First off you are a little late to the party with your 'let the fireworks begin' comment... and it doesn't seem that anyone got worked up by your comments.
Second, that 'other friendly MINI site'. Is that the same site where the last post on the Countryman forum is back on Nov 12 and Nov 19 for the Paceman forums? Not hard to be 'friendly' when there is no one around....

 

Poorly working A/C, poorly working heater, rattles galore, and now a slipping transmission... HELL NO, I would not buy another Mini!

 

yes I would. I didn't lease I bought it, just a fwd s model cm manual trans. I.ve had it about 18 months. 12700 mile not a rattle and everything works the same as when I bought it. I hope it stays that way for a long time to come. And as far as the snow. The stock tires suck in it, but there summer tires should be expected. So last winter if there was a snow storm just took my truck. Wasn't as much fun. But it needed to be driven. This winter I'll see how it goes just bought some snows for her with some new 16 inch rims, and ride is a bit softer. Maybe I was a lucky one and my cm was built on a wednesday instead of a monday.

 

I am about to sign the papers on delivery of a 2014 CMS All4, but after reading this thread, I am getting some "*******" (and not Jeep ****** either!)

It seems about 50% of the respondents were disenchanted with MINI and the CMS...

It is not TOO late for me to squash the deal, I would be out only the deposit...

Advice for a first-time CM owner ( I have had previous models, R53, R56, and R58)

Thanks
packimocity

 

I would not panic. If you've been driving MINIs for a while, you must know what you are getting into. There are plenty of trouble free owners out there, like myself (knock wood). This is my first MINI, and I love it. Good luck!

 

Most of the problems that occurred were with the 2011-2012 models. It seems that BMW/Mini has cured the worst ones. I think the newest ones are an excellent buy.

 

Packimocity,

I too am a first time CM owner however I'm also a first time MINI owner. I picked up my 2014 just over 800 miles ago. I am more pleased with this purchase than any other I've made. It is a kick to drive, and everyone that sees it and rides in it loves the car. The 14 seems to have fixed many issues that were seen in previous years, but still remember that people typically don't get on here and yell if they like their car....you will just get extremes. I guess I'm on the "thumbs up" end of that spectrum. I really can't think of a car that better fit what I was looking for. It has enough room for my family, enough space in the back to haul lots of stuff, all wheel drive for the snow here in Colorado and best of all, it's so much fun to drive.

Go forward and buy it, you will not regret it.

 

Same here. I bought my '14 CMS ALL 4 about 2,200 miles ago. Great car and ride so far. I really have no complaints. 2k miles might be too early to tell, but from what I heard from a lot of folks was the problems started early in the vehicles life. So, that being said, I knock on wood.

 

For a week our Mini dealership loaned us 2013 CM while our 2011 R55 S was there for a electrical issue. I actually like the CM slightly over our Clubman S. Not enough drive time to make a clear decision. Would I buy one again is up in the air.

 

The new cm should be alot better this will be there fourth year on making them. First time items always a problem. For instance 4 stroke mx race bikes where changed from carboration to fuel ejection. The problem the pro's where having when they went off a jump and turn the bike sidways to make there height lower the motor would shut off in the air the only way to start these was a kick start. Bit of a problem. If your really not sure before you sign the papers take it out for a test drive make up your mind then.

 

I picked Darth up in May 2013 and has been a great car since. Am at about 13,500 miles so far and loving it.

 

Have just rolled over 22k miles and to date still loving this car.
Love the fun factor driving it, no maintenance issues to date, and really like the dealership. It is so nice to get your car serviced and walk out with no bill within that first 36k period.
On the fence about the run-flats, I was okay with them but getting tired of the car sliding when I hit the joints on bridges and the SLAM when you hit a semi deep pothole.
I don't actually dislike anything (I kinda knew what i was buying) but would really like to see
- back up camera
- beep.chirp or whatever when you remotely lock your doors. I hate having to turn around to do a visual check that the door has locked. I want that reassuring chirp.
- the radio seems to be a tad complicated-----new passengers don't have a chance figuring out how to use it. I keep the controls manual handy for them.
Biggest disappointment- gas mileage.....I do a lot of longer trips, and just seem to have to fiddle more with fueling than I like. Smallish tank and prem fuel and don't feel like I am saving anything in overall fuel cost. I would not buy this car for any great saving in fuel coast.
Overall---- I was on the fence for months and really fretted bout the reliability issues posted on this forum and to date I have had NONE- and that ---makes me happy

 

I don't think the question should be "would you buy a Countryman again" since there is the base model, the S model, and the JCW model. Not to mention what year you purchased your CM also seems to play a role. Some who say no bought pre-2013 models with known issues that have since been corrected. Others who say no bought the S or JCW model and therefore paid a great deal for their CM. The cost seems to play a role in their answer. I own a 2013 base and love it. I would buy it again in a heartbeat! So specifics as to what you bought are just as important as your yes or no response. After all, not all CM are created equal.

 

[QUOTE=fkelly5;3860499]
- beep.chirp or whatever when you remotely lock your doors. I hate having to turn around to do a visual check that the door has locked. I want that reassuring chirp.

In the Owner's Manual it says you can change the setting using the button on the turn indicator lever to set how you want the car to react when you lock it with your key fob, one of those is to honk.

 

But since the question is "would you buy your Countryman again" it is asking would you buy the one you are driving all over again if something happened to it.

The question wasn't "would you buy a Countryman again."

 

[QUOTE=will21123;3866686]Only if you have the factory alarm. If you don't, you cannot set it to chirp. The manual doesn't make this clear.

 

For me it might depend on the time of year the question is asked. Spring and summer, I love the car and love driving it. Ski traffic season, also known as Smelly Clutch season, I'm not so sure. A ride home from the mountains in a two truck is a novelty for the kids once, if it happens again nobody's going to want to get in the car any more.

 

Have you had your clutch replaced with a clutch from the 2013 design? It was supposed to fix that issue.

 

Sorry - duplicate post.

 

The first replacement clutch was the old design, it lasted 2400 miles or so. The current (third) one is the new design. It's been fine since I got it, but
I have no faith in the car in the same conditions as the first clutch failure, and the last two Sunday drives home from ski areas have left the car smelling increasingly ominous.

 

Yuck. It is posts like these that made me glad I passed on the All4. I really don't understand the issue here. It isn't like BMW hasn't been making clutches for decades...

 

Absolutely still the only car I would buy...

My CMS is a 2wd, June 2011 build. I've have zero issues.

 

I would buy again without a doubt. My Countryman is my third MINI. Before it, I had a 2010 R56 (non-S) and before that, a 2006 R50. The Countryman has all of the MINI goodness baked in, with the ability to take along friends and family. While it is bigger than the other MINIs, it is still quite small and very tossable. It may not be as "go-karty" as the smaller models, but it still has its own version of go kart handling. My brother liked mine so much that he just bought one for himself, and my wife wants to get one when it's time to trade in her car.

I don't race my car, and in flat South Florida, with it's stop and go traffic, I really don't feel the need for an S model. By driving non-S (NOTE, they are NOT Base!) cars, I have eliminated a lot of the trouble (HPFP, carbon build-up, etc.) the S models have, but I get the same great handling.

 

Well here is an update on my position, I said I probably would not buy another Mini earlier in the thread.

BUT

Talked to my dealer and he is prepared to work with me to get the price where I want it to be for an ALL4 that is better equipped than my current one.

I am 34 months into a 39 month lease. Hate the leatherette, small premium filled gas tank and distance to the dealership. But I do love the car and it is the first car in 17 years that I have not bailed on early.

Chances are by July I will have a new ALL4 in the driveway. Question is.......what colour.

 

What is it that you hate about the leatherette if you don't mind me asking?