So having spent some time on NAM and talking to MINI owners I've realized something:

**** is constantly breaking on these cars! Or so it would seem.
yet...
MINI owners take it in stride, help each other out if they can, regard it as art of the hobby, and share a camaraderie that I've yet to see in another demographic.

 

Remember, people aren't going to post "today I didn't goto the dealer because nothing happened" stories. So you are only going to see the bad stories.

 

This is true, but I didn't mean to say as much about stuff going wrong as the reactions to the stuff going wrong. Seldom to a see more than an "annoyed at shipping time" post rather than being irritated that it broke.
I was only saying that I'm glad to soon be a part of the extended family of MINI owners because of their camaraderie and closeness as hobbyists

 

I motor around in a 03 Cooper, 105,000+ miles, way out of warranty, had issues when he was young, but now he runs like a champ, looks better than new, makes me smile as I unlock the doors to go for a motor, with his intake/exhaust/short shifter/engine damper/SS brake lines/front strut/ mudflaps

Does that make me committed to the brand? No.
To the community? Yes

Mark

 

people are quick to help here seems like no matter what, someone on here knows about it,

 

I agree - helpful, informative and highly entertaining when the fan bois are on top of their game.

Kevin

 

Enthusiast's, by any other name.....

Is nice to see the Mini community is just that...a community....

Always nice to lend a hand to those who ask for some advice or information.

As for breaking down....you Mini owners have it "Good"! If you want to see REAL beak downs, quality control problems, and dealer inattentiveness...try driving a Lotus....! (Lotus = Lots of trouble, usually SERIOUS!)

Am impressed with what I have read here so far, and there are few cars that come straight from the dealership that handle as well, get the mileage or are as fun to drive as a MC....so, accept that it might be a bit quirky at times, and ENJOY it....! (The Honda, BMW, Acura, Lexus and such owners ONLY wish they could say the same...) They all just drive 4 wheels and a steering wheel....!

 

Whenever people start asking me about the MINI, the community of MINIsts is one of the things I "talk up" about the car. You get just about every single age, race, occupation, LOCATION, and yet...more often than not, the kind of people who buy (AND ENJOY MINIs) are also really NICE people. i think of it as "my" community, and my support group. And the support doesn't even have to be about MINIs.

 

Go on the Toyota forums and see what folks are saying there. Like 'em or not, they are usually the most reliable cars on the road, but to read the Corolla forums you'd think they were the modern version of a Chevy Vega. People are much more prone to kvetch than to say anything positive.