Ah, yes, the 2 happiest days of a Mini owner, when you buy it and when you sell it. What a relief. It's been the most expensive car I've ever owned/maintained. Too bad it wasn't an Elise.

Bye.

 

wow...and you've owned a 08 saab 9-5.

 

Did you buy it new, or did you buy someone else's problem? Other than tires, my 2010 S has been dead cheap. Oil filter change every 8k, other fluids at 30k... Done...

That doesn't mean I haven't spent a metric crap ton of money on mods and fun things...

 

Every day that I get to drive my MINI is the next happiest day of my ownership! Same as richardsperry, and I bought mine used too so I lucked out. No major problems in the 2 years of ownership.

 

I had an '07 MCS for a year and a half and spent about $3000 in three months. Sold that baby. Now I'm back with an '11 JCW and I've spent $200+ on things so far. Smile on my face every time I get behind the wheel.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

All three of my Mini's combined haven't cost what my Saab 900SE did in repair costs.
I swear I paid for that car twice before I was done.

 

We bought the mini new at Sterling and I'd say we had another $5000 into it by the 3rd year. There were some issues that the warranty didn't cover but should have, like the carbon build-up. But that and the Saab were the wife's. I had nothing to do with them other than trying to manage the upkeep to some degree, she has her own money and car tastes. The Saab has been dead cheap. No problems with it at all at 90K except usual maintenance, but I now see it's worth about $5-6K, to be expected, we bought it used with 20K on it for $20K and there's no market for them now. The mini had the dreaded SRS light, reset it 3x, and I wasn't willing to deal with it plus the wife lost interest in it, so we sold it to a local young girl for $4.5K as is. I hope it works out for her. I faithfully changed the oil in it every 5K despite the mini unknown recommendations and the engine was running strong, but I personally couldn't stand to drive the thing. Horrible torque steering to the point of out of control on the curves under turbo power.

The most enjoyable car I've ever had is the Miata. Never even a CEL and runs like a top all the time, plus rear wheel drive which is a bonus in my book. I'm just old line. I just don't need the turbo soup, it doesn't do anything for me, I'd rather go faster around a corner and come out on the other side with control. Now I wouldn't mind a Elise or Porsche, but not for the $$$.

Plus the '69 Norton is faster than the mini and actually has low end torque. 15 to 70 in second gear as it pulls the blood out of your brain. Two more to go. But it does top out just over the ton. But I'm not doing that at my age.