Alright NAMers..

I've read enough about the 1st Gen Mini Coopers and their potential problems. I was just wondering if there are others out there that were in my position that would like to share their experiences.

I LOVE the Mini Cooper S. The problem is, coming from various Hondas (Preludes, S2000) and Subarus (WRX, 2.5RS) I'm used to cars that are reliable. I know that the online reports may be a bit skewed but it's safe to say that these cars have their fair share of potential problems. I'm not so sure what to do. I currently have this "problem" of switching cars fairly frequently. Ever since I sold my s2000 to buy an engagement ring there has never been a car I have been happy with. I am driving my wife CRAZY with my constant researching what next car to buy and my looking at the used car ads. It would make sense to just shop around for a used s2000 again but I now have a 5 month old baby girl and I know I will be the one dropping her off at daycare in a few months so I need something with a back seat.

The MCS is a car that fits what I am looking for. 1) Fun to drive 2) good on gas (i do quite a bit of city driving for work). 3) Good enough to transport my daughter short distances as we have a Hyundai Sante Fe for our family car.

I am just really worried about the potential problems the car may have. My sister bought a used 2004 MCS and this thing had quite a few problems (power steering pump twice, electronic door locks, etc.) She spent quite a few grand on repairs over the course of the 2 years of ownership. She ended up trading it in and now drives a 50th anniversary Camden!

I've been reading up on a lot of DIY stuff for this car. There are excellent resources on this site and others that teach you how to do things like the power steering pump, etc. I think that if I had that problem, I would try to tackle it myself to save some coin. Upon further reading, it does seem that many of the problems (e.g., electrical, internal engine, etc.) would be well beyond my DIY capabilities.

I mean, after seeing how many problems this car can potentially have FIRST hand, am I being silly for still wanting one? As much as I love cars, I don't want to put my family in any financial hardship because of one. I know any used car has the potential to be money pit but it just seems that Minis have a much higher chance of that happening.

Was anybody else in this position and just made the plunge? How has your experience been?

I would be looking to spend about 9-10 grand (Canadian) on a used MCS.

 

I came from a 2004 GTO to a 2005 MCS.. Quite a leap... going into I knew front wheel drive sucked.. and it still does.. But every other part of the Mini I like better. Nice quiet cabin, great stereo, very fun to drive, unless its wet and your trying to accelerate and you have extreme summer performance tires hehe.. I too work in the city, This car has saved my *** for parking many many times. It seems to be kind of hit or miss if you end up with a mini with issues or not.. Look for an 05-06.. I know it may be tough with your price range though. Mine is about to turn 50k and so far so good! knock on wood

 

I think my answer is parallel to your question about MINIs, but I'd suggest getting your wife's "buy in" on getting a car for fun. If you buy a MINI for fun transportation and she can have fun with you, you will likely find it meets your needs very well. Unfortunately, cars that fall into this "fun" category have a tendency to not be the most reliable or require higher maintenance cost with a few exceptions, such as the S2000 and MX5.

When I had small children many years ago, I just drove a boring old family car. However, during those early childhood years I did keep a motorcycle in the garage, which was one of the pleasures that my wife and I shared. She loved riding on the back, and it was a enjoyable diversion to the strains of parenthood.

BTW: My 02 MCS is one of the first ones in the US. It's been a reliable daily driver for me. However, I've heard all the horror stories of early 1st gen MINIs, and all I can tell you is they are true for some people.

 

Where in Canada are you? Over here on Vancouver Island I haven't seen anything in your price range.. My '06 Non-S with super low KM was $16k, $4000 below similar cars at BMW and other used dealerships. If your market is significantly cheaper, I'm coming there for my next MINI!

Not being much of a DIY guy, I was worried about potential problems. I opted for the extended 3rd party warranty through the dealership. It covers almost everything, and if I don't use it in 4 years, I get back most of the money. I see it as cash in the bank and peace of mind.

Good luck in your search!

 

Yup, I was on the fence about this one for the same reasons you are.

Bought an 05 with 36k on it back in october and since then I haven't had any problems (KNOCK ON WOOD). This car has been amazing...fun to drive...can't imagine driving anything else, besides a 3series couple of course

I'd try to find an 05-06. In summary I have ZERO regrets about this car, I'm only 19 and on my fourth car but every other car I had I always had some buyers remorse after....this one..nada

 

I'm in the Toronto area. Yeah, they seem to be just a bit cheaper over here. Looking on autotrader, an 06 justa goes for about 9-14k, depending on mileage.

Thanks all for your replies thus far. The 05-06 might be a bit out of my price range, but it sounds like it's worth maybe waiting a bit and saving a bit more for it. Anybody else with input?

What are your thoughts about an 02-04 but with all the repairs done already?

 

Let me just add one thing, I looked for one of these little beasts for probably a year and a half, because the 05s+06s were way out of my price range. I swooped one up in LA for $13k, about $4,500 under what they should have been able to get for it. I still hop on autotrader to see how high priced the same model/yr/options is. If you wait long enough you will find one--as for 04, my friend had one and they didn't have many issues with it. I think if you got an 04 with all maint done and low-ish miles you'd be good.

 

I have an 02 MCS with 50K. It had 42K when I bought it. I was in a similar boat, except I had 2 kids. I now have 3 and I'm the one that works from home. So if they need to go anywhere during the day, I'm the one that carts them around. I'm not even thinking about getting rid of it.

Reliability was a major concern. However, a lot of cars can appear to be reliable when you're coming from a Volkswagen, especially one that's 19 years old. This is the reasoning I used to sell my wife, and it worked.

So far the only issue that I've had is the airbag light coming on when there wasn't really an issue. This is common from what I have read and just requires changing out some wires. I may not be the best example to go by, though. I don't drive the car in the winter.

 

I bought an '05 MCS with 110k on the clock last year and have put ~30k miles on it since then. I have had to do the common things (upper motor mount and power steering pump) but I figured with the mileage I would be paying to replace some of these "consumables". Other than that the car has been reliable and never left me stranded......just got to the point where the LCABs are worn so will be replacing those soon with PowerFlex which should last the rest of the cars life.

 

I went from a 2003 S2000 to a 97 BMW 328iS to a 2003 MINI Cooper S. I had at first had buyer's remorse with the vehicle, but soon after absolutely fell in love with the car. While driving the S2000 I had always said that if I could get something like it with just two more seats I would be a happy camper. When it comes to the fun factor of the Cooper S, it is the closest thing to my little wish. Sure it is FWD, but don't let others fool you, it is an EXTREMELY capable little vehicle and handles much better than any other FWD vehicle that I've been in...

The biggest issues that I had with the car were partially due to the previous owner. It was purchased with 50,800 on the clock and I had it until 118,000 miles. I had to replace the radiator because of a leak, although I believe that the previous owner had run over something because the plastic radiator support was cracked. I installed the radiator myself but the new one had a leak. Because of the warranty on parts from BMW, my local dealership replaced the radiator for me for free (as in they installed it).

I did have to replace my driver's side window regulator, a slightly complicated DIY job.

Of course there were the expendables like oil pan gasket, fuel filter, etc.

I say, go for the MINI, keep your eye out for a later build 2004 or if the budget allows, ****** up a 2005 or 2006.

If you like doing any work on your own vehicles, grab the Bentley manual, it tells you pretty much anything you need to know about working on your vehicle, and has pictures for you to follow along with!

I wish I still had my MINI, as soon as I can afford one again, I'll be all over it.

-Chase

 

I posted a couple days ago that I only had one problem. Well yesterday I finally took her out of the garage, cleaned her up and went for a drive. While I was out on a slightly spirited ride, the power steering cut out on me. I drove another 2 miles, exited the highway and after another half mile the power steering came back. It was dark and cold and was in no mood to search what the problem was. I'll look at it today and see if I can diagnose it. Hopefully it's just a leak.