[CoryB]

I did some searching and found a variety of threads on speedometer error. Seems like 3% is a pretty common estimate.

So now my question:
MINI gives us a 5-year/48K mile warranty IIRC. If the speedometer is reading 3% high, it means I'm really accumulating that extra 3% in miles on the odometer (mileometer) too.

So (ciphering here) ...
1000 * .03 = 30 miles registered that I haven't driven.
30 (extra registered miles) * 48 (in thousands) = 1440 miles registered on my odometer that I haven't driven.

So it seems that we're being shorted 1440 miles on warranty mileage.

Are my calculations correct or am I off in left field (wouldn't be the first time) ?

[minibat]

I was think about the same thing recently. I need to find a radar unit to check actual speed. I drove my car until the gas light was on and the car said that I had enough gas to go another 30 miles. I pulled in to the gas station and took 11.8 gallons. 299.3 miles / 11.8 gal = 25.36 mpg Computer said that I was getting 29.4. 29.4 X 11.8 gals = 346.9 miles. Although I think the first time it stopped (gave it an extra hit*) it was 10.7 or so 299.3 / 10.7 = 27.9 mpg. Close, but still not 29.4 that the computer said I was getting. Not complaining, I still love my MINI! Just wish the numbers I was being given supported the numbers I was actually getting.

Motor on

* I gave it the extra hit after it stopped because I have a 4 runner and when I fill it up and it stops, the gas gauge barely reads"F". Get in and it soon starts to drop like in 20-30 miles. If I give it a couple of extra hits, I get 4 more gallons! F-O-U-R M-O-R-E G-A-L-L-O-N-S-! That is 60 miles worth of gas! Sometimes, thats a valuable 60 miles. Then the needle really gets to the "F"...kinda like me in school

[cristo]

My speedometer reads about 5% higher (actually 2-3 mph over at about 30mph, and about
6 over at 70 mph), but my odometer is within 1% of dead accurate.

[EBMCS03]

Wait so if we get smaller diameter tire/wheel combo we can get extra waranty!??!? LOL... but I think I'll run out of the 4 years before I run out of 50K.

[Barnabas]

I doubt the odo is off by that much. If it is, that is a serious issue and CoryB you're right, they're robbing us of 1400 miles of more warranty! This only applies to folks who drive quite a bit..also maybe MINI dealers should extend the warranty to 51400 miles. I will probably rack up 50k in 4 yrs or less.

[BrantV]

Quote: Originally Posted by EBMCS03

Wait so if we get smaller diameter tire/wheel combo we can get extra waranty!??!? LOL... but I think I'll run out of the 4 years before I run out of 50K.

Opposite. A smaller wheel will require more revolutions and burn through the miles prematurely. A larger wheel will travel farther than the odometer indicates. But then you'd give up acceleration.

[EBMCS03]

o ya haha i knew that... was just testing you.

[devilot76]

i'm glad i'm not the only person who's questioning the accuracy. i thought i was goin crazy! my odometer reads about 3500 miles but then it says that i have over 7400 miles till my first service-- which is at 10k. quite inconsistent... i'm gonna bring this up when i bring my baby in to get a new hatch latch in august.

[dwiese]

MINIs first service is not at 10K, it is when the car tells youi it is. The actual service interval depends on how you drive the car. This is in the manual. Mine (2002 S) says "The next service due appears in miles (kilometers) with the message INSPECTION or/and OILSERVICE, together with the distance remaining before the next scheduled service. The computer bases its calculations of the remaining distance on your driving style in the period immediately preceding your data request." on page 57. I think my first interval ended up about 11.3k

Second, this question about the Spedometer readout and its relation to the ODO was examined frequently when the MINI was new. The ODO is correct (assuming your Tires are the right size), even though the spedometer is not.

[CoryB]

Ah, thanks for that. I searched but didn't find anything about that. So I guess that the speedometer and odometer are somehow calculated differently by the computer then? There's the old school mechanic in me - I'm used to gear driven speedo/odos, not computer calculated ones.

Quote: Originally Posted by dwiese

Second, this question about the Spedometer readout and its relation to the ODO was examined frequently when the MINI was new. The ODO is correct (assuming your Tires are the right size), even though the spedometer is not.

[GadgetGav]

I think there are several issues all rolled up in this:
Firstly the different wheel and tire combos are not all the exact same cicumference (see the wheel & tire FAQ). I think that's one place the +/- 3% is mentioned.
Secondly I think in most places it's illegal for the speedo to read low - better for it to read high and have people slow down from the speed they think they're going. Manufacturers deliberately make the speedo read high. In a modern electronic car like the MINI, it doesn't necessarily follow that the odometer reads high too. The 'error' could easily be applied to the signal that drives the needle on the speedo and not to the count of miles. In fact that probably is how it happens, since the revolution of the road wheels is probably counted by the ABS sensors which are absolutely accurate (except for circumference issue above).
Thirdly, most dealers are fairly relaxed about the exact mileage for service etc. I can imagine that if there was a serious warranty claim and you were ~1,000 miles over your 48,000 they'd probably work something out for you.
Finally, if you're worried about 1,400 miles out of 48,000, maybe you'd better make sure you never spin the wheels, because that will get registered as miles travelled that you didn't really cover!!

[the bad one]

When comparing my what my speedometer says to the speed on the on-board computer (when on cruise control and with me actively checking it in real time) and comparing the speedometer speed to what those radars that show your speed when you drive by say, I've noticed that my speed reads about 4mph higher than to what both other readouts say.

i'm going to my dealer tomorrow for some other issues, and will see what they say about this as well.

[the bad one]

Just got back from the MINI dealer. I was told it's okay for a speedometer to be off by no more than 8mph, not for accuracy's sake, but legally. Mine was off by about 4mph, but that falls well within the range of factory standards and therefore it was not fixed under warranty (meaning i didn't get it fixed at all).

Anyone told the something similar?