I've been reading up on the Consumer Reports about the Mini. They said to stay away from the Mini '02, '03 because they break down a lot does anyone know from experience whether or not this statement is correct, i know most of you probly don't put much mileage on their Mini's but how do you think the Mini does based on dependability

 

The funny thing about that article / excerpt, is it has the MINI having "poor" or "fair" reliability, with the owner satisfaction being excellent and the depreciation being excellent. It seems that they say they aren't reliable, but they hold value and owners love them. Interesting mix, right?

 

You will probably get a lot of posts from people with 60K or 100K+ miles on their MINIs, but I will chime in with my observations.
Our '02 MINI now as 34K miles, our '03 14K. Both are standard Coopers. The '02 has spent more time in the dealer to have niggling problems like: peeling door trim, faulty seat harness in airbag circuit, notchy steering, rattle in the hatch - nothing that would strand you, much of which has been addressed in ongoing changes. All of which has been upgraded under warranty.
Our '03 had one problem early, a leaky transmission, that did strand us. There were quite a few new transmissions failing at that time, so it may have been a bad batch.
From what I gather from the boards, the biggest problem in the early MCS cars was the coolant tank. It has been redesigned, and any early MCS probably has the new tank by now. The other issue you will see is the yo-yo and stumble. This is an ECU programming issue which affects the drivability, but does not strand you.
Our MINIs have been as reliable as my in-law's '04 Honda Accord V6.

 

'02 MINIs do have a bit more trouble.
'03 MINIs have a bit less trouble but both year cars are getting more miles now so more things are showing up.

Some common troubles-
Windshields that crack easily
Xenon lights that don't ignite/work
Rear hatch locks that don't work
Electric door window motors that fail
Leather seats that wear out/sag/wrinkle easily
CD players that skip
Door speakers that buzz
Acceleration stumble or yo-yo (jerky or hesitates)
Poor mpg for the CVT MC
Stalling in the CVT
Coolant bottles that leak over and over
PCV value and hose that go bad/get soft/collapse

Most of these are minor problems and do get fixed more or less.
The MINI is too fun to drive to let a few stops at the dealership slow you down.

 

Well, there are quite a few threads here where folks have sounded off about their cars being reliable - and also a number where people cry about all their issues. Personally, I have an '02 with 41K+ miles and have had very very few problems - only very minor little things.

In my opinion, there are a number of contributing factors to help explain this:

1. Early model year cars will typically have more kinks to be worked out. Even after extensive product testing, nothing finds problems in products like putting them in the hands of consumers. This leads me to my second point

2. The early buyers of the MINI were, by and large, ENTHUSIASTS. These people are, by definition, very demanding of and particular about their automobiles. So they noticed everything that was wrong.

3. There was another group of buyers that are trend-setting types, that were wooed by the novel, chic design and exclusivity of the new car. A number of these types were disillusioned with what the car was supposed to be. It's not your average honda, nor is it quite a BMW - and it certainly isn't domestic! It is not huge on space or comfort. It isn't supposed to be - but this group didn't quite get it until they already had the car and quickly became unhappy with it. These were the folks that screamed loudest (although most of us complained to some degree) about the silly cup holders (among other things).

4. The Consumer Reports audience who responds to this survey is weighted on the side of the analytical, detail-oriented, perfectionists who are going to be very demanding and critical of any products they purchase.

5. The surveys for all cars show more problems with older cars than with newer cars. This one is simple - things wear out over time and with use.

6. People are generally more likely to complain than they are to praise. I, for instance, am a CR subscriber, but I did not take the time to report my good experience to them. (Shame on me, I know.)

I'm sure I could add more, but the basic point is you need to take this advice with a little grain of salt. The fact that the MINI was ranked 8th overall in their Reliabililty rating this year suggests that they must be doing something right. And, frankly, not that much has really changed with the car. Probably the most significant problem point is the one that has also seen the most change/improvement - the engine/transmission management software - and the older models can be updated to the newer software.

That's my quick take on it. (Not necessarily quick to read, but it was typed quickly!) Hope it helps. :smile:

 

I have an 02 S and drive it hard. It's been fine. A few little things (rear hatch ajust, wiper nozzle ajust, leaking overflow tank), and at 90+ rocks do a number on the windshield (I'm on my third, but those rocks were BIG). I'm 27 miles shy of 50k.....

Matt

 

Do MINIs break down alot? No. My Cooper has run great from the beginning and, frankly, is a blast...on a whole different level than most cars out there on the road! The few little problems I have had have been 1) very minor and easily fixed under warranty (usually while I wait) and 2) far less than I've had with any other car.

If I were buying used though, especially in the '02-'03 realm, I'd recommend learning about the various software and other updates (you can ask here for a quick synopsis...specify year and model you're interested in though) so you'll know what the previous owner has or hasn't had addressed. That way you can get your MINI tweaked up and it'll be just a great little car for you. A good MINI service department can probably help you sort it all out, too.

 

Kindly allow me to remind you of one small reality. These cars are made in England. Look closely at any British made car and you'll see "issues". Like it or not, it's a fact. Brit build quality is crappy, even on the high dollar cars. If that's an issue for you, then you should likely find something else. However, if the fun of driving one of these little cars outweighs these minor problems for you, then jump in, the water's fine.

ripley.

 

My early 03 MINI is hands down the most dependable, reliable care I've owned. Better than any honda or toyota I've had in the past. 27 months and 66,000 + miles and it has only been to the dealer for scheduled maintenance, ie oil change. (@~15K and 35k) It had the rear latch (common 03 problem), coolant bottle (02-03 problem) and a rear suspension bolt replaced all under warenty. No extra trips were made to the dealer for any of these items. I have never had any rattles or broken windshields. Still have the original .

Of the ones who have had various problems with the 02's and 03's, I think very few actuall broke down. Most were/ are kinks that have been worked out in the newer models.

Also remember people complain alot more than they praise. There are probably alot more people with experience like mine than will actually post.
Complaining easier .

Nik

 

My January build 03 MINI had absolutely no problems. And so far my 05 is great. Reason for getting rid of my 03-I wanted to go topless

Lois