My 2011 MCS has 80,000 miles. It's in very good condition. Minus the recent issues I've had with it (possible 3rd HPFP) it's really been a great car. Fun to drive, powerful, enough room for me - I really do love the car. However, from everything I've read on here and insight I've gotten from my mechanic, I'm wondering if it's really worth keeping. I'm right about break-even on loan-to-value, if I'm going to sell it now is the time. I don't want to get nickle and dimed in repairs for the rest of the time I own it. In the future I see a clutch, possible turbo(from what I've read), timing chain(preventative), water pump(soon), etc... BMW's are great cars but they are problematic with age/mileage. I'm not impressed with the new Minis and my local dealership (Ferman) is just terrible all the way around. I'm looking into other cars but I really don't want get rid of the Mini. From all the research I've done I feel like it's not if but when I'm going to regret not getting out while I can.

 

Think of it this way: If you get nickled and dimed by the car--say $1000 to $1500/year average over the next three years, that'll still be way less than a new car downpayment/payments. Even if you lease, you're going to pay $300/month for anything worth driving. That's $3600/year just in payments. If you boil it down to purely money, you're better off keeping the car.

 

I hear ya minibeer. I have a 09 MCS I bought last year used with 108,000 miles. Clutch right of the bat for $2k. Mods, mods and a tune, wheels and tires and suspension and....xenon retrofit....I've got more money in this than I can ever get out. I'm at 133k miles now.

I'm keeping it and hoping for the best.

 

I'm thinking it's a little more complicated than that. True the new car is costing you more than you would be paying for maintenance on your present car but at the same time you have something of more value than you would have with your present car. Putting value aside you also have to figure is it worth anything to be driving a newer, fresher and more trouble free car than your old one.

 

Sorry, I should have specified - I still have a payment and will for a few more years. They way I see it, I'm going to have a car payment be it lease or own, I'm concerned about not getting stuck with an aging, problematic car. It's doing good now but that could change any day. I read some of the horror stories about large repair bills and I'm hoping to prevent that by just getting something new. I've read stories on here about total engine loss at 50k and also people getting well over 100k with little to no problems. I'm just trying to establish an average point at which I should start looking.

 

There's a guy around town here driving a 50 year old Studebaker Lark. Guess if you take care of something it will last. I asked him about it once. Said he bought it new.

 

This issue to me is similar to people who sell off a big gas guzzling car, take a huge financial hit all in the name of saving money on gas. They rarely calculate how long it takes to break even on the deal, in reality they just want a new car. I was going to ride my last car until one of us died, then I got the bug to get a new car and bought a used Mini.

I'm for repairing until it gets in the way of your lifestyle, like missing work or constantly breaking down on the road.

 

Wow, +1... I have a 2012 MCS with 48k on the clock and I swear I never stop thinking about the same thing, even though I have the n18 and it's much less problematic, I hear they are still prone to some issues which I've already encountered (thermostat, HPFP, sway bar bushings/endlinks becoming worn and "clunking" over bumps) but until it's REALLY an issue that's causing life to get put on pause, I'm very happy with my car. It's almost stock, just an exhaust and stage 1 tune for an extra 20hp or so... but I love it to death. I hope it lasts me a very long time like I see some people's min's have. I want to see 200k on that clock! haha.

 

Same here. I really want to keep the car I just don't want to deal with the expensive BMW issues that really shouldn't even be issues at this point. I really do love this car and can't imagine being happy in anything less. I'm just looking at long term - is it still going to be in good shape at 120k when I can't get my money back out of it, or should I cut losses and get into something with a warranty? Decisions decisions..

 

Lifespan is very climate dependent. For example, California cars just last longer. You see more older cars still on the road in Cali. A mild dry climate means less wear and no rust for the same number of miles. A Cali 90k car is like a 50k car in New York.

 

Completely agree. I recently moved from NY (Queens) to Charlotte NC. Up in NY with the colder climate, stop/go traffic, potholes and super SALTY winter roads, cars are falling apart way before they reach 100k. Here in Charlotte with milder weather, smooth roads and mostly highway driving, there are tons of people driving vehicles with 150k or more on the clock which still look and run great.

I also own a 2010 Honda Pilot which I bought new and brought it down from NY with 45k, at which point I had to swap out the suspension due to blown struts, destroyed bushings and seized hardware from the North-Eastern road conditions. It now has 110k miles and the suspension is still in great shape.