Greetings to all! As a longtime fan and consumer of Honda, I recently decided to take a look at Mini (on a whim), specifically the new Clubman S. I test drove the vehicle and was extremely impressed! What I'm NOT so impressed about: pricing, and information I've been able to find on Mini's reliability overall. 😔 Oh, and less than professional encounters with Mini personnel. Those are the major things keeping me from going forward. It's very scary for me when I consider that I could very well be going from years of worry-free owner experiences to a new owner experience with a fun and attractive car that might be filled with issues that a vehicle (especially at this price point) just should not have.

Anyway, as I continue my research I'll be hanging around in the background here!

 

Welcome to NAM. Coming from a Honda to a MINI may be much different, maintenance wise. If you're wanting to keep with that worry free, you might want to stick to that, or similar brands. Are you looking to buy only new or possibly used too? New will give you worry-free with a good warranty. Definitely keep up the research and don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

Welcome,

As a two owner MINI don't let things scare you, yes it might not be a reliable in the long run as Honda and cost effective. But its allot of fun. When you get the New Clubman it is loaded with new features that will not be on most cars in its class. The fit and finish on the Gen3 MINIs has made a large leap. Yes its in BMW territory in pricing, but its a car like no other. I would test drive other MINIs.

 

We are also new to MINI coming from Toyota. We test drove all the models and my wife fell in love with the Clubman S which is now in our driveway. I was also concerned about reliability but if purchasing new and the 16 model you get the full 3 year/36K maintenance and warranty so it's basically hands off for 3 years. We will see how the reliability is and either keep it and extend the warranty or trade back to a more dependable brand later.

Coming from the Jeep Wrangler world myself I really like the community around MINI, these forums and our dealer was actually pretty attentive so far.

 

I'm new to MINI too, I have a Acura/s for the longest time. At first I can not adjust the seat to my liking but now I finally got the sweet spot. It's so much fun to drive. I got a new one so I'm covered for the road side assistant for 3 years, then I will decide what to do before the expiration, either extend the warranty or get a more reliable car.

 

If you're buying new, the dealer will treat you like a king/queen while under warranty...at my dealer...they give free loaner cars. Furthermore, the oil changes, filters and brake pads are free while under warranty.

On my 2015 MINI the dealer even extended the warranty to 4-years / 75,000 miles to seal the deal...at no extra charge.

Owning a MINI without a warranty can get expensive...especially if you use the MINI dealer as they charge BMW prices for repairs. However, there are a lot of independent shops out there that work on MINI.

Also, to clarify most of the bad press relates to the Gen 2 S models with the N14 engine (timing chain failures and excessive oil consumption) and the Gen 1 MINIs with the CVT.

 

Here is what can be said: "He who hesitates is lost". Mini owners quickly become addicts. if you can do some of your own work on them, you are missing the intense joy of driving one!
Itsme Wayne

 

I came from owning a Honda back in 2002 and never looked back. I drive a lot and the Honda (at least the one I had) was boring, boring, boring. My MINI has had some issues, but for a 14 year old car I'd expect some issues, especially with all the mods I've done. I still drive 500-800 miles a week and look forward to getting in the MINI every time.....

 

I just bought my 1st MINI, although a low mileage CPO 2013 MCS hardtop. Although my own experience is only days old, if the car is intended to primarily be for transportation rather than recreation (AKA: "FUN"), I suggest buying something else. Mine won't accrue many miles per year but I expect it will provide many smiles per year...

 

I'm a first time MINI owner and I'll say this. I've read enough doom and gloom on these forums to know that even though my '13 Justa has been flawless I will not own a MINI that doesn't have a factory warranty. All that means is I'll be trading my car in for another MINI before it's four years old. I've owned a few nice, high end cars in my lifetime and I've never had a car that gave me the 'total' package of pleasure this MINI has.

 

So True! I have owned hundreds of cars and none have given me the joy of driving, like a Mini! Both S and base are a blast to drive!
Itsme Wayne, confirmed addict!

 

yup, came from toyota... had both for about 6 months thinking after the novelty of the mini wore off i would rack up the miles on the toyota and weekend the mini, that was about 45k miles ago.

just spent a week behind the wheel of a clubman s loaner, it is a very nice ride. definitely find a dealership you like and are comfortable with. I pass the closest one to my house and deal with one closer to work, it's just a better fit for me.