Hello Everyone,
I'm new on here but not new as a Mini Owner... I had an 04 Cooper S a few years back and i loved it however i had some issues with it. My power steering kept going in and out intermittently causing a scary situation on the road when it suddenly decides to stop working... Anyway i then had my brake rotors warp after a couple weeks but now i hear both of these issues have been resolved. PLUS i love the idea of a clutch and brakes now being covered in the warranty and maintenance!! That's a seller right there. I then was involved in an accident on the highway in my S (RIP) and thankfully the safety features did wonders and i walked away from my totaled car totally fine! Just a little shaken up.
Three years later, i am waiting for BMW to buy back my 335 that i bought about a month ago and then my ABS, DTC and cruise control all went out and they told me it was safe to drive until they could fit me in for an appointment. THEN, A suspension bolt came out of the upper control arm in the rear suspension almost causing me to total out on the highway after they told me it was safe to drive!! I lost all faith in BMW at that point and they are now going to buy back my car in a few days (after getting a lawyer involved).
I've been test driving a lot of vehicles even ones with twice as much power as the mini BUT nothing can replicate the feel of driving a mini or the fun factor! I am now in a position to order a 2011 with all the features that i want and i can't wait!! Any comments, suggestions, or experiences on ordering a brand new Cooper are appreciated! I've already been scanning the forum for the last few weeks and i've gleaned quite a bit of info. Has reliability increased on these? i read a few posts about Turbo's going out?? Is this common? Thanks in advance!

 

I think they have resolved most of the issues with the R56 and 2011s are a solid car or I would not have traded in my own 2008 335i coupe' last Wednesday . I too thought about a JCW , but why spend $6000+ more for such a small increase in performance that the stage 1 kit for $2000 will remedy. I think your insurance will also be more for a JCW. After the 335i I'm lookin for a decrease.
There ain't no perfect car as you found out. There are some that are just less trouble than others.

 

I wonder how many of us former 335 drivers have moved to MINI. I walked away from my 07 335 after repeated issues. Am really enjoying my 2011 S so far.

 

Hey, sorry to hear about the bad BMW experience. Just as an fyi about the maintenance plan, the brakes are covered but the clutch isn't. Most of the time, you can get a dealer to replace one if it goes during your warranty period though since it's strange for one to go with so few miles on it.

 

UGH this sucks. LOL

I so much want to trade in my 2009 clubby s for a 335i. Have droven a few as rentals while having my mini and i fall in love each time.

Perhaps I'll
a. keep the clubby and get a tune
or
b. get a MINI s and get a tune

Is a Mini S with a good upgrade/tune just as quick as the JCW?

Not trying to hijack this thread- in fact - my post seems rather on par right?

 

On motoringfile they just announced a new JCW package for the Cooper S. Has tune, wheels, aero kit, ect. Who knows when/if we get it though.

 

You do know BMW makes MINI.........

 

MINI S with the latest RMW tunes are quicker than a stock factory JCW or JCW tuning kit for sure. Doesn't feel as explosively fast as a 335i, but it's good enough most of the time.

 

Good to know - thank you! :-)

BTW - is this a stock mini with the tune, or is this with aftermarket parts added?

 

On my '08 when I had a dyno tune I only had (and still only have) a JCW inlet tube and rear half of the factory JCW exhaust, so it's essentially stock. At the hubs I had 205 HP and 233 lbs of torque after the tune (a year ago). Before was 176 HP and 217 lbs of torque. Since then I've gotten a revised tune which feels significantly faster than my dyno tune from Jan, I'm sure it's at the very least another 10 HP and much more torque over what I was making previously, it's ridiculously fast! Off the line with my balding tires it feels faster than my R32 and much quicker than a stock factory JCW.

A factory JCW with a tune on the other hand is a completely different story though!

 

I was told the clutch is in the mainrainence plan too...

 

Unfortunately, I don't think this is the case. I was told (like other manual cars I've owned, that it's a wear item and not covered. I acutally had to have my clutch replaced on my relatively new '10MCS. The dealer said that since I was experiencing issues on a car with <2000 miles on the odometer it would be covered, but this was a wear item outside of the maintenance plan.

 

My dealer (MINI of Monrovia) doesn't want to cover my flywheel under warranty, so good luck getting your clutch covered unless you shell out bribe money for an overpriced extended maintenance contract where you get one clutch covered as some here have done.

 

i dont know full details behind it i guess so you could be right but i remember my MA said specifically... "now mini covers one free clutch under maintenance"

 

Try calling the service department and pretend like your clutch failed and see what they say! If your MA does promise it, get it in writing or get him to show you where it says that.

MINI has changed their policies regarding service before. When I bought my car, the policy in the manual and otherwise was a free oil change every 12 months. Now they won't honor that and will only change it per OBC intervals.

 

The clutch is covered under the maintenance plan but not the warranty. It is a wearable item just like brakes, therefor it would be changed if necessary within the first 36k miles or 100k if you get the extended maintenance plan.

 

Sorry you had a bad experience with the 335. We have a CooperS and a 335i and love them both. The MINI is a year old and has been a blast to drive and it has plenty of power. I also cant imagine spending the extra for a JCW. I would get a well appointed S.

Reliability has improved over the earlier models according to Truedelta, and I had only one small problem with a leak in the seal of a back fog light. Other than that, this has been the most trouble free first year of any car I have owned.

Both MINI and BMW have had issues with the high pressure fuel pumps, but I believe they have been addressed on 2010 and 2011 cars. And our 335i just was in for a recall to replace it, so thats taken care of.

 

check out all the cold start rattle and carbon build-up posts before buying a Mini...does not seem like it will be a dependable car...just from my experiences with 15k miles on my 2010 JCW

 

I've got 1100 miles so far on my 2011 Clubman S with no problems whatsoever; not even any items that just needed adjusting. Early days, to be sure, but there have been improvements made in the 2011 models.