Having gone through a bit of a battle, I ended up biting the bullet and paying £2300 of the £6,300. Not happy, but getting a Consumer Lawyer involved, and potentially to lose was too much for me.
Since then, I have been contacted by another local owner, who has just had the same problem, this was 3 weeks after they had the tentioner replaced, and are looking at a similar bill. I'm sure they will post the results on here.
I can see this becoming a more common experience and hope we can perhaps all group together and expose this on a National scale somehow.
Yes it's a nightmare, and an expensive one at that. I spoke to a BMW mechanic who told me they had loads of cars in with the tentioner problem, and lots of cars needing new engines. However, as with you, if I speak to anyone front of house, or with any authority, they make out it's just a one off! It would be good if we could get this out in the open properly somehow.
OP was hit with the ban stick and was unable to take it any further as he had no access to the lists.
Shame really, he was willing to take it forward for the good of the MINI community.
It was around the time when BMW admitted (quietly) that there was a problem and started buying back cars and throwing money at fixes, several people got sorted and lost interest.
It might now be coming back to bite us on the bum? Note, I say us as a lot of the affected cars are out of warranty.
I think I was one of the first to get a replacement car from MINI, after they replaced that engine as a precaution...
I don't particularly trust that the engine will last a long time, so that is why I will buy the MINI extended warranty as long as I keep the car. While this may not be ideal for some, £400 ish for a year of worry free motoring in my eyes is well spent.
my timing chain had to be replaced as well 16,000 miles, done underwarranty. They couldnt replicate the sound at the dealers so I video taped it, and emailed it to the dealers (Motorline Brisbane) and they ordered the parts and I simply cruised in and they fitted it!!! Brilliant service...
1968 Mk1 Morris Cooper S 1310cc Downton Lake Green - White
1974 Leyland Mini 1098c Country Cream
2008 MINI Cooper S Chilli Pepper White - Black Roof
well my wife's 08 cooper s now has the rattle tonight. rattles below about 2200 revs then goes silent so I guess it's the same thing.
I've seen a replacement upgraded tensioner on the minigenuinepart site - part number: BM11_31_7_597_483 Timing Chain Tensioner - R55/R56/R57/R60 Cooper S / JCW - UPDATED from September 2011
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and was unable to take it any further as he had no access to the lists.
