Re: 2004 Disappointment

"Alan R. Hill" <arhill@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:1ogMj.3687$bx3.491@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> My 2004 mini 5 speed wouldn't start the other day.  After two tries with

> AAA they towed it to the dealer.  The dealer said that the bad news was 
> that the battery was dead and costs $129 for a new one.  The good news
was 
> that there was a factory recall on it and they replaced it for free. 
> While there, they told me my transmission was ruined and needed 
> replacement.  Combined with a new clutch (needed but not required) the 
> bill was $5000.  The next bad news was that my car was 5K miles out of 
> warrenty.  After fixing it they told me that the brake rotors were in
need 
> of replacement.  I looked at the rotors and there was nearly nothing
left 
> of them.  None of this is phoney.  The faults are real.  What I am upset

> about is that the dealer never told me about the warrenty nearing 
> expiration and secondly, the transmission problem was systemmic and had
to 
> have been bad much prior to the event.  Talking to the manufacturer was
of 
> no help.  They just sent me back to the dealer.  I doubt my problems are

> unique.  Better have yours checked out.
>
>

We had a problem on our 2004S with the transmission leaking which required
2 
visits to the dealer to fix.  A seal was bad.  Luckily it was still under 
warranty.  It is possible the transmission was ruined by lack of fluid. 
Did 
you check out service bulletins to see if they were aware of this problem 
and didn't notify you?  You may have a case to  get the dealer to repair
or 
at least reduce the price.

As for brake rotors, the shop I use replaces the rotors when they replace 
the brakes because they have found that not replacing the rotors will
result 
in noise and vibration.  The sensor on the brakes to notify you when they 
are worn down are on one wheel only.  It is possible that the other pads 
wore down more quickly but I would have thought you would have heard them.