As i said before, my engine is now shot, due to that timing chain failure junk.
Out of warranty, so much to pay out of pocket.

Would you guys keep the mini after dropping $ for a whole new engine? Or get rid of it asap after the repair? I'm depressed, i really liked my vehicle but i feel like i was let down

 

The choice is up to you but if it were me I would get rid of it after the repair.
It is just a car and if it is making you feel depressed get rid of it. I had all kind of trouble with my 2009 r57 mini. I sold it back to dealer. I am now on list to get the 2011 Fiat 500. Have you seen that car super cool. And no flames please Fiat is not the same oil leaking mess when they were last sold here in the USA in the 1980s

 

I'm a youngin', I never heard of the fiat, i'm going to check it out though thanks. =]

I'm leaving all my options open

 

You'll be a rock star in the Fiat. They are cool. Too bad they aren't bringing the Abarth spec over yet.

 

No he won't, he'll be a dweeb in a Fiat.....

You're going to drop a ton of money into the car to get it fixed, why wouldn't you want to get some of that back in the form of usage? Especially since you like the car? I'd keep it for at least a year, then decide.

I like the style of the new 500, but it's really not the same as a MINI, in performance or even style, fit and finish.

They'll be out in a few months, you can see and drive it then. Since it's a new car with a certain amount of pent up demand, they won't be discounting them either - and I wouldn't be surprised to see the dreaded "Additional Dealer Markup" stickers too...I specc'd one out on their configurator just for fun, it easily went over $20K, and the Abarth will be $10K more, I'll bet!

 

Didn't it used to mean FIAT meant "Fix It Again Tony" back in the days? Hopefully, they'll be making a better car. Heard at the LA Auto Show being touted as the Italian Min Cooper (from a sales rep there), mind you, assembled in Mexico with Chrysler parts.

Stick with fixing the Mini and driving it for several more years would be my decision, if it were me.

G/L

 

I wouldn't trade my Mini for a Fiat either, but then I just got mine. I think the Fiat has a lot of style, much like the mini. The fiat will be unique for awhile. Mini's aren't very rare anymore. As far as "Fix It Again Tony" that may or may not be true. I don't think that is true of any modern car anymore. Reliability across the board is way better than it used to be. Odds are pretty slim the fiat will be a real clunker.

Last thought is it would be pretty hard to get a Mini for anywhere near 20K. where a 20K fiat I bet is pretty well equipped. My MCS was 30K and there were still quite a few option boxes left unchecked. I don't think you can play the value for the money card when driving a MINI. They are nice cars, but wouldn't call them a good value. At least on paper.


Dweebness is a matter of opinion. I would bet the thumbs up opinion falls in the fat area of the bell curve somewhere.

Trex

 

Well, you know what they say: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery..." They also say: "Often imitated, never duplicated;" I guess time will tell with the Fiat 500...

I'd also advise to keep it following repairs. As long as it's repaired (and then maintained) properly, it should serve you for years... Plus it's doubtful you could recoup all of the repair costs by selling it right away...

 

..hope they don't imitate the MINI's reliability

 

Just not digging the Fiat 500. Looks kinda like an egg on wheels.