hi,
i got a mini cooper r50 2002.
getting a bit fed up with it cause of all the problems i've had, as soon as i get something fixed something else buggers up a couple of months later!
now i've read that 2002 prob wasnt the best year to get (this true?)
im thinking of getting a new car and was wondering what year mini would be the best quality wise?
i've read that after the facelift (2004) the quality improved, anyone had any experience with this? anyone had any major probs with post facelift cars?
im not sure i will stick with mini (just too many probs from my experience!) but if you guys can reassure me that the quality is better in later years, i may decide to get another mini.
just a side note, but im a bit peed off by the fact that when paying a premium for a mini (well a premium for a small car anyway) you still end up with a million problems! bit disappointing!

 

I have a 2006 S in California. It is my first MINI. I think it is designed built very well. It reminds me very much of the Audis common in my home country. In 13 months I have had no problems with it. It has 13,000 miles on it.

 

I have a 2006 S also, and so far I havent had any problems either

 

Not for nuthin', but I have an '02 MCS and have had ZERO problems with it. The quality is not quite on par with my last car ('97 Audi A4), but it's the kind of car that leaves me smiling just running up the street for smokes.
I'm thinking you maybe got a Monday-morning car.

 

Actually, your model year (2002) was the very first full year for the new BMW-owned MINI (at least in the USA). That plays a very large role in the failure rate. Not that very reliable 2002s out there don't exist, they do (see above), but on average, 2002s are more likely to have problems solely on the fact they were so new.

Also, you should know the the "facelift", as you call it (also known as a "tech refresh") happened for model year 2005, not 2004... although obviously some 2005 models were actually manufactured in late 2004.

The 2005 & 2006 models generally have a better fit and finish... less rattles (especially in the dash), etc.

 

My 2003 MCS has been a superb car! It's the most reliable car I've ever owned (been driving almost 40 years), and has about 67,000 miles on the odo. Sorry about your MINI's problems.

 

Just read the sig.

 

I had an 04 that was great. Just got my 07, but the quality seems vastly improved.

 

We started with a '05 MC and upgraded (one year ago today ) to a '06 MCS, both were problem free cars, the '05 had 20,000 when we traded and we currently have 13,000 on our '06 with no problems

 

Actually, that is incorrect. The first year of production was the 2001 model year. However, distribution to the US did not happen until the 2002 model year. Thus, there had been a full year of "shake-down" prior to the MINI's entry into the US.

That not withstanding, the 2002-2003 model years are generally considered to be somewhat more troublesome than the 2004 and beyond. Of course, statistics play a part in this as well; plenty of 2002-2003 owners have had trouble-free MINIs and some have had regrettable experiences. However, many TSB have been issued for the 2002-2003 model years to correct the most egregious stuff (PS fan circuit, expansion tank, etc.).

There seems to be a consensus that the 2004 model year was the first production year to have ironed things out. Even then, some owners reported the "yo-yo", a sensor/software-based problem that generated an oscillation of the supercharger bypass valve, which caused a bucking under acceleration.

The 2005 model year brought a modest increase in the motor's HP and revised (shorter) first and second gear ratios. This is probably what you mean as the "facelift".

Also, please note that all MINIs from 2001 to 2006 are susceptible to front strut tower "mushrooming". This is a deformation of the metal to which the upper portion of the front struts mount. Mushrooming can cause the inability to align the front suspension correctly. It is considered to be caused by jolts to the front suspension from very rough roads and low profile runflats. One could argue that MINI should have beefed-up the gauge of steel in that area of the body; no TSB have been issued for this problem, however.

FWIW,

Theo

 

i have an 06 and not any BIG problems with it. only have a little over 3k miles on it so far.
only problems i've had so far are the a/c not working (and it is HOT outside..)
and some clicking/tapping noises coming from the car at random times.
im gonna take it to the dealer when it's hot so they can see the a/c not functioning..cause last time i took it to get it checked it was a bit cold outside.
but sorry to hear about your mini problems.

 

I think going with an 05-06 is your best bet here, many people with 05-06s here havent had any problems whatsoever including myself (except when someone decided to rear end my car when it was parked and decided to be an a$$ and leave), no rattles, no mysterious breakdowns or anything, its a totally different car compared to the early builds!

 

We own a 2003 MC which we bought new. Took delivery on 03/01/03. It has been a fantastic Car & has been very reliable.

 

I have an 06 Cooper, no problems really. I had the Service engine soon light come on the other day took it to the dealer. They said that it had been on because a was leak detected. They check several times found no leak. They said it was probably some random thing that triggered it.

 

I have an '06. I've had lots of issues...I'm not that impressed with the quality, but it's very likely that I just ended up with a bad MINI. Luck of the draw I suppose. If I were you, I would wait and see how the '07 does, and maybe go with an '08. That's just me though. I bought an '06 thinking I wouldn't have to deal with the issues that the new '07s might have, but I'm dealing with the issues anyway.

 

'06 owner here. I love the car, and thus far (knock on wood) I've had no issues. Will roll 9K miles in the next couple of days. If "best car I've ever owned" is defined as the most fun and least problematic - the MCSC is it for me.

We also have an '04 MCS. 33K miles. No issues there either, and the '04 is driven very hard (errr, "spiritedly").

I'm sorry you've encountered issues with your '02. Once you get that bad taste in your mouth it's hard to wash out...perhaps try a new '06 MCS rinse?

 

As was said above, it's just the luck of the draw. I've had two MINIs, one was perfect until until it just stopped working on day (loooong story), and the second had issue after issue. Nothing large, it certainly never left me stranded but just enough to make me unhappy.

When buying a used car, sometimes you are getting it because someone else wanted to get rid of it, not just because they felt like getting something new. It's always best to drive it a good bit, check it out very thoroughly and have a mechanic look at it.

 

OK - I stand corrected... I amended my post to reflect US specifically.

 

06' r53. 19 months old 33k miles. No significant problems so far. I do my own maintanance. gone through 2 motor mounts and 6 oem runflats.

 

I picked up my Cooper S in June 2002 in Heidelburg Germany. It experienced relatively high speeds on the autobahns for a year or so. Today it is still my daily driver, nearing 70K miles. Early problems (experienced by most early models) were fixed under warranty and have stayed fixed. No issues with quality or reliability.

 

Sorry to hear about your 2002 MC, is it CVT or 5 speed?

Some 2002 were fine while others had early problems. What is your build date, see the door jam label.

One option is to sell the 2002 and pick up a used 2005. Should be much better for reliability but any car can have it's problems.

By 2005 the MC in 5 speed was better. CVT had it's problems in some cars.

Check the Beneath the Bonnet forum for many threads on reliability.

If you really need an automatic consider a late 2006 MCS or 2007 MC with automatic.

 

The best model year tends to be the last model year of a series. The first model year is always the worst. 07 R56 buyers beware!

 

2006 MSC-JCW. Had the armrest and rear window washer replaced. I've got a couple interior rattles I plan to have the dealer look at. Beyond that, nothing close to major.

 

2005 MCS Automatic, built in February of 2005, 36k miles, one issue, motor mount failed. Fixed under warranty, no problem. No other issues. Love it. Wife wants one now.

 

Hey, I experienced the same problem for 3 years with my BMW -- every time I got on the autobahn it would take off like a bat out of hell.

I have had to replace the power steering pump (under warranty) on my 05 MCSc -- but it has still been more trouble free than my '01 BMW was (although not as good as the Ford Ranger which I sold after 10 years of no mechanical problems)