Im just curious, How many miles do you all think the Mini will run? Ive a friend who says her Mitsubishi will go 200k miles with good maintence. Others swear by Toyotas ect. I wonder if the Mini will have this type of reputation?

 

With proper maintence and no abuse the mini should hold up well.. this is due to it being well engineered and quality parts. Toyota's last a long time or seem to last a long time because they are boring... they are built for reliability, don't handle well... so you drive them easy and they last.
I doubt the mitsu will last 200K miles... they are up to the quality or design of the Honda/toyotas.. I know this from experience..

 

Is that a bit contradictory? Since most people almost immediately modify their car to produce more HP than came from the factory, are they not, in essence, abusing them. While the JCW people certainly test their cars for 100K miles, thats simply not true of other mods. Who has a 200K MINI? I know their are several 100K Minis

As to Toyotas, yes they are meant to be workhorses. Sometimes its nice to not have to worry about the next trip to the dealer ...?

 

Or apparently Toyota just likes to cover up and hide recalls and problems

 

It's not a contradiction... Abuse is different than being run hard... I run my cars hard all the time... but I don't abuse them... There is a difference. Even with mods.. they work and run hard.. but thats not abuse..
Abuse is dumping the clutch, lugging the engine, redline all the time... you get the picture..

 

They have issues like all other cars.. but they are very reliable cars.. they are not exciting fun cars..

 

It still sounds contradictory.

If you exceed the inherent capability of the car as intended by the car maker, then it is no longer engineered as specified. In other words, for example you increase the HP yet do not beef up the internals (e.g. pistons) they are doing work they are not designed to do. that would seem to be abuse. Same with the suspension ... it may not be design to handle the stresses of the more HP. Abuse?

I agree, you dump the clutch consistenly, then you are abusing the clutch

On the other hands, you SHOULD be able to run that engine near redline all day, all night ...I am SURE if you ran a Benz, hopefully a Bimmer, certainly a Porsche on the Autobahn, commuting back and forth everyday at say 150 MPH, the car is built intended to do that. That is the reason it has been built (American cars may not)

Running hard .... OK, got that. It better be able to run hard WITHIN design specifications. You change those specifications without changing the original engineering ... that sounds like abuse to me.

 

Many cars are de-tuned in stock form.. Meaning when you un-leash some extra power thru better breathing or a bit more boost... is still within the "limits" of reliability.
In my case, I added a 15% reduction pulley.. basically the same as the JCW package... I don't call this abuse.. Now a 150 shot of NOS, thats abuse

When you dump the clutch... you are abusing more than the clutch... you put lots of stress on everything... trans, engine, half shafts, etc... thats abuse the car is not designed to handle for long term durability. As far as running the engine near redline all day... I don't agree... These cars are not designed for this.. not for long term durability.. not if your goal is 200K miles