NHTSA Complaint #10767526 — 2007 MINI COOPER S

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HAD A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO THE NEAREST EXIT FOR SAFETY. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR I ATTEMPTED TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVELS BUT THE CAR WAS TOO HOT TO CHECK AND I WAITED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR TO COOL. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO CHECK ALL LEVELS DOWN, INCLUDING THE OIL, WHICH I JUST HAD A CHANGE IN LESS THAN A WEEK PREVIOUS TO THIS INDENT. THE OIL LEVEL WAS DOWN 2 1/2 QUARTS AND THE WATER LEVEL WAS BELOW THE SAFETY LEVEL. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED BMW MECHANIC, HE ADVISED THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED BMW AND MINI CORPORATE OFFICES AND THEY BOTH STATED THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY MAY BE ABLE TO FIX AT A REDUCE COST. UPON FURTHER QUESTIONING, AND THEM STATING THAT THEY MAY NOT ASSIST DUE TO AGE, I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM ASSISTING WAS ZERO. THEY STATE THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER COVERING AND THAT THE CAR HAD TOO MANY MILES, 85K. I PREVIOUSLY HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED, THE AIR INTAKE VALVE REPLACED, THE OIL PUMP REPLACED, AND NOW THE TIMING BELT TO THE SUM OF $4300 IN THE PAST YEAR AND HALF. WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER AND WILL NEVER ENCOURAGE ANYONE ELSE TO PURCHASE A BMW OR MINI PRODUCT. I WILL PAY AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE, BUT WILL PUT A MESSAGE ON IT TO NOT ASK ME OR COMMENT ON THE "CUTENESS" OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS A PIECE OF JUNK! I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED TO GET AT LEAST 200K OUT OF IT BEFORE THESE MAJOR REPAIRS SHOULD HAVE EVER OCCURRED! VERY FRUSTRATED, NOT TO MENTION DISAPPOINTED IN THIS HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLE THAT SELLS ITSELF WITH A SIMPLE DRIVE, BUT MECHANICALLY IS NOT SUPPORTED BY ITS MANUFACTURER.