The results from Consumer Reports' 2013 Car Brand Perception Survey are in. How did MINI do in this survey that measures 7 key factors that go into car purchasing decisions? Check out the story.

Thanks!

John Lindauer
Driving My MINI
www.DrivingMyMINI.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/DrivingMyMINI
@DrivingMyMINI

 

I don't care what they say! I LOVE MY MINI!!!??

 

Where I live a MINI is a very popular car. My son says all the kids in his school love MINI's and if your parents own one you're cool.

 

In September 2012, I bought my first MINI. A Countryman S ALL4, it is a good car, from what I've owned it is not my favorite, but not my least favorite.
4 months and 15,000 miles later, I feel differently in my heart and mind about my purchase.
I bought the R60 because of 3 things, AWD, Xenon headlights, and turbo. in the 30k price, I went over by 1500$. My other options were a CX5, Tiquan, Juke, X1.
X1- options added up
CX5- no turbo
Tiquan- no HIDs/xenons except on top tier and Ive no need for those things
Juke- Hate CVT, No HIDs or even projector headlights.

I have found in my numerous down times and trips to the dealer, a severe lack of knowledge of the car and the MINI product as well.
No straight answers, no future insight, and the oddest issues with my own MINI.

~Perks
1- easy on insurance
2- it has the 3 required features
3- custom ordering is done right with MINI, no last minute "we added this ___ to your order" (Mitsubishi kept ordering Evo's with sunroofs until I took back my $$ and bought a wrx)

~Issuses with mine
1- last radio button does not work (the return to previous screen button/info)
2- driver door will not lock when other doors lock when I put it in drive.
3- Comfort Access button on driver door is useless, I have to use remote or button on passenger door
4- Key not recognized made me take a vacation day because car did not recognize the key, had to be towed.

~Complaints
1- WEAK AC (no I do not have a sunroof)
2- squeak, rattle, noise
3- useless sun visors
4- hand brake (i knew it going in) but on road trips with more than 1 persons belongings, its obnoxious and in the way
5- road noise, its nearly as bad as my straight pipe drone on my wrx

Overall, it works, but doesnt thrill me, I know negativity is not smiled on here, but Ive not had any issues with my other cars that I did not cause through mods/tampering/abuse. I do not regret my choice, but I have learned from it and I'll keep visiting the dealer until they fix it.

Happy motoring

 

I like that Toyota takes the top and bottom spots of that list. I'm so tired of hearing about that stupid brand.

 

How the scores were calculated
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random, nationwide telephone survey of 2,034 adults from Dec. 6-16, 2012, and collected survey data from 1,764 adults in households that had at least one car.


I didn't get a phone call!!!!! Toyota is a great brand but I hate them

 

I think these results are interesting, but only useful to marketing departments.

I mean, for Porsche to not make the top 5 in either performance or design is just crazy talk. As Consumer Reports says, "While the scores reflect a brand’s image in consumers’ minds, they do not reflect the actual qualities of any brand’s vehicles."

Not sure why there's so much Toyota hate here. I've owned a few over the years and they were fine. A bit dull, but practical and completely reliable.

 

I agree they are one of the best in reliability so are Honda and Nissan but not many Toyotas are fun to drive at least not the ones that I had. I will agree that MINI has a long way to go in terms of reliability but the are so damn fun!!!!!! Is addictive

 

I dunno what you people do to/with your MINI's to upset them. Our 3 have in excess of 375k km between them and have only had minor (fixed in less than 1 day) problems.
ie damaged wires, cracked thermostat housing, dead battery.

 

It may be that everyone thinks because Mini's are made by BMW its a perfect car ?

Cars without some problems is just not possible; I guess it all comes down to the day of the week it was made no matter what brand it happens to be.

 

No probs with either MINI I've owned. there was a small annoying rattle in the driver's door on one of them, but I've seldom been in a car where there were no rattles.

 

I would have liked to be part of the survey too! It also seems like a pretty small sample of people. Also, they surveyed people that had at least one car in the family, I wonder if MINIs - because of their size - are more popular with two-car families.

 

Totally agree with you! I had a toyota as a rental car just before Thanksgiving. It was a good rental but it wasn't "fun" to drive. There is nothing passionate about driving it. Check out the short review I wrote.

 

I've had good luck with my MINIs as well. I've had an '08 and an '11 with no major problems at all. I have experienced the usual electrical gremlins (passenger window goes down when I click the drivers side control Up, and other small things like that), but nothing major. (so far!)

John
DrivingMyMINI
www.DrivingMyMINI.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/DrivingMyMINI
@DrivingMyMINI