[Desert Rat]

So here's a weird one... I was at the service station filling up and was looking toward the front of the car and noticed a dent in the bonnet, really hard to spot unless you sort of rifle sight the side of the car and the light is just right. I check the drivers side and sure enough, another one in the exact same spot. This is the first I have ever seen them so no idea how long they've been there.
Since I was a block from the dealership I pulled in and showed my service advisor, he didn't know what to make of it so he opened the bonnet and the dents are almost exactly where hinges attach. A curious tech saw us and walked over to see what we were doing and he saw them. We checked 4 cars and found the exact same dents in the exact same spot. They had never seen this and no one has brought it to his attention he took some pictures and said he would send them up and get back to me.
They are really easy to spot on my Thunder Gray MCS, a blue Cooper and a BRG 5 door. The lighter colors were harder to spot but we knew where to look.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm trying to get some pics of it but camera doesn't pick up what I'm seeing or feeling

 

[Rob Arias]

Be right back.... runs to garage to check on both of his new MINI's.


Nope, not seeing any dent's. WHEW!

 

[Evlkarl]

Now that is a weird one maybe that is a sign to stay away from them dark colors on the Mini. Hope you will get it sorted out.

 

[Desert Rat]

Thanks for giving it a look. I'll give the dealer a ring next week to see what he says and based on that I may have the paintlesss dent removal guy that lives across the street see what he can do with them.

 

[jaep1911]

I do not see any on mine. I am not exactly know what the defect looks like but is it something to do with pushing the bonnet open beyond its naturally resting position, resulting in pulling that part of the bonnet down? The bonnet is made out of AL and I was told by my salesperson not to push it down to close it because that would deform the bonnet.

Can you not ask your dealer to fix it under warranty as they found more cars with the same defect on site?

 

[sjp]

I had a dent specialist fix a small dent I acquired on the side of our F56 a few months ago, and he noticed these dents. He said he had seen other instances, and he assumes they are being caused during the wash process, when washers lean on the bonnet to reach areas further away. I myself had not noticed them until he pointed them out.

 

[Desert Rat]

I had a dent specialist fix a small dent I acquired on the side of our F56 a few months ago, and he noticed these dents. He said he had seen other instances, and he assumes they are being caused during the wash process, when washers lean on the bonnet to reach areas further away. I myself had not noticed them until he pointed them out.

That's an interesting idea, I'll have to watch when I get it hand washed Sunday. Was your dent guy able to remove them or did he even attempt to?

 

[sjp]

Yes they were removed and I have not had them since. Let us know if this happens to be the case. I have to say the bonnet on this car feels flimsy which I am sure has been done for the sake of weight savings. Otherwise the build is excellent, better than the R56.

 

[fean07]

I do have the same dent ... Dealership told me cannot be repaired in warranty because is user induced ... But honestly don't know how. The only thing I can think is if pressed on bonnet to close it ... Still it is a bad design if is the case

 

[Desert Rat]

I do have the same dent ... Dealership told me cannot be repaired in warranty because is user induced ... But honestly don't know how. The only thing I can think is if pressed on bonnet to close it ... Still it is a bad design if is the case

That doesn't make any sense, how do they figure pressing on the bonnet would cause two identical dents on either side of the bonnet up by the hinge mounts? I'd love to hear their explanation on that. I'd call B.S. on that one, plus I've had my bonnet open three times, the first time was on delivery when my MA opened it and he showed me how to close it, when my service advisor opened it when I showed him him the dents. The third was just yesterday when I installed a new air filter. So I know I didn't cause them.
If that's the cause then they did it because they serviced it. I'm thinking I'm going to have my dent guy take them out and watch for them and see how and when they reappear.

 

[Evlkarl]

DR, just drive behind one of them double LV gravel trucks that should fix the 3 dent problem.

 

[Desert Rat]

DR, just drive behind one of them double LV gravel trucks that should fix the 3 dent problem.

Oh man I hate getting near those things on the highway. I've already got my share of rock chips thanks to those guys.

 

[tony wright]

I have a november 2015 Cooper SD 5 door, it has the same dents on the bonnet 3 on drivers 2 on passenger side, the bonnet has probably open 5 times, could'nt understand it, took it in for service showed the workshop advisor the dents and your post, he was amazed and said he would contact the factory, not got back to me yet. it's obviously a manufacturing defect which might have been rectified now, but their certainly keeping quiet about it.

 

[02fanatic]

I detailed my new JCW last summer & immediately noticed the flex in the sheet metal on the bonnet! My gearhead instinct said "do not push down on this thing" when closing! I got my owner's manual out & sure enough it says to "drop the bonnet16" when closing. I let mine drop about 18" & have had no issues.

So, if a dealer says they don't know of a problem they don't know their own product & the manual!

It may not be a design flaw as much as a necessary evil due to impact regulations or something, & especially the need to keep the front of the car look like a MINI!

If a MINI tech actually dents the bonnet when closing, then THAT would really p**s me off!

 

[jeremybingham]

It isn't a defect it's the rediculous pedestrian crash safety regs they have to adhere to now; (mind you if you were hit by one you'd be pleased!). Basically the bonnet/car detects an impact, pops up on explosive hinges and uses the softness of the metal and the give, and the gap between it now and the hard bits eg engine, structure of the hinge area and front clip etc to deform and cushion the blow of impact. SO the bonnet has to be soft and flexi and therefore must not be pressed. TONY yours will definitely NOT be a manufacturing defect-watch the video we went to the factory, every car is visually inspected and it would be impossible to arrive with dints in the bonnet-someone in the line of delivery has leant on or pressed that bonnet and damaged it!

Cars with pop headlights are a thing of the past-they can't make them soft enough eg hinges etc are too damaging to pedestrian impact tests. Front hinged bonnets too are disappearing.

 

[Ranger052]

Hi there,

I had the same issue only 3 days after taking delivery of my Mini! I had 2 small dents on the bonnet, one by the fuel cap on the side of the car and one on the same spot on the other side LOL!!!!!

I dint want to go back to the dealer so my fix was, rinse hot water ( HOT!!!! REALLY HOT!!!! ) over the dent and immediately after that do the same but with cold water ( COLD!!!!! Cold with Ice!!!! ) and watch your baby mini magically pup out those dents

 

[jeremybingham]

Wow great tip! Not heard of that one-could be very handyto know!

 

[vetsvette]

Hi there,

I had the same issue only 3 days after taking delivery of my Mini! I had 2 small dents on the bonnet, one by the fuel cap on the side of the car and one on the same spot on the other side LOL!!!!!

I dint want to go back to the dealer so my fix was, rinse hot water ( HOT!!!! REALLY HOT!!!! ) over the dent and immediately after that do the same but with cold water ( COLD!!!!! Cold with Ice!!!! ) and watch your baby mini magically pup out those dents

I've done something similar on a hot summer day by rubbing dry ice around the dent.

 

[Desert Rat]

This never did get resolved, MINI said they had never heard of it and my service adviser didn't have an explanation for it since brand new cars on the lot had it as well, he could only guess.
I was pretty mad about it until the missus couldn't even see what I was talking about. It was like a skit from television. "Where? Look here...No? Come here, get closer...... You see it? No? Try this angle..... She got fed up, said something about me being insane (and other things) while mumbling something about me needing medication and went back in the house. With a mouth like that she should have been a merchant marine.

I haven't really worried about the dents since. I may try the hot and cold trick and see what happens.

 

[hotrunner]

I had the dent on my bonnet too after delivery. I thought that I might have missed something on the PDI before I signed my acceptance of the vehicle. Everything looked fine at the dealership. Then.....about a week later.....I looked and saw the dent on the bonnet. I said to myself, "did I miss something on delivery.?"...I let it go for two years now.......Then my bonnet had to be repainted because the weeping washer fluid actually stained the clear-coat and paint with BMW Washer-fluid...
The car went in two weeks ago for the repaint job at BMW Authorized body-shop.....I got the car back....and voila !.....not only did they do a FANTASTIC paint job on the bonnet.....but......the dent was dealt with too......no more dent.....I was lucky......case closed....for now.