Gongrats, and welcome. I don't know of any other car that's as much fun to drive as the MINI. (BTW, I *highly* recommend the 6-speed in the MCS.)

Quite honestly, everything I've seen indicates that Honda and Toyota build quality is better and number of defects are lower, but that doesn't mean that a MINI will leave you stranded. It doesn't even mean that you will ever have a significant problem. A fair number of folks that have had minor problems, but I haven't heard of many strandings.

As for maintenance, its as close to maintenance free as you can get. Since the MINI uses synthetic oil, oil changes are only recommended every 10-12K miles. (The computer will let you know when, depending on how you drive.)

I wouldn't worry about maintenance or about being stranded. However, you might consider, if this is your only vehicle, whether it has enought space to carry the misc. stuff that everyone needs to carry from time to time. Also, if your commute is in city traffic, you should consider whether the manual transmission will be a nusiance for you. The space issue could be a show-stopper, but the transmission is just a matter of selecting the right option. One thing is certain, if you get a MINI, you'll have a blast!

 

I beg to diffeer on that! My MINI is my only vehicle, and the single time I wanted to carry home something that wouldn't fit was when I was moving and needed an 8 foot ladder for my new place. I asked one of my friends with an SUV to help me out. Problem solved! Unless you regularly carry more than one passenger and also need lots of cargo space, the size of a MINI shouldn't be a problem. If you've got a family then chances are that the MINI isn't your only vehicle, so again, the size won't be a problem.

FWIW, one of my friends put a 27" TV, in the box, in the back of his MINI. It wouldn't fit in his S.O.'s Altima...

 

The only problem I've had with my '04 MCS was warped brake rotors from 2 days at the track. Yes the TRACK!!! This is my daily commuter, but it's still more than capable of kicking butt at the track. There aren't too many other cars you can say that about.

I drive my wife and 2 kids around in it everywhere (anytime we go anywhere now we take my MCS rather than my wife's Odyssey), even if we have to endure sharing the passenger compartment with some of the stuff we need for a day at the beach or whatever. The only reason I will ever sell this car is to get another one (and even if I do that, this one will likely remain in the family - although the thought of my daughter driving it is not too pleasant, my baby - the MCS that is - doesn't deserve to be driven by a beginner).

Go for it, you'll love every second of it.

Maddog

 

No car produced will be troublefree for every owner. The MINI is doing better now that ever before. Still there can be some minor problems in individual cars so realistically that could happen. I'd say most of us have trouble free cars.

My MCS was built in 10/02 and has 15,000 miles on it and is currently troublefree.
I've got some leather cracking on the driver side bolster that just began even though I'm always using leather conditioner. Want less trouble? Pick the cloth or leatherette seats for more durability and less maintenance.

Your three year service included warranty will cover any minor stuff that needs attention.
I had a Xenon light go out, a rear hatch latch replaced, a leaky coolant bottle, and a PCV valve and hose replaced.

I take my MCS to go shopping at costco regularly and I don't usually buy 8 foot ladders.

 

Not to sound like a MINI salesman or anything, but it is important to note the 3yr 36k maintanance warranty that is included. Free oil services, hydrolic system flushes, coolant flushes, inspections, wiperblades, etc. That does really add up to a lot of $ when you have to pay for all of it.
Also if your MINI does leave you stranded (heaven forbid) you do have free roadside assistance for 4yrs, 50k to tow you to the nearest dealer.

Man, I SHOULD BE A SALESMAN!

 

With a 100-mile daily commute, 46,000 miles have piled up trouble-free until just last week when the electric cooling fan behind the radiator didn't shut off. I drove home, called the emergency Mini road-service number and an hour later the car was being towed to the dealer. They fixed it the next day for free under warranty.

Painless, really, and meanwhile I've had the most fun driving it and tons of pleasant interactions among colleagues -- one of whom also took my advice and bought a Mini -- and with folks in parking lots and gas stations. The people at my regular gas stop like the car so much they give me my coffee for free.

Truly a hoot a minute. Go for it.

 

Glad to hear it! The only thing I meant about "show stopper" was that you can't change the size of the car, whereas you can change your choice of transmission. The MINI creates a fairly large square hole with the back seats down, but its a short (but great!) little car. When I go to Home Depot for long items (trim wood, PVC pipe, etc.), I take my wife's car. I guess you could leave the MINI's back hatch open for things like that, but I'd rather not drive that way. No biggie, just something to keep in mind.

 

Ahhh! but remember that those BRG MINIs are not that good at handling cargo..

 

Only 27" color TV's. I heard that somone once brought one home in his BRG MINI and, from then on, it would only display BRG!

 

Hey There,

I fell in love with the Mini three years ago. My wife showed me a small thumbnail type B/W picture with the caption title of Baby BMW. I was hooked! I saw my first as a pre-owned in Aug. of 02. The dealership (Saturn) would not even let me drive it (Liquid Yellow) without a firm agreement to buy it (What a joke).

In Sept. of 02', I traveled to BMW of Nashville. The lot was packed with Minis! There were some awaiting their new owners (pre-sold), but most were for sale. I originally wanted a Pepper White, but settled for Indi Blue ( I got a better deal on the blue).

I have had the car two years now, with NO major problems. I've had squeeks, rattles, etc. from typical first year builds, but the car has remained constant and ALWAYS fun to drive. As you know, they are visually appealing to almost everyone. I think the true test in owning one is how often you look back at it after parking it. For me, it's everytime!

Follow your heart...

Coop.

 

53k miles on my 2003 MCS and no breakdowns. :smile:

 

A lot of the new cars that I have purchased in the last ten years come with an added accessory that no previous car had - the internet. When I bought my New Beetle the first year it was out, I immediately knew every possible problem and fix as soon as it was known by anyone. When my driver side power window switch failed, I already knew that it was a common problem, and that my vehicle was not a lemon. Similarly when anything broke, I usually already knew the fix and knew it was not unusual. When I bought my Honda Element in 2003, I knew immediately about the cracked windshield problem, squeeky rocking seat, cracking spare tire cover, etc. All were fixed by the dealer.


One of the things that makes the Mini more reliable is internet forums just like this one. If your hatch rattles, you already know its a common problem that the dealer can fix, so you do not panic. If your run-flat alarm is erratic, they can tell you how to fix it. If you need tire, they will advise you. You are not in it alone, and that makes a big difference.


PS - I know that my 91 Capri turbo oil pressure guage is worthless because of the internet. Now I just ignore it and am happy as a clam.

 

I'm not one to get attached to cars, but I've had two cars now that I've really got a soft spot in my heart for. The first, and the one I'm still head-over-heels in love with was my dearly departed '85 CRX Si. Best car ever.

But now, I bought this Mini Cooper, and I have to say, it's an easy 2nd place. It's similar to the CRX in some ways, only it's actually equipped with modern safety features and mostly civilized (the crx was wild and loud). I honestly bought the Mini as an autocross car. So it has about 5k miles on it now, and I've done maybe 10-15 autocrosses with it this summer, and 2 track days (it will be 3 on Monday ). I drive it around town sometimes, and it's great for that, too. However, if I wasn't interested in this crazy autocross type stuff, I *would not* get the sport suspension plus. It is really too stiff for running around town in. A mini with the regular suspension still handles better than any other non-crx econo car that I've ever driven, and it's not quite as offensive over the bumps as my car is.

I also think the Mini is basically too small as an "only" car - but then, we have a 90 lbs dog that we take everywhere with us. And it's not easy to fit all my autocross crap in the car, although I have a 'technique' now, so I can do it. We recently bought a big coffee table that I was able to squeez into the back (seats down, hatch *tied* closed), so you can fit things into it, but frankly it isn't nearly as nice as having a truck or something when cargo-hauling-time comes around.

It's funny that I like this car so much more than I was expecting to. I figured that for the money, it was the car I liked the most, but it really is an endearing little car.

My wife and I still own a Civic sedan, and it's a great car. I'd never bad-mouth that thing. But I do find the Mini more has far more of that intangible appeal to it.

Anyhow, good luck with your decision imaginemini.

 

After a year and a half and close to 19000 miles, I've had only minor issues that were all efficiently taken care of under warranty by the dealer. Some problems, such as the leaky coolant tank, the siezed power steering fan, the boot latch and the peeling steering wheel are problems common to all models and the manufacturer had updated the parts to not only take care of the existing cars, but also to put into production so that these arent going to be problems in the future. I'm still on my first windshield!

The MINI is a very well designed car with excellent price points for the content you get. The fact that this is an entirely new make and model of car and the fact that many here put them through the wringer as far as spirited driving and critical analysis of quality they have come through pretty well in the past couple years. They aint perfect, but they sure make up and then some for it in the overall experience.

 

Aloha Imaginemini,


I regret to offer a disenting opinion, but my 2003, Nov '02 build MCS is not reliable. First, please accept that my definition of reliability is that the car does it's functions consistently every time. I have had two intermitent electrical problems and my dealer, Mini of Hawaii, refuses to even look unless they can reproduce the problem. I feel compelled to warn you of this as both are safety issues. My driver's side window will sometimes stay in the up position which could potentially trap me in the car. My passenger side xenon headlight sometimes doesn't start up with the driver's side. The state police issue citations for driving with one headlight as it creates an unsafe condition.

The second part of my caution is that based on my experience, Mini USA will do nothing about intermitent problems. Worse, in my opinion, they will not share the experiences of other dealerships with common problems like what I'm experiencing or let you know of fixes for common problems unless you come in with that problem.

It is a fun car, but MINI USA does not do a good job of standing behind it and there are common reliability problems you should be aware of.

Aloha

 

24K miles with no problems or breakdowns, which included a 2,600 mile trip over 2 weeks this Summer followed by a 1,200 mile run up the coast. Make the plunge and never look back!Oh - I have a 2003 MC (Jan 03 build) with Sport, Premium and Leather Packages:smile:

 

Includes update of their long term test of Cooper S

quote
The Mini is small, quick, and stylish, plus it proved practical to operate. Our Cooper S suffered a couple of minor quality problems, but these were repaired under warranty at no cost. In fact, the Mini was extremely low maintenance, with only two required, no-cost service stops, a tie for the fewest we've ever had with a long-termer.
end quote
October Car and Driver
this article available at Caranddriver.com

 

Hey HawaiEE,

Sorry to hear about your problems, but your post is misleading. The stuck window and problem Xenon is not a common issue for this car, although maybe it is in Hawaii.

My 2003 MC has Xenons and does not have this issue, and neither have I had any issues with my windows getting stuck except for the common squeaking from the rubber seal against glass. I've also never heard of these problems from any of my MINI friends nor on this forum.

Just had to clarify that.

Richard

 

Richard;

I have not done a search on NAM, but hang out on metroplexmini.com.
( sorry the site is down right now ) Will be a member of the local Dallas Ft. Worth club, by the end of the month. :smile:
That said , I love my 04 MCS JWC. Its as trouble free as any modern "electronic" car I've owned. However the window motor problem is a VERY
common problem , And I'm sure it's not an illness unique to our area. Of the
MINI owners who post on our site (MM.com) we had a rash of 6-8 people mith motors out in a 2-3 day period. So many in fact that when I took mine in for the appointment to have the motor replaced, they had run out of them. ( they had 7 motors in stock just 4 days before , with a weekend in between.) Joe D.

 

Just buy it. Trust me, you won't regret it!


31K (owned car since 19K) and no problems to speak of. So far, just as reliable as an '88 CRX Si I used to own (which was/is a pretty solid car).

Heck, every car has its "issues," but the pure joy and excitement of owning a car that has this unexplainable power to make you smile every time you get in and out of it, take corners faster, have people honk and wave at you, meet people from 16 to 75 that love their cars and have a passion for them, and basically just looking FORWARD to commutes, trips, drives on Sundays, etc. ... sheesh, I'll take a rattle or a weird squeak here-and-there for that! Done deal.

Okay, that's it! Time for a MINI break, um, oops, I mean, "coffee break" from work!


Tell us what color you get.

 

i work for a one of the largest racing saftey distributors in the united states. i get to talk to alot of people everyday about many different kinds of cars. an easy 99% of folks i talk to about the MINI are very excited and very pleased with their cars. one of my local customers autocrosses his very early '02 car and is a little less than pleased with the amount of warranty claims. the majority of his problems have been software related, he is the ONLY person i have spoken with that is displeased with his MINI.

there is not a single manufactuer of any product that never makes a mistake. with that being said, my best friend and i both bought honda accords within 4 months of eachother, both cars were JUNK. he was fortunate enough to get rid of his in less than a year from purchase, i however had to endure almost 4 years of that POS(it left me stranded 4 times that i can think of off the top of my head). now i'm not saying i would never buy another honda because of that car. i will not buy a current honda becuse of what i feel is less than pleasing styling, and poor ergonomics for my body type(i am tall with a longer than average torso for my height). i also prefer the materials used in the interior of most german cars. now that you have heard my honda experience, let me tell you about my 4 volkswagens. NONE of them have EVER stranded me:smile: . the vw that my fiancee drives has never stranded her, my friend that had the other accord bought a vw afew cars later, it had never stranded him, my neighbors have owned and continue to own many vws, i'm pretty sure they haven't been stranded by their cars either. i have only recently joined this site and i have seen a few of the members here questioning the reliability of vws .

i guess i should sum up my post and say follow your heart, forget about what consumer reports says. heck, the only time i ever listened to them, i got a POS. every time i've ignored them, the cars were great. good luck, ignor the naysayers, enjoy your MINI, and welcome back to the manual transmission world.

 

Very pleased with both of our MINIs. ZERO problems of any kind!

I have yet to met another MINI owner who has had problems with thier electric window motors, I seriously doubt it is a "common" occurrence.

 

Interesting. I guess then NAM members aren't voicing their complaints about it. I've got over 900 posts since July 2003, which means, I've spent way too much time here on NAM. LOL!! And in that time, the only motor complaints I've seen had to do with the squeaking noise from the rubber seal, and an occasional motor that went out, but nothing on the level that you are speaking. Regardless, our cars are still the most fun thing out there on 4 wheels.

 

No doubt about the MINI being the most fun on four wheels ,and I did'nt mean to mislead anyone. In fact I've owned more than my share of fun cars, :smile:
and my MCS-JCW is by way far the most fun. I'm 58yoa and enjoy driving again because of my MINI. The little problems with it are FAR outweighed by all the qualities of the MINI. If our MINI was totaled out tomarrow, (God forbid) I would be looking for another one just like it to replace it with.
That being said ; seeing the window complaint, and being motovated to post my experiences W/ same, I just realized that it has been a month,
since a motor was ordered for my drivers window. So I called my Motoring Advisor (Brian Bookman, @ Moritz BMW in Arlington Tx. @ 817-436-5789)
thinking that the window motor must be in, and they could'nt get me on the phone to tell me to come get it installed. Brian apologized saying that no, it had not come in yet, as they were having so many orders to fill for window motors, that they were way behind. Don't take my word on it, or any of, what I posted on this problem. Call Brian,! He works For the BMW dealer and is the only MA for MINIs @ this Dealership.
Please stop trying to side step this very common problem.
I still would not trade my MINI, for ANY other car that I can afford.

Joe.

 

FWIW, I've heard of problems with windows that probably have to do with the motor, but not the particular problem of the window not opening at all. I've never heard of that one until reading this thread. I have been reading NAM since the early days when it was still MCO, from around July '02. I'm also an active member in 3 MINI clubs, one of which is the largest in the country. I've never heard of anyone else having that particular problem.

The most common problem I've heard of is the 'sewing machine' effect where the automtic 'dip' that the window does when you open or close the door doesn't stop. I've never experienced this one, but I have recently experienced a window problem where the passenger side window doesn't close all the way; it stops about 3-4 inches below the where it should. It only does this inermittently. They have ordered parts (I think it's a seal, not the motor) and it'll be fixed next week.

It could be that other window problems that involve the motor are the reason there are so many motors on order...