I have just put a deposit on a new Mini Cooper S Convertible Highgate. It will be my first Mini, and my first convertible. I had been secretly intrigued by Minis for the last few years, but questioned the practicality of such a car. Recently, my wife mentioned that it might be pretty coo to have a Mini. That was all the encouragement or permission I needed.

My car is currently in it's final production stages and should be delivered around the beginning of November.

I am extremely excited and a little apprehensive a the same time. This is truly a whimsical purchase, ok maybe partially a mid-life crisis purchase.

While I understand that Minis are fine quality automobiles, I have also read some horror stories about breakdowns and expensive repairs not covered by the warrantees. I'm hoping they are just strange anomolies. I had read the same things about Land Rovers before I bought one. We're now on our second LR and they have both been terrific.

So, anyway, I have thrown caution to the wind, and taken the plunge. I look forward to sharing stories and advice about Minis.

 

Congrats! I too am waiting on a Highgate. Mine should be here towards the end of this month. So excited.

 

Congrats! I was in a similar situation where i had been wanting a MINI for years, but instead went with a different car. I just recently got rid of my old car and got my Clubman S.

As far as issues go, i feel a majority of people post when they have issues. If the car isn't having any problems, most are too busy driving rather than posting about it

Stay for a while and read up on the forums. While issues can always happen down the road, it is also why you have factory warranties as well as extended warranties if you intend on keeping the car. You'll also find that you can learn from this forum and make sure you do all the things that can extend the life of your car to keep it running smoothly.

Just to get you started, people here recommend changing your oil immediately after your first 2k mile break in... even though the first MINI recommended service is at 15K. You should also do it every 3-5k after that first one. Oil changes are simple to do and oil filters can be found online for cheap.