Everytime i get the itch for a MINI my enthusiasm for the car wanes when I read posts similar to this one and imagine what it would cost if it werent under warranty which will probably be the case if i ever pull the trigger on a used MINI..
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ent-fubar.html

I can imagine it would cost $10K to put in a new motor and if after paying in the $15K range for a used Mini and then it needs a $5-$10K repair shortly after, then my $15K would quickly turn into a very costly parts car as i could never afford to repair it..

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ice-again.html

 

That's a risk with any car though, really...

 

in before the flames.

on a serious note, ALL cars can have problems. Generally on forums you only see the bad, most people are too busy having fun to post the good.

 

This topic seems to come up a lot. Every car can have problems. There are lots of people who have issues big or small with their MINIs, and lots of owners who have had a lot of trouble-free miles. Buying a car, especially used, is always going to be a crap shoot. If you buy from a dealership you may have the option to buy a third-party warranty. I did, it cost a few grand but it gives me some peace of mind.

 

In all seriousness, all cars are plagued with problems. Some more than others. These cars were not designed for the mods that people do to them especially in the engine department. It was a car BMW designed in reality to just enjoy. Anytime you start modding a car beyond what the manufacturer has designed, you're going to have problems. The 1st gen MINIs were plagued with problems because it was a solid built, over engineered small car. It was given just the right amount of horsepower and handling capabilities for a fun and enjoyable car. Many enthusiasts saw this platform and ran with it. It's a good one, but after all these years now I see they don't make the best high HP speed demon cars. Yes, it is very expensive to maintain, but a lot of newer cars today are becoming the same way with the new technological advancements and government safety requirements. MINIs are definitely for a different breed. If you don't want to deal with high maintenance costs, there are tons of other vehicles out there that can be equally fun. I have a 15 year old 2 door Suzuki Sidekick, and when I get behind the wheel, even after driving my MINI, I remember what a blast it is to drive. And to top it all off, in the 15 years I've owned it, not one problem has occurred with this vehicle. Normal maintenance, ie. tires, brakes, plugs, etc, but no problems what so ever. I'm still on the original clutch and I'm harder on this vehicle than I am in the MINI. So, just think about it.

 

At 63yrs old i've had a lot of cars over the years but through intensive selection and mechanical experience i've yet to have major problems with any used car i've ever bought,yet from mechanics and knowledgeable friends and a few MINI owners i know i'm not getting a whole lot of confidence in this cars reliability record..
That said i reall want a MINI and come springtime i'll probably look for a well maintained used one and just take my chances and go and buy the darn thing.if it does end up being a never ending unreliable money pit dont bother to ask for parts as i'll be so furious that car will end up in the canal at the end of the street

 

Mini's do have a few more problems than Honda's, but are a lot more fun. I have an 04 with 63k and not a problem. I probably have more of chance of getting it totaled in an accident than a big repair, but that is not keeping me from driving it every day (work is what keeps me from most fun ).

You can look for the worst in any situation but it is more important to live life than fear it.
"Regret the things you do, not the things you did not do"

 

lol you better never own a volkswagen then. Think I have more money in warranty work then the car is worth.

 

All cars have issues but since I just picked up my 08 MCS last week hopefully I will not have to many issues

 

Wow. So that explains why they are no threads titled... "I love my car its awesome. I never have problems."

I am going on 2 years and I have had ZERO mechanical issues with my car's engine, turbo, drivetrain, exhaust, brakes etc.

 

You don't have to bear the risk. New and pre-owned MINIs are available from dealers with 100,000 mile warranties.

Or you can buy a 2nd generation base Cooper hardtop with no sunroof and be gentle on the seat height adjuster. No cold startup, warm startup, fuel pump, carbon build up, auto trans surge, melting hood scoop, cvt failure, mushrooming, or power steering problems as documented on these forums.

Or you can keep expecting failure and find it. In which case you should just buy one of my 43-year-old Lotus Elans.

 

Well said

 

You're lucky then, or you justdont drive it hard. Well of course there are going to be some owners who don't experience problems with their cars. It's the nature of the game. But, it's also a fact that British cars seem to be plagued with problems. And of course MINI should own up to a lot of their design flaws.

 

I would encourage you to read the forums on other car models just to get a better sense of what kind of problems people have with their cars. Most performance-oriented cars have a greater share of problems. For example, I was on a Mazda Speed3 site the other day, and I was surprised to see so much bitching about the cheap plastic on the front of the cars that easily breaks, even when doing simple routine maintenance. Owners were also complaining about chronic A/C problems, torque steer and excessive front tire wear because of a poor stock suspension setup.

 

Not to mention the ms3 is a time bomb. So many blown engine threads on their sites.

 

Thanks for the encouragement..

 

Thats the nature of forums. People don't go online to say that their car is working fine. They come to complain that x, y or z broke.

 

Go to a Lotus or Alfa Romeo board. Then you will know what unreliability means.

Oh, or Lancia.

 

Hell, any British car forum....or if has MG, Rover, British Leyland attached to it. Lord help it if has any Lucas Electric parts.

 

Oh don't I know it as a former MG owner. The MINI is a much better car than any MG ever made.
As the old joke goes - Why do the British drink warm beer? Because they have Lucas refrigerators.

 

So you read 100 posts about MINI's with problems....there must be a few 100,000 out on the road or more. So what's the percentage of MINI owners with problems?

 

Guess it would depend on how many MINI owners subscribe to this forum and air whatever problems they have with the car on this forum.

 

Read through this thread, it might cheer you up:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ay-thread.html

In any case, if you're really uneasy, you don't have to get one. Buy a Honda. Most of us are having a great time, but no car is for everyone. I've only had mine for something like 5 months, but it's been a blast with no serious trouble. Leaky thermostat fixed under warranty. Just keeping my fingers crossed. If things start going horribly wrong I'll probably get out of it ASAP. Knock on wood.

 

We Mini owners fiercely defend our babies....once you're owned by a Mini, you're a believer. You walk to your baby with a smile on your face-not a hard thing to get used to at all. You pamper her, enhance her & make her shine. Why don't you test drive a MiniCooperS - take her out for a spin & let her speak for herself...and she will indeed!

 

Coming up on 2 years now. 21,500 miles. I drive the car very hard. I am sure that I drive it harder than many of you on this forum.

I bought this car for one reason. I like to drive and this is a drivers car.

Even though I have not had any mechanical issues, I have been back to the dealer more than 1 dozen times over the past 2 years. Mostly for rattles and cosmetic things.

My 2008 Highlander has not been back to a Toyota dealer since the day it left the lot for anything. 3 year lease almost up with 31,500 miles.