Hello everyone. I am debating and doing some research before making the plunge. Its a been around 5 years since i've driven a Porsche car, which ive owned 993 cars for many years. When Porsche degraded its brand in 99 I gave up on them completely and went to a Lincoln Town car which has been great but time for something sporty again. Love the look of the Cooper S, my neighbor has one in dark grey and I see it daily when walking my dogs.

I have not driven one but if I go down to the dealer I want to just make a deal rather then go to drive and than later go back. I have been reluctant to purchase due to reading several mechanical reliability issues especially in the consumer reviews section of certain sites. I am a big guy at around 275 pounds and was reluctant at first as to size but like Porsche cars they seem to be very roomy inside, a lot more so than Hondas or other small cars. Its been a shame watching high end cars become low end over a decade or so in some of the greatest brands.

Do you guys think these cars will hold up well. Its not that I am afraid of a higher maintenance car, it becomes a royal PITA when things always break.

How are the automatic transmissions holding up for the F56? I want the paddle shift option.

How is the lumbar seat option in these, I believe its the second leather option. In that option is the leather perforated or just flat. Really like the diamond look in some of the seats ive seen.

In any event, I am looking forward to placing my order here in the next few days. Great pricing and a great looking car.

 

Im a little leery of your post with the trolls reviving all the troll posts, I think it a bit wierd one going from a Porsche to a Lincoln Town car.
My F56 has been great. Drives great. Runs great. Fun to drive. The only problem is the car wash beat the tow cover port off the front bumper. Not really a Mini problem, although if it wasnt there in the first place..................
But I only have about 5000 miles on mine. I am truly hoping it doesnt wind up an undependable piece of junk after 30,000 miles like prior generations.

 

[QUOTE=Blues Trucker;4180751]Im a little leery of your post with the trolls reviving all the troll posts, I think it a bit wierd one going from a Porsche to a Lincoln Town car.
[QUOTE]

No troll here. The story with the Lincoln is its always been a nostalgic thing for me from my family growing up, so after Porsche cars went mass production in 1999 sharing engine parts with Boxster, plastic parts ect. No offense to those who like the current Porsche cars. I used to love them and owned many from 1988s to the 993s and even tried a 99 and than an 05. I recently thought about buying a 2012 but read tons of reviews like I'm doing now with Mini and decided against it, also the massive depreciation factor with current Porsche cars is horrendous. I prefer the old lady stitching the leather dash and seats and getting a solid car built on a Tuesday and knowing it was different from the next one on the line. I could beat the hell out of a 993 all day long and never have a problem. The only one time I had a serious problem was a wiring harness caught fire and destroyed a 1995 cabrio which Porsche cars reimbursed my insurance co. In the newer Porsche cars I have blew trannys, have had friends blow motors at 60k which is insane for the old german engineering.

I went to a Town car and also bought a 66 Continental which I restored completely. I was on an American car kick for a while but its been several years now. Believe it or not, I will keep the Town car, its been amazingly dependable, the wife loves it and its the last U.S made town car since 2008.

Glad to hear that on the Mini. I have seen my neighbor get a dealer loaner 2 times so far in about 2 years and I never had the chance to ask what happened. Just not interested in buying a low quality car that looks good as so many cars do today. Mini recently decided to move the manufacturing plant to China which is worrysome in itself, not sure of they made that move yet, but that would instantly stop me from buying the car.

I have not read too many bad things, only on Edmunds consumer reviews and a few things on here were somewhat bad. But for the most part it looks like a good car, hopefully like you said, it stays a good car for many years.

 

I would personally not buy another MINI. Not an F56. I've had my 2014 F56 for 16 months now, been in the shop 8 times for various issues, some of them repeat and now it's going back again for yet another recall. My R56 was solid, no issues, however, others said the R56 was awful, mine was not. My F56 on the other hand.. very disappointing. I don't trust the car beyond warranty and I have lost a ton of respect for MINI overall. Mine will be sold/traded what have you long before the warranty expires and it's doubtful I would ever purchase another.

Don't get me wrong it's fun as h#ll to drive and I'll miss it but it's not worth $33K to be in the shop every 2 months, and when I say in the shop it's not there for a day, I'm talking its there 4-7 days at a time.

 

[QUOTE=zinctwentyone;4180760]So first lemmee say sorry about the troll reference. Them first gen guys have a bad habit of feeling they have to express their dissatisfaction with the third gen a lot. Dont know why, but they do. 2 dead threads about it were just revived.
Second, not knocking the Lincoln. I have always liked the Town Car. I would have loved to get one of those big ol boats. My wife hates em.
And third. Do you have a link to that buisness about China? I have not heard that, and mine was built in the Netherlands.
I actually wonder if that has something to do with the difference in quality of the car. Minis are built in 3 different plants.

 

[QUOTE=Blues Trucker;4180895]I really can't argue with the first generation guys because honestly its frustrating to know how much quality and standards in America has dropped. I mean if you research any car today, even Subaru, you will find that there are substantial problems with quality as opposed to a decade earlier. Its a shame and tough to watch. Now or days luxury is what, Hyundai? In the past I never had to do much research to buy a car. Mercedes put a billion dollars in research for the S class in the 90s, today the S class is disposable.

I really like the Chevy Tahoe but there is a serious engine piston problem from 2008 forward that was never fixed. It makes you think if the really nice new Corvette C7 will have serious problems moving forward as well. I am debating between the C7 and the Mini. It will be my daily driver and I want dependable and fun which seems to be much tougher today than a decade ago.

Its almost like if we want dependable and lasting you have to look towards Lexus or some other Japanese brands. I never purchased new in the past, always used so it was great to get a car and know that over 60k miles she will be fine.

In any event, here is 1 of the articles I just looked up about Mini claiming to make the move from Crowley England to China. They state in 2015, I will never buy products made in China, let alone a vehicle. We need to get this country and the rest of the West back on track. Its becoming ridiculous. http://news.blackcircles.com/2013/05...uilt-in-china/

 

[QUOTE=zinctwentyone;4180905]I think a MINI plant in China for small models would make sense for far east sales, and allow them to import larger models for local consumption as the article states.
I doubt they would ship them here in the near future.

 

[QUOTE=miata1;4180926]It would make sense and be OK if that's how it worked out, but it never does. Since the GM nationalization now we have CTS cars being imported from China. I think the new 2017 Continental as well will be from China. They get a taste of slave labor and money manipulation and move the entire shop over. The west ends up with Walmart cars.

I'll check more into this as I am looking to order mid week. Trying to keep it around 27k, it will be my first new car purchase.

 

Well, at least the Vette is made only at the plant in Bowling Green, KY.

 

I agree. Corvette has done a great job with the C7, great looking car as well.

 

Never buying products from China, good luck with that.

 

Its funny, a lady I know in Vienna says the same thing. Both my wife and I are strict with sticking with American products. Believe it or not, it can be done. The problem lies with interior parts, build parts. If we can reverse the crappiest trade deals ever like NAFTA and alike, put tarrifs on China(yea yea yea trade war nonsense) and try to stop fake goods from flooding our markets it could be done, there will be some massive pain, especially brands but in a generation or so we can bring it back. IMO. Otherwise we will be living with the worst possible products ever and declining, and even worse is soon we will be relying on Chinese aircraft. Yikes! Don't know about you, but personally I would be willing to fight for that for my children.

 

MINI invested more into it's Nedcar plan in Born in the last couple years and have moved some Cooper S production there. This, coupled with the fact that this article is 3 years old leads me to believe that MINI will not be moving production to China anytime soon.

Currently most MINIs are either produced in Oxford or Born and the Countryman is built in Austria.