General DiscussionUse this forum to discuss MINI topics which are not related to other forums. Posts may be moved from here to alternative forums by the moderators without notice
I'm new and I did a stupid thing...sorry, a bit long
Hi All,
My wife picked up her new Cooper S about a month ago. She's been waiting for this car for about a year (needed to be automatic). She's been so happy with the car and extremely careful with it.
We were out driving and we got into an argument. I was being extremely patient and I said I was sorry numerous times. When I thought we'd just about reached the end of the argument, she tells me to get out of her car. This was my last straw. All patience went out the door as did I. But on the way out, I slammed the car door. I really regretted doing that. It was really childish of me.
Anyways, now the door is making a sound. I don't drive the car so I can't give a good description of it. But I drove it once after the incident as she wanted me to hear it. And it sounded as if the door was just a bit loose. The sound only occurs over some bumps in the road or uneven surfaces. It sounds as if the window glass is moving against the weather-stripping. The car was solid until now. I have an appointment at the dealer to see if they can tighten things up.
I've also researched "noises and rattles" and have found that earlier Minis have had their share of issues. And dealers don't seem to be able to address many of those. What are my chances of the dealer being able to put the door back the way it was?
My wife is really ****ed and she has every right to be. And every time she drives the car, she hears that noise and it reminds her of my childish behaviour and it just gets bad from there.
Sorry to divulge so much personal stuff on my first post. But she loves her car and now it's not perfect and it's my fault. So I'm hoping the dealer can fix it. I was just curious what my chances are of the dealer being able to fix the door.
my guess would possibly be that the rattle is coming from the window due to its complex design. maybe the slam has dislodged it. a lot of people have had problems with the windows (myself included). maybe just check that it is still dropping an inch when it opens and closes. i m sure it will but at least u can eliminate it.
my experience with my dealer is that often unless u can pinpoint where it is coming from they dont do a lot. whenever i have an annoying rattle i give the area general thumps and hits then hold various bits to see if i can find the source. generally i manage to find it and they do indeed fix it no problem.
good luck and just thank your lucky stars your still here to tell the tale
I would take it to the dealer and say there was a noise coming from the door and let them see if they can sort it.
You don't know if your actions caused it (just because you only notice it after doesn't mena it wasn't there before) and you don't know that your actions (if they did cause this) should have created the problem. After all we've all slammed the odd car door.
Believe me when I say that the car was solid as a rock before this incident. My wife is extremely sensitive to everything. Borderline OCD. And her previous car was a Ford Festiva that would rattle your fillings loose. So you can understand how happy she is to have a new, solid, quiet car. And how much $#!T I'm in if it doesn't return to it's previous state.
As another example, she calls me one day almost in tears. I ask why. She says there's a scar on her car. I ask where. She says it's right under the filler cap. She was extremely upset. I knew it was normal because of the shape of the opening. I tried to convince her that it was molded that way. But she wouldn't believe me. She wanted me to take it back to the dealer and have them fix it. I was finally able to show her a picture of it on another car. And someone told us it was for water drainage. But that incident shows how paranoid she is with her car.
As for the window dropping a bit when opening the door, it still does that. Everything is as it should be except for the niggling little noise now. Anyways, I've an appointment this coming Tuesday. Wish me luck.
But you must have really slammed the door hard to have affected it. My girlfriend always shuts the doors of my MINI either too softly or too hard. Never been any problem though - apart from my nerves
Personally, if the window is operating properly, I would think that it unlikely to be the cause. Could just be that one of the 'poppers' that hold the door skin on has come adrift, or perhaps the speakers is loose. These you could check yourself by removing the doorskin, but given your wifes 'state of mind' over the car, best let the professional do it.
The one other thing it could be, and I'm thinking back 3 years since it happened to us (an I have a very poor memory) is the striking plate for the door lock might have moved/become loose. This could cause the coor to thump or rattle. Worth checking the striking catch is in the correct position and not loose. Its the bit the door lock mechanism latches onto if you know what I mean.
Anyway, make sure she joins Mini2.... we have our fair share of obsessives that she can chat too....
I was also thinking it might be the striking plate. It just seems that the door has loosened every so slightly. The sound only happens when on uneven surfaces.
Be sure not to tell the dealer how you think the rattle started. Very important! Let them assume that it started all on its own with no help from you. Don't divulge any information. I had all sorts of rattles and various noises in my first Cooper and the dealer handled them all.
How long have you been married? Mr. Mister and I fought like cats and dogs our first year, but I would have inflicted some serious bodily harm if he ever hurt my precious car.
Seems like your'e not to bothered by the problem yourself but rather bothered because your wife is bothered!
Try this --- keep the car -- but as for the wife...well...you know....trade her in!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Thanks for the different perspectives.
My point of view is that anything mechanical can be fixed. But my wife is the worrier...if you sneeze, go to the emergency room.
And yes, this is our first "official" year together.
And I wasn't going to divulge any info to the dealer. "It just started making this noise."
She thinks all mechanics are grimy. So that was another issue with having to leave her car for service. She's a neat freek. I told her that eventually, the car will have to go for service so get used to it. And how grimy can BMW service techs be? They have an image to uphold.
Need4speed--since you were willing to share: an observation based on the info posted about your wife/relationship. Car rattles/doors etc are relatively ez to fix. Relationships need servicing--more often than every 10,000 miles. A suggestion, find a competent counselor that both of you are comfortable with and do some "warranty" work. Nick
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
