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The Cooper POS seems to have a power steering pump going out. It runs constantly (even with the ignition turned off, running down the battery). I was hoping that maybe it just had a leak, and topping off the reservoir would stop the pump.
To that end, I called MINI to make sure they didn't require Magic Unicorn Blood as power steering fluid. The service representative refused to tell me what grade fluid to use, and told me to take it to the dealership. I explained my opinion of the dealership, and my unwillingness to give MINI another fucking penny of my hard-earned money. He told me that he was sorry, but I was SOL, he didn't have access to that information.
I called the dealership, and they gave me the grade. Pentosin CHF 11S, which is the automotive equivalent of Magic Unicorn Blood (note the $25 price tag for a bottle of $3 Power Steering Fluid). Also, Advance Auto Parts doesn't have it. Neither does AutoZone. They directed me to a garage that specializes in BMW repairs, and they sold me a can of it.
Then back home, where I took the top of the power steering reservoir and immediately dropped it down the engine, where it got hung and we spent fifteen minutes trying to locate it, and another two minutes trying to knock it loose. I topped off the reservoir (I assumed the notch on the dipstick on the top was the fill line), and it didn't work. Then Mrs. Cwabs shouted at me.
She's taking it to the shop today, for another thousand dollar repair (probably) less than four months after the last, eight-thousand dollar repair. Checking online I see that we'll probably have to replace the entire fucking steering rack, which undoubtedly will be five grand as they cut the parts out of pure Mithril.
To that end, I called MINI to make sure they didn't require Magic Unicorn Blood as power steering fluid. The service representative refused to tell me what grade fluid to use, and told me to take it to the dealership. I explained my opinion of the dealership, and my unwillingness to give MINI another fucking penny of my hard-earned money. He told me that he was sorry, but I was SOL, he didn't have access to that information.
I called the dealership, and they gave me the grade. Pentosin CHF 11S, which is the automotive equivalent of Magic Unicorn Blood (note the $25 price tag for a bottle of $3 Power Steering Fluid). Also, Advance Auto Parts doesn't have it. Neither does AutoZone. They directed me to a garage that specializes in BMW repairs, and they sold me a can of it.
Then back home, where I took the top of the power steering reservoir and immediately dropped it down the engine, where it got hung and we spent fifteen minutes trying to locate it, and another two minutes trying to knock it loose. I topped off the reservoir (I assumed the notch on the dipstick on the top was the fill line), and it didn't work. Then Mrs. Cwabs shouted at me.
She's taking it to the shop today, for another thousand dollar repair (probably) less than four months after the last, eight-thousand dollar repair. Checking online I see that we'll probably have to replace the entire fucking steering rack, which undoubtedly will be five grand as they cut the parts out of pure Mithril.
