I don't hate anything about my MINI. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bought her.
However there are a couple things I find vaguely irritating:
1) Brake. Dust. Seriously, the brake dust I find when I wash the car is INSANE!
2) Fragility of the paint.

Other than that, no complaints. I love my car. :D

 

I would have cried, and I'm a girl who hates crying. Sending good thoughts to you and Molly both!

 

Only things I don't like about my cooper is the bug slaughtering angle of the windshield and if theres water on the roof and my window is open I take a shower when I start driving

 

I have been posting about this very thing lately too.
It's been a while now, but I backed Little Wing into my husband's car.
Everyone in the family was relieved that they weren't the one to wreck LW, cause I wouldn't have ever let them forget it.

According to our insurance adjuster, driveway fender benders are the major bulk of his work. He told me that he backed into his wife's car after 20 years on the job. They'll never let him live down at the office.

Hubs came in a little while ago and called out, "I parked behind you. Don't back you car out without calling me to move mine. "
Guess I trained him.

 

Regarding the fading black plastic, get some Black Wow! It's the best and it will make your black plastic look like brand new. If it's really vfaded, you may have to apply it more than once. What I did was use the Black Wow, wait a day for it to be fully absorbed and then the next day used Super Protectant (for trim, green plastic bottle) by Turtle Wax on a rag. The results were trim that was nicer than new. Try it!

 

There is very little that I even dislike, much less hate about my MINI. It's the coolest, most fun car I have ever owned, but I do have one small gripe. The rear baggage area cover (whatever it's called) used to hit me square in the forehead every time I reached into the boot. I just took it out permanently and that obviously fixed the problem. I have the windows tinted so there isn't much need for it anyway.

 

Thank you Asequui!! Nope, didn't cry, I think because I was so mad at myself, it was just a stupid stupid mistake.

And like I said in the post on PDX MINIs FB page, of which I am the President of the Club, feeling more embarrassed than anything else.

The good news is Molly will be coming home on Tuesday, 6 days at the Body Shop??!! Just glad both SMAUG and Molly will be home and looking like NEW!!

 

Oh I can imagine Driveway mishaps are very common, I just have never had one before, let alone damaging both vehicles that we both love so much and are our
"4 Wheeled Kids", we have the "4 Legged Canine Variety" at home too!!

 

Yep, there's no worse "mad" than when you're mad at yourself; means there's no one to yell at.
If it makes you feel better I backed my previously loved Raven (mazda tribute suv that i got a cherry deal on with barely any mileage) into a ninja pole the second month of owning her. Of course, this is also the car I was in when I was rear ended from a standstill twice in two years, the car my neighbor backed into, and the car I hit a donkey in the fog in...Raven may have possibly been cursed...

 

Cleaning the Wheels ! Brake Dust Ugh !

 

Brake Dust can be virtually eliminated by changing your Brake Pads, I replaced Molly's OEM to these...


Akebono Euro Ceramic Brake Pads

Check out www.tirerack.com

 

Re: Break dust.

Having black wheels really helps . Between washings, I saturate a Viva paper towel ( very cloth like ) with Griot's Garage "Speed Shine" . I then wipe down the wheels once, then turn the towel over and do it again. Follow with
a clean dry Viva paper towel and the wheels look great. It does not take long at all.

 

Oooops. Want to make clear that I do the above on one wheel at a time.

 

I have to say that after a month of ownership, I'm not as charmed by the "quirky" ergonomics as I thought I might be. I'm getting used to them, but hopefully it's an acquired taste. One thing I know I'll never enjoy is the absolutely silly placement of the power window switch. When I drive to the gym in the morning, I have my coffee mug in the cup holder. In order to reach the window switch, I have to reach behind my mug, and then over the safety loop surrounding the switch just to put the window down. Who thought of that idea?

To say I "hate" this is the wrong term, but the one thing that makes me laugh or shrug my shoulders is the asking if/when I'm naming my MINI. As obssessed with cars as I am, I've never named any of them. I still see them as cars and never felt the urge to give it a name.

 

Agree that "hate" is too strong of a term but I, too, "dislike" the placement of the power window switch for the driver's side. Add cup holders to my list of "dislikes" as well as the visor size. Other than those things, overall I pretty much am still in love with my MINI.

The things I "hate" are that 1) Husband, who only drives (and likes) trucks, now "steals" my MINI every single time he can. He's figured out that, with the roof racks, he can take it surfing, biking and skiing, therefore leaving me stranded most of the time. Also, because of the great gas mileage and the ease of parking it, he takes it for errands, which last a lot longer than it used to. And 2), he thinks it doesn't need the windows tinted (or the moon roof) and that it's perfect the way it is, straight from the dealer. I had planned on doing a couple of mods to it as soon as we got it home, but he said "no way" - weird because don't men usually like to mod their cars? He modded his truck the second day it was in our driveway.... So yeah, I can say I "hate" those two things.

 

Dislike:

Seat belt position / access / adjustability.
Lack of seat adjustability, no electric adjustment option, even for driver-side only.
Windshield header / obstructed forward overhead vision.
Near-useless cupholders.
Needlessly complex radio controls.
iPod sound is poor.
Crappy upgraded "premium" 10-speaker radio...honestly, BMW, I've heard better kazoos.
Poor-quality carpeting with no ability to upgrade (even with Lounge package).
Lack of engine temperature and oil pressure gauges.
No way to switch Sport mode on permanently.
Sunroof will not self-close if left open and it rains, even when equipped with rain sensor.
Dealer is 50 miles away, though 4 years ago MINI said there would be one in my town.
Dealer omission of front fog lamps at order (did at least get the rear one), the quoted cost of $1,500. to add the lamps is ridiculous.

Loving, however:

Exterior and interior design.
Ability to option car / customization.
Technology options.
Fun driving experience.
Large sunroof, anthricite headliner.
Supportive sport seats.
Lounge leather pkg.
Capability in snow.
Fuel economy.

 

I really hate this waxy snot that keeps oozing out of the lower corner of the hood and running down my fender and wheel arch. I know that it's some sort of assembly lube that they use. The bad part is that it is up between two layers of sheet metal where I can't get to it. I just have to wait for it to finally stop running out. Eventually there won't be any left
Rubbing alcohol takes it off of the arch ok, but it's almost a daily chore.

 

Cosmoline Solution #1!!

You might also think about some of this...


And this...


They will help keep your Black Trim looking like New!!

 

Hey stop driving the snot out of it. Try to be nice.

My car has snot too. Hopefully it stops someday.

 

1) the candy corn gas gauge
2) no temp gauge
3) how hard you have to push the stereo buttons
4) the parts department (bumbling idiots!)

 

You guys with Cosmoline issues, check with your dealer. I had it bad and Momentum Mini in Houston replaced my fender plastic.

Dave

 

That's not something I've ever had a problem with, are you sure your stereo's alright?

 

Hmm...maybe I should look into it.

I feel like the 1st and last buttons stick and aren't very responsive. I figured it's just something that I need to get used to.

 

Seems like every time I do an upgrade something else equally as expensive breaks and I wind up paying 2x as much. Lowering springs and o2 sensor went. Catback exhaust and the power steering went. Its a damn conspiracy. The butt gets filthy first drive after a wash and +1 for no automatic "up" windows. Everything is F****** SICK!!!!!

 

Yeah, I feel your pain.

I gotta tell you though, the longer they make this car the better it gets. I have an '09 JCW and she's had her problems, but the dealer has stood by her solidly - even past warranty. (This isn't a Toyota, so you have to expect some level of problems.)

The brake dust problem is endemic to BMW cars; I have a friend who has a Z3 and shares the same complaint. I just installed a set of Carbotechs all around (and new rotors) and hope that ameliorates the brake dust issue - as well as the rotor wear.

Automatic "up" windows are now standard, I think. Mine has them.

Dirt on the rear is a suction thing, I think. Not much you can do about that.

I recommend an upgrade to a new JCW if you generally like your car. This is the most fun car I've driven since my drag racing days in the 1970s. Pretty snappy (although not as fast as my hot rod Ford), but gets about 6x the mileage and has a lot of creature comforts my Ford didn't (radio, heater, carpets, A/C, poer steering and brakes, etc. etc.)

Tom S