Mimi (my 2007 MCS) just had her one-year anniversary servicing at Towson BMW/MINI today. I think it is worth noting, as a counterpoint to issue-related posts one sees frequently on NAM, that in 15K miles I have experienced NOT ONE SINGLE PROBLEM of any consequence with this car. No rattles, no leaks, no cold-start issues, no electrical gremlins, no gearshift sqeals, no CEL's or other codes: nothing but solid, routine reliabilty. Mimi simply does everthing I ask, no hesitation. The only service issue I had for Towson was to replace the wiper blade inserts. (Towson is an excellent dealer, BTW, with BMW and MINI shops co-located.)

As a lifelong motoring enthusiast (both cars and motorcycles) I have owned many entertaining vehicles (including most recently a diesel LandRover Discovery and a wickedly-fast Japanese-market Subaru Forester with a large, laggy turbo). That said, Mimi is the most fun ride ever! While there are plently of faster, more powerful and more focussed cars on the market today, I have yet to see anything which matches MINI's fun factor. Just going to the grocery store in a MINI produces an irrepressible grin. Mimi has proven a great value for the motoring dollar - you indeed get what you pay for!

I have not found the need to mod the power train - when a burst of acceleration is called for, Mimi is always willing and ready. I have added two notable mods, however, which have enhanced the driving experience significantly:

-- 16" OZ Ultraleggera's shod with General UHP Exclaims provide a major improvement in ride, grip and suspension performance;

-- Matching cocobolo shift **** and e-brake handle from Robin Casidy - incredible sensual texture to the touch, and beautiful to the eye.

I am considering a set of poly front control arm bushings to attenuate torque steer, which, while manageable, is an annoyance on occasion.

Overall, BMW deserves a lot of credit for making the first-year R56 a tremendous success. While there undeniably have been teething problems - as amply documented here by fellow NAM'ers - I believe the problematic cases represent a relatively small percentage of the total R56 fleet. As experience accumulates, BMW and the owner community will progressively sort out the R56's quirks and glitches (e.g., recent reports that a fix for the cold start problem is in the works). For a first-year design - i.e., a certain number of inherent teething problems almost by definition - it's a brilliant effort on BMW's part, and destined only to get better. My trouble-free experience may not be altogether typical, but I have to rate the build quality as outstanding. Mimi the MINI is one hell of a car, and the most fun I've ever had on four wheels!

 

Seriously though, count your blessings for having a solid, problem free car. I just placed an order for an '08 MCS for my wife. We had an '03 MCS, which we loved, but it had a plethora of small problems. Fortunately, I had good luck/rapport with our service advisor who fixed everything under warranty. We have a '98 now, which is fun for short periods of time, but not practical as a modern daily driver. Good luck, I hope that you continue to be problem free!

Ciao,

Jeff

98 BRG Mini Classic
06 Ford Focus (the driving equivilant of novacaine)
08 MY BL/BL MCS w/ Sport, Convenience, Cold weather packages and a few odds and ends