2007 mini one engine problems, help!

[mairenim90]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the website and looking for advice! I bought my first car 4 weeks ago, a 07 mini one 1.4. I got it from a local garage which had imported it from the north. The reg was changed, it was serviced and NCT just before I paid for it. Three weeks later and I notice that the car wouldn't start. I had to push the start button a few times to get it going which I thought was strange. A few days later I start the car and hear a loud rattling from the engine (which I now know was the death rattle), I attempted to drive down the road when the engine light came on and the car lost power and conked 3/4 times in a few minutes before I drove it straight back home. i contacted the garage and they collected it two days later insisting that the problem was a sensor. Didn't hear anything for four days and then went to the garage to see what was happening, ended up finding the car in the mechanics beside the garage where I was told the problem was with the timing belt and it was being changed which would take at least a week. I was then meant to collect the car on Friday but the mechanic was sick and hadn't finished it; was told it would be ready Saturday. Went to collect it Saturday and he said the timing belt was done but he noticed that the water pump was leaking and had to order a part for that so it now won't be ready until next week.

At this stage I am convinced that I was sold a car that isn't fit for purpose. I intend on getting it checked by a mini specialist when I get it back and while its under guarantee. If anyone has any advice I would be so grateful. Thanks!

[keith]

I'd be looking for a replacement car from the garage during the repair under warranty period.
Or my money back.

[Kriss]

Loud rattling and the consequent “timing belt trouble” diagnosis means bad news. Really bad news. If they said they are changing timing belt it should mean water pump is also being changed as well as couple of other things like tensioned idler etc. And that means they just BS you in order to stall. Back out of the deal if possible. You don’t want anything to do with this car.

[mairenim90]

Thanks for the reply. If all is fixed well and I pay a visit to a mini specialist that confirms there is no more problems would you recommend I keep the car then? I'm concerned about the long term damage that the timing chain problems have had on the car but will only know that when I get it throughly checked. Does anyone know of any mini specialists near Galway? I would travel but I don't feel confident taking the car on a long journey in its current state.

[Kriss]

You mentioned the car was serviced and NCTd, just before you paid for it. It would really help knowing if the service included timing belt change. If it did, it’s just too much of a coincidence. You be surprised how many cars still end up on the scrap yards, because of the timing belt change gone bad. No mechanic will ever admit he screw up the timing belt, but take my word for it, most of them did at one point or another.

If it was caused by timing, the loud knocking you heard were valves colliding with pistons. Damage can be excessive, thou doesn't always have to be, but it is a known fact that engines saved after timing system failure tend not to last. Even if you rebuild the head or put in new one, when the valves collided with pistons conrod’s and crankshaft bearings took the hit too. This may became apparent little later. Unfortunately cars, machines in general, ain’t made up of living cells that have regenerative capabilities. They won’t heal up. Like us.


Would I recommend keeping the car when it’s fixed. I think you should rather ask yourself if you wanna have a car, that you not confident taking on long journeys.

[mgb1978]

I don't think any MINI had a Timing Belt (apart from the 1.6 diesel from '08 to '10, which used the Ford/PSA TDCi engine).
Apart from that OP your chances of a refund are slim....if they fix the car they are not obliged to give you anything. And they are more than aware of this.

[Kriss]

Oh doodoo. What a blamage. Thought, in the first post there was something about mechanic pointing at timing belt. Didn’t occur to me small car like this has chain driven timing, TBH. Figures thou, it is BMW in the end. My bad, should have checked before posting.

[woody]

Is the engine petrol or diesel , what mileage is on it and is it genuine (many imports are clocked). Did you do a proper history check on the car before you bought it?Did the garage offer any warrenty with the car? As far as Mini specialist go your proberbly looking at BMW.

[danny]

I was only talking to a mechanic friend about this over the weekend about a similar problem one of his customers was having with there 08 mini.

These cars are know to consume alot of oil, not unusual to used 3 to 4 litres per 12000 miles

What happens is when the oil goes so low the timing chain tensioner which is hydraulic doesn't have enough oil to put tension on the chain causing the chain to rattle.

Apparently BMW are aware of this and have some form of fail safe in the engine management that will cut the car out or put it into limp mode when the oil goes below a certain level.