Like many others, I dream of the day when I'll be able to purchase my Mini. I've wanted a Mini for quite a while and I'm finally nearing the time when I can actually own one. I've test drove a couple and every time I do, I feel like a drug addict with a quick fix.

I'm leaning toward a 2007 Mini Cooper or Mini Cooper S, if I can find a good deal on one. Manual or Automatic, either will be fine. I'm finally learning to drive a manual (on a semi, no less) and I'm enjoying it, so Manual is edging out Auto, slightly.

But, with all the good feelings come some small concerns. Noise problems and reliability issues fill the Internet and fill me with dread. I've assured my wife that costs after purchase won't be much of an issue. That our new addition (our first child is due May 2nd, 2011) will have plenty of room in the back and that Mini's are very reliable in safety tests.

I guess the short version is that I'm looking for any advice and reassurances that Mini's are worth it.

Thanks in advance.

 

I traded in a 2008 Subaru WRX STi that was modded and tuned. It had roughly 125 more wheel horsepower than my MINI has and a god awful amount of more torque.

But, the MINI is a freaking blast and I do not regret getting into my 07 Cooper S. It is so much fun - just like driving a go kart and it's not the slowest thing on the road either. Mine rattles, makes interesting noises from time to time, and can be a little expensive to maintain if you don't want to do it yourself, but it's so worth it.

Find one that has a little warranty left or maybe a MINI certified pre-owned or one that's been meticulously cared for and I think you'd be happy.

 

The MINI is the most fun car I have ever owned,,,and I have been driving over 30 years. I have had mine for about 16 months and still look for excuses to drive it. I have had no issues with it other than a broken grommet on the convertible top which was promptly handled under warranty.

I much prefer the manual and the S for me. The torque of the S engine is always there-it comes in just above idle and the S pulls like a freight train all the way to redline.

I have no regrets at all.

 

seondave,

I think the biggest factor in reliability of ANY vehicle depends on how one drives it. Some people can be VERY hard on a car. How would you describe your driving habits?

gawannamini,

Just curious, where did you get the backup camera and do you find it handy?

 

OP,
this will perhaps be of interest to you as a potential first-time MINI owner and a soon to be parent. We had an 06 MCS and it was such a powerful experience in our lives that when it was gone, we felt the ache of it's loss. I'm not kidding. An effing car, a THING, and we felt like a loved one was gone. And the worst thing was, it felt preventable. It was one of the verrrry few things I regret. See, we traded it because my wife's early maternal concerns were about getting the baby in and out of the back seat. We got through all of the pregnancy in the MINI. We drove to the hospital in the MINI. We could even see it parked in the corner spot of the roof level of the parking garage just outside our hospital room. But 4 months later, my wife, being very petite, expressed concern that surely it was going to get hard to get the baby in and out and we were being impractical. So, we finally gave in to the concern, traded into a new Honda Element: a practical, compact, box of a thing that hauls bikes, babies and building supplies gracefully.

But man, we were bored. And we missed the MINI. Ultimately, a year later, we admitted to ourselves it was a mistake to jump based on those early admittedly hormonal concerns. Many friends in the local MINI driving group had kids much older, no problems. And worse, we found that the E was just as hard for her: she had to climb UP into it to put the baby in. And now, we had less visibility, more blind spots, less engine power, poor handling and ultimately, not a MINI, but a car.

We eventually decided to return to the MINI world and though it was only a year, we felt like it was a decade. And while we ultimately decided to get a Clubman, I believe the MINI coupe would remain a fine vehicle for transporting your little one. The LATCH system makes car seats a breeze (we used the Graco Snugride for the infant.)

So yeah, I'd DO it.

 

go with the S and get a manual. you wont regret it!

 

agreed

 

Do't worry about reliability, pick out a good car and you wil have no trouble.

 

I can't speak for a Manual...I've never owned one, nor have I spent a lot of time behind the wheel on the road. I'm currently learning to drive Semi's for my CDL, which is where I've taken a liking to shifting.

But, I do have concerns about my track record for preventive maintenance, which I'm hoping / planning to change for my Mini. I would classify myself as easier on cars than most, probably. I rarely floor it, unless I have to. I have a Chevy Cobalt right now and on really nice days when I'm feeling good, I'll take some s-curves near our house a little faster than I should. I brake early and I usually hover around 5 MPH over the speed limit, which drives my wife a little crazy...she speeds a lot more than I do.

So, all in all, I would say that I'm not hard on my vehicles.

 

If you're not hard on your vehicle and plan to maintain it well, then by all means do it.