180 replies to this topic

[monkey]

Like you say we need a big company to buy into it. If for instance mini spares invested in this, even if they had to up their prices, it would soon spread that they have good quality products and would probably increase their sales across their whole range of products in the long run

[minidaves]

first line components i have found last best in the aftermarket rubber components i cannot fit stuff that wont last 2yrs as under eu ruling thats how long the stuff needs to gtee'd for, and i really hate cv joints boots.

[Minitrio]

As everyone else suffered the same with rubber components lasting less than 2 months. I have fitted polyurethane bushes where possible, not original or cheap i know, but saves money and time in the long run..

[Spider]

Well, before talking too far about tooling costs, who owns the tooling that they are presently made on?

 

I know this is getting in to a Commercial-In-Confidence area, but it's not uncommon for the Purchaser to Own the Tooling, in fact, it's uncommon for them not to.

[tiger99]

Omit the word "rubber" from the title of the thread and you will see the true problem. A total lack of even the first principle of quality assurance, TRACEABILITY.

The problem is so acute in many industries that legislation is urgently needed to put the cowboys out of business.

[DannyTip]

This thread has been going a few years now.  Any updates from Minispares on this?  I got some handbrake gators a month or two ago and they are like tissue paper.

[Midas Mk1]

My genuine MPi sill trim (from Minispares) is sweating marks every time it rains or gets washed, same as the petrol tank rubber seal,  its an actual joke. 

 

Thought it was waxoil at first, when you have a bright orange car, black marks that appear weekily isnt the best..

Edited by Midas Mk1, 22 June 2016 - 11:36 AM.

[Italianjob]

My genuine MPi sill trim (from Minispares) is sweating marks every time it rains or gets washed, same as the petrol tank rubber seal,  its an actual joke. 
 
Thought it was waxoil at first, when you have a bright orange car, black marks that appear weekily isnt the best..

If that's true then that's where the black marks keep coming from my petrol tank seal, it's perished so badly! I thought it was me being clumsy and putting petrol down the side then dirt sticking to it, it doesn't come off very well either!

[Alpenflitzer]

I am concerned to read about the problems. I have rubber parts - partially 6 years old - and no problems.

The rubber of bumper stops and engine stabilizer bushes nearly disappeared within some moths. I tried different sources and stated, that some "rubber" bushes contain a lot of plastic

 

So what. We have to live with it .

[Midas Mk1]

 

My genuine MPi sill trim (from Minispares) is sweating marks every time it rains or gets washed, same as the petrol tank rubber seal,  its an actual joke. 
 
Thought it was waxoil at first, when you have a bright orange car, black marks that appear weekily isnt the best..

If that's true then that's where the black marks keep coming from my petrol tank seal, it's perished so badly! I thought it was me being clumsy and putting petrol down the side then dirt sticking to it, it doesn't come off very well either!

 

I thought it was petrol escaping at first, swapped the caps over on my other Mini (no marks or leaks), and the issue persisted, plus its the same rubbery smear as the sill rubber. 

 

Not good at all, and this is an aesthetic not a performance / durable component such as a suspension part  

[Spider]

I am concerned to read about the problems. I have rubber parts - partially 6 years old - and no problems.

The rubber of bumper stops and engine stabilizer bushes nearly disappeared within some moths. I tried different sources and stated, that some "rubber" bushes contain a lot of plastic

 

So what. We have to live with it .

 

Sorry, I disagree on that.

 

Especially given it can take a few hours to replace a 2 quid rubber.

 

I've had them perish before a resoration is complete and the wheels go on.

 

Not good enough in my books.

[jamesquintin]

I had a replacement rubber injection fuel pipe (that goes from the fuel filter to the pipe towards the front of the car). After just two years the rubber had starrted to split and then a few weeks ago petrol started leaking out! This is a two year old part.

​I emailed Minispares about the problem, but never heard back...

 

I have fixed the issue with some £6 injection hose form Halfords. Wonder how long that will last..?

​Q

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

I've found rubbers perish alot quicker when the car isn't always used. My track rod end rubbers perished whilst sitting in a dry garage for 12 months

[1984mini25]

So what. We have to live with it .

 

Really! So how happy would you be with a £200-£300 bill every year and half to 2 years for your local garage to pull apart your front suspension each time, all because of some knuckle joints with 'cheap' rubbers that haven't just perished, but completely disintegrated. Although I don't pay garages and do the work myself, but it's not really the point.

 

I even dug out the original front trumpets from in the garage the other day. The rubber covers even though split (probably done when they were removed) were in a dam sight better condition considering they could have been 15 plus years old.

[1984mini25]

​I emailed Minispares about the problem, but never heard back...

 

I'm tempted to see what mini-mine have to say of why my knuckle joint rubbers keep disintegrating within 2 years. But then they are probably rolling around on the floor laughing as with the crap quality of spares that fail far too often, only means you have to keep buying them more often.