NHTSA Complaint #10670588 — 2007 MINI COOPER

I BOUGHT A CAR FROM NEW COUNTRY MINI IN HARTFORD ON JANUARY 2, 2015. AT FIRST THE CAR WORKED GREAT, HOWEVER THE FRICTION POINT OF THE CLUTCH WAS PRETTY FAR TOWARDS THE END RANGE. BECAUSE IT'S A HYDRAULIC CLUTCH, I THOUGHT THIS WAS ADJUSTABLE. HOWEVER I STARTED NOTICING THE NEXT DAY THAT THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING OUT OF FIRST AND IN REVERSE. I EMAILED THE PERSON AT NEW COUNTRY MINI FROM WHOM I BOUGHT IT FROM EXPLAINING WHAT I WAS HEARING/FEELING AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLUTCH GOING. HE REPLIED THAT IT PROBABLY JUST NEEDED TO BE OILED AND IT WOULD BE FINE. HE DID NOT ASK ANY OTHER QUALIFYING QUESTIONS, OR OFFER TO LOOK AT IT. AS OF JANUARY 5, THE CLUTCH HAS BECOME EXPONENTIALLY WORSE. THE CAR NOW SHUTTERS WHILE ENGAGING THE CLUTCH, AND CONTINUES TO SHUTTER AFTER THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN ENGAGED. ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR. ALSO, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST CAR I'VE HAD THAT WAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE ONE WHEN I WAS 16, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS DRIVER ERROR; ESPECIALLY HOW QUICK THE CLUTCH DIMINISHED. I AM INCLINED TO THINK THAT NEW COUNTRY MINI NEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO SELLING IT, BUT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MOREOVER, THERE IS A CLUNK THAT HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR. ANY AND ALL HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR