I have a 53 Mini Cooper with 25,000 miles on the clock. Didnt renew my warranty in the summer cause I couldnt afford to.
Filled my car up with petrol yesterday(Sat) and as I was driving out I put the car in 2nd gear then the whole car stalled. I tried to put it back into neutral but It was totally stuck. I got out and left it 5 mins and then got back in. I could then put it into neutral and tried to put it in 1st gear. It made this awful noise like something was scraping really badly and it got worse when i reved the engine. I moved the car forward a little bit but it felt like some force was pushing it back. I then stopped the car waited 5 mins and managed to put it into neutral.
I rang Mini (£130) and they sent a removal lorry. The guy(real cowboy) said my clutch looked okay but said there was a problem with the gearbox. He said there was gearbox oil all over the road. He towed the car and took it back to my house cause all the garages were shut. He tried to drive the car off the ramp but it wouldnt cause it was stuck in 1st gear. He spent 10mins shaking it off the ramp by lifting up and down the ramp.
Does anyone have any idea what my car symptons could be?
Its been sent to Mini tomorrow to be looked at.
Im really scared cause im hearing things and figures like new gearbox (2K) new clutch (1k), etc, etc, etc. The mechanic said they could perhaps recondition the gearbox but thinks it unlikely. Surely they can make some adjustments without putting in a brand new gearbox but the guy I spoke to said MINI will do their best to make me have to buy a new one.
Im sure MINI will get difficult with me adopting the "that why we recommend a warranty" stance but 25,000 miles for a new gearbox seems redicoulous. I drive my car slowly and look after it well. I have had other problems with the gear box (sticks in reverse, hard to put it in 1st) but everytime I have mentioned it, they have said it was okay.
Should I suggest to MINI that they pay somepart of the repairs as a goodwill gesture considering how rare it is for a gearbox problem after 25,000 miles?
Midlands transmissions are prone to failure and well documented on this site.If you have no warranty and have to replace it, I would suggest you contact Minimaniauk for an uprated box (better syncros and can handle more power)which is actually cheaper than a replacement from BMW,It makes no sense to replace it with another ticking time bomb.I would also upgrade the clutch as the stock ones are not great either .
First, if you are out of warranty, the dealer is the LAST place that you want to go. They charge 3 to 4 times more to fix things.
It sounds to me like the pilot bearing is shot. This is a little bearing that guides the clutch plate assembly into position when you press the clutch pedal. Anyway, this can typically be repaired with a new clutch plate assembly and not a whole transmission. This would be my best guess as to your problem, but it could be a number of things.
I might be worth calling around to find a transmission specialist that can help you rather than letting MINI do it.
We've just uprated a 139k Mini One Midland transmission to an 05 Getrag gearbox, to say the customer was happy was understatement. Before we fixed it I drove the car for 1/2 mile and turned around for fear of it giving up, the owner had been driving like it for 10k
First M45 Cooper S to run a 12 (12.96@105)
On Nitrous 11.16@123 0-100 7.1991 It's not how much you spend but how well you spend it
Last edited by Paul Webster; Mar 5th, 2007 at 05:50 PM.
I totally agree with DaFlake,take it to a transmission specialist and if you need a new transmission get in touch with Minimaniauk.Going through a Mini dealer is going to cost you big time and you still end up with a standard Midlands transmission which may last or may not.All of this assuming you have no warranty.
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Gearbox/Clutch Please Help 
