In this case, the dog being a MINI Cooper S. Took it to the shop to get new brakes. Turns out a wheel sensor is fried, a hub is about to explode, and of course, the brakes. Grand total 1350.92. I refuse to work on the damn thing, because I hate it. And this, this is why. And we're not done, yet.
Against my advice, my daughter purchased a Mini Cooper S. In the year she had the car, she was only able to drive it about 1 out of every 3 weeks. I hated the car. That is only my story, yours might be different.
A few years ago I purchased a used Mini S. I owned the car three months, the car was in the shop (under the used car policy) for SIX (06) weeks!!!!! GOOD BYE.
Yes I will buy another one, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..........
I dropped the transmission, replaced everything from the master cylinder to the clutch. The flywheel came loose before I could even get the line bled due to the broken seal that took me some favors to get. I dropped the transmission, but couldn't get the clutch line off, so I just pushed the transmission to the side. By the time I got done bolting the transmission back up, I noticed the slave cylinder had broken. Now I'm dropping the transmission once again before the truck even gets to move under its own power. I feel your pain. I feel. Your pain...
Honestly, it's been a reliable car, and a ton of fun to drive. Just... BMW parts HURT. I like my mx6, I can rebuild the entire berkeleying car for 75$. And it's not that I hate the car, I just LOATHE working on it.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, I priced a non-S Mini brake job for a customer today and it came under $360.
I was kind of shocked I got it that low.
This is the stuff I snicker at when someone mentions that they're in the market for a used MINI. Seems like an exercise in masochism (much like why I avoid the "high-end/solid build quality" experience of owning a German car)
Sorry about your misfortune, mndsm. I get no joy out of your horrible experience.
In reply to mndsm:
I'm afraid I don't feel your pain. MINI brakes are some of the easiest to replace out there. The rotor often rusts to the hub, but that can be dealt with. The hub bearing is equally easy - 4 bolts on the carrier and the axle nut - none of the annoying pressed-in-bearing B.S. of my VW. Hell, if I could get $1300 for that job, I'd be eating steak every night... Somebody saw you coming...
One came into work with clutch issues yesterday.
Needs clutch, slave, transmission, CV boots, oil filter housing... so far... 
British heritage combined with German engineering? What could possibly go wrong? 
Ian F wrote: In reply to mndsm: I'm afraid I don't feel your pain. MINI brakes are some of the easiest to replace out there. The rotor often rusts to the hub, but that can be dealt with. The hub bearing is equally easy - 4 bolts on the carrier and the axle nut - none of the annoying pressed-in-bearing B.S. of my VW. Hell, if I could get $1300 for that job, I'd be eating steak every night... Somebody saw you coming...
I must be doing it wrong then. It need some more stuff I WILL be tackling myself, but I did the brakes in it once and it did NOT end well.
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