vehicles used value is, and like you stated, without repairing it, the vehicle is worth nothing.

Erm, 944 anyone?

[Rick Lee]

What kind of luck did you have with a used/rebuilt tranny? How long did it last?

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Your wife has a midget transsexual?

That was my read on it.

Mr Lee, you are much more adventurous than I had guessed.


Dump the car

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

What kind of luck did you have with a used/rebuilt tranny? How long did it last?

Both were customer's cars. We never heard back from either, so I'm assuming everything's been fine, though both were done in the last year, year and a half - I wouldn't expect any problems in that time frame. It'll be in another 3 or 4 years that an issue may crop up.