Hello All!

First post but have lurking for a while. I have been using the search feature and found most of the information I was looking for. I am in the market for a new car and I am seriously considering an MCS. I have heard of reliability issues with the Mini's. Are most of you satisfied with your cars? If you had problems, how soon did they appear or was it as soon as the warranty expired? Coming from the world of Italian Motorcycles (Ducati,Aprilia), I am familiar with problems and quality issues so I understand that things break and do not always go perfectly. I guess I just want to get the most education before I buy.

Who has dealt with Mini of Peabody? How was/is your relationship with them? I may go for a test ride with Joel at MoP this weekend.

Thanks for your assistance!!

Sean
Bridgewater, MA

 

I didn't purchase my MINI from MINI of Peabody as I bought it from the original owner with only 3000 miles back in November. But, I have had service done at MINI of Peabody and they seem to be good. They paid for half my brake job recently (at only 10,000 miles), considering the car was only a few weeks out of warranty, and that was nice. They're friendly, too.

Aside from the brakes, which prematurely self-desctructed from the car basically sitting on the street in the South End of Boston for the first 3 years, the car is reliable. Recently experienced some cold start issues, always took 2 tries to start, and I read here that it could be a gas issue (though I only use Mobil & Shell). That issue seems to have fixed itself though, for the time being. I've had some weird electrical issues with the automatic climate control, radio, and passenger side window, but they come and go.

 

We're only six months and 4,500 miles in, but zero problems so far. We love our MCS!

 

I'm not too far into my ownership, but to me it seems like it'll be a good reliable car. All makes of cars suffer from mechanical & electrical issues from time to time. Toyota's & Honda's are known to be very reliable, but they are like owning an apliance...boring. Life's too short for boring cars. Go get you a MCS & smile with the rest of us.

 

Yo Bridgewater, your very close to my "home town". Hows the weather on the South Shore? Wet I bet!

Welcome to NAM.

I wouldnt worry about reliability issues. Once you actually own the car, you want mind visiting the dealer once in a while ... its worth it.

 

It's real wet. The skies just cleared. I am going for a test drive tomorrow. I am already happy with the appearance, if the drive is anything like it looks, I am sold.

My wife would like to drive the car as well and refuses to drive a manual, so automatic it is.

Here is the config I have settled on:

MCSa Space Blue/Silver
CheckMate Pkg.
Premium Pkg.
Coldweather Pkg.
Upper and Lower Invisishield
Bumper Protection
All Season Mats

 

I've had my MCS since early March. I have about 2700 miles on it. Thus far this MINI has given me nothing but true pleasure to drive. My wife loved it so much that she ordered an MC that we pick up tomorrow, and she gave up a Mercedes to get her MINI. She wanted something smaller and more economical on gas. And she saw how much fun I was having with my MCS!

I think the MINI overall is a very durable car. Very well designed and constructed bumper to bumper. I also think that ANY car you get will respond to how you treat it. If you beat the hell out of it, well, then expect some problems to pop up here and there. Just as an example of the point I am trying to make, I have been looking for a summer high performance set of tires for my MCS. I have been reading the reviews on the Tire Rack web site. I find it amazing and amusing at the same time, where someone will rate a tire at 9.5 with GREAT wear and smooth riding tire. Then the next review below it for the same tire will be a 5.5 and they'll add that the tires don't wear very well and rides stiff. Automobiles are the same way when it comes to reviews. Granted, there might be a warranty issue somewhere along the way where, yes, you might get a bad product, but these happen with anything you buy. From wht I understand, MINI stands behind their product when it's a warranty issue.

Overall, my MINI is the BEST car I have ever owned. It is the most fun car I have ever owned, and I have owned Porsches, Mercedes, Toyotas, Hondas, a Pontiac Trans-Am, plus the basic family mini-van, but that doesn't count! HA! If you're interested in buying a MINI, visit your dealer, drive all three models: MC, MCS and MCS JCW. Then just read how all the MINI owners on NAM enjoy their MINIs. Once you get bitten by the MINI bug, you're hooked.

OK, I'm off my soapbox. Sorry this response got to be so long!

Good luck!

 

Mine has been nothing but a blast to drive with zero issues. '02 with 23k miles.

..Les

 

A wise man knows to please his wife. "our car", and I use that term loosely, is HER daily driver. She loves it and says it fits her perfectly

Best of Luck

 

OMG!!

That car is damn fun!! I went to MoP today and saw Joel. Nice kid and not pushy. I really like their attitude. Laid back. The car was great and met all of my expectations. Hopefully I will be ordering my Mini tomorrow, if not, next week. Now I just need to figure out what to do to my car.

Anyone want a 2003 Cavalier with 42000 miles? Extended warranty until 72000. $7200 or bo.

Sean