Complete Transmission Failure

"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss) 09/13/2018 at 21:57 • Filed to: CVT, Mini, fail

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Hey All.

Could use some advice. My mom has a 2005 Mini cooper convertible with the notorioius BIG CVT transmission. It has about 136,000 miles on her.

Apparently it has konked out and she is looking at a full replacement. The part shipped over from Germany costs about CAD $12K (like $9K US).

Several thoughts about this have occured to me:

1) Manual swap.

2) Find a rebuilt CVT somewhere and swap in.

3) Say screw it, and sell the car for parts.

Anyone dealt with this before? I don’t know what exactly the transmission is doing, could be a programming error maybe....I will try to find more info asap. In the meantime here is a remanufactured CVT I found on ebay for about $5K US.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I’ll take oppoinions on that too!

Thanks!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:02

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Manual swap. Not just saying that because manual either. If you can find one at a salvage yard, not overly expensive. If you’re handy with a wrench, you can do it yourself. Also, a manual would (probably, not sure how Mini’s manuals are in terms of reliability) be more reliable than the CVT if the CVTs are known to fail.

lone_liberal > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:07

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I’d probably go with a reman as long as it came with a reasonable warranty. There is a fourth option too, get a used one from a wrecking yard. I wouldn’t do that, though, unless absolutely necessary.

NKato > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:07

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The mini could fit in my trunk. That said, I think a regular replacement with remanufactured parts would be fine, if you can source one in the country.

I’d at least check to see if it's actually the PCM that clapped out. 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:07

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Get rid of it. That car is only worth like, 7 grand USD maybe? Crazy amount for a transmission. Think of all the running Paseos.

smobgirl > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:08

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I’m gonna vote 3) simply because everyone I know with that generation of Mini had nothing but problems, but 1) might not be a terrible idea if everything else has been ok so far.

DC3 LS, Fuck Hyundai, now and forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/13/2018 at 22:11

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Hell, you could even get yourself a couple of V6 mustangs for that dough.

atfsgeoff > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/13/2018 at 22:12

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You can buy two similar-vintage Mini Coopers with similar mileage for the cost of that new CVT.

Sell for parts and don’t look back.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:15

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Sell.  Sucks but those prices are insane.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:19

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#3, no use in  beating a dead horse.

sony1492 > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:21

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I would sell it and move on, it’s not worth a brand new trans/another  trans that will fail at an unknown mileage. But if you have the resources a manual swap would be a good idea too.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:28

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Be rid of it, it’s not going to be worth much more than the cost of the trans itself after replacing it.

Spend your $5k elsewhere.

someassemblyrequired > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:33

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The CVT in that era of Mini is complete garbage and known to fail quickly. $6-7K US will buy a newer convertible (second gen) around me with half the miles. If you can find a cheap manual and do the swap, go for it, otherwise I’d just sell it broken for what you can get, as that’s almost a miraculous amount of miles on one of those CVTs. If she needs an auto, go with a newer (07+ coupe/09+convertible ) Mini, as the newer cars have a better (non-CVT) auto box.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/13/2018 at 22:42

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I feel like 2005 and BMW is a bit too new for an easy transmission swap. I expect there would be numerous controllers and CANBUS modules that would need to be swapped over as well- probably not worth it.

dogisbadob > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:43

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You can get a brand new car for less than that up there!

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:43

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Sell unless she’s super attached to it. 9k on a 13 year old car is not worth it otherwise. A manual swap is probably ill advised, as there are untold numbers of sensors, controllers, etc. that would need to be swapped for a auto/manual swap.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:49

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What does a used one cost? If a used one could be installed for under 3k go that route. Then sell the car. A working car is worth much more than a broken one.

Figure out what it’s worth broken.

Figure out what it’s worth running.

Figure out the difference between those values.

If you can repair it for less than the difference, then repair it. If not, sell  it broken.

2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 22:53

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Part it out and buy a Honda

The Dummy Gummy > DC3 LS, Fuck Hyundai, now and forever 09/13/2018 at 23:07

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He wanted advice on a car transmiss ion , not on how to kill a person. /s

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > thebigbossyboss 09/13/2018 at 23:52

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Part the fucker.

BMW’s CVTs as put in Minis? They’re exactly as rebuildable as the center diff in my 997.2. Which is to say: IT ISN’T.

Look, if it was rebuildable? The service writer would’ve offered it when you balked at the new trans cost. Simple as that. BMW would offer a reman part. They don’t. This means it is just not possible to rebuild. No dealer is going to pass up a no-warranty rebuild job because holy fuck are those profitable - unless they know damn well it can’t be done. Rebuild is SO MUCH LABOR (aka PROFIT.) UNLESS they know full well that it cannot be done or is just going to break again immediately.

CVTs ain’t rebuildable. Anyone claiming to sell a reman? Is selling you junk. And if you want to do a manual swap? Oh yeah you are swapping all  the fucking electronics in there. And then paying to have a dealer re-code the VIN and odometer and options on top of it.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > thebigbossyboss 09/14/2018 at 07:16

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#4: Buy a JY unit, get it driving again, then sell it immediately.

RacinBob > thebigbossyboss 09/14/2018 at 07:40

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I go for the wrecking yard used part.

Ssfancyfresh > thebigbossyboss 09/14/2018 at 09:21

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Has she had the vehicle checked out at a Mini dealer or a Mini specialist yet?

$12k is a tall ask for a complete trans on an economy car. There may be a TSB or a known fix that can resolve your issue for much less than the cost of 2 used mini’s.

Autonomousautomaticautomotivemaniac > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/14/2018 at 11:55

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I agree, however get the six speed if you can. I've heard the fives were still bad, but the sixes aren't as bad as the other two

pip bip - choose Corrour > thebigbossyboss 09/15/2018 at 08:16

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take her car shopping.

thebigbossyboss > Ssfancyfresh 09/18/2018 at 14:18

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Yes she did.  The dealership said only replace transmission no rebuild is possible.

thebigbossyboss > someassemblyrequired 08/29/2019 at 22:15

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Update: she bought a leaf.  The mini is still a paperweight. 

someassemblyrequired > thebigbossyboss 08/30/2019 at 00:15

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Ugh, hopefully you can part it for some cash or a junkyard driveline will make itself available.