Always wanted a Mini so went to buy 1 at the Knox Tn dealer. 14k cash in pocket to start. Looked and looked , but noboidy could come wait on me. Went home and e-mailed. Got reply next day saying that if I had e-mailed, she would have had someone to wait on me. PASS !! Went to craigslist and found 05 "S" with 109k for $10,500. Thought that was high, but it was mint and within KBB value, so I bought it !! GREAT CAR !! Everything worked, 6-speed (supercharged) fast, solid, well; built car !! VERY, VERY HAPPY !!n 3 Months later, decided to buy a new 1. Sold the 05 to a friend for $9500 but NO INTEREST in dealing with the KNOX dealer. Went to ask about some service on the 05 a few days after buying it, and the service "advisor" was clueless. Even calling him that was a joke !! KNEW NOTHING WHATSOEVER about cars, so how could he advise me ?? So-off to Nashville. Found 2011 "S" (ice blue, paddle auto, etc., etc.) and bought it. ($28.400 cash + tax) But -- should have kept the 05 !!! Quality was 10 times better, and I'll be selling the 2011 soon. Timing chain noise, (6k miles) and after seeing all the threads about ( timing chain, turbo, trans ) all the problems with 2010 and 2011 models, I'll pass. Seems like the switch from a 1st generation, to a 2nd generation was a HUGE step backwards in quality, and at 31k ?? No thanks. Selling it for a loss and may end up with a 2012 CRZ next week. I love this car, and it was what I always wanted, but refuse to have it spend more time at the shop that in my garage !! May buy a 05 or 06 as a 2nd car since I love Minis, but can't take a chance on having 1 as my everyday driver

 

So you have a new car with a full warranty and have had no issues but you are afraid of the issues that could arise like any brand and want to sell it at a loss? Seems dumb to me.

 

I agree, there are too many disconnects with the logic aspect of the story...

 

+1
Why would you have sold a car you you completely happy with? With a full warranty, you can get that stuff fixed. And for the record, 05's have their problems too. All cars do.

 

I sold the 05 because of the miles on it. 116k at the time. I WAS,happy with it. so I bought a new 1.YES it's in warranty NOW, but how about down the road ?? Don't you read the same forums that I do ?? 369 pages of problems on 2010's and 2011's !! Why not get out NOW, take a little loss, b4 the problems start ?? As for your question of my logic, it must be pretty good since I retired at 50, don't owe ANYONE a dime, and paid CASH for the car, and my new house within the last 90 days !!

 

Logic would entail having done your research about these 369 pages (wtf?) of problems BEFORE you purchased the car, not after.

Also, thanks for your cute, yet irrelevant anecdote about your financial independence, but wouldn't such a scenario enable you to be more likely to handle a car with a 4 year warranty and then be able to deal with any issues down the road? Methinks you just wanted to sign up to the forum to b!tch (incoherently). Somehow I can hardly blame the Knoxville dealer!

If you decide to keep the MINI, then welcome to the forum and happy motoring! If you decide to get rid of it then maybe you weren't as big of a fan as you thought. Either way, buh-bye!
j

 

But couldn't you make that statement for ANY car of any brand? "Might as well sell it now before the problems start." Except you haven't had any, might not have any, and have a warranty still. Why not keep the car until the end of the warranty period and sell it then?

 

Guess what - People on the internet will generally complain about something more than compliment. That is a known fact.

Of course you will see a high influx of 'complaints' or 'issues' posted on a forum for MINIs.. just as you would for any other car brand, a video game, a book etc.

That is just how it is. People will seek an avenue to complain more often than looking for one to just compliment to let others know.

Use some common sense. Better to sell it after the warranty expires if you want to worry that much as opposed to taking a loss like you claim you are going to this early on.

 

Well Subzero -- unlike you, I don 't judge my self worth by what I drive. I could easily afford the upkeep on the car for the things not covered, but I have no interest in spending 1\2 of my time at the dealer, getting it worked on. Maybe you should get some sort of a life. I'd lose 3k on the car, but that gap will grow when it gets older and has more miles. But--seems like you should worry about your own life, without beiong the Mini monitor And -- the Knoxville dealer had people that were clueless -- do you work there ?? Loved the 05, and do like the 2011, but do wonder if the problems are coming, and if I want to deal with the hassles. I sure that you have to, since I'm sure that your Mini is financed, and that leaves alot of people, like you, stuck with dealing with the problems, if they occur.

 

You say you don't judge yourself by what you drive, but the way you're spouting off about your finances makes you seem equally shallow.

You also don't know sh** about whether the other poster paid for his MINI with financed cash, or change from his sofa cushions. You sound like an arrogant ***.

Not sure why you signed up to NAM at all if you weren't looking for feedback and want to get out of the brand based on problems you've read about.

 

FSUFAN, I'm not going to stoop to your level (50yo?!?), you can embarrass yourself on your own time. This forum is filled with wonderful, helpful people, and frankly we don't have time for "that guy".

The solitary point that I will refute is that I "judge my self worth by what I drive". Up until my MINI, I've owned 4 cars: 1987 Fiero, 1993 Grand Am, 1994 Olds Cutlass Ciera, and finally a 1997 Eclipse base model that I purchased new and drove until it died this past May. I haven't had a car payment in over 9 years, and saved diligently since 2006 in preparation for my 2012 MCS JCW.

That's all I have, you've said nothing else worth discussing. I hope you learn what a sweet car you have and make the decision to keep it. Hope to see you around!
Cheers!
Jon

 

I have a 2011 and love it! Zero problems!!!
Go on any car forum site and there will be pages and pages of people complaining about their cars!

 

I purchased a bottle of hefeweizen once and immediately returned it in case I might not like it.

 

No sir! You returned it because you read that some OTHER people didn't like it!!

 

Hey FSUFAN,

So if you purchase a car that might and I mean just might have problems then you take out the extended warranty and you don't have to take it out from MINI or BMW. I just got my 12 CM and extended it out, through Fidelity, to 7 years and it covers everything. Why not give the car a chance and not listen to people who might be beating their cars. Look there was one guy who took it on on the track and revved the engine up to 7500K Well MINI would not cover the blown engine. Why should they. This is the first new car that I have purchased in over 32 years. My wife and I said WTF!!! let's just do it. We are looking forward to many years of happy motoring. If it needs repairs so what!!!!! I bought a MINI, if I wanted something reliable and bland I would have gotten a Toyota or a Honda or ??????

I think you are wrong in your decision. Life is to short not to drive a new MINI.

 

Oh, yeah, you're absolutely right... I was admittedly knackered at the time being Oktoberfest, and a drunken American-German had dissuaded me against bottled, imported German beer having read somewhere or another it would be a tragic error, particularly that sold at Grossen-Ralf's Haus of Bier.... but then again my memory isn't as good as it was many a year ago...

 

Please do not feed the trolls.

 

Here's the bottom line in reguards to this thread. Yes, I did say thyat I have considered trading in my 2011 "S" due to concerns about the reliability. My car, my money, and that's my right !!
For those of you that seem to get all bent out of shape, and have a little "hissie fit" -- I do hate it for you, and will only get 8 1\2 hours of sleep tonite, since I'll be worried to death about your opinion.
Yes -- I do feel that my 05 "S" was ALOT better built car. The person I sold it to, drives it daily, and everything still works, and it's had no major issues, even at 119k. I don't feel that the 2011 will still be as solid, or provide that level of service, at the same mileage.\
Yes, the 2011 is under warranty, but I have no desire to spend hour after hour at the Mini Dealer. I'm sure the guy that's on his 3RD water pump within 6500 miles, is covered also, but I'm sure that he could find better use of his time, as can I !!
And YES, please feel free to continue to send me e-mails, telling me how bad my logic is, how stupid I am, yada, yada, yada. It should be obvious to 2 or 3 of you, (you know who you are) that your opinion means nothing whatsoever to me. And -- when you continue to get all bent outta shape over it, it shows 3 thing. (1) you are WAY too ate up with your car, and it smust 1 of the few (or the only) thing(S) that you have to be proud of in your life (2) you need to find a few other ways to occupy your time, and (3) YOU ARE WAY TOO involved nin other peoples business. Worry about YOUR LIFE, YOUR CAR, YOUR MONEY, YOUR JOB, ETC., and seek professional help for your many issues !!

 

 

In the words of the logical, "I'll pass."

 

Just a word about the Knoxville, TN dealer...

I was driving through Knoxville last week and decided my newly purchased MCS needed its first service. Dropped by to see if they could squeeze me in that day? They did and had it done very quickly. The whole time I was there people were asking me if I needed anything, snacks, reading literature, etc. I have nothing but good things to say about Mini of Knoxville.

 

Because by posting here you asked for other people's opinions. After all it is a forum. We don't worry about other people's lives. We are all entitled to our opinions just as you are. Remember that every car is different and that sometimes the problems experienced may come from the way that people drive them. If you beat on any car it is going to require additional maintenance. You complained about the Knoxville TN dealer yet someone else stated the exact opposite. If he listened to you he would never have had that great experience. Bottom line, you can't always believe what you hear. If you want an older MINI go right ahead it's your money, your life and your worries. we won't stop you but we may disagree.

 

These are the perils of posting on an open forum.

Anyway, I don't blame you - I did a lot of research before buying my MINI Cooper. It was through my research that I discovered that "S" models have a much worse reputation than standard MINIs, and so I bought a standard MINI of course.

But you do know that the 05s also have a bad rep? The thing is, many people have had excellent luck with the "S" models (your case is an example). Which is why I suppose MINI hasn't drastically changed the design.

So if you like your current "S" and you really want the performance of an "S", then maybe stick with it.

If every single "S" was a major problem, they'd be off the market. It's true the odds are better with a standard, but the "S" isn't exactly a POS.

 

Yes, you are quite right about it being your right, etc, etc...

Thing is, owning a MINI is understanding that it, like any other car, has issues but you love it anyway. I have the biggest, goofiest smile on my face every time I get in and drive. That to me out weighs any potential issues.

 

If you went and bought a 2012 CRZ, it's a brand new car. No one has complained yet because they've only had one for a month. 10/11 MINIs have been around for 1-2 years. Having said that, there is many more threads about them. If you went and bought a brand new car, the only difference is you might get some problems (just like you MIGHT get problems with 10/11 models, or 2005 models) but you wouldn't have any threads to look up because it's such a new car. Give any car a year and there will be pages among pages of complaints. That is what the forum is for.
Apologies if this makes no sense, kind of rushing this out at work.