New Getrag Gearbox for the Cooper in 2005

<p>I think this is great news, Gabe. I was never fond of the Midland Gear supplied 5-speed gearbox in the std Cooper. Doesn't seem to be made for the long haul in my honest opinion. My distrust only grew more for this transmission when some disgruntled Midland workers bowed to intentionally sabotage some of the gearboxes during the manufacturing process to protest labor related issues.</p>

<p>I think BMW is making a good move by outsourcing all their manuals from Getrag instead (The MINI D already uses a different tunded gear ratio version of the MCS' 6-speed manual) and the CVTs from ZF in Belgium.</p>

<p>I have read about complaints of 5-speed Cooper owners already having their trannies replaced or repaired after a year or so of ownership.</p>

<p>I guess it just depends on your experience with the tranny. Mine was been excellent for 29,000 miles. </p>

<p>According to <em>New MINI</em> by Graham Robson BMW originally wanted Getrag throughout the range all the way back in '97. It was the engineers in England that persuaded them to go with the Midland Gear unit. They especially made note of the R65's long term reliabilty as one of it's better traits. There were a couple other reasons for choosing the R65 over the Getrag but I'll have to go back and look at that section to remember them.</p>

<p>That being said I think this is certainly an improvement. I've always wished for a Cooper with the transmission of an MCS and the clutch of a Cooper. As I said before I'll just be glad if the cluth take up doesn't change on the MC to what the MCS currently has with it's Getrag unit.</p>

<p>Great site, keeps me one step ahead of all the dealers I know 😉 Im currently looking into purchasing a Cooper or S, and I was wondering when exactly the Cooper will get the Getrag transmission (aka if I order one soon, will it have it ;-)), and if this is something I should wait for?</p>

<p>My tranny (r65) recently went up and is being replaced as i type, i was wondering if anyone thinks i might be lucky enough to get the new Getrag 5 speed from the 05's MC. Just thought someone might know before i do.</p>

<p>My wife and I purchased one of the first 2005 Mini convertibles in late August. Guess what, 1000 miles later and we had to have a new transmission put in. I looks like the noise went away for a week and it coming back. The Engineers at Mini really do not know what going on or their not telling. I think number two transmission will be on its way.</p>

<p>BMW have developed a revised clutch which on my car at least has much reduced these problems. This has been available in the last few weeks, if you aren’t offered it you should ask for it.</p>

<p>The problem grows……….
My wife and I purchased a 54 reg mini one in November 04. On the first day I noticed a noise from the clutch/gearbox. There is a knocking noise/werring noise when changing gear when you release the clutch pedal. You can hear it more easily if you have the engine running and the car in neutral and just push the clutch pedal down and up. At fist the dealer tried to say there was not a problem, but since then we’ve had two new clutches and a new gearbox and the noise is still there. We wrote to BMW directly listing the problem and guess what, they said it was not a problem and there was nothing more they will do………..</p>

<p>Perhaps it is time to write to WATCHDOG!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>funny i found this site, i have a 2003 Cooper S, i have just been told the loud rattling noise whilst driving under strain is a ” characteristic” of the car and gearbox. I think not , i am awaiting a test drive of another Cooper S as i have been told they all do this !!</p>

<p>Have just ordered
(june 05)an 05 mini convertable (not an “S)…after reading these transmission problems, and intending to tow the car behind a motorhome…should I cancell my order and purchase something else???</p>

<p>Just got a Mini One in June 2005. It too has the noisy, knocking Getrag gearbox descibed above. My after-sales centre tell me that BMW say that’s just how it is. Reading the above comments, however, I’m not feeling too optimistic. My leasing company have recommended that I get them to road test it, for the record.</p>

<p>I wrote last year and now the 05 mini cooper convertible is on its third transmission after only 4900 miles. After all of this, now their saying the noise is normal. I believe there is a major problem with their transmissions.</p>

<p>Mine just went yesterday and I wanted to see if there was any other problems out there with 2003’s… This is my first blown clutch at 48,000 miles.</p>

<p>I use a R65 box in my MG ZR rally car,although it now has a dog kit fitted it did do a lot of rallies with the std gear cluster fitted.the clutch is std apart from a uprated plate.
Problems with R65’S are quite rare considering the amount that are in daily use.</p>

<p>can i have a copy of the entire article
please</p>

<p>August 16, 2003
This news comes from the industry publication Automotive Engineer Magazine:</p>

<p>Midland Gear, the BMW-owned firm that supplies the R65 gearbox for the MINI ONE and MINI Cooper, is to be wound up in June/July 2004, John Mortimer reports. The plan was for the site to stay operational until 2006, but a decision by MG Rover – which also takes a similar version of the R65 gearbox – to switch supply to a Getrag factory in France forced BMW’s hand, bringing the closure forward.</p>

<p>…Until June/July, Midland Gear will continue to supply BMW’s assembly plant at Oxford with it’s version of the R65 gearbox containing a synchro pack. The first MINI to take the Getrag five-speed will be the MINI Cabriolet, which starts production in April 2004. At that point the MINI ONE and the Cooper will also switch to the Getrag five-speed gearbox.</p>

<p>The rest of the article is only available in print but you can find a scanned in copy here (courtesy of Pritch via a post at MINI2).</p>

<p>Hey everyone, I am too struggling with the rattling Getrag gearbox and clutch on the Mini Cooper delivered March 2005. BMW and the dealer know there is a problem yet just say it performs according to specification! I even saw notes from BMW to the dealer stating that if the customer winges then change his clutch, if he pushes hard change his gearbox. Already had a new clutch and gearbox after just 4 weeks and the noises are still there. Everytime I change gear and depress the clutch at low revs I am reminded what a heap of junk I am driving! I would never have bought the car if I had knwon it would rattle like this. I have been in touch with Jane Noble head of customer services at BMW waste of space! When Phil Neil BMW technical expert test drove the car he noted the problems immediately but still they wont fix it!
Has anyone started a law suit yet? Anyone been successful.</p>

<p>My wife bought her Mini Cooper in June 05 , the gearbox and clutch have rattled and clonked from day1.The worst noise is when changing from 3rd to 2nd , I have tried various methods but I am unable to get a smooth gearchange The only way reverse can be engaged without a crunch or grating is to select 5th gear first (our dealer stated this is due to there being no syncro on reverse)
I have test driven other 05 models and they all behave the same , after spending over £15k , I would not expect these problems – I will post comments from my dealer soon</p>

As promised the latest episode..
New clutch and flywheel fitted last week (the mk3 clutch -available only after Sept 05).
The clutch operation is now fine and the rumble at idle is much better. The clicking between gears is still there and MINI have said they will do no more and thats its normal!!
Having spoken to a number of dealers it appears that they are well aware of the problem but with the new MINI comimng out next year, MINI not prepared to spend anymore time or money on this problem.
May I suggest to everyone that you get a new clutch and flywheel fitted as there is some improvement and if enough people ask it may make them sit up and notice but dont blame me if its no better.
Ref Richard Childs comments – my reverse is fine although I was told that MINI suggest depressing clutch and waiting 5 seconds before trying reverse!!!
I suspect your clutch is dragging a little – perhaps a new one in order?
regards
Chris

We purchased a 55 plate Mini Cooper New on 1st Sept 05. We noticed after a few days once the excitement had died down a bit that when you changed gear we had a clunk which having read this forum we realise that we are not alone with this problem. We were also told by our BMW MINI dealer that this was normal which we accepted at first. After reflection and having just spent £15k on a car we did not feel we should accept the clunk and apparent juddering so we approached them again. We were told to run it in for 1500 miles to see if it dissapeared, we agreed and 2000 miles later the car has gone in today. They phoned to tell us that it was normal and driving perfectly but the BMW engineer happened to be in today(convienient?) and he would have a look at it for us as we were still not willing to accept it, they phoned us back to tell us that they were going to fit a modified clutch tommorow(hopefully this will work!!!). Also has anyone noticed metal particles in the paintwork on the rear end or side of the Mini, when washed they can be removed with a little effort but within a few miles they are back again, we were told it could be the CAT wearing in(Hmmmmmm!) there is no evidence of particles on the roof or front of car only the rear. Any ideas?
Will post again when the Clutch has done a few miles.

I have a Nov 2004 (54) Mini One, which has had a knocking from the clutch area when cold. It went in to Snow’s BMW in Portsmouth in Feburary 2005 and had the updated clutch, which cured the problem until December 2005. Mini is currently back at snows, just had the call that they have ordered the revised Gearbox. Is this going to fix the problem?

Feb 04 build Cooper..whine coming from Midlands gearbox ( only done 8,400 miles!!).. engineer has been out with me and heard the noise and is being sorted out next week..I’ll post again if problem is sorted out completely. You don’t expect to hear a whine after 8K miles!!!

Hi all,

I recently purchased a second hand April 2002 manufactured MCS with 64,000 kilometres (39,768 miles) on the clock. After 2 weeks I noticed a rattling noise audible after I turned off the radio and air conditioner through the front passenger firewall (near the gearbox and clutch areas) when the car is in idle, but disappears when the clutch is pushed in. I also noticed that gear shifting between first and second is hard and a bit of noise is generated, but the shifting is fine and smooth for higher gears plus reverse.

In the third week I had two episodes of the rattle becoming quite loud through the passenger footwell firewall when pulling into the driveway in first gear. I took the mini to an experienced technician (20 years specialising in minis) in week 4 and he advised it’s the first time he has come across this noise in the new MCS (he has serviced the old and new Mini Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works models and hadn’t come across this noise). After spending 30 minutes investigating and revving the car in idle while manouvering the clutch, he concluded that there is a gearbox fault (not a clutch fault) and believes a faulty gearbox bearing is the culprit. He stated that the gearbox needed to basically be stripoed and rebuilt with a service kit from BMW Germany which could take six weeks to import to Australia.

I then took the car to BMW Service (the car is no longer under BMW warranty) and they concluded that after speaking with MINI regional service support that the gearbox noise is “characteristic” of the MCS, as is the light clunk noise is coming from within the dashboard but didn’t think it was worthwhile pulling the dash apart to investigate what he described may be an ordinary characteristic car noise. BMW advised me to bring the car back in if the (gearbox / clutch?) noise gets louder or the car’s performance is affected.

Now in the sixth week of ownership, over the past three mornings during cold start, there is a loud knocking noise from the clutch / gearbox area while in idle which can be easily heard over the supercharger when listening under the wheel arch, with its frequency increasing and decreasing in line with the engine revs. The noise diminishes when the clutch is depressed or when starting to drive, but still can be heard under the wheel arch afterwards (although quieter) when idling. Have contacted the car dealer’s mechanic and he believes it could be either: 1) a faulty gearbox bearing; 2) characteristic gear “chatter” (where the gear teeth rattle against each-other), or 3) Gearbox oil grade / quality / level. BMW previously advised that the gearbox oil is basically a life-time item and doesn’t need to be changed. The mechanic mentioned that the noise should not be occurring given the car’s mileage, but needed to check which model gearbox is on the car and hopefully will be thoroughly checked out next week.

My Mini also experiences a light spring/clunk-like noise from the front of the cabin that occurs every time that the mini reaches 20 kilometres per hour (about 12.5 miles per hour), then another noise around 60 kilometres per hour (37 miles per hour). Only experienced from driving after cold starting, it doesn’t happen when the car is running – stopped in idle, then accelerated. Has anyone else also experienced these noises?

Hopefully I will have more conclusive news over the next week or so on the rattle noise!