Let me preface this rant with the fact that I am an idiot!  I totally slacked on the maintenance on our 2008 Mini Cooper S.  I was a bad, bad, Mini owner!   Our Mini hit 20,000 and had never had an oil change.  I know, I know, 20000….  I am a complete dumba$$!  Amber has been after me for a couple of weeks to get the car in for service.  The driver side window was doing weird up/down things.  The passenger side tweeter in the pillar was rattling and crackling. There was a weird electric motor buzzing noise coming from under the dash.  The worst part was starting in cold weather, the car sounded like an OLD diesel!  It would knock for the first few seconds after starting.  I should have listened to Amber! Lesson learned!

With that being said.  Here’s the LONG story:

We bought our cool little Mini Cooper S from Checkered Flag Mini in Virginia Beach, VA.  This was the third vehicle that we have purchased from a Checkered Flag car dealership.  I purchased a Toyota Tundra from Checkered Flag.  Amber purchased a Volkswagen Jetta from Checkered Flag VW.  We have had vehicles serviced at Checkered Flag, and even had body work done at Checkered Flag.  Checkered Flag car dealerships had “done us right” for many years.  We have even referred numerous people to them over the years.

When we picked up the Mini from them we went through the “training session” to prepare us for our life of Motoring!  All was good.  We were told that all of our maintenance would be covered for the next 3 years/ 36,000 miles.  The person doing the instruction told us about the lights that changed color.  The automatic retraction of the windows when there was some type of resistance.  He also said the car would tell us when service was due.  It would tell us with plenty of time for us to schedule our service in Frank at Checkered Flag’s to schedule a loaner car.  Some computer algorithm would calculate the proper service intervals for the car and tell us when it needed to be serviced.

I did some research and found that the intervals typically run between 12,000 and 21,000 on average.  So we drove on.  Motoring along and loving our Mini!

We kept on “motoring” and never had a warning light nothing to say “Service Due Soon”, “Oil Change Due”, nothing!  We had a tire pressure warning light come once.  I checked tire pressures and found that one had dropped a couple pounds when we took a winter trip up in to the Blue Ridge Mountains.  We had warning lights come up telling us that there was a slip hazard on the road when the temperatures got too cold.  We even get a nagging light telling us fuel is low and how many miles until we are out of fuel.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago…..

A couple of weeks ago the Mini Cooper S broke down on me on the way home from Odenton, MD.  I had actually passing a test to earn my B upgrade from USA Cycling for my Cycling Officials license.   I was in a great mood and decided to take a “scenic” route home.  I took the exit for Route 1 South, not the best scenic route, but better than sitting still in traffic on 95 South.  I started to hear a weird squeaking noise, but I was sure it was coming from a car in the wonderful Northern VA traffic around me.  After a few miles and the surrounding cars were different I continued to hear the noises.  I finally decided to pull off in to a Taco Bell parking lot and check things out.

At that point the Mini died!  I went to check fluids, belts, and everything else under the hood.  First off the dipstick would not even come out.  My heart went up in to my throat.  I let the car cool down for a while and tried to restart it with no luck.  It was giving all kinds of, unexpected, weird warning lights.  One time it told me the weather was too cold. (It was over 50 degrees outside.)  Another time the cruise control malfunction light came on.  Strangely, not once did an expected light come on.  I didn’t see a single engine related warning as our beloved Mini died.  After an hour I finally decided to call Roadside Assistance.

Roadside Assistance is “outsourced” by BMW/Mini.  The fact that the service is not provided by Mini is probably the ONLY reason that it was good!  When I called they were helpful and courteous.  They had a towing service lined up that was out in a matter of minutes and the car was taken to Passport Mini.  Once on Passport Mini’s lot they arranged a cab from Duke Street in Alexandria to Reagan National Airport.  The cab arrived within minutes.  They even called me back to confirm that the towing service arrived on time!

On a side note, I wish I could remember the “cabbie’s” name.  He was driving for Yellow Cab and was driving a Toyota.  Yes a Toyota.  We had great discussion about Toyota and Honda.  He told me how expensive it was for him to maintain and operate Chevy and Fords, when he could run his Toyota Camrys for several hundred thousand (100,000+) miles for less than anything else for half the mileage!  He said that he didnt care about the brakes and other issues.  The man must have been some kind of cleric because he said that the next “problem vehicle” would be Honda.  Today, it’s all over the news that Honda has to recall cars due to brake issues.

Now back to the story… Roadside Assistance had lined up a car for me through Hertz at a great rate.  I hopped in the Mazda 5 and headed off down hte road and it was only 9:30 PM.  I had left the house that morning about 4:30 AM.  I was tired, wanted to get home, and put an end to this crappy day!

Monday came all to fast!  I got an email saying that Passport Mini received the Mini and would start working on it.  The the Red Team Manager at Passport has been excellent with communications.  On the other hand, customer service from BMW/Mini has been completely horrendous!  Passport diagnosed the problem as a massive amount of sludge causing engine failure.  Don’t quote me 100% on this, but here’s the layman’s description:

The sludge plugged up some of the lines that provided oil pressure to tension the piston that keeps the timing chain tensioned.  The timing was hence thrown which caused the gear that drives the cam to be broken.  Somehow along the way the Turbo was damaged also.  The estimate:  almost $11,000.00!!!!!!

Now, scroll back up in this LONG rant and see that the car has just over 20,000 miles!

Supposedly a BMW/Mini representative came to inspect the car.  Supposedly the engineers in Germany were consulted.  Supposedly the car is 2600 miles outside of it’s “service interval”  Warranty coverage denied!

That’s right complete engine and turbo failure after only 20,000 miles!  BMW/Mini said sorry your car is 2600 miles past it’s service interval and you are screwed. The fact that the Checkered Flag Mini adviser said “The car will tell you with plenty of time to spare” and the car never told us they still stood there ground.  “We can not offer any assistance to you.”  Basically, screw you.

I called “customer service” and talked to person named Brad.  He was courteous on the phone, but I kept picturing an individual that might have been bullied a little too much in school.  He, supposedly, escalated the case and consulted with Germany and several other people with the same results.  Warranty Denied!  Around the same time I contacted Todd Hartje at Checkered Flag Mini.  He has been semi-active in forums on HRMini.com in response to service related issues with the Mini Coopers and Checkered Flag.

I was hoping that the fact that referrals sent, services paid for, and three vehicles purchased from, might provide some incentive for assistance from someone clouting the influence that Todd claims to have with Checkered Flag.  Nope.  That’s right a one word sentence: Nope.  He provided a wonderfully worded and very assuring email initially, but provided nothing.  Zip, Zero, Zilch.  Not much more was expected after the more recent experiences we have had with Checkered Flag, but that is the response we received.  Basically, Checkered Flag was not going to make money from repairs and/or warranty work so they have no incentive to do anything.

After a few more days went by and BMW/Mini Customer Service was contacted again.  Unfortunately not only did I get the same person.  I got the same answers.  “We have consulted with the engineers and there is nothing we can do.”  When asked if there is someone else that I could talk to I was informed that the higher levels are not on a customer contact level and could not be talked to.  Basically, screw you we cant be bothered with you.

During those few days I did a lot of research.  Go figure, me do research?  I found that there have been many, many, many issues reported from Mini owners.  Issues with the diesel sound, sludge build up, carbon build up, timing chain tensioners failing, and numerous other issues with the Mini Cooper cars.  BMW/Mini has been very consistent about everything.  Failures are always bad gas or lack of maintenance.  Remember from above, the car will tell you when it needs service.  The fact is, the car does not give you a blatant warning like the “adviser” say it will!

The 2007 Toyota RAV4 we just sold (thinking the Mini would be reliable and fuel efficient, big mistake!!!!) had a light that told us when service was due or an oil change was coming up.  My 2007 Toyota Tundra did the same and more.  The 2001 GMC Sierra I drive for work has 273,000 miles and still tells me when an oil change is due.  All of these vehicles have bold obnoxious warnings that can not be missed!  Despite the “warnings” issued by the vehicles we have always had our car’s oil changed on regular intervals.  Anywhere between 5000 and 7500 miles depending on the car and type of oil being used.

Our wonderful “adviser” with Checkered Flag Mini said the car would tell us when it needed service.  The sad thing is we never saw a big warning light or advanced notice nothing.  It did not scream at us like we were instructed it would!  Mini/BMW doesn’t care, Checkered Flag doesn’t care…. because the car said it was 2600 miles past due for service. Warranty Denied, no offer of a proration warranty, no settlement, no assistance, a simple “screw you, warranty denied” you need to pay for everything.  These facts did not matter at all to the manufacturer at all and there were no negotiations what so ever!

This is where Customer Service makes the difference!  No matter how great your product is, or in this case is not, there is going to be a problem.  What makes the product is the support network that backs it.  Unfortunately Mini is driven, not by customer service, but by marketing.  All the cool ads, the “personal attention” and training at the point of sale.  It’s all hype!  For long term customer satisfaction, what happens after the point of sale and how the customer is treated is important!  Checkered Flag and our thousands of dollars and Mini/BMW have neglected this fact.

Customer service and marketing aside, the difference all of our past vehicles were “normal vehicles”.  We weren’t promised some God Like, Super Computer from the car informing us that it needed some lov’in!  We knew that on regular intervals a combustion engine needs to be serviced.  But, that is exactly what we were told would be shown to us by “the car”, the Mini Cooper would tell us when service was due.  That was the big selling point on the car.  The car would tell us all, would take care of itself, and best of all: everything would be covered by Mini!

Now, it’s exactly the opposite!  Checkered Flag says they will do nothing, that they can do nothing because they do not have the car.  Passport can not provide assistance because Mini/BMW denied warranty coverage.  Mini/BMW can not do anything because the car says it was past due for service.

Even more amazing is there is no negotiation, no discussion, just a simple screw you.  There are so many problems reported with these cars, so many problems reported with BMWs, yet nothing has been reported in the “main stream” about the manufacturers support of the product.  That is other than the complete lack of support.  Yet, the Mini product still has a die-hard following.  It’s a great car, it’s quick, it’s fun to drive, but is it reliable for the long haul when depending on the manufacturer and it’s network.  NO!

The only conclusion that I can come up with for this is:  The typical BMW customers have enough money to shell out for ridiculous product failures and not complain about them.  More important is that they have a loaner car and a manicure while their car is in for a $20,000 overhaul after only 40,000 miles.  On the Mini side, the Mini Cooper has always been quirky and geared toward the “motor head” and do-it-yourself’er.  One that is going to perform their own maintenance and services on regular intervals.  Even if the car doesn’t tell them something is wrong.  Unfortunately we fall somewhere in between.  We know what should be done, but fell back on the fact that someone, something, would tell us differently.

We have learned some valuable (and expensive) lessons about customer service and a few other things with this ordeal:

Do NOT buy from Checkered Flag’s dealerships: there is no support or service after the sale.

Do NOT go back to Checkered Flag for service: It’s non-existent and liable to cause you even more problems.  Find a trustworthy local mechanic and stick with them.

Don’t buy German vehicles: The Volkswagen Jetta’s build quality was equivalent of an old Ford Escort and it was backed by Checkered Flag’s service.  Now the Mini Cooper with it’s complete lack of dealer support after the sale and even larger lack of manufacturer support and assistance.

Do what you know is right:  Do not let some salesperson tell you that you do not need to change the oil “until the car tells you it needs to be changed”.  If you think something isn’t right go back and get it corrected and do not let things drag on for too long.

After all of these lessons learned, I still have more questions…

According “to the car” it was due for service 2600 miles ago:   If the sludge and build up in the engine is so severe as to cause failure 2600 miles past a service date wouldn’t some damage have been done already?  If I had done a service after the first 3000 miles, which I am pretty sure I did, although I do not have a receipt, and did not reset the computer would there still be this much sludge?  Would it make a difference if I provided proof of the service?

No matter how you analyze it, we are forced to shell out far too much money for repairs that should be at least partially covered by warranty.  Heck, maybe the government should send me a check for assistance.  No wait, we work for a living. 

On a serious note.  Hopefully the Mini Cooper S wont have any further issues in the near future.  That is the near future between now and the point that we can get rid of the “customer service plagued” Mini without going more than the 11,000 in to the hole that we are already in.  Until we can afford to dump the Mini off on some other person we will find some local business that respects the customer and their support.   We will take our, now hated, Mini to someone every 7500 miles, and have it serviced with Amsoil Synthetic oil, like our vehicles in the past.  We will now ignore what the “computer will tell us” and do what we now is right!

Enough of this VERY VERY long winded rant!  Simply put don’t always listen to some “guru” and do what you know is right!  Amber, Devon, and I have had a few stressful weeks and we still have a few more ahead of us.  We still have to:

Move on and put all the stress, lack of sleep, and headaches that Mini/BMW and their dealer support have caused us.

Trying to save up some money to recover from this Mini (yet Major) screw up.

Decide what kind of vehicle to consider for the future. (Not to be a VW, BMW, or Mini, and not purchased from Checkered Flag)

Finding a vehicle manufactured by a company that isn’t supported by bail outs.

Building a relationship with a dealer other than Checkered Flag, one that is truly interested in taking care of it’s customers.

Related reading…. If you are interested in reading more detail about the Mini (major) problems due some Google searches with the following keywords:

Mini Cooper Sludge Build Up

Mini Cooper Engine Failure

Mini Cooper Carbon

Mini Cooper Bad Gas

Mini Cooper Checkered Flag

Mini Cooper Product Support