I recently bought a used 09 66k mile Clubman S auto. I did some research before I bought it on the consumer reports types of sites but FAILED to check out these owner based forums. It seems like these mini cars are chuck full of issues even when taken care of. Are these cars THAT BAD. slight over heeat and the motor is toast, this that. Say it aint so

 

the base minis seem to be pretty reliable, lol

 

Are all Mini cars good? Yes of course.

Any specialist forum is going to highlight more problems than your average consumer/motoring website, but they also generally come with solutions too.

Is a Mini going to cost more than an Accord over the course of it's life? Probably, but not always. All cars have their problems. As to overheating - my 02 did the other week (coolant problem) - pulled over promptly and the motor was not toast - the system worked as designed in that case.

 

Just seems eberywhere I tunr there are horror stories. I realize all cars have issues, I had a 97 XK8 Jag, I know problems, ha ha ha.
The thing is that my wife is driving it and as much as I educate her to symptoms that she must know and stop the car at a moments notice I worry she can't and the motor is toast. Ha ha ha..
I do know mine has been taken care of my one dealer with no issues other then the timing chain and turbo wp.

 

I had the same issue. Wife was driving mine (I wasn't there - it's her car (lol)) and she had the good sense to pull over swiftly - I was reassured!!

All I can say is that with all the problems mine has (and it has a few), I don't blame it for them after 12yrs and 90k - they are all what could be termed wear and tear.

As for your 09, it isn't in the first couple of years of the R56 which get a bad rap for reliability. Worst case scenario, it could run you a few thousand over the next several years if all the horror stories come true. I'd suggest this is pretty unlikely. If your worried, have a contingency fund set aside for repairs (easier said than done) or be ready to switch it out as it gets above 100k and out of any remaining warranty.

 

1st gens are preety bullet proof with a few known problems, 2nd gen justas are reliable 2 gen early have problems

 

If you have the stomach for Jags, the Mini will be a piece of cake.

Did you have the recalled Nickasil cylinder liners?

 

yea well aware of that motor. The early models even have the timing chain issues, plastic tensioners, and like the Mini you got the start up rattle warning if they were going.
Well I hope I get lucky for awhile. The timing chain stuff was fixed on my mini last year, same time the carbon issue was cleaned up, and a few years ago the WP on the turbo was replaced.
I just read all the issues on the site and I think, what did i get into. ha ha ha
My wife drove it yesterday around town, then stopped at a store and left it running she says for 30 MINUTES unattended. Came back out and the MOTOR warning light was on in yellow. She drove across the street, pulled off into a lot, turned it off and back on and then light was gone. It was a motor light for partial loss of motor power or the like. So you can see why i am a little worried already.

 

2006 Honda Pilot @64K miles:

new trans
new trans cooler
new alternator
new leather seat cover -- twice
new power steering pump
front brake rotors
right front caliper
three sets of tires

Mini at 78K miles

new thermostat and water pump @700 miles
new shocks
two sets of tires
rear sway bar bushing


total cost for other than normal maintenance -- same mileage:

Pilot -- $9700
Mini $740

Cost when new -- Pilot $32800
Mini $26200

O/A gas mileage -- Pilot 23.6 MPG
Mini 33.1 MPG

You tell me -- which one is the more reliable and economical car.

 

Ha ha ha. I'd go with the Honda 8 out of 10 times for reliability if I wanted boring.

 

Yowza - should be glad you still have a car!

 

Ha ha ha. I was not happy that she left a running car just sit.

 

+8237487623

Think about it .. when you have an issue with something, where do you turn? Forums? Just because you hear horror stories on a forum, doesn't mean the car is ****. I just had an issue with carbon build-up in my 07 MCS and I kept telling myself, "if this one ever dies, I'm just getting a brand new one."

I love the MINI that much. A friend of mine brought up a good point the other day at work (he owns a BMW). He said that "sure, BMW/MINI may not be the most reliable manufacturer, but at least you can count on them [the cars] to tell you when something is wrong, or even when something as simple as brakes needs to be changed."

There may be a lot of unhappy MINI owners/previous owners out there, but I definitely GUARANTEE there are many more who absolutely love their MINI's.

 

I agree that car specific forums are not the place to decide if a certain make/model is reliable. I also have a Wrangler and if you look on those Jeep forums, it has to be the worst vehicle ever built. I would not hesitate to take mine anywhere. I perform all maintenance when it is needed and a car can last a long time if you take care of it. If something goes wrong and has to be fixed, that is a cost of owning a car. The only problem that I have is that I like cars that have entire catalogs of accessories that you can buy

 

Cars in general have their issues. No car is perfect. Shoot even a $90-100k car like the GT-R has issues lol.

 

Between my wife and I, we've owned 3 British Leyland MGs, 4 Jaguars, and 3 BMWs. Knock on wood, we totally enjoyed each vehicle with no major issues aside from routine maintenance. I just bought a '14 Roadster S knowing full well the history of British sports cars. So what! I don't want to drive a Honda, Ford, Chevy, Kia, or Toyota. My Roadster is worth every dime I'll put into it over the years. Drive one top down on the open road and tell me if you agree.

 

Knowing what I know now I would never personally buy a used Mini... I'm happy with mine though, some hiccups along the way but pretty solid when well taken care of.

 

I drive an 08 Mustang (good 'ol american muscle), wife drives a 12 MCS. She loves her mini, and quite frankly, looks dang good in it. I follow this forum and the Mustang forums a lot. Night and day in comparison. The Mustang forums report far fewer problems, however my Mustang doesn't have a turbo and direct fuel infection. The way I see it, the mini is a hi-performance european sports car that does what my Mustang could never do. It comes at a cost..

 

Oh but the Mustang '15 is getting a twin scroll turbocharger;-).

 

Good point. I've thought about trading in my pony for a new one (more hp with better mileage), but am hooked on the classic retro look. Didn't mean to hijack this thread

 

Well I know I cant really run mine through a car wash. The automated ones that your drivers side wheel is in that metal track, on mine it rubs on the bottom side of the sport/ground effects on the car. This sucks cause in the winter I like to use this one particular wash because it cleans the bottom of the car also.

 

What exactly are you referring to? Something directly underneath the car? Bottom front or sides of the car's body? I have a Roadster with the JCW exterior trim package and I'm wondering whether I'll have a similar issue. My front end clearance is pretty low with the JCW trim.

 

I will have to look at the bottom of the car in the light. It was not a loud rub but you could hear it. Like it was rubbing on the guides that around here anyway, the car washes have the wheel guide on the left side. I think it was just catching all the black plastic ground affects on the car.

 

We use a deluxe car wash. I'll ask the manager to check my clearance before trying it. With road salt a certainty this winter, I'd love to run my Roadster through a nice car wash on warmer days. I can wash it after winter passes since we're moving to Florida. I am a genuine winter wimp.