It can be cheep with the reasonable gas mileage and dealer covered services. It can also get very expensive if you catch the mod bug...

 

Services are free for the first 35,000 miles. Major repairs are covered for 50,000 miles. After that it is expensive. Approximately $100/hour for labor at the BMW dealers and book rates.

I really don't think it is much different than any other dealership.

 

I'm 28 and my insurance, for full coverage with $250 ded., is about $550 something every 6 mos. It's only $50 more a month than my old 98 Honda Civic that had liability only coverage... To me, the insurance isn't bad at all...

 

I'm 19 and full coverage for my MINI and my Jeep is $168 a month.

 

And this is reason # 480,987 why if you are curious about insurance costs... don't ask others, call your agent. I got a quote on an 04 Mazda 6 and it was nearly $500 less per year than my 04 MCS. State to state, person to person and company to company vary too much to make guesses.

 

My insurance went up $20/month from a 2002 Cavalier that had been hit twice.

I plan on purchasing the extended service/warranty when I get to that bridge, unless we see by then that the 06 models are actually very reliable compared to the 02s/03s.

 

Thanks to all of you who replied to my post. You've all lessened my fears of high cost on Mini Coopers for insurance and repairs, not a problem for me to handle. Thanks again!

 

Three words:

run flat tires...

 

X2

 

(R)un (F)ast from (T)hem.....

 

Amen... amen

 

What!?!?! Are clutches really running $2500?? That seems really, really high. And what do you mean it happens a good amount? I thought BMW clutches lasted several years and many thousands of miles. Is that not true?

 

How long a clutch lasts is completely dependent on the driver. An old lady could probably get a clutch to last over 100K miles, while an aggressive teenager's might only last 30K.

I also do not see a clutch costing $2500. Aren't OEM replacements like $300-$400? No way would labor be $2000.

 

SIGH....clutches easilly last over 100k and many last close to 200k...It does depend on how its driven but 100k is the LOW end not the high end

and yes the DEALER charges $2500 and yes the LABOR is around $2000......But if YOU are paying for it NEVER go to the dealer to get ripped off

 

Wow, that labor figure it heart stopping.

I'm a hands on guy anyway, so I would do my own clutch for sure. And when it needs replacement, it sure won't be a stocker.

 

How much does the extended service/warranty run? Or is it only and extended warranty w/no service? Is it a good deal? How much effort will I go to in avoiding the search function?

 

Surprisingly, when I talked to the good folks at Amica, they old me that the coverage for my '06 MCSa was cheaper than the coverage for my '03 Jeep Liberty Rengade. They advised me to list the MCSa as my primary vehicle. It has saved me a lot of money. This could just be an Amica thing (they are the best insurance company ever!)

 

MINI's can be expensive to own. they chew thru tires like crazy. the normal problems like the power steering pump, window motors, damaged glass and such are expensive to repair if you don't have a warranty. But they are fun to drive!

 

Is this a rhetorical question because "expensive" is relative?

First four years ... free ride (paid for up front).

Aggravation those first four years ... depends upon how much you can tolerate living at the dealer (or not) ... you might be lucky

After four years ...

 

I'm selling my boat so that I can put the money towards a mini

 

Where is insurance that cheap? We pay $1,800 a year for two cars (neither a MINI , one five years old and the other 10 years old). And no, we don't have any accidents or tickets on our record. We just happen to live in car insurance hell - NJ.

 

We are paying nearly $3,000 a year to insure our 2 MINIs. You think NJ is bad? Nothing beats Miami for the HIGHEST insurance rates in the nation

We also have a pristine driving record, no tickets, etc.

Imagine how much someone down here pays for car insurance with a less than perfect driving/credit record? I don't even want to speculate...

 

Very inexpensive to own and the mods are dirt cheap compared to many other cars. You can get a SC pulley, CAI, one-ball exhaust and rear sway bar installed for about $1,000.

 

MY first expense (besides set #2 of $925.00 Runflats) on my '05 MCS the other day was for the 40,000 mile "service." (an oil change, basically)... $200.00!! I also bought a $26.00 "Official MINI Driver" shirt. Couldn't resist. :-)
I may start doing my own oil changes depending on the filter labor involved...

 

I spend about $200 a year for oil changes on my current car. That's if you change the oil once a year for the MINI compared to four times at 3k.