[tsprayfhs]

I'm looking for a set of factory shop manuals for the 2002 Cooper S. I do not like anyone working on my car other than me. The last time I got rid on a car before the 100,000 mile mark was in the seventies. I have doctored most well past 200k mi, and one to just shy of 400k miles. Without the correct manuals and tools 'Pepper' might not make it. Wife and I expect atleast 250k miles from the MINI, and I want to thank you for any help will give.

[Renzoman]

I am also looking for a Factory service manual 2003, When i contacted BMW about the dealer not wanting to sell me the manual, they (BMW) stood behind them, BMW doesnt want anyone other than there "factory Trained" people working on the MINI, what a bunch of SH_T. BMW just wants to collect $80.00 an hour for them self. I too love to do my own work, have done it for 30 years. if you ever find a place that will sell you one please keep me in the loop.
Thanks

[dsc68]

Keep a look out on eBay. The BMW service and parts CD-ROMs are frequently for sale there, some originals, some copies.

Search for 'bmw tis'. Make sure it covers the Mini though (I haven't seen any TIS CDs that cover the MCS yet though).

[cosworth]

Thought I saw a post on here that Haynes was coming out with a manual. Any further info on that?

[Renzoman]

Haynes Manuals are not the best, not very detail,
not as good as the true factory service repair manual.

[cosworth]

I'll agree with that. Factory manuals are always the best. Haynes would at least be something to use in the interim. A hell of alot better than any slop Chiltons ever came out with!

[Renzoman]

Roger That!
Maybe we should wait till we get more replies on this thread and forward all the links to BMW, let them know how we feel about the executive decision that someone made, might not help , but BMW might get a feeling of what is out there.

[cosworth]

Definitely. I've asked a number of times at my dealer already about a factory manual, and they just keep telling me there's nothing in the works that they know of.

[goldmbr]

Why not get a letter of intent from everyone interested in a shop manual or something where we send a check to BMW for the shop manual, see that we're serious. We all want a shop manual, but if we show them we are serious (money up front?) it would be hard for them to ignore.

[Renzoman]

OK, Let’s Try this,
Call 1-866-ASK MINI, (275-6464) ( it is a toll free number), Lets call once day for a week in your spare time, Get the persons name and have them give you a real answer of why we cant purchase a Shop Manual,
Then ask that person, “what is your the supervisors name and extension number” and call that person on day two.
Then repeat the process, keep working up the chain. We might get a real answer, or the manual.
I know for a fact the Dealers have them.
Don’t take an answer like BMW did not want any one but factory trained service personnel working on the MINI.
Because…… just because we want to purchase a manual doest mean that we will work on it, it might mean that we would like to learn about our new toy and how its put together.
Then last but not least, POST that info on this Thread.
Then when we get enough I will forward a link to BMW Headquarter.
What do you think?

[stryder]

Look at the link on the rear fog petition. That has nearly 500 signatures, as well as a press release that got covered. No response yet, and all that is asking for is a computer programming option.

Somehow I think all the people who have BMW's have already tried to get the manual and failed, and a few MINI people aren't going to change BMW's view. But more power to you if you keep bugging them, and especially if you get somewhere.

[ncdave]

Considering that I own the Factory Service Manuals from everything I've owned for the past twenty-five years, I join in all the suggestions made here. It seems especially important here as currently most of us, in the USA at least, are at least 100 miles or more from our nearest dealer and it does make troubleshooting minor issues more convenient. That argument should be raised as it differs greatly from that faced by your average BMW owner where the dealer is likely in your town. If anyone hears of a Haynes or Bentley Manual, please let us know. A Merry Christmas to all.

[dsc68]

An official BMW Workshop Manual will never happen. BMW keep extremely tight controls on who is able to service their cars. They even go to the extent of only ever leasing the MOPICs (the laptop looking terminals with diagnostic software) to authorised dealers. MOPICs are available on the black market but the last price I heard was $US12,000 - not for your average home workshop.

Even the technical manual CD-ROMS are supposed to be returned when new ones are issued. Copies are available but there are some things that can't be done without the MOPIC.

BMW isn't stupid. They know there is more money to be made from servicing cars than selling factory manuals. They are also protecting their reputation and our resale values by ensuring only authorised and fully trained technicians work on our cars.

[tsprayfhs]

Our search is over the TIS CDs and the ETK CDs 10/2992 and 09/2002 respectively are available now. I just spoke with the around 12:30 pm 12/23/02. these DO cover the MCS manufactured by those dates. They get $199 for each set. A lot less than I've paid for some factory sets. All you need to do is get out your check book and tell BMW to go bite a rock.

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Motor On

[Renzoman]

Thanks for the information, I called up and left a message to see if the 2003 service repair manual is available, they will get back to me I will let everyone know.
In reference to DSC68, how does not having a manual for public sale help to keep the resale of a vehicle higher? You don’t think for one minute that by not having a manual for sale to the public is going to stop foreign repair shops from working on cars and doing just as good or better than some BMW/MINI shops…. do you?
And by all means I never would suggest that BMW is stupid, I realize that there is more money in selling service, than service books.
But I have a question for you, do you have any affiliations with BMW, because you respond has a slight ting of a company man answer. No harm intended.
So to all, maybe we should not stop looking for a better answer.
Thanks

[cosworth]

Think I'd rather just be able to pay 50 to 100 bucks for a factory manual printed on PAPER, that I can reference while working on the car, than spend 200 for a CD that I have to run back and forth to my computer to read. I'll wait.

[Satelite]

Think i'd rather have a CD so i could PRINT a page, and not get my nice expensive book ruined

[cosworth]

So you'll buy the CD to print procedures from, every time you need to work on the car, and buy the book to, what, pack away in a hermetically sealed envelope in the hopes that 20 years from now it will be worth a million bucks? I'd buy the book as a tool, just like any other tool in my box, all of which are filthy, mainly because I use the hell out of them. So if I get a few greasy fingerprints on the pages, I'm certainly not going to kill myself.

[tsprayfhs]

Think I'd rather just be able to pay 50 to 100 bucks for a factory manual printed on PAPER, that I can reference while working on the car, than spend 200 for a CD that I have to run back and forth to my computer to read. I'll wait.


__________________
2002 MCS, DS/B/BBS, Sport, Prem, Cloth, 17's
1969 Morris Cooper MK2, Tartan Red/Black, 998cc, Twin HS2's

Mr. Cosworth

To whom are you going to hand this money. If you have found some one please speak up. Some cars have been in production for more than a decade, without a printed manual being released. The price of the software will be recooped the first time you do not go to a dealer.

[cosworth]

Like I said before, I'll wait. I've got a 3 year service agreement. Perhaps in that time, a printed manual will be released. If not, I'll worry about it at that time.