Hello!

I have been viewing this website on and off for a couple of years and find it extremely useful and FRIENDLY. I have always been interested in Minis but for different reasons could never buy one. Hopefully just until now.

In the near future I will be getting rid of 2 cars and will be adding one. It will be a daily driver with a daily commute of roughly 90 miles (mostly open roads, yeah!). I enjoy my current vehicle (Shelby GT500) but life throws you curveballs and it will be time to get something that will be cheaper on gas. I love good handling in a car (I know GT 500 are not know for go-kart handling but at the time I had the opportunity to own one and don't regret it) and I think that I have to return to my front wheel drive, small hatchback roots since I had previously owned a couple of GTI's.

Im strongly considering a 2012 Mini JCW hardtop or clubman (specially after I saw the recaro seats option) and back in 2009 I was already in love with that car. Back then there where some concerns on reviews about torque steer. I would love to track my car on occasions and because of this situation, some people have actually suggested me that a better option would be to get a Mini S instead of the JCW variant. Im still having my eye on the JCW so, if you guys would educate me I would greatly appreciate information on the following general questions to make a better educated decision, thanks in advance for your help:

1) Is the JCW models torque steer situation as bad as some people make it seem? does it takes away from the legendary handling charm that Mini has? is it any better/same/worse than older models, say 2009 vs 2012?

2) Any particular important recalls or problem areas with these cars? are they reliable for daily abuse or more like weekend drivers?

2) For Florida owners in the central Florida area: I live in the Tampa Bay area and the 2 dealerships that Im aware of are located in Orlando or Tampa. Are they both equally good, bad or one better than the other?

Thanks again for your help. Hopefully I will be able to accomplish this dream (this time). Your input will be greatly appreciated. I promise that any future posts will not be this lenghty if I end up buying the car. Have a nice day!

 

Sorry to see you have to let go of your Shelby GT500, that is one awesome car. You are right, its not the best car to use for a 90 mile daily commute, though a JCW isn't really ideal either. If I was driving 90 miles I'd probably get a Passat or an Accord, but that's just me. Don't get me wrong, I love my MINI, it just isn't exactly the most comfortable ride at times. The last two generation GTI's are fantastic in terms of ride comfort. They are, in my opinion, the best hatchback on the market. That said, unless you can afford a new GTI you should stay as far away as possible from a used one. Worst used cars you can buy...period. For whatever reason the people that own GTIs and sell them (unlike the ones that hold onto them, ie, the smart ones) ride them into the ground. Anyways...

I don't think the JCW has a torque steer problem. I've never come away after driving one (I have an S, friend has a Works) that the torque steer was an issue. It handles like a champ.

There is a aux water pump recall going on right now, and I think it effects certain JCW models. If you're buying from a MINI dealership you should be fine though. The new versions don't have the issue.

The JCW is a great car, but if I was driving 90 miles a day, [personal opinion], I'd get the S.

 

You could always save some money and buy a lightly used one, MINE!

But I never really have an issue with torque steer, and I believe MINI has somewhat eliminated it through software updates.

There is a water pump recall going on right now, and a service bulletin for both the timing chain and the high pressure fuel pump.

 

I realize I'm being "one of those people" when I ask; Are you sure you want to spend that much time in a Mini every day?

Minis have a very "active" ride; not conducive to relaxing. I'd be looking for something with a bit more isolation. (well-engineered isolation; a BMW 3-series maybe or Merc?).

And since Mini as a brand makes more problem-laden machines than most other car makers, it's a real gamble as to whether or not you'd save any money over time compared to your current daily driver. (or maybe fuel consumtion is your primary concern, not cost of ownership)

Anyway, please don't take this as challenging or snarky; it's not. just a friendly inquiry.

 

The newer JCWs are much better for comfort.

They now have Recaro seats, you can order JCW leather dash, and JCW carbon fiber front dash panel, xenon lights, auto dimming mirrors, and the new technology package that will make longer commutes much more quiet, safe, and comfortable.

 

I'm assuming that if you own a GT500 then you're looking for a sporty ride as your DD. I'm confident you realize it's not going to be as comfy as a 3 series but it will likely be more fun and have more character. It's definitely hard to beat the gas mileage. I don't have a JCW, but my S when driven hard still manages over 30 mpg every single fill-up.

With the nav screen for entertainment (iPod, radio, bluetooth, etc) and the new recaros, I think it would be a fun car to have for your daily commute.

Then again, I wouldn't mind having a Lotus Elise for my DD either. It all depends on what the driver (YOU) is looking for.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

Thanks everybody for their feedback. It is all appreciated. I need to hear the good and the bad and Im glad that Im reading what seems to be very sincere points of view.

The GT500 is not truly my daily driver but I do take it out a couple days of the week. I will not disclose all the things that are going on right now. But it makes sense for me to get rid of it soon. I want something fun and sporty as a substitute but I dont feel the attraction for mega horsepower. This time Im more attracted to better handling and just fun. I do have a concern about a "harsh" ride but firmness is actually something Im looking for. My commute is thru backroads and while Florida is well recognized for its mountainous terrain and curvy roads , it is actually a very nice ride that I enjoy daily.

Yes, the GTI (and the new R) is a car on my short list of cars to be considered (and driven) before I make my final decision. Part of the problem is that I have found it very difficult to find a JCW at a dealership to try when I was ready to do so.

@tasteskindasalty: LOL yes, I know what you mean about the owner's patterns of used GTI's.

@drewstermalloy: That is one mean looking pepper white JCW. Actually one of my favorite Mini colors. Reminds me of the championship white the original '97 integra Type-R's had.

@ Mynewt: Hey, no hard feelings or anything like that. I like to see different points of view. If I get into this, I want to make sure that I knew as much as possible about it before I pull the trigger and be disappointed later. We all know that "professional" reviews, websites and magazines only gives you partial and often skewed information on a new product when it is perfect. I want to know of the real experience that real people have with these cars. Now, you did mention that these cars may be problem prone? or did I misunderstood you? would you please provide more info. on that. I was under the impression that even Consumer Reports where recommending the Mini's in the last couple of years.

In summary I know that I will probably be pampered in a midsize sedan of some sort. But for the time being I think I want another round with something fun. At least for a while. Thank you all for the info. on recalls and Technical bulletins as I will pay attention to that.

 

My opinion of the brand as being on the problematic side has been formed from many sources. Take each with how ever many grains of salt you like.

Looking around Consumer Reports, Minis score lower than average in predicted reliability; even in the articles that favor their other attributes, there always seems to be a caution about long-term reliability and cost of repairs. And if you look at the itemized rating through the model years, you see the more reports that come in, the worse they get (the 2012s score high for instance, b/c they are too new to reveal any shortcomings.) This may be true by nature of decay, but compare them to Japanese cars (for instance) and you'll see Mini has a lot more black circles where the others have lots of red.

I could be wrong; they could have become more reliable in recent years. But talking to my Mini mechanic (he's a German car specialist-works mostly on Porches and Mercs) is quite suprised by the serious problems his customers are coming in with with their '09 and '10 Minis. Many people are experiencing mystery oil loss. He says he does a lot of substantiating problems for customers to take into their arguments with the Mini dealer (usually the one in Hartford, CT)

Then there's my own experience of spending nearly $6k on repairs in 18 months/40k miles on my own. But it's an older R50, so may not be comparable.

I also have a friend who bought a new '11 model and his honeymoon lasted about 6 months before he needed to go back to the dealer to straighten out issues with his electrical system.

This is all anecdotal perhaps, and I guess in short, I'm really not trying to get anyone to think about the brand exactly as I do (and honestly, I love these cars and will get another when its time). The most I'm hoping to communicate is a cautionary warning to anyone venturing into ownership that there's a certain degree of risk involved. You may get a good one, as many seem to, or you may just get a high-maintenance one, as many others have.

It's risky. Go forward with eyes open and I just about guarantee you that you'll still fall in love no matter.

 

I will say that I loved my 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman as a daily driver. We put over 80,000 miles on it in three years. I have driven the JCW and loved the car. I would say though that for the money of a new JCW I would consider a used Boxster first, but I am probably crazy.