Drivetrain/replace clutch

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03-18-2016, 05:57 AM

stucker23

Junior Member

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Join Date: Mar 2016

Posts: 1

Drivetrain/replace clutch

I own a 64 plate Mini Cooper (manual, petrol), which Ibought about four months old with roughly 4,000 miles on the clock. It’s nowdone 14,000 miles in total and I’ve had a drive train error come up 3 times inthe past 8 months. The first time I rang Mini they said it’s probably asoftware glitch but keep an eye on it. Two months ago it came on again so Itook it to the Mini dealership in Swansea. They said the clutch was slipping.

Last week was the third time it came on so I took it back tothe Swansea dealership. They gave me the option of taking the gearbox out tocheck the clutch – I said yes, naively thinking it would be under warranty.They found that the clutch was worn and they also found score marks onflywheel. Instantly they said this was driver error and clutch or brake warewold not be covered under the warranty. The dealership didn’t seem to want toeven get in contact with Mini and explain the situation.

So £700 for the removal of the gearbox, £300 on top of thatto replace the clutch. To replace the flywheel it would have been another£1,000. The flywheel wasn’t damaged severely so I’ve just had the clutchreplaced.

Both Mini and Trainers in Swansea have offered me no helpwhatsoever. They have all point blank told me it’s my fault and cannot evenoffer me a gesture of goodwill.

Like I said thee car has done 14,000 miles in a year and ahalf. I motorway drive every day and it takes me about 10 minutes to get on themotorway from my house. I’m a 23 year old girl, I definitely wouldn’t considermy driving to be aggressive.

I previously owned a 58 plate Ford Fiesta from new. The caris now almost 8 year old and is still in the family, with 55,000 mile on theclock. I did roughly 30,000 miles myself with not a single issue, even with theclutch.

The head fitter of Trainers in Swansea did tell me that theclutch is a common probably in new Mini’s and the clutch is basically too smallfor the power of the engine (130bhp). Ihave also read a lot of forums with a number of people have problems with drivetrainerrors, transmission and clutch slipping. If the issue is common I don’tunderstand how I can be offered no help whatsoever.

I paid a hell of a lot of money (for me) to buy the car new withthe intention of having an almost full three year warranty left on it in caseof any problems – in hindsight I definitely wouldn’t have bought new.

Any advice of I can take this any further before I have togo and pick up the car from the garage and fork out £1,000 of money I don’thave?

03-18-2016, 11:49 AM

PelicanParts.com

Senior Member

Join Date: Apr 2012

Posts: 1,317

I'd call MINI directly and tell them what has happened since the dealership isn't willing to do anything. Provide MINI with the research you have found online and be sure to keep your receipts.

Intermitant clutch fault - 2015 Mini Cooper Forum