[nmottram]

If your car pulls to the left do not accept it, or let your dealer fob you off with a tracking correction. I got mine sorted in the end after much persistance. The result was a replacement of all sorts of things like suspension struts. The car is now 100 times better than it was!

[Apial]

Glad you got yours sorted.

EVO mags staff MINI Cooper "Works" is featured in this months mag. They have just written the final report after running it for a year. Their car still pulled left when they traded it in.

Why? I think that we should ask Wollaston MINI that question.

Were they one of these dealers who will not supply the redesigned suspension? Its time we started a list of willing dealers and un-willing dealers.

[lightbody]

Agreed.

My dealer, though, refused to fix it UNTIL the final, proven official fix was available. My car is nearly a year old and has only just had the fix done. It is perfect now though - tracks straight and true.

[Apial]

We bought a MINI from Sopers in Lincoln. They were given the car for 2 days to fix the left pull in July. Back came the car with the explanation that they had adjusted the steering back to BMWs spec, they even said it had gone back to the BMW depot at Thorne for checking. The car was now fixed as far as they were concerned.

The old suspension was still fitted, and the car drove as it always had, with a pull to the left. This was easy to spot as our other MINI had been fixed by Astles at Grimsby.

When Astles heard of our trouble getting the MINI fixed they offered to do it. The chassis number was sent to BMW who approved the repair. They even loaned a BMW 320td for free!

The mystery of why Sopers would not fix the car remains, but as you can imagine, there will be no mystery as to where we will be taking our business in future.

My advice to any owner who is being fobbed off is to find another MINI dealer and take your problems and your business elsewhere.


Well done ASTLES for fixing a car that they had not even sold!

[Rob.]

Hi Apial,
Did you ever confront the dealer who wouldn't fix your car?
Or even ask MINI UK for and explanation?
Glad you have the cars sorted now. You should get some type of award for providing quality information on this topic for all the members who have been affected by it. I just wonder how many people are out there who have just been fobbed off and now have a bad experience of MINI.

[Apial]

MINI Uk have never denied the problem to me personally. They have issued public statements that have tried to play down the extent of the problem. I don't expect them to issue a recall or anything, as the cost would be collosal.

They have given me updates as to when the fix was going to be available, but it was always going to be the dealer in the end who had to apply the fix.

Some dealers will not own up to the problem. I know that Sopers for example have fixed other forum members cars, but only after they complained loudly. In our case we decided not to shout MINI2.com at them, but just made a normal request for them to fix it. Their attitude was initially dismissive. This obviously was not a good idea. Why did they not want to fix it? Is there an Official Policy not to fix the car unless the Customer complains to the point of being upset and stressed about it?

Astles had admitted the left pull problem existed almost a year ago. They had already had one MINI returned with overheating and were trying to bend over backwards to make amends. They could hardly refuse to validate the complaint of left pull on the second car. They might have sent us back to Sopers, the supplier, but they didn't. Instead they approached BMW to resolve the situation.

I find the EVO car case even more disconcerting. How could their car remain unfixed? It was no secret to BMW or Wollaston that EVO had this car, and all its faults would be published. Had they been my Customer I would have fixed it asap. Or did they not fix it so as to keep the fix secret from the general motoring public?

Perhaps BMW are learning the PR tactics from Mercedes. Remember the A-class and the infamous elk test? The public soon knew about it. We all knew that all the A-class cars had to be shipped back to Germany to the factory where the new electronic fix would be fitted. It nearly crippled Mercedes. If they had not told anyone then they could have saved millions. Obviously this would have been impossible to keep quiet, so they had to do it or else never sell another A-class.

The reporting of the left pull has been almost at a whisper in the general motoring press. This is advantageous if you want to stay quiet about the problem. Now that the factory has introduced the corrected version since March, the murmurs of complaint will gradually subside, and the capital cost of the warranty work will be spread out over a longer time frame, until March 2005 when it will no longer be a Warranty item (unless extended warranty is purchased).

[PERCY]

Picked up my new Cooper S last week and guess what after 200 hundred trouble free miles and the car steering straight as a dye, there is now a definate tug to the left on the steering. I know how the car should steer having had the modified suspension parts fitted to an early build Cooper. I can't believe this can still be an issue on new build cars. The car will be going back to the dealer for investigation and I just hope it's a wheel allignment issue and not a complete rebuild of the front suspension!!!

[nmottram]

Given the car was OK at first the tracking (hopefully) has slipped somewhere. Let us know how you got on. It's a bit worrying if a car that is at first OK develops the problem.

[here2help]

i agree with nmottram youre car already as the modified front struts and anti roll bar links fitted so it shouldnt pull at all now..let us know how you get on as i have cured numerous cars with the new struts with no come backs?
cheers

[LMB]

Quote:

Originally posted by PERCY
Picked up my new Cooper S last week and guess what after 200 hundred trouble free miles and the car steering straight as a dye, there is now a definate tug to the left on the steering. I know how the car should steer having had the modified suspension parts fitted to an early build Cooper. I can't believe this can still be an issue on new build cars. The car will be going back to the dealer for investigation and I just hope it's a wheel allignment issue and not a complete rebuild of the front suspension!!!

After 2800 miles of mostly trouble free driving my S has developed a very pronounced 'Pull to the Left'. Having had this problem with my Cooper, I am less than impressed. Especially as BMW have meant to have supposedly cured this problem.

[benggolf]

Quote:

Originally posted by LMB

After 2800 miles of mostly trouble free driving my S has developed a very pronounced 'Pull to the Left'. Having had this problem with my Cooper, I am less than impressed. Especially as BMW have meant to have supposedly cured this problem.

LMB, what is the production month of your MCS? Thanks.

[LMB]

Quote:

Originally posted by benggolf
LMB, what is the production month of your MCS? Thanks.

July/August

I'm hoping it's just something to do with the tracking/tyre pressures. I asked the dealership if they would do a KDS, but they said they would only do it for free if they thought it necessary.

What else it could be I don't know....MiniGuy maybe you could shed some light on the problem?

[aoh]

Can someone tell me the reason why these cars are pulling left ? What parts would need to get changed to fix the problem ?

[LMB]

Quote:

Originally posted by LMB
What else it could be I don't know....MiniGuy maybe you could shed some light on the problem?

[M777NNY]

What a fantastic website. Joined yesterday. My Cooper has pulled to the left from day one, been to 3 different dealerships all say don't know what the fix is yet! Well wait until monday morning! Once I eventually get through to service I will tell them to look up this site. Luckily tyres have not worn unevenly, well only in the middle! New tyres due on, should
I get new tyres first?
Alan