Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and have been reading few threads here and there to do some research but have not found anything relating to what I am looking for.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently driving a 2010 Mazda3 Hatchback. I'm looking around to trading in my car for a certified Mini Hardtop. Just looking for the base model and not the S, and preferably an auto transmission so the gf can drive it too. Most of the certified MCs I see in the SF bayarea dealerships are 2011-2012 with around 20k-30k of mileage on them ranging from $15k to $18k.

My main concerns are:

1) are the prices fair for what I'm looking for?
2) how reliable are the 2012 MCs with auto transmission?
3) what are some of the known problems associated with the 2012s and are they covered under the certified warranties from MC dealerships?
4) what other things do I need to make sure (or ask the dealership) before buying?

I'm not really a car kinda guy (not knowing the insides of a car) but enjoy driving cars with great handling and the MC would be a fun car to own. I don't really drive a lot, maybe 6-7k a year and mostly on weekends.

I would appreciate advice from you knowledgeable folks. Thanks!

 

It seems that the majority of complaints here are with the MCS. It seems like the Cooper is pretty reliable. These cars have a bad reputation (lets face it, you rarely hear good news on a forum), pay attention for any odd rattles or knocks when starting the engine. My guess is that many of these issues (more common on the S) have been corrected by 2011. 2011 was a release of a revised engine, which should be considered an improvement.

I think that you need to treat it like any other used car, look at condition, maintenance/collision history, and options. If you like the car, then get excited because it is a MINI.

Have fun,
Mike

 

I'm by no means an expert, but I'll give it a shot..

 

My 2012 Justa has had the thermostat housing replaced, though the housing was not the problem. The problem was oil leaking from the oil pump solenoid. The first fix for this required replacing the thermostat housing, because the wiring had to be replaced and the new plug was not compatible with the old t-stat housing.

The solenoid leaked again a year or two later. The t-stat housing was replaced again, because of the plugs not being compatible. Again. Supposedly the new wiring harness has epoxy in it to keep the oil from wicking up it to damage the ECU, even if (when?) the solenoid leaks again. We'll see how that goes--the latest replacement was only a few months ago.

That's it so far for me, other than routine maintenance.

 

Adrian,

I'm on the opposite coast but I am a Pre-Owned/NEXT Manager at a MINI store.

Prices are dependent on mileage and equipment, but you're in the right range.

MINI FS is offering 0.9% for 48 months on 11s and 12s and they will also waive your first payment up to $350. For 60 months the rates are 1.9-2.9 sell for 11s and 12s. Even at 72 month standard (regional) rates through BMW/MINI FS you will still get free 1st payment.

The 11+ MINIs are quite reliable. The transmissions are, as others said, pretty much bulletproof.

Watch for an oil leak at the volume control solenoid (Back of the engine, passenger side, about 3-4" IIRC above the oil pan on the block).

Every single N16 or N18 engine seems to have this issue. The problem is that the oil leaks INTO the engine harness and then if it goes on long enough will actually leak through the harness and into the ECU. While most cars don't need an ECU, VERY few of these cars that we see don't need this done.

The good news is that the fix seems to be a permanent fix.

 

Thank you all for the information. Good to know that the base MC auto transmissions are solid since I was worrying about all the costs of repairs that I would have to do.


Sounds good. I also spoke to a salesperson and they said that the .09% can apply to 2013 models (found one that was 11k mileage at $19K) if I have a good credit score. They said they can work out the numbers. But I'm not going to rush the researching and buying process.