After reading Josh’s comment in my last post suggesting that the noise I have been hearing is an empty power steering fluid reservoir, I took a look and sure enough there was just a tiny amount left in the can. I had planned to get my leak fixed on Wednesday but decided to cut out an extra day’s driving and get it fixed today.
And so, after a few hours at the shop, Carrie is repaired[*] and everything is groovy again. When I picked up the car I talked about supercharger options and the mechanic was of the view that I should do nothing until it actually breaks. I am convinced that an oil service is of no value this late into the part’s lifetime so I’d say it’s a replacement/recondition or nothing for the time being. We’ll see how things progress.
[*] Unless of course I get @dbwildo’s level of quality repair.
It’s a very sad situation for sure. You and DB are talking “Jap Crap” but it’s no different there when things start going wrong and not much cheaper if at all.
The few times my 4Runner had trouble it was expensive though I will say when I took it to Longo Toyota (Penske) with a major problem in my 7th year of ownership and 145,000 miles they did a great job fixing it.
Well the problem with the MINI is that it’s a “cheap” car made by BMW. When my power steering was all but empty no one carried the oil that was needed, no reason for BMW to make the car cost effective to keep running.
I think it’s just the truth with cars today but right now when people can’t just throw an old one away and get something new, there is a greater demand for repairs.
Glad I guessed right on that one. 🙂
I remember that happening years ago, and I think I drove that way for months before I thought of checking the fluid and finally brought it in. They said it was leaking out the bottom of the shaft, but being held by the rubber boot, so I never saw anything on the ground.
Amazingly it had no ill effects on my power steering motor, mine lasted till this summer, a good 90,000 miles…most people were lucky to get half that out of theirs.