2009 Mini Cooper

I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND AUTOMATIC SHIFTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY RITE AROUND 49500 ON ODOMETER. I HAVE A 100K MAINTENANCE CARE PLAN THAT COVERS ALL ENGINE OIL CHANGES, BRAKES AND ROTORS. BUT RIGHT AROUND 53000 I KEPT GETTING THE SERVICE IN 1700 MILES LIGHT WHEN EVER I START THE CAR AND GOES AWAY. THE MILES STARTED REDUCING SOONER THAN THE ACTUAL MILES DRIVEN. I WENT TO MINI SHOWROOM TO CHECK WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THEY SAID I NEED A OIL CHANGE ACCORDING TO KEY FOB (THEY CHANGED MY ENGINE OIL JUST 3K MILES BACK) . I GOT THE CALL THAT AFTERNOON SAYING MY TIMING CHAIN TENSOR WAS BAD AND LEAKING OIL. IT'S A CAR LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD WITH 50K MILES, THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. THEY SAID IT CAN GRENADE THE CAR IF I DRIVING WITHOUT FIXING. THE PARTS WAS $33 BUT LABOR WAS $400. WTH MINI. PEOPLE ARE NOT BUYING WARRANTY FOR THIS. IN THE MORNING I WAS PROUD OF HAVING A MINI THAT COVERED ENGINE OIL CHANGE UNDER MY 100K WARRANTY. BUT EVENING $450 RIPPED OFF MY BANK ACCOUNT. CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE. HAPPY I DID NOT GRENADE MY ENGINE. BUT NOT HAPPY TAKING THE $450 CHARGE. SOME PEOPLE HERE GET THE SAME PROBLEM EVEN AFTER FIXING THIS ISSUE IN 20K MILES AND MINI DOESN'T SEEM TO KEEP UP THEIR WORD ON THERE 2 YEAR WARRANTY ON THEIR REPAIRS. I THINK I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY CAR IN A YEAR. I LIKE THE DRIVE BUT CAN'T TAKE THIS REPAIR BILLS. *TR

DURING MY COMMUTE TO WORK ON 9/27/12, MY CAR COMPLETELY DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE, WHERE IT WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. DURING INSPECTION, IT WAS ASSESSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN "JUMPED" AND CAUSED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT THE CAR HAD 54K MILES ON IT AND THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE (I.E. LEAKING OIL, ENGINE RATTLE, ETC...). FURTHERMORE, SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2012, I HAVE PERFORMED REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR (NEW BRAKES, TIRES, ALIGNMENT, REGULAR SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGES) TO ENSURE IT STAYS IN GOOD DRIVING CONDITION. APPARENTLY, THIS HAS BEEN A FREQUENTLY REPORTED ISSUE WITH MINI COOPER AND THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY! THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST (WITH LABOR) FOR THIS FAILURE IS APPROX 10K!!! MINI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FAULTY CRAFTSMANSHIP. A 3 YR CAR WITH 54K MILES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT NEED TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE REPLACED!!! *TR

ON JULY 25TH, APROX 9:00PM. MY DAUGHTER (DRIVER) HAVE JUST ARRIVED FROM COLLEGE INTERNSHIP AND ARRIVED BOYFRIEND FAMILY HOME (12-15MI TRIP). UPON TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND GETTING OUT OF THE CAR SHE SMELL BURNT AND SAW SPARKS AND FIRE THROUGH THE CAR FRONT GRILL. BOYFRIEND CAME AND OPEN THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE FIRE. THE BOYFRIEND'S FATHER CAME AND USED DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER TO PUT FIRE OUT. REPORT WAS MADE TO MINI COOPER. I CAME LATER AND NOTICE SEVERAL WIRES BURNT. THE CAR WAS TOWED (7/25, 7/26 EARLY MORNING) AND IS TODAY (8/7/2012) AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY MINI COOPER ROCKVILLE, MD, AWAITING INSPECTION BY BMW ENGINEERING. THE CAR STILL PENDING REPAIR. I TOOK PICTURES LAST SATURDAY (8/4). THESE PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. *TR