How fortuitous that Randy called in this week, because I’ve been meaning to call in about the very same problem. I’ve got a 2002 Cooper, and am now on my third clutch and third transmission. Here’s the story of my cantankerous clutches:
I bought the car in March 2003, new, and had no problems with it at all. As far as my driving habits and style – I live in Los Angeles. Need I say more?
In Dec. 2005, at 49,500 miles, my clutch went out while driving during rush hour on the freeway, and took the transmission with it for company. It was still under warranty, and BMW/Mini replaced both the clutch and the transmission without any hassles at all, in only a couple of days.
In Dec. 2006, the second clutch and transmission failed (on a different freeway, just to change it up), with just under 11,000 miles on them. The dealer balked, saying it must’ve been the way I was driving the car, implying that as a woman, I must be an inept driver. I argued that if it really was the way I drove, how did I manage to get nearly 50,000 miles out of my first clutch? If that were the case, you’d think I’d have ruined the first clutch at 11,000 miles as well.
Refusing to believe I’d suddenly become a lousy driver in the last 11 months, I looked into a recall that had gone out on the 2002 models’ shifter cables, which caused the same kind of failure I’d had. I discovered my VIN wasn’t part of the recall, but still, it was suspicious that my car was presenting the same failure as the recalled cars.
Sticking to my guns, and ticked off about the insinuation about my gender being the cause, I insisted that BMW/Mini honor their two-year warranty on the replacement clutch and transmission. We argued back and forth for a couple of weeks, and I didn’t back down. The dealer agreed to send out the BMW regional forensic mechanic, who I’ll call Dieter, to come inspect the car and arbitrate.
After he looked at my car, Deiter decided that it wasn’t my fault, and that the problem had been caused by a bad shifter cable – the same shifter cable issue subject to the recall. Funny, that. So the dealer grumbled and called me lots of very colorful names, but replaced the shifter cable, the clutch and the transmission, calling it a “one-time, goodwill repair.”
Clutch and transmission #3 have 12,500 miles on them, and are so far, holding up, though the clutch seems like it’s slipping, and I’m saving up to take it in.
So, Tom and Ray, I think you’re being a bit hard on Randy. Either that, or there’s something about California that eats Cooper clutches.