Greetings,

New to the Mini world. I am a lucky(or unlucky) VW TDI owner doing buy back in the coming months and contemplating a new car purchase that I hadnt intended on. What fun....NOT.

So anyways on to the crux of the matter. Went looking at Mini's today and did a test drive of a 2 door, 6mt, non-S. It was adequate for me and I dont really think I need the S for what I use my daily driver for. I have a 625 hp Z06 Corvette for a fun car.

Dealer had basically nothing that interested me. The other 2 local Dallas dealers had nothing they could trade for that interested me either. So I am basically down to ordering a car. I dont need much so it probably works out better for me anyway and works with my time frame of needing a car by ~November.

I have gone through the "configurator" or whatever you want to call it and built me a car. I am on the fence on a few options that sound cool, but I have this feeling I would never use OR they would be expensive when they break.

So here is what I "built":
2017 Base F56(2 door)
6 spd manual
British Racing Green/White roof and mirrors
JCW Interior Package(sport seats, JCW steering wheel, Anthracite headliner, etc...) with Leatherette/Black Pearl Cloth(saw the combo at dealer in another car and really really liked it, although wish the fabric was a little different)
Harman Kardon sound system

Thats it. I dont care for all the technology stuff nor the pano sun roof.

Stuff im on the fence about:
Cold Weather Package: I live in Texas, doesnt get that cold, but some times nice to have, plus the auto dimming side view mirrors might be nice.

Bonnet stripes: I kinda of dig the white stripes, but I could get vinyl stripes installed later vs. paint from the factory

Roof Rails: thinking on these seriously as I need some way to mount a bike rack either on roof or hitch mount(still researching this stuff). Can these be added after the fact or is the roof reinforced for them some how at the factory?

Wheels: thinking ill stick with the base 15's that come with the car and go with aftermarket wheels and tires as the factory tires are reported on here to be junk. Lots of good aftermarket options I am sure.

Mini Driving modes: not sure this is worth $500. I would probably play with it at first then leave it alone.

Dynamic Damper Control: again, not sure worth $500, and probably another system to play with for a bit then never touch. Also thinking expensive to fix WHEN then shocks go out(AND they will). Are these magnetic type shocks or how are they controlled?

Technology:
-dont need nav
-dont need HUD
-dont need park assist or active driving assist
-would like rear view camera, but I dont want to ALSO have to purchase rear park distance control. Can the Camera itself be retro fitted aftermarket?
-dont need rear view mirror with compass/garage door controls
-dont need mini excitement system
-thinking on the comfort access system, although lots on here seem to regret it as you still have to push the button on the door handle.


I think thats about it with what I think would work for me. Looking for peoples thoughts on the options I am on the fence about whether you wish you had bought something or bought something and wished you hadnt and why for each. Im trying to stay under $25k and the way I optioned it out I am right there.

 

Same boat, 13 Golf going back. Mini driving modes is a must have for me. I only drive my wife's 4 door with sport mode on. Her car has DDC, not sure If it is worth it. She has NAV, I hate it as I pretty much agree and dislike the tech stuff. Get the rails factory installed if you think you are going to use them. I do like comfort access and not having to dig keys out of pocket, all our current cars have it or similar. Stripes and beautification stuff are unimportant for me.

 

Hi Gents- the auto dimming mirrors are a must have, my first F56 didn't have them. Roof rails should be a factory option, otherwise it's not worth the retrofit. Stripes from the factory are vinyl not painted , if you're doing white go for it.
My 2016 has DDC, I wouldn't get it again.

Hope that helped

 

Roof rails are a factory option, 250 bucks. I would honestly rather run a 1 1/4" hitch though and it appears there are a few choices. I already have a bike rack for a hitch. The hitches all appear to be less than or right around the 250 that the roof rails would cost. I would then have probably another 150-250 into the uprights, cross bars, and the bike attachment. So overall more money vs. skipping the roof rails and just going with a hitch for my current bike rack.

HOWEVER I could see using the roof rails for other purposes like the big dry boxes I see people have, kayak mount, etc... so they may still be a worthy purchase.

What kind of weight limit does the factory roof have?


As far as the auto dimming side mirrors, I dont think I have ever had a car with them(maybe 1) so not something that for me is a must have.

 

Get the Storage Package, it includes a few things you might expect would be standard, like the extra sunvisor and the rear power outlet. It also includes the flat-load floor and the tilting rear seats that are handy. Also the nets on the back of the seats and in the passenger footwell.

Roof rails, get them now if you think you will use them.

Look for an after-market sports supsension, as MINI is no longer offering it, rather than the DDC.

I wish I had ordered the rear-view camera. I think you can turn the PDC off.

It's not always impossible but almost always prohibitively expensive to retrofit anything on this car.

 

Best of luck with your new car

 

Thanks for all the input.

I'm trying to search around and see how these cars are holding up to higher mileage. I drive 18-20k miles a year. Doesnt look like most people drive these cars that much(as is also evidence of the used F55/F56's on the market only having ~5k miles per year put on them). I understand I am not going to get Toyota or Honda like reliability(change oil, tires and brakes for 300k miles), but if these cars turn into maintenance hogs in short order or just dont have any kind of longer term reliability, I dont know if a Mini is the right car for me. What I am gathering is "dont own this car outside of the warranty" or "buy the 3k dollar extended warranty" which is exactly what I found out when looking at the newer generation(2012+) of 3 series BMW. Things like "there is a reason that maintenance is included for 3/36, otherwise nobody would buy the cars".

The car I am cross shopping is a Mazda 3i hatch grand touring.

 

Honestly cannot speak to long term reliability (nor can anyone else on the new models). For the most part, new cars have pretty decent reliability. Also, forums like this one generally air problems owners are having rather than those that have experienced trouble free driving. Just the nature of any forum. People with an issue ask if others are having a similar problem. So a reader's impression of reliability will likely be skewed toward the negative.

Same thing on the C7 forums w/ the A8 transmissions and squeaky roof panels. I happen to have a 2015 A8 C7 and it's been perfect.

Mini's are not cheap when compared to other hatchback cars. So as issues pop up for people, they tend to yell a little louder since they paid more that others for their hatchback cars.

As I've gotten older and more financially sound, I plan to trade after my warranty is close to expire. I don't want the hassle of uncovered repairs, and the idea of getting something new every 3-4 years is appealing to me, However, if my car has been virtually trouble free during the warranty period, if I had to keep beyond that time, I'd feel fairly confident (as long as I maintained it properly) it should last me a long time and not become a "money pit".

A new Mazda or Toyota may have numerous issues during the warranty period also, and that would be a indicator to me to trade that car before the repairs start coming out of my pocket. Same with a Mini, VW, Audi, BMW, or a Hyundai. Buying any new car is always somewhat of a gamble, although as build technology and robotics have improved, chances of getting a lemon have fallen. Most problems seem to be design issues which manufactures issue a TSB and you get the car repaired for upgraded.

I'd shop for a car I want to drive and own and buy it. I thought I'd look at the new MX5 and after sitting in one and looking the car over, it wasn't in the same class as my MCS. It looked and felt cheap to me. People love them and they are a great car for the money. Just not for me after owning the MCS.

My next car will likely be a JCW. The C7 will likely stay in my stable until the C8 arrives...then maybe a sale to a private party and a re-purchase.

 

I don't know where you're at, but I'm selling a car that fits your description almost perfectly for way less than $25k. It has a few more options than you listed but still.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ni-cooper.html

Already on coilovers, already has nice wheels, comes with 15" standard wheels as a backup, still has a year left on the warranty, etc.

 

yea I get the forum aspect of attempting to figure out long term reliability and issues with cars. You are right, its everywhere(I am on the corvette forum too, C6 heads/valves is a huge topic in its own right).

The B38 motor seems to be holding up well, at least no big reports of failures or carbon issues or anything of the like, but the motor is only ~2 years old. Getrag manual trans in general are pretty bullet proof in my opinion. I have read some issues with the self adjusting clutch not adjusting correctly and wearing pre-maturely and smoking the pressure plate, but that might not have been on a 1.5l 3cyl car, might have been on an S. Most things I am reading are rattles and trim issues. I also feel like ordering a more basic car without a lot of the whiz bang stuff will help with failures and the like, although thats not really my intent with ordering a more basic car, I just dont need that stuff.

Ive been around BMW's for a while through my parents and friends that have driven them for a long time with minimal issues. BUT I do know that when maintenance items pop up, they CAN be very expensive. I am a huge DIY guy(did head and cam replacement on my C6 Z06 in my garage) so doing stuff on my own is in my wheel house if I keep the car that long.

I was very pleased with how the car I drove, drove. Materials seemed to be nice. Shifter was nice and tight. The sales person kept flipping between the different drive modes which was a little annoying. Power seemed decent, better than I expected, but I figure the cars are geared VERY low. Im hoping I can snag a car for a day or at least a few hours without a sales person.

 

Interesting, however my sticking point is I cant do a deal until November or maybe even December due to the timing of the VW buy back. So for me to say "yea ill buy your car, but just hang on to it for 5 more months" isnt fair to you. I honestly cant believe your car hasnt sold yet. Thanks for the offer, but ill have to pass simply due to the timing and the unknowns of all of that.

 

After the warranty and sometimes just general maintenance can be pricey on the German cars. I've always been partial to the BMW (even considered trading the C7 for a M2). But as you stated, if something big fails, you could be on the hook for a huge expense.

Mini was my first actual exposure to a BMW product, and overall I am quite impressed (enough to consider a C7 /M2 swap). The 2015 MCS I have has been pretty good overall. Had the smell issue which was resolved. Each subsequent year they modify and improve things so a 2017 is not likely to have any of the issues a 2014-2015 car had.

I cross shopped lots of cars that would be in the same category as the Mini. I honestly could not find anything that had the style, features, comfort, and fun factor. Seemed like all the others were cookie cutters of other hatches w/ the Mini being the only standout of the bunch. I would consider a BMW M135 if they were available here, but alas, they are not yet imported. Only regret I have with my MCS is that I didn't go for the JCW.

Being a Corvette owner, I think you'd appreciate the fun factor of the MCS. I added the JCW tune to mine and admittedly enjoy driving the MCS a bit more than my C7. I find it very entertaining to drive a slow car fast than a fast one slow

I would check with a Mini dealer and see if you could rent one of their cars for a day. Best way to see if you'd like it over the long haul. We test drove one of our dealers cars and decided on the test drive that the DDC would definitely be a ordered option on our car.

Just keep in mind the negatives you've read about the C6 and earlier Corvettes regarding interior materials, fit and finish and how much those criticisms actually affect your ownership of one. The C7 gets blasted by some about the paint quality. I find mine to beautiful (although those with an eye for flaws would be able to point out every flaw in mine). Just like the A8 tranny being adaptive...going from aggressive to normal will manifest some odd behavior while the transmission adjust back. May guys just don't get that, hence the issue.

I was actually surprised to find a number of Corvette owners also driving a Mini. That has to account for something.

 

My budget is 25k and I am really struggling to stay under that no matter what I look at. So an S is completely out of the equation unless I go used.

 

Ah, yeah that's a no go, lol. If it doesn't move in the next week or so we're trading it in. And no problem, I just figured I'd mention it just in case!

 

Therein is the problem with the Mini Cooper. Once you add even a few options, the price skyrockets.

You could try to find a MCS CPO car at or through your dealership. Price would be substantially less than new and you'll get a longer warranty over a new car.

http://www.miniusa.com/content/miniu...FcRkhgod0LQPkw

 

TDI Jetta owner here (Canada).

I'm in the same boat as you, with a much longer wait before the VW buyback offer appears. I went to my bank and had them convert my car loan to a line of credit - only have to pay the monthly interest, and VW's buyback will cover the principal.

That way I can park the VW and avoid the mileage and potential writeoff in case of an accident (and no maintenance costs), and buy the Mini right now.

Used Minis are a good idea, since there are some around here with ultra low kms (like 10,000 on a 2015), so still quite a bit of warranty left, at prices near 20K (CDN)

 

I would also add, as others have, that the Storage Package is worth considering if you plan on ever carrying stuff in it. It greatly improves the cargo versatility.

 

Surprised no one's mentioned it. LED headlights.

 

+1

 

LED light!!!

For my 2015 F56, LED light was part of the Sports Package (the only add-on I did besides Auto tranny). I went for the Sports package mainly to get the bigger wheels and better seats. I never thought I'd be this happy with the LED headlights. Now if I could do it over again, I would add $200 or so Storage Package and $100(?) advanced keyless entry.

It's a really fun car for sure, and you can get good gas mileage on highways but there are many problems if you search the forums.

As for problems that I've experienced first hand:
-leaking rain sensor gel from front windshield (there's no real fix to this. Got mine replaced 5 times and still leaks.)
-AC stink (dab of hot glue on air filter is not a real fix. Probably a bad design.)
-door jamb rubber seal scuffing the car's body paint (they replaced it with softer material now)
-Turbo return line leaking some oil (at 7000 miles, mine didn't drip, but the hose had some on it. I drive very gentle most times.)
-rattles here and there (I heard this is a feature)
-can't start moving smoothly from a stop. From gear in Drive, when brake pedal is slowly released, the engine tries to push it forward too hard. I felt less of this lurching forward on a F56S. (for automatics only) My Mazda CX-5 can start very very smooth.
-Green Mode trip computer doesn't work consistently. Software update made it work better but a lot of times it still goes whack. This is probably a lowest priority for MINI to fix.

 

Ill be honest guys, and I GREATLY GREATLY appreciate the advice and wisdom and the overall forum, I just dont think Mini is the right vehicle for me.

I went and looked at a few more today at a different dealer that reached out to me via a friend. They were willing to work between 750 and 1000 off of MSRP which I believe was a good deal on an ordered car vs. a car sitting on their lot. I was going to have to add on another couple options to get the little better price off MSRP, but I was already looking at the roof rails and storage package anyway.

I checked out a lot of the various options I was contemplating and had asked advice on.

I drove another one for ~2 hours, without the sales guy, it was a CPO 2015, but basically the same car since I mostly wanted to get a feel for the basic car.

I just think the car is a bit to small for me and the 4 door hardtop isnt really any bigger(and was a stretch on the budget) and anything else blows my budget completely. The reliability also had me questioning the purchase since this is a car that I really dont want to tinker with or have in the shop all the time, even if maintenance is covered and warranty runs until 50k miles. When people say "its a good thing they offer that maintenance cause you will need it" or "sell it before you are out of warranty" it kind of scares me away from the whole brand. I plan to keep whatever I buy for a long time. I had planned to keep my VW TDI until 250k+ miles and have a huge supply of oil, air and fuel filters to prove it! I guess I just dont see these cars being 200+ thousand mile cars, which is ok, just not what I personally need right now. Im not looking for a second "toy" so to speak as I already have one toy.

Maybe at another time in my life, but I dont think right now its the right car for me.

 

Good luck finding what makes you happy! We all buy for different reasons for sure. My Jeep has about 240,000 miles on it & I just love the thing. I keep cars forever that I love! Some people drive alot and flipping cars or leasing is of paramount importance to them! For others (like me) it's about passion for a brand! I can overlook things when the big picture makes me happy....although so far my 2015 JCW has been flawless! The F56 MINI is wonderful but may not be for everyone & that's perfectly fine....so glad we don't all like the same thing! ;-). My only advice aside from being thorough in your research (which you appear to be) is to try & not over think everything! Make the search & buying experience fun...life is short!

 

thanks, yea I do a ton of research in order to find what will work best for me. This has lead me to not even purchasing some things because I couldnt make up my mind between 2 or 3 brands or models or what not. But I am generally happy with my purchases when I do make them.

I think I am going to order a 2017 Mazda 3 hatchback. It(well the 2016 I test drove) drove well, not as good as the Mini IMO, but I have my Corvette for the serious stuff. Was way bigger inside than the Mini, usable back seat, usable "trunk" space, good reliability reports, less expensive than the Mini. I wont say its an "exciting" vehicle, the Mini wins that hands down IMO between the two, but it checks the most boxes on my criteria list(40mpg+ highway, hatch back, under 25k, manual trans). The motors in them are supposedly 100% forged internals(crank, rods and pistons) so in theory the motor will outlast the rest of the car.

I also drove a Ford Fiesta SFE with the 1 liter 3 cyl turbo motor. Hunk of huge junk. Although can be bought for 14-15k and is rated at 43 highway, but I read reports of guys getting 47-49mpg at 70mph. The biggest issue is that the only way to buy the car is in basically the lowest optioned package car that Ford makes: Fiesta SE. I wouldnt want to see an S, because the SE had basically nothing. The engine felt bigger than it is, similar to the 1.5 3 cyl in the mini, trans shifted ok, but the driving dynamics were awful.

 

^^^ get your thoughts. We had Mazda 3 4 door. Flawless and easy to get in/out, lots of easy to access room. Quick, up to 45mpg hwy (2.0), carved out of solid block. Sporty drive. Saved my wife's life when someone pulled in front of her. Hit her front/drivers side.. Cage design and all the airbags saved her. Not one quality quirk. If you are not into the MINI experience which override choosing Mazda 3, go with your instincts. Oh, yes, Mazda 3 has forged engine components, a hardened well designed timing chain, your large mileage goals without issues, likely will be achieved.

Also, might check the 2017 Impreza. Made here in Indiana. Synchronous AWD, over 40mpg, and direct injection WITH port injector too.. Why is this important? They claim a smoother torque at lower compression (Mazda uber high compression), AND main reason: port injection also sends high detergent gas over intake valves. No PCV based carbon build up that plagues most European designs. 2.0L The looks, interior design, have improved massive (for Subbie). Hard to find 40mpg AWD. Drove early pilot production. Close to sport level of Mazda. Just a thought. 4 door or 5 door hatch. In your budget.

 

Thanks for the input on the Mazda 3.

As far as the Subaru, ive owned 3 Subaru's and have intimate knowledge of them(I owned a Subaru mod shop for a few years). The only cars that interest me would be the turbo cars and they blow my budget. The other issue FOR ME with the regular impreza is a manual can only be had in the lowest trim line, everything else is a CVT which, again FOR ME, is a non starter.

Also the Mazda skyactive engines supposedly dont suffer the intake and valve carboning issue as they dont have EGR(from what I can tell) and they run quite a bit hotter cylinder temps in order to help burn the carbon off that does form. The Mazda forums overall suck(compared to this forum and the corvette forum I am on) so hard to really get a feel for if its an issue, but I just dont see it brought up ever.

Again thanks for all the thoughts on the Mini guys. Might be something I look at later on down the road, who knows where life will take me.