NHTSA Complaint #10933885 — 2010 MINI COOPER

PURCHASE PREVIOUSLY OWNED (BY 1 OWNER, LOW MILEAGE) 2010, MINI COOPER FROM DEALERSHIP 2 YEARS AGO. CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 70K MILES. LAST WEEK WHILE DRIVING, TIMING CHAIN FAILED SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSING $3100+ IN ESTIMATED DAMAGES. FIRST ISSUE I HAVE IS HOW DOES A TIMING BELT LAST ONLY 70K MILES ON A SUPPOSED HIGH-END, HIGH-PERFORMANCE VEHICLE LIKE MINI/BMW? EVERY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED (FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC) RECOMMENDS CHANGING TIMING BELT AROUND 100K MILES, SO THE THOUGHT OF CHANGING A TIMING CHAIN WAS FOR AT LEAST 20K MORE MILES NEVER CROSSED MY MIND. SECOND ISSUE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO MINI COOPER OWNERS (SAME MAKE AND MODEL) ON OR ABOUT 2010 FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM. HOWEVER, MINI COOPER CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THE ONLY LOCAL MINI COOPER SERVICE CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS HAS INFORMED ME THAT MY VIN # WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS SETTLEMENT...EVEN THOUGH THE CAUSE AND AFFECT OF THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IS EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM MY MINI COOPER EXPERIENCED WITH ONLY 70K MILES. *TR