I'm probably as "newbie" as you can get to this Mini camp. It's time for a change from the Acura TSX. The new RDX gas mileage is pathetic and the price tag high so I decided to do some research with MPG highest on the list. Came across this thing they call the MINI Cooper which has sort of caught my eye from time to time so I went and took a MC and a MCS for a ride. WOW! I think I'm in love. But, I'm not kissin' on the first date without doing some research: I'm one of those guys that researches up and down and in and out. When I bought our MDX(2003) I knew more about the car than the dealer did. So, I stumbled across this little community as a potential resource of info and found this very curious band of intensely loyal enthusiasts who actually track their new babies from order to assembly to dock to driveway. What a strange and fun bunch indeed.
I have a couple of questions:
1. Just how good is this car? What kind of repair incidence does it experience?
2. Are the horror stories I have seen about transmissions that fail and horrible customer service true? There are reports of transmissions failing and customers being told: 'we don't open them up - we only replace them' and then they produce a bill for $7,000!
3. I'm used to driving a hard bargain. You know, equipped with the dealer's invoice and willing to leave if they don't give me the deal over invoice I have decided upon. It sounds like this migh be a waste of time with the MINI. True or false.
4. Just how good is it in the snow?
5. Are the hood stripes considered 'cool' or geeky?
6. Is the warranty/service really worth it? I had an Audi A4 that I loved that feature on, but after 50K miles I realized why nd how they could "throw in" free service before then: they royally ripped you off after the warranty/free service period!
7.How is the ride different from16 to 17 to 18 inch wheels? Are the runflats comfy or not?
8. What upholstery: clothe or leather?
9. Are all of you really as obsessed and cult-like as you sound?
10. Do you Zaino?
11. Am I nuts? :impatient

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, Miniheads.

 

Yes, we are all as nuts about our cars as you think...some of us even more than others. I have a 2003 BRG Cooper with custom gold stripes and really cool wheels and tires, etc. I have had no problems with maintenance (knock on wood) only with cops who have no sense of adventure. :-) 2 tickets in 4 years...not too bad. They go really fast. :-) It is cool to do whatever you want with your car......you just make it YOUR car and hope nobody steals your ideas. :-) I am thinking about an 08 IF I can talk myself into giving up my "baby".....we'll see. I always tell people who stop me to ask questions...if you don't want one...don't drive one because you'll be hooked. :-) Go for it and Motor with the rest of us. There's time to get one and come to the Dragon in May....what fun that is!!!!!

 

1. Just how good is this car? What kind of repair incidence does it experience?
It's a great little buggy. No problems with repairs for us, at least not yet.

2. Are the horror stories I have seen about transmissions that fail and horrible customer service true? There are reports of transmissions failing and customers being told: 'we don't open them up - we only replace them' and then they produce a bill for $7,000!
No experience with tranny problems - do shop around though and check out the reputation of the service department of your MINI dealer.

3. I'm used to driving a hard bargain. You know, equipped with the dealer's invoice and willing to leave if they don't give me the deal over invoice I have decided upon. It sounds like this migh be a waste of time with the MINI. True or false.
Probably true. MINIs are still in high demand and this is even more critical with a new model arriving at the dealerships. That being said you might be able to haggle a bit on a 2006 model if there are any available.

4. Just how good is it in the snow?
We've had good experience in snow but we do plan on buying a set of snow tires for next season.

5. Are the hood stripes considered 'cool' or geeky?
We've got the stripes - but one of the cool things about owning a MINI is the ability to customize it and make it truly your own car. If you like it anything goes.

6. Is the warranty/service really worth it? I had an Audi A4 that I loved that feature on, but after 50K miles I realized why nd how they could "throw in" free service before then: they royally ripped you off after the warranty/free service period!
We put a lot of miles on our cars so we purchased the extended warranty - all depends on your use, how hard you plan to drive it, and how long you intend to keep it.

7.How is the ride different from16 to 17 to 18 inch wheels? Are the runflats comfy or not?
We've got 16" run flats - no complaints.

8. What upholstery: clothe or leather?
We opted for leather. Again it all depends on what your preference is - if the upholstery isn't a big deal for you stay with the cloth and use the $1,200+ you would've spent on leather for something else on the car.

9. Are all of you really as obsessed and cult-like as you sound?
Yes - in fact there are days when it's tough to figure out who are the patients and who are the guards ;-)

10. Do you Zaino? Nope - I use EPIC and other products from Detailer's Paradise

11. Am I nuts?
Nope - and welcome to the asylum!

 

jump in the waters fine.
welcome to NAM

 

Join the club and come Motoring! Welcome to NAM

 

Welcome to NAM!

 

Stop Testing and come Swiming its good times! Welcome 2 Nam!

 

These cars are awesome in my opinion. I can't claim to have owned a ton of cars like some people that post here, but through friends and family I have had the opportunity to drive everything from new and classic v8 muscle cars, a wide variety of sport compacts, some cool VW's, etc. To me the Mini Cooper is the most fun car I have driven that still is able to be comfortably daily driven.

As to reliablity, that does depend somewhat on whether or not your looking at a leftover '06 or a new '07. The outgoing '06 models are generally pretty reliable as most of the kinks have been worked out, while the new '07s have been redesigned with a number of new components going into it. Any time you buy the first model year of a car after a redesign there is an increased chance of quality issues while the manufacturer works the kinks out. That is why you get a warranty of course though...

Still, there is no hard and fast rule. I have bought new domestics after a redesign right off the lot and had little/no problems and seen others buy imports long after they have had a redesign and had them be lemons.

One thing you need to understand is that a huge proportion of money ANY dealership makes is on service. The sorts of horror stories you have heard are just that, horror stories. Those sorts of things do happen, but internet forums have a way of making you think they happen more often than it actually does. Human nature seems to cause people to be more likely to come complain about a bad experience than praise a good one. It happens on every car forum I have ever read.

It is important to remember that your service experience has more to do with how the local dealers owners and managers choose to run their business than any other factor. That is why experiences can vary so widely as a result. I recommend checking the regional forums for your area for a better opinion on specific dealers if your concerned.

Generally, true. Dealers are in the game to sell cars for as much as the market will support, and manufacturers generally have little control or input of this beyond setting the MSRP. Like any business it is supply and demand. As the Mini has been (and will likely continue to be) a very in-demand car with a rather modest supply, most have a very difficult time getting a dealer to give any offer better than MSRP. The dealers feel if they can't get you to pay that much, someone else will. If the demand goes down or supply increases in the near future, this will change.

From my extensive reading here and my own limited experience trekking into the white stuff - Minis generally do pretty well as they are FWD, and come standard with a limited system of traction assist, with DSC (more advanced stability control system) as an option. My AWD Subaru is noticably better, but I would have no problem daily driving my Mini in snow. As with really any car, it depends on how much snow you run into though. If you get alot of snow, make sure you get a second set of wheels and some snow tires.

Completely personal preferance based. I happen to think they can be cool, though they are perhaps a little overdone in the mini community IMO.

Bingo! As I listed back in response to your second question, dealer service (especially out of warranty) is how any dealer (whether domestic, import, expensive car or cheap one) makes an awful lot of money.

I have had good experience with my factory warranty, but if your really concerned about the warranty be sure to keep your car as mechanically stock as possible (hard with a mini, the mod disease spreads quickly!). Some dealers throw in gimmicks like free oil changes and such, but don't let little things like that be deal-breakers. As I listed above though, your warranty and dealer service varies widely, so check around with local mini owners via these forums or elsewhere if your concerned.

Generally speaking, the smaller the wheel size the "smoother" the ride (though that is somewhat subjective). As you ramp up the wheel size the increased weight and reduced sidewall height causes a harsher ride in general. The opinion among most mini enthusiasts seems to be 15" or 16" wheels are best for performance, economy, and ride. 17" and 18" wheels are best if styling and looks are your goal though.

As to runflats, the early reports on the 2nd-gen runflats that come on the '07's are generally encouraging as the ride quality is suppossedly much better than the 1st-gen runflats that came on the '06's and back. In general though, don't forget that runflats are still a compromise technology. The ride quality and grip will pretty much always be better on a standard tire when compared to a runflat. How big a deal that is to someone is subjective though, and depends on how you use the car.

Personally, as someone who does a good bit of spirited driving and plans on getting into auto-x and trackdays, I chose to switch over to lightweight aftermarket 16" wheels with non-runflat high performance summer tires. I hardly ever have passengers, so I picked up a used donut spare to carry with me behind the passenger seat in case of a flat.

Very subjective. I personally prefer cloth since it is easier to clean and maintain.

YES!

I have a black Mini, it is pretty much required

No more or less than the rest of us...

 

Welcome to NAM!!! If you decide on the Mini you won't regret it, so jump in and let the fun begin!!!



06MCS/DS/B

 

wow.... usually obsessed people get called "bigheads"
Welcome to NAM and if you decide to get a MINI you won't regret it. I know I haven't one whit!

 

We as human beings are given brains by God Almighty that allows us the freedon of CHOICE. That choice allows us to choose Good over evil, right over wrong, Mini over other cars. We all chose our mini's because it was the right choice for us. Is it the right choice for you? Probably or you wouldn't be asking all those questions. Seeing a Mini for the first time is like love at first site. Go ahead and get married, you'll find out what the mini is really like after the honeymoon is over. For some (most of us) life is wonderful with our mini. For some (least of us) the marriage just didn't work out. For me after 2000 miles, I'm still in love! Let's Motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

MINIs are actually better than they appear even on a test drive. Over time, one begins to process the hidden nuances of the car. In the most severe cases (like mine) a sort of symbiosis kicks in and then it's all about love, baby!!!

I think horror stores are over-blown. Some dealers may be better than others but overall MINI is very, very good. My local dealer is rediculously good!!!

Haggling? Maybe a bit on an '06 but otherwise forget it. It's a different ballgame w/ MINIs. What most folks need to not tolerate if possible is markups which surprisingly still seem to exist on the west coast!! In that case would-be owners order out-of-state and all is well. A story: I had one friend who refused to pay MSRP...went to a dealer much farther way...got a slight discount, and (unbeknownst to them) missed out on a ton of long-term freebie perks offered to customers of the local dealership. Seems their deal was a wash...not worth the effort, imo, if you're local dealer is good.

Stripes? Stripes are cool...lots of folks have them. If you want them, get them w/o a second thought. Same if you do not want them.

Warranty (four years) and service (three years) is free and most owners have has no surprises...except pleasant ones. My overall experience, without exception, has been stellar!

Runflats? Word is that R56 is better setup for these and utilized the latest evolution in tires. I don't have them on my Cooper, so I'll stop there.

Good luck seeking out a MINI. You will be in for a big thrill should you find one to your liking!!

 

nm

 

Your responses are very helpful. Yes, I do research, and I can't think of a better place to do it! I think she had me at "Mini" - now it's on to find dealer that will treat her and me right!

 

Welcome Miniobx,

Do your research, but be careful with how you interpret the "issues" threads. I overly researched my 1st MCS while "parked" on the one year wait list for a production number of my 2003 MCS. I nearly passed, but took the chance anyway.

It turned out to be an excellant car. I loved it so much that I replaced it with an '06 JCW, which is treating me very, very well. I have never driven an OEM car that is so much fun! There are certainly better cars out there. But I challenge you to find one (within reason $$$) more addictive than the Mini. If you like a viceral experience in a car that fits like a glove, Minis are great. Are they great in the snow? Depends on how much snow your talking about. In terms of traction, they are pretty good with all-weather tires, and quite good with dedicated snow tires. (I'm used to driving Audi AWD) I wouldn't feel comfortable attempting to plow through 14" of wet snow. Cold powder snow? Yahoo, let the fun begin!

 

Great thread -