It's what you pay if you want any decent "upgrade" options. I got $900 off of list on mine, but after taxes, license fees, etc., $32k is what I paid. Remember that I live in Los Angeles, California which has a 9.5% sales tax.

I likely won't buy a MINI again after this experience, but I'll keep this one as long as it stays somewhat reliable after all of these growing pains.

But your post doesn't really help me at this point anyway, does it!

 

actually, the 328i wagon MSRPs for 35-38k, with zero options. plus, it only comes in silver, black, or white, and its rather ugly. conversly, my 34k clubman is fully loaded with every option, has upgraded wheels, and a badass chocolate paint with matching leather interior. i feel i got way more car with the MINI and paid less then i would have for a stripped to the bone 328i.

 

I have had 3 BMW 3 series and I loved them all. I had a 2010 328 loaner recently and it was a great car. However, after a week with the 328 I started feeling like a grown up all over again. When I picked up the MINI the go cart fun returned - instantly.

You can't really compare a 3 sereis and a MINI. They are entirely different types of cars. I sold my 3 series convertible to buy my MINI convertible which cost about $34k and although I still love BMW's (family car is a 530) the MINI is unique and much more fun to drive IMO.

The MINI is not positioned as an entry level small car and I have never subscribed to the "buy by the pound" theory that smaller cars should be cheaper.

 

I had a 335i loaner for one of the many times I've had to bring my Clubman S in. It was way faster, had no torque steer, and a better ride. But I agree -- it just was not as fun as a MINI, and I felt like a soccer dad. I was bored after the first day, though pounding the accelerator was quite exhilarating in its own way, especially without that MINI torque steer.

 

I get your point, but your car doesn't have every option, there is a $7000.00 one you left off. I don't get all these complaints about 30K dollar MINI's, mine had a sticker of 39,500 and thats with Leatherette and no PDC or Alarm. I think it would be possible to get a 43-44K sticker if you truely went for all options.

 

Yeah, the 335's twin turbo 300 HP, 300 ft-lb engine is pretty amazing! My MINI's torque steer is less now than it was when the tires were newer (or I have learned to twitch the wheel in sync ). I have about 7,500 miles on mine so far. Like you - I ditched the run flats.

High power/torque in a front wheel drive car does make hard acceleration a bit more......interesting.

 

I want to hear how JCW owners deal with it. Like you said, in the Clubman (and Cooper) S the torque steer is insane with hard acceleration! And it gets compounded with any kind of bumps or rough terrain on the road. How the heck can you even fully use that JCW engine during hard acceleration with a super light front wheel-drive car like this??

 

I'm sorry to rehash some things that some of you may remember from my id name. I purchased my lil guy as a used car from a Toyota dealer. There was plenty of origanal warranty time on him. I brought him back to four MINI dealers. Three of them "worked" with me, the other one, unfortunately the closest one to me, was a jerk! I had a lot of problems. I'm happy to say all the problems were ALL dealt with under warranty. My experience indicates 75% of MINI dealers are great. My problems required a new clutch, a new battery, and all belts, to be replaced. I also needed a tune-up, oil change,brake job, wiper replacement, before MINI/BMW mileage requirements indicated. All of this was done under warranty, I just signed my name. I'm sorry you're having so many problems with your Clubman, but I'm pretty sure if you take a more proactive stance you'll get satisfaction, or at worst you'll get a refund or a new car under your State's Lemon Law. I feel for you, and believe everything you say, and unfortunately sometimes you just have to be tought and insist for your rights.

 

Headlands

Has the A/C problem never returned since they changed the compressor? I have a problem on mine which I think is the same as what you experienced.

The noise comes up occasionally when the A/C compressor starts up and the sound gets higher the higher you rev the engine. If the A/C is off but blower is running there is no noise.

I haven't had it checked yet but I've done a lot of searching online and some say it's the compressor, some say it's the power steering pump fan (something about it being shared with the A/C) and some say it's the auxiliary cooling fan.

 

A new compressor didn't fix anything. It very well could be one of those fans that you mentioned or something not related to the actual compressor, since it does sound fan-like. Unless, of course, they just replaced a bad compressor with another bad compressor.

I got tired of arguing with them that this a sound I don't hear in even the cheapest of cars, but they claim that it's normal (even though it generally seems to not happen on R53 MINIs and earlier years of R56 MINIs).

 

2003 4Runner V8 4WD at various stages leading up to 100K of light-use, highway miles (it has never even been used off-road):
- sun roof replaced 1800.00
- complete brakes re-do 2500.00 (this after two prior rotor/pads fixes; two front calipers each had 2 of 4 pistons seized - very unsafe)
- engine computer 1700.00
- creaking / looseness in driver's sport seat - 0.00 - it's "normal"
- engine to tranny wiring harness (2 parts) 3000.00
- clunking in drive-train when leaving stop (afraid to ask)
- rear hatch will not open until 3+ attempts (leaving unfixed; est = 750.00)
- rear 3rd brake light (my dad rewired; est was 300.00 just for part)
- aluminum sport wheels are corroding and look bad

Nothing was under recall. Sunroof under factory warranty. Computer covered under the 100k warranty I purchased. Some actual prices paid were reduced through extensive complaining.

-----------------------

I bought the Toyota after hearing from the multitudes of owners and ratings agencies claiming extremely high reliability - which I think was true in the past. Plus, it was and is the best handling, nicest to drive SUV on the market, IMHO (I still own it and repair it).

I think American cars have improved, Japanese cars have degraded, and European cars have remained about the same - that is to say, they are about the worst for reliability. You may have had good luck in the past Headlands, but it can happen to anyone. After I bought the 4Runner, the blogs were very active with lots of complaints as well. Have you seen some of the newer Honda issues, including their finally acquiescing to a recall on rear brake failures regularly within 20K miles?

I am not yet a MINI owner, but among the last few weeks of research, the item that has me worried and doesn't seem to have a acceptable fix yet is the S's DFI carbon issue. Appears even the double-start issues is fixed with firmware update. But, having to give additives to, or having expensive cleaning done to, low milage engines to keep them running acceptably in this day and age is ridiculous. I am only interested in the turbo, so am am eagerly waiting to hear if this issue is corrected.

That said, I'm hooked on a MINI Clubman S (awesome test drive) but gun-shy until the outcome of that carbon issue has a good course of action sponsored by the company. News on this front appreciated.

 

At the end, I think that the assembly of our cars had to do more with the "emotional" state of the workers at the mini factory when putting the final touches than anything else (or maybe we need to make sure they don't finish them on Monday's - bad day = hangovers !!)

Agree to a point, but I think it's the companies QA standards that affect the finished product. If so many new MINI's are having problems MINI needs to do a better job of testing and inspecting their cars before they are shipped. Just saw a video of some US Chrysler workers at a park on their lunch break smoking doobs and slamming down quarts of beer. Yeah, I want a car one of those losers happened to build later that afternoon.

 

There's no question that human error and lack of effort influence the final product on these cars more than significant designer manufacturing flaws. This forum, as is typical of any public feedback system, allows users to express their experiences but we tend to highlight only the very good and very bad extremes of those experiences. It's human nature. Themore rampant issues of each model and build year do affect many people, but not a significant percentage of total users. The manufacturer needs to step up and resolve them as soon as possible because one customer with build issues is one too many. But prospective buyers need to remember that every car has it's own issues. The critical info beyond major design flaws is manufacturer and dealer responsiveness. It is here that I feel BMW/MINI as a company scores higher than individual dealers, at least in my experience. Many dealerships are still run with that short term profit mentality that loses sight of the value of long term customer satisfaction. Especially within product where customers, despite issues and dealer hassle, still sell the car tooters FOR the brand. It's taken for granted by the dealers, for sure. Little incentive to do right by usif they aren't already. That's why I try and take my business to the dealers that have good local reps and don't bother trying to strong-arm a low performing dealer to do better.

 

I know how you feel. I went through terrible times when I bought my wife a 2001 Volvo S60. From day 1 it had an oil leak. Took it back 5 times, still leaked. It wound up that the engine was not formed correctly whick caused the rear seal to leak. The dealer replacd the car (under lemon law) with a 2002 model. That car new car was in the shop 35 times for engine problems. Engine light was always on. Long story short.............. the last visit they replaced the computer and it settled down. The car was ok after 54K miles. It was torture. I understand your pain. Hang in there.

 

I hear you. It's just that so many little things are badly made in my car that it's very disheartening. More have popped up. Nothing that stops the car from running but things that make me feel like I'm driving an 80s American car. Knocks from the engine compartment that I can feel through the pedal when I go over bumps sometimes (South Bay MINI checked into this and found nothing wrong), the engine making strange new rattling sounds that come and go, pieces of the interior coming off (rear barn door interiors), etc. These are 100% not quirks but rather evidence that my car was assembled badly and/or made of out some low quality parts.

I want to keep it because I love driving it. Unfortunately the fact remains: there's a reason why MINIs are low in overall reliability/initial quality scores. Some get lucky and have no problems or don't care about these kinds of problems, of course. After coming from previous cars that were made so well as to not have even a single rattle, engine problem, fit and finish issue, or other problem at all in over 130,000 miles, this is still taking some getting used to. I expected the car to not be as reliable as my others have been (due to European cars simply not being up to par in that regard) but wasn't really prepared for so many niggling quality control and fit/finish issues.

 

My '10 also has the rattling sound at around 1850-1900 rpm's as well as the louder A/C. I fixed the A/C issue by never using it even when its 100 outside. I usually go with windows down so I don't really hear the rattling noise anymore eventhough its still there