i am 16 and my parents are getting me a mini cooper but i have to pay for all the service. i know that their is free oil changes for 3 years but are they relly expensive to own?

 

Is your MINI new or used? If new then there is practically no extra cost because all maintenance (not just oil changes) is covered for several years. I've not spent one dime on my '03 MINI except for gas and the odd mod here and there...and a few magazine subscriptions...and a die cast or two...and a t-shirt or two...

 

probably not looking at a large maintnence bill, i wish my parents bought me my MINI, i am paying for my own right now at 17

 

It's not expensive to own if you follow these simple rules after purchase. Don't visit this forum. Don't join a MINI club. Don't visit the dealer except when needed for warranty or maintanance. Don't make eye contact with other MINI owners. Don't read MINI magazines. If you follow these rules you will not spend all your extra money on mods for your MINI or plan vacations around MINI events.

Besides that. Put gas in it an go.

 

too bad its impossible to do all those things

 

I’ve had my problem free MCS over four years now. I have done nothing but basic maintenance to it. The cost of owing a car is different to everyone. You will get many different responses to this question depending on how much each person had to pay for the work needing to be done.

Mine has been about $750 over the last four years and most of that cost was for a brake job last April.

 

Ok so after buying the car

Ins. for a teen. $$$$ (assuming you're a good student)
Gas per month $$$
Basic occasional mod $$$
Driving school $$$
MINI attire $$
Club dues $$

And don't forget, different MINI attire for the driving school, all of the money spenton detailing, the better camera to take pictures of the detailng, realizing you need the skills to use the camera to get better pictures of the detailing so add lessons for that, and then probably another amera accespry or two, and I hope you have a garage or you'll be washing twice as often doubling the cost of that. And add the videos for how to properly detail. See where this is going

Then put in another 200 or so for a trip to one of the lager MINI gatherings (Dragon, AMVIV, MTTS)

Maintence is cheap, its everything else that'll get ya; so make sure you get a PT job and setup a budget for gas and any of the little extras and I think you'll be ok.

 

wait a minute sb youre not supposed to do those thangs, crap now im confused ow well

 

Couldn't agree more...the price of maintenance (especially under warranty) is NOTHING compared to the cost of modifications. Receive just one MINI catalogue and you're in trouble!

 

And remember NEVER check the vendor links on NAM. And definitely do not visit any mod threads on NAM.

Oh oh. I just realized. You already found NAM and are posting. You're screwed.

 

Same, but Im 16. I havent had probs. But if you get a faulty MC, then your screwed. Most work just fine.

 

If you're heavy on the gas peddle, plan for $$ to the local law enforcement too.

*Remember to drive within posted speed limits at all times.

 

Hey, would your parents adopt me?

 

The only out-of-pocket expense I have had so far is a windshield replacement that ran around $300. Having to replace a Mini windshiled is common because the OEM ones are awful.

I can't say my Mini has been trouble-free but at least everything has been covered under warranty so far.

 

thanks a lot, i guess i shouldnt be too worried!

 

well my parents bought me my MCS last year when i turned 16 and from my experiences, your major costs will be mods and time spent on NAM

are you getting a MC or MCS?

 

MINI's do tend to eat high performance tires rather quickly. I'd suggest sticking with all season tires (non-runflat) if you want tire longevity. Your handling will be affected but your wallet will be happier. ..

 

It sounds like you are getting an MC rather than an MCS. Probably a wise idea. First, I didn't realize how much better the mileage is on an MC. It can really add up when gas prices are high. Second, those run-flats on the MCS. If you plan on keeping them, the cost can really add up. They are expensive and they wear out much more quickly then regular tires.

 

Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com) gives you a reasonable estimate of cost of ownership of the vehicle over 5 years, broken down by fuel, maintenance, financing, etc. Of course, it all depends on how you drive your vehicle, but it should give you a good basis for comparison and a reasonable estimate.

 

If anyone wants to know the true cost of ownership, just go to edmunds.com and plug in the numbers

TCO for an 06 MC is about $38K over 5 years, for an MCS about $42K. These are based upon what the average person buys.

Sounds like the MCS is the better deal