Mini problems or not so mini?
Newt and a few others are the acception to dumping too much money on repairs. But it does show the love of a MINI.
Newt and others before you flame me or send me message this IS MY OPINION!!
If you like cars and occasionally don't mid working on it or doing your own work these cars are for you. These are cars that need love and care. If you get one, find the lowest mileage and get the extended warranty. Go drive a few and when you have the uncontrollable smile that they cause, you will possibly change your mind and buy one. Good luck.
Newt and others before you flame me or send me message this IS MY OPINION!!
If you like cars and occasionally don't mid working on it or doing your own work these cars are for you. These are cars that need love and care. If you get one, find the lowest mileage and get the extended warranty. Go drive a few and when you have the uncontrollable smile that they cause, you will possibly change your mind and buy one. Good luck.
Thread Starter
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Neutral
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
That's right. It's what I'm doing instead of saving for retirement. 
I do get it fixed whenever anything shows signs of being out-of-spec; as opposed to accepting wet spots on the underside of the engine or trans-axle and I'm about to get all 4 front ball joints replaced b/c the right side is creaking. I've also noticed the right front wheel bearing is starting to moan when i have a passenger in the car.
Ball joints = $750.00 installed
Wheel bearings = $250 each for the part.
And so it continues....
And i was very careful when I chose this particular car too. It checked out 100% at time of purchase. Not a single issue was detectable when i bought it. It had been in Fla all its life and only had 45k miles.
I'm not sure this is true. There are a lot of happy owners contributing to the forums. Not every thread is about problems.
It's a real challenge to find out what is true when the people who have problems report them, the people who fix problems see them, and the folks who have no issues either keep to themselves or just talk about mods.
That's why it would be helpful to have a third-party report. And there are a few places where you can get those.
Even with all this in mind, low cost of ownership should never be a reason to own a Mini. They are expensive to own compared to a Toyota or Honda for instance no matter how reliable they are.
Why? I think the way they aggregate owner reports is a service, no?
I do get it fixed whenever anything shows signs of being out-of-spec; as opposed to accepting wet spots on the underside of the engine or trans-axle and I'm about to get all 4 front ball joints replaced b/c the right side is creaking. I've also noticed the right front wheel bearing is starting to moan when i have a passenger in the car.
Ball joints = $750.00 installed
Wheel bearings = $250 each for the part.
And so it continues....
And i was very careful when I chose this particular car too. It checked out 100% at time of purchase. Not a single issue was detectable when i bought it. It had been in Fla all its life and only had 45k miles.
I'm not sure this is true. There are a lot of happy owners contributing to the forums. Not every thread is about problems.
It's a real challenge to find out what is true when the people who have problems report them, the people who fix problems see them, and the folks who have no issues either keep to themselves or just talk about mods.
That's why it would be helpful to have a third-party report. And there are a few places where you can get those.
Even with all this in mind, low cost of ownership should never be a reason to own a Mini. They are expensive to own compared to a Toyota or Honda for instance no matter how reliable they are.
Why? I think the way they aggregate owner reports is a service, no?
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
We haven't spent anything on repairs (there's been one but warranty FTW). And there's nothing unresolved. However, let's look at my Focus. Numerous unresolved issues (transmission SUCKS, Sync is GARBAGE), several repair bulletins and recalls, and nothing seems to help my issues. Car stutters like crazy. I hate driving it. Sucks the life out of driving it. I'd say, compared head to head, the Mini seems to be beating it hands down.
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 422
Likes: 0
From: Palm Harbor, FL
Over 5 months -0- issues and more fun than this old man should be having just "driving around". Now for your consideration, when you buy used (I bought new) you are inheriting the driving habits of the previous owners. I confess to accelerating too fast and taking corners at speeds higher than some would consider prudent. When I trade mine in the next owner will likely have to deal with my sins. Such is life.
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 478
Likes: 1
2 years in a 2010 S convertible over 35k miles. Had a minor interior top trim issue the dealer replaced. Squeaked and rattled like a light weight convertible is going to, otherwise no issues.
3 months in an optioned out 2012 JCW Clubman with 4000k miles and zero issues, except the run flats are not worn out yet.
3 months in an optioned out 2012 JCW Clubman with 4000k miles and zero issues, except the run flats are not worn out yet.
The reason I made that statement is because it is the same **** week in and week out. Someone posts a reliability thread like this and this is where it always ends up with some people defending MINI and others bashing it. Where do we end up with this thread? No where. Instead of bickering of what is wrong how about try to solve the problem so that others won't suffer the same fate. I, unlike a lot of people are in it for the long haul with MINI. I want to the most out of it and help people with theirs because I love MINI even all of the problems. We are going no where here. Wasting thread space that we could use to say have I don't know maybe some more DIYs on how to change out parts. Sadly this still one of the best places to go for MINI stuff bit, threads like this make me despise this forum.
Rant/
Rant/
Unfortunately this happens on every public forum. Misery loves company and thats why numerous negative posts show up. Like I said in the past, I feel you will hear more about the negatives then the positives. We are human and we like to bi*ch and complain. But it is upto people like you, me and many others to show the positives about MINI onwership. Thats just my 2 cents.
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 478
Likes: 1
If the forum continues to grow, which it should, you will get new people and they will invariably ask repeat questions in spite of being told to "search the forums." Often, searching the forum results in a giant list of people who have listed the topic in question in their signature.
New people deserve the same personal response as the guy who asked the first time about why the muffler bearings on his 2006 Justa had to be replaced.
New people deserve the same personal response as the guy who asked the first time about why the muffler bearings on his 2006 Justa had to be replaced.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 15
From: Silly-con Valley
Over a year so far. Two problems: One was a flat tire caused by me running over something (and the jack scraped up the car when I tried to use it), the other was an oil leak that was covered under warranty.
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
From: Dardanelle, AR
I love driving the MINI and it certainly makes what could otherwise be a boring 20 min commute to work not so boring. However, I realize owning a MINI out of warranty is risky so I leased mine. The payment is lower than what I was paying on my previous car and I'll simply turn it in to MINI (or offer it up for someone to take over) before the warranty runs out. I've had other MINIs before, but always under warranty, and I did have a few issues with them. However, I haven't ever had anything major with them that prevented them from being driven. I'm sure the danger of driving them out of warranty is a bit overblown, especially if the car is paid off (now if you're juggling expensive repairs and a car payment, that's a different story), but for me personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 1
From: San Diego County, California
The reason I made that statement is because it is the same **** week in and week out. Someone posts a reliability thread like this and this is where it always ends up with some people defending MINI and others bashing it. Where do we end up with this thread? [...]Wasting thread space that we could use to say have I don't know maybe some more DIYs on how to change out parts.
Besides, people like to talk about their experiences, good and bad. Not everyone can talk about their mods, since they may not have any... but everyone likes to talk about their car. So there is no harm in letting them chat and blow off steam.
3rd Gear
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: Boxford, MA
I am coming to the conclusion that the MCS and JCW's have the potential of high maintenance costs if the owner isn't aware of a few basic things - which owners should be on the look-out for and take preventive steps to hopefully mitigate. I for one now ignore the recommended maintenance interval on oil changes, opting instead for a 5K interval and always having the dealer do the oil change and next I pay close attention each time I start the car to listen for signs of the "death rattle". At the same time I suspect (hope) that if I am diligent about these things that the maintenance costs will be reasonable. That said there are always statistical outliers.
Space here is not limited, therefore it is not wasting space, and it does not take the place of DIY threads. They can be posted at any time, when someone takes the trouble to do one.
Besides, people like to talk about their experiences, good and bad. Not everyone can talk about their mods, since they may not have any... but everyone likes to talk about their car. So there is no harm in letting them chat and blow off steam.
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 1
From: San Diego County, California
Ahh and there is the problem. You are right there is no space but, when I search for chamber plates and the first 15 threads are about eye windshield covers than yes there is a problem. I understand there needs to be a place to blow off steam but, I don't NAM is that place. This is me and what my opinion is.
If people want DIY advice, they can easily find it here. I've searched here for the stealth bulb replacement; wheel and tire info; running LEDs under the dash; and such. Never had a problem finding it, the only problem is finding the most credible sources.
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 1
From: San Diego County, California
Well, sure, because everyone lists them with their mods. Try 'DIY cold air intake'. Looks pretty pertinent to me:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...archid=8320000
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...archid=8320000
