Mini Cooper Thoughts

2,111 Views | 17 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by G Martin 87
flipper94
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3:11p, 6/7/21
AG
Time for my daughters first car, terrible timing with the market, but she has shown interest in the mini-cooper. I have never been in or even around one. Any thoughts concerning a used mini cooper. Quality? Crap?

Originally wanted a used jeep. Prices are stupid.
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USAFAg
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3:45p, 6/7/21
AG
Had a 2014 Mini Cooper S. Bought it used for my son $16K with 27K miles on it. Quick, handled well, lots of fun till it came to maintenance and paying for it. Thermostat housing cracked three times, they wanted $800 a pop to fix it. PCV valve went bad. A $1 part, right. Nope, BMW had it built right into the valve cover...so $600 dollars. A number of electrical gremlins that were murder to run down, if ever.

BLUF: At least this 2014 model was too unreliable and too expensive to keep up with for a HS/college boy and Dad got tired of fixing it or paying to fix it.

Remember, it's a BMW and it's priced like it for MX. Not recommended unless you can afford it.

12thFan/Websider Since 2003
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Silvy
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9:40p, 6/7/21
AG
Had a Mini Countryman as a rental, it was pretty wack.

In terms of affordable vehicles, the Kia Forte is my preferred car when renting. Decently peppy, good infotainment/climate controls, and great fuel mileage on highway.
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cavscout96
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12:46a, 6/8/21
AG
One of mine wanted one. Researched the reliability and maintenance. Ran the other way.

First, parts are by BMW, so $$$$

Supply chain... Part are from BMW.... So Germany.... Long lead times in many cases. Can't imagine it isn't horrific thanks to recent global supply chain disruptions

Last engineering. The ability to do any sort of maintenance or repairs your yourself is, literally, non-existent. The engine is transverse and shoehorned in. I read several horror stories about having to basically remove body panels to get to service/repair items.

Don't walk away, run.
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flipper94
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7:57a, 6/8/21
AG
Excellent info, thanks guys. Think I'll look the small suv route. Definitely don't need the maintenance concerns described.
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chimpanzee
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8:47a, 6/8/21
Just to joint the dogpile, one more data point was C&D's long term review that they published a few years back. After decades of splitting hairs on why one car is so much better because of something trivial, this one was just a straight up trashing of how poorly build and unreliable the car was, and it was all under warranty.

2014 Mini Cooper S Hardtop – Long-Term Test Wrap-Up – Car and Driver
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Tim Weaver
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7:24p, 6/8/21
Fun to drive.

I would not own one out of warranty.
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USAFAg
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In reply to flipper94 • 7:49p, 6/8/21
AG
flipper94 said:
Excellent info, thanks guys. Think I'll look the small suv route. Definitely don't need the maintenance concerns described.
Mazda 3 hatchback or if you want a Mini cooper done right....VW GTI. Remember, you heard it here first

12thFan/Websider Since 2003
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drewser95
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In reply to chimpanzee • 8:44p, 6/8/21
AG
Damn. I had a 2005 ("first" gen) Cooper S for three years, and didn't really have any issues outside of a failed master cylinder.
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jja79
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10:00p, 6/8/21
AG
When I was looking for a car for my son I found I could buy a new Kia Forte GT Line for what lots of decent used cars with 50,000 miles cost.
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TexAg2001
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In reply to Silvy • 10:00a, 6/9/21
AG
silverado_lover said:
Had a Mini Countryman as a rental, it was pretty wack.

In terms of affordable vehicles, the Kia Forte is my preferred car when renting. Decently peppy, good infotainment/climate controls, and great fuel mileage on highway.
On a recent trip, I ended up with a Kia Soul as a rental. I have no idea the reliability of it, but I was pleasantly surprised by it and shocked with how much room it had on the inside. It comfortably fit my family of 5, including 3 teenagers, and all of our luggage. Gas mileage was great and it handled well. I'm not really a fan of the body style, but it started to grow on me after a couple of days.
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Texker
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2:38a, 6/10/21
AG
Friends bought a mini for their kid. Told them not to do it, then had to listen to them ***** about the reliability issues and maintenance cost.

Mazda3 hatchback was mentioned above. I've posted this before but the Mazda3 is a lot of car for the $. We've owned 2 sedans ('12 and '14) for the kid and both were totaled in accidents. (Not at fault). They walked away both times.
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longeryak
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In reply to USAFAg • 8:27a, 6/10/21
USA*** said:
flipper94 said:
Excellent info, thanks guys. Think I'll look the small suv route. Definitely don't need the maintenance concerns described.
Mazda 3 hatchback or if you want a Mini cooper done right....VW GTI. Remember, you heard it here first
Add Audi Q3 to these.
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HollywoodBQ
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11:56a, 6/10/21
AG
Rented a Mini Cooper out of LaGuardia for a week or so circa 2013. Drove the hell outta that thing through New York and New England. Got it up to 80 mph several times could have gone a little faster but the highways in NH, VT, MA, RI &. CT didn't really lend themselves to that.

Buddy of mine bought about a 2010 or so John Cooper Works. He absolutely loves it. But, he lives in Sydney, Australia where you're being really cheeky if you get it up to 100 kmh.

I took at look at them in 2017 when I was looking to get my eldest daughter a car and you can find them used 3-4 years old, well equipped, in the SF Bay Area all day long for $8,000 - $10,000. Which makes me suspect that there's some pending maintenance coming due. Just like BMW's Inspection II.

Feel free to laugh but I wound up buying a used BMW X5 instead.
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flipper94
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1:59p, 6/11/21
AG
I'm digging the Mazda 3 and Audi Q3. Great Recommendations that I hadn't looked at. Appreciate the assist. With the crazy used prices, those are not bad at all new. She may just get an upgrade before this is over.
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TexasRebel
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7:23a, 6/13/21
AG
I'm about to change struts on an '06 S 'vert.

From the work I've done on it before, and the condition it's in with 91K. Find something else.
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Flaith
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7:52a, 6/14/21
AG
If you like hatchbacks, I'd look at the Veloster, Golf/GTI, or Mazda 3
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KALALL
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12:46p, 6/14/21
AG
I got one as a rental in Germany and it was a blast to drive. I had it up to 180 kph on the Autobahn and didn't have any problems except that the BMW's, Audis, and Mercedes would blow the doors off.
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G Martin 87
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7:29a, 6/15/21
AG
We've had two, a 2012 Countryman and a 2016 Clubman S. Just routine maintenance on both. Minis are a blast to drive if you get an S or JCW. If you aren't a driving enthusiast (most people have neither the interest nor the driving skill) and just want an errand car, do not get a Mini. It's a quirky, expensive toy. As a third car for weekend fun, they're great. It's risky to have one as your only vehicle for transportation. And if you're not fully committed to the Mini Culture and love the quirkiness of every switch and design element, you'll actually get tired of it very quickly.
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