Was a little envious of the R53 thread, and didn't see one for the R56/second gen as far as I can tell. Now that the new car is coming out, maybe this thread makes a little more sense -

Who's planning to keep their R56 forever?? I'm definitely planning on it. Not much more I could ask from a daily driver - reliable, good mpg, naturally aspirated, relatively simple layout, and, at least for the base Cooper, dead reliable! Not to mention competitive in its SCCA Solo class...

MINIs aren't gonna get any smaller/lighter from here on out - who's in?

 

I will! I'm not particularly impressed by the latest new MINIs. Seems like things have strayed too far, too quickly from what the original look was. Biggest problem though is, they just keep getting bigger.

Love my R57 MCSC. Even though it's a BMW creation, and not a true Mini, it feels and looks like what you typically think of when you bring to mind the modern idea of a Mini. The new one looks like a genetically modified something or another. Fine for some, but not my style.

 

I'm planning on it. Love my car, fast, good mpg and I can park it anywhere. Plus it hasn't been too bad to work on.

 

I bought my new Hardtop two months ago. If I'm still driving when the warranty nears running out I will order another one. I like cars with warranties.

 

I've put so many dollars into it in modification I couldn't get anywhere near what I have in it. When the engine expires, I'll just replace it with a new crate engine. Depending, I may want to try and get a new JCW next year though. but I'll still keep the S.

 

Just sold mine.

 

After everything and owning two 2nd gen MINIs, I think I'm going to pass. Too many little things that go wrong with the car and you can never fix it because it doesn't duplicate the issues when at a shop/dealer. I'm at 63,000 miles. I will drive it until I feel like I can't deal with some of the problems MINI has with these cars and that's being built to last(aka...suspension).

I'm already looking at some WRXs and 135i/335i. If I'm going to take care of a car like it's my baby, then I might as well have a car that will take care of me.

Don't get me wrong, I love my MINI, but I'm on the edge already. I planned to have kept it for 130,000 miles at least. Looks like I'll get close to 80-90K miles and call in the trade.

 

this thread hasn't gone exactly as I thought

there were a lot of problems with this gen though, that is definitely true. i think in the end the base cooper guys have been happier with our cars than the mcs's

 

I'd go for the 135i And get some M parts for that sucker. I love the 1 series. Way Cool

 

I'm in as long as I can keep mine running.

 

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I'm in an R59, hope you don't mind me joining in. If the rumoured Roadster/Coupe hardtop convertible replacement doesn't appeal then I'll likely either keep this one or get one of the last of this generation (maybe a JCW?) to hold onto for a while.

 

+1 I agree 100%

 

I've been searching I found two for a steal with the M package:-).

 

yea all second gen'ers!

 

Yeah sure, I'm keeping my MCS forever...
... or until I find the next fun car I want to keep forever ... at which point the MCS will go to the new owner, and forever out of my garage.


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I have a 2013 R56. I plan to keep it around awhile! I ordered it the way I wanted so I really do like it. Once I seen what the F56 looked like I quickly went to the dealer and placed my order for the 2013 R56

 

When you dump 2-3x the amount of money than what it's worth, there's no way in hell it's being sold. lol

 

I plan on keeping mine at least as long as I did my 2001 GTi if possible....and that one made it to over 12 years. It was still running well when I sold it to a youth for good money. He had stars in his eyes because I had retrofitted alot of euro-spec options.
My "Justa" won't need as much retrofitting as the VW but I'll still be able to 'you-ify' it a little further and hope to keep it running into the mid 2020's

 

I've had a similar problem with the one-touch window close feature but it's more of an annoyance than anything. May I ask what's been wrong with your suspension? I have a non-S with the sport suspension and all season tires and so far it's been riding great.

 

This is exactly why I've abandoned VWs. The Golf kept getting bigger and they've refused to bring a new small car into their lineup in the U.S.

If I'd gotten the MK VI GTi it would barely fit in my garage with all the crap I have stored. Now that I have the Cooper I have lots of spare room to move around with the car parked inside!

 

I only have a h-sport rear sway bar on my OEM suspension. I had to replace the rear sway bar endlinks since clunking occurred. I had to have my control arm heli-coiled so it wouldn't make the weird rubbing noise. Also, I have a weird rattle when I'm driving in the rear driver side. No one seems to be able to find the issue OR they just say, "it's normal cause it's cold". If that were honestly the case, then how come my friends BMW X5 doesn't have it or my buddies R53, or my friends Ford Focus(2011). It's so sad how MINI made a poor suspension. I've been thinking of swapping out my struts for Koni yellows and lowering springs this Spring but why do it when I can't find the initial problem.

My '08 MC never had this issue btw.

 

Yikes. Well, I don't know how common those problems are but if I start to hear strange noises like that, I'll try to drown it out by turning up the radio.

If that doesn't work, it's going to be an interesting adventure trying to figure out what's making that noise.

 

I'm gonna find it and when I do..I'm gonna celebrate by installing my new suspension. Otherwise, I'm giving it till Summer and it goes bye bye MINI.

 

Hopefully it's just a case of worn or dry rubber bushings somewhere back there. I used to have squeaking coming from polyurethane bushings on my Cabriolet's Neuspeed sway bars. They required periodic greasing with sticky "dielectric" grease. Just sayin'