Hi MV. If you have a moment, take a look at my story. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Yesterday I took our 2014 MINI Cooper S Hardtop in for a few recalls. This is the second time I've taken it in for service, both times being for recall or recall checks.
This round of recalls will involve pulling apart the entire back part of the car's interior panels in order to fortify side impact and comply with NTS safety requirements. They will also be replacing a defective passenger side airbag.
While I was being checked in I was informed that they will also be addressing a crankshaft guide recall, which will require them to remove the lower half of the engine for inspection. If the guides are defective it will require a completely new motor be installed.
This car has 16K miles on it and 18 mo. left on the warranty. While I realize recall work is covered outside of warranty an engine swap seems like an increased chance for problems down the road. I'm of the opinion that cars in significant accidents and that undergo major repairs/replacement (engine, transmission) are never the same car again.
If the car had 75k on it, I'd be ecstatic about a new motor. Instead I'm unsettled and a bit bummed that a car that is still 'new' to me will have already been torn apart and reassembled before it's two years old.
My knee jerk reaction is to trade it in with hope that the dealer will at the very least make me whole. Is a motor replacement reason enough to feel this way? Am I worried for nothing and just overreacting?
Thanks.