Okie Dokie. I am thinking of taking the financial plunge and getting a mini. I have test driven a Mini Cooper and going to test drive the Clubman this weekend. They are both 2011s and have less than 24K miles so they have a little bit of their maintenance warranty left. I am a commuter and need a seriously reliable car to happily give me 80 roundtrip miles daily. I have heard so many mixed reviews about the mini's in general I am a bit confused. My girlfriend has had one for 6 years and loves her with no major malfunctions to report. Other's I know have had terrible maintenace costs associated with the car.
You see, I have been a Toyota girl for most of my 30 years of driving and I am used to very low maintenance. I completely understand that the mini is going to give me a much different driving experience. I get that. My current Corrolla (sorry am I allowed to say that on this site?) has over 200K miles on it and I have rarely had any issues at all. Before I take this plunge (I have been wanting to since they first came out), I want to dive more into the maintenance costs associated with Mini ownership and what I can expect. I have taken excellent care of my Corrolla...synthetic oil changes every 5k miles, belt changes, fluids changes....yada yada yada. So I am used to taking care of a car. However, it seems that the minis may have a lot of extra maintenance costs associated with them. It seems to me that alot of the posts on maintenance are people who have to go to the dealership to get a sparkplug changed or the oil changed. Is it not possible to do these types of maintenance by myself or are the minis just not conducive to do-it-youselfers?
My mechanic of 15 years told me and I am quoting "Stay away from those cars. It's impossible to get parts and they are expensive to fix. And the Dealer will rip you off" It's hard not listen to this man's humble albeit possibly wrong opinion when he has never steered me wrong with any previous car issues.
I am thankful in advance for anyone who would like to share their experience(s) with me to help this decision making process a little less painful. I just want to realistically know what I am possibly getting myself into.
Ever Grateful...

 

Welcome to NAM! You came to the right place for all things MINI.

You brought up quite a few questions that many prospective MINI owners have (myself included before I bought mine in '10). It sounds like you're aware of this up-front: MINIs are not Toyotas or Hondas. I had two Toyotas in the past and went through phases where maintenance was neglected a bit and the cars just kept going and going. I think MINIs benefit from a bit more attention and care, but it sounds like you're diligent about car care. Props! Like you said though: the experience is totally different. Toyotas & Hondas are appliance cars; they're tools to get a job done. The degree of fun and pleasure derived from owning and driving a MINI cannot be compared, it's exponentially higher.

There are a lot of owners who turn their own wrenches and take care of things like oil changes, spark plugs, brakes, etc. This is not a "service by dealer mechanic only" car. To that point, there are quite a few independent shops that have experience with MINIs and can do any work for much, much less than a dealer might. Here's just one resource you can look at to find an independent shop: Sooper Cooper

MINIs are like any other car in the sense that some people have cars that run for hundreds of thousands of miles with nothing but standard maintenance and replacing reasonable-wear components. Others don't have the same kinda luck or experience. Parts aren't impossible to get: you can find tons of OEM replacement or upgrade parts online, and my mechanic hasn't had any problems getting what I need. One thing to consider is if you want a forced-induction car or naturally aspirated. 2002 - 2006 S models were supercharged, 2007 - present Ss are turbo charged. The SC or turbo can wear out, which is something a "justa" Cooper doesn't have to worry about.

I've owned American, Japanese, and now a British/German car. It's been my experience that parts & service for the MINI are a bit more expensive than for US or Japanese cars, but I consider that the price of admission for owning a MINI. Knowing this going in, I have some $$$ buried in the backyard for bigger repairs. I wouldn't recommend a MINI to someone living paycheck to paycheck or who can't afford a $1000+ repair, cuz those things happen.

So there's all that. If you're looking at cars with some warranty left, that's a plus. If you find an out-of-warranty car that you really like, spend a little in advance and have a pre-purchase inspection done. You can also call a MINI dealer with the VIN and get records of any work done at a MINI dealership. I hope this helps, and good luck on your search! Be sure to post back if you have more questions or - more hopefully - end up with a MINI in your driveway!

 

Will a MINI ever rank higher than a Toyota or Honda in reliability... Never.
Maintenance cost for similar procedures will be higher. (oil change about the same)
DIY can be done, but the tight fit of the engine components can add complexity. I have midland skills and have done the oil, plugs, brakes, sway bar.
The Justa has proven more reliable than the S.

If your criteria for purchase is soley reliability, look elsewhere.
If you want to love your car, smile while driving, take a corner like you are on rails, wave to other owners..... Get a MINI.

 

I've actually had pretty good experiences with the Mini, about on par with our Honda van and Kia Soul, and mine's an R53 (2006 supercharged S model).

I've heard from reliable sources (Mini tuners themselves) that the recent non-S models (we call 'em "Justas", as in "Just A Cooper") are extremely reliable, good commuters that can also give decent punch, and 30++ MPG. Throw a Cold Air Intake on there and they also sound racy without sounding cheap.

I'd say go for it - they also hold resale value well so you're not looking at something that's going to depreciate so much if you really don't like it.

 

+ 1
where are you located, there could be some really good indi shops where you live. I have an 05 S and yes they are pricey to fix but I have done a few things to it myself and saved a bunch of money doing it, I have never worked on cars before in my life and I must say that it has been fun working on my car....so far , a great Indi shop like Helix,Way M W and others will charge MUCH less than the dealer and the KNOW MINIs in and out nothing wrong in going to the dealer since they would normally warrant their work for about 2 years for instance the dealer wanted 750.00 plus tax to change change my Window motor and regulator but I got the OEM parts from ECS for less than 300.00 shipped and did it myself a very rewarding job, thanks to a Pelican parts article another great vendor of MINI parts, dealer wanted 480.00 for brakes I did it for 80.00 shipped thanks to WMW.

As far as can tell parts are very easy to get, not cheap at least some parts. ECS tuning has a very good site to check out the parts you need I'm addicted to that site .

For more fun get the S for gas savings get the justa with the S is hard not to drive it like you stole it . I went with an older model because I wanted the Supercharger way too much fun for my own good.

A european car it's not a Toyota or honda, they will less reliable but MORE MORE FUN to drive.

 

Ok, so you sound like my kind of people. Thank you for the great feedback. It is invaluable to me. I am looking at the Justas...no Ss. I thought it actually had some great pep for an automatic and a none S. So I am thinking it might be alright. Besides, I am not at all ready for a Grandma Car (test drove the Sonata...nice lines on the car but had a grandma feeling moment while driving...not good.) I think the pleasure of driving the mini every day will far outweigh the issues I may have with maintenance. Hugs and Thanks.

 

I think you're good to go. "Justas" are great cars. They're reliable, efficient, and as much fun in the bends & curves - where MINIs are known to rule - as the S variant. When you own a MINI (or let the MINI own you ) you leave any feeling of ordinary, every day, mundane transportation behind and never look back.

I've had mine for nearly three years and still get a silly stupid smile every time I see her in a parking lot or my garage. I still look for excuses to just drive to nowhere in particular, and I always take the long way around. And I know I'm not alone in this. The price you pay for maintenance, mods, and premium gas is well worth it as the emotional, spiritual ROI easily exceeds the cost.

 

+1, and I know several Justa drivers who will give us "S" drivers a run for our money on an autocross course or a set of twisties - no foolin.

Let us know how you go!

 

Best reason to get one is that you wanted one since they came out.

As for reliability I would say your choice of a Justa would be good. Lower tire cost if you get the 15" tires that are not run flats. Probably less issues as non turbo. Also the trade in values for Minis are one of the highest around if you decide otherwise in the future

Have some fun. Get a mini.

 

DO NOT GET THE RUN FLATS!!!!! And don't test drive an S if you want a Justa lol, a Justa is a nice choice and the fun factor is the same please keep us updated and welcome

 

meh, runflats are fine now, the technology has improved a lot since the Gen1 cars. Yeah, they're a little harsher and a tadly bit more expensive, but you can replace runflats with non-runflats down the road, and a Clubbie has room for a spare if you choose not to get them. Do the Justa Clubmen come with non-runflats and a spare?

I agree that non-runflats ride better, wear longer, and are less expensive to replace, but to me that's not a make-or-break buying decision.

TEHO

 

+1 luv my justa and as far as run flats go on my long commute they have already saved me from having to change tire on side of the road at 2 am in eleven degree weather 50 miles from home. Oh and my justa with run flats came with spare!

Good luck hope you get what you want.

 

So, thanks to all of you and your enthusiasm and honestly...I took the plunge. I really look forward to being part of this community. So very glad I made a FUN decision instead of super-duper Toyota practical decision. Hugs all around.
Marie
Let me know if my pictures didn't show up because I must share.

 

Looks great! Pictures came through.

Any plans to mod?

Keep motoring.

 

Bravo, and Congrats! Chili Red is a great color; I especially like it on the Coopers. You have a great looking MINI!

Enjoy the experience, and if you're not already there...get out & drive!

 

I only have one problem with my MINI, I always want to drive it! I try to cut back on the miles, but I can't help myself. They are too much fun to drive. Enjoy your MINI & welcome to NAM.

 

Holy Smokes this car is super fun to drive. Soooo very glad I got it. Got my first friendly beep from another owner and the cutest wave from a little boy who thought the car was grand...just stared and stared. So, again thank you everyone for helping me make the decision to actually have fun driving the hour to and from work...and other times of course.
Ever grateful...

 

Welcome to NAM and congrats on taking the plunge and choosing a MINI. Great pics and great looking MINI.

 

You have to share b/c it is required to remain member of this group If not then you will Bramin-x-punged

VERY sharp car but how did you get it to lay on it's side like that?

\m/