Was told recently by a long time mini enthusiast that you are actually better off to get a car manufactured late in the model year. It was explained to me that if there are issues early in the model year run that the factory can retool and take care of issues as the year progresses, any thoughts?

 

As the owner as an early 07 R56, I agree.

 

My old MCS hatch was built the day after St Patty's day and I was worried I was going to have a bunch of folks with hangovers clumsily putting my car together...

Turned out to be solid as a rock.

 

It's probably true. I ordered one of the first 2013s, had to take it back in because the onboard mileage computer wasn't programmed in, and apparently very few vehicles slipped through before they caught it.

I would still prefer a newer model year. By getting an early 2013 instead of a late 2012, in theory they should've had two years to work out some of the kinks, and there are at least some minor improvements (clutch, window switches, std lumbar).