Like the title says are they that bad or it just that people are expecting more? I am about to bailout on a 2010 clubman just base on the stories on this site. Don't get me wrong a lot of good information but I am scare to spend money on an unreliable car. I am mechanically inclined and I enjoy working on my cars as hobby, but expending most of my time making a car reliable will take the fun away.

 

What?

 

Any forum will make you run away, MINIs are not perfect and they will give you headaches but that goes away as soon as I drive my R53, i agree if you don't want to spend money on repairs it's better to move on because they are not cheap cars to keep up but the fun factor will be hard to match. Keep in mind that I'm not a BMW fan I'm an AUDI fan and they will all give you headaches at one point of another. Hondas and Toyotas are ok fun, give them a try.
Best of luck and try to find a car that will make you happy even when fixing it.
Good luck

 

My 2008 Justa Clubman has never broken down, stranded me, or failed to start. It is the most reliable car I have ever owned. Of course I don't abuse it and do all the routine maintenance when it is due. The only non wear-and-tear part I have replaced was the thermostat. it was only $100 and I did it myself in about 4 hours (I'm not a mechanic).
I keep my cars for 10-12 years and usually rust is the thing that makes me want to get rid of them. But I see that rust is not a problem where you live!

 

Yeah right!

 

So do you already own it and are thinking about selling after reading stories on this site? You'll probably find someone is more likely to log on here to ask for help because his Mini is making an odd engine sound (like me), as opposed to someone who will not log on because his engine is not making an odd sound (like me). Understand?

 

All your base are belong to us

 

lol

 

I haven't had any out of warranty problems or expenses so far.

 

Like others have said, message boards, no matter what car brand or model, are full of horror stories. People go there to vent and get advice. Many people who are perfectly content with their cars will lurk and not contribute much, so you get overrepresentation of problem vehicles.

As an example, I had an issue last week with a flat tire on a newly purchased VW Golf (wife's car). After the flat, I realized that the CDN version of the car does not come with TPMS. Since we were never advised of the tire going flat and couldn't feel it in handling (it was in the rear), we rolled on the rear tire that was going flat and damaged the sidewall = need to replace a tire with only 6,000 km wear. Bummer.

What ticks me off even more is that VW Golf's in the USA come with TPMS due to legislated requirements. Will be contacting VW Canada about my displeasure and try to get them to pony up for at least partial cost of replacement tire.

Sorry if I kind of highjacked the thread.

 

Making a decision on MINI ownership based on the tales of woe herein is equivalent to drawing a straight line from an unwarranted assumption to a foregone conclusion.

 

Impressive...

 

Yeah, What Fly'n Brick said!

I have had zero problems with my 2010 Clubman. I'm keepin' it forever!

Dave

 

Buyers remorse maybe?

 

I had my 2009 for 5 years, 36,000 miles without a problem until an 18 wheeler rear ended me. i did do regular maintenance and also paid for an oil/filter change every 6 months.

In answer to your post title which seems to have coupled two thoughts together i can only say "I feel more like i do now than when i got here"

 

I think I am too old and express my question the wrong way. Still I think I asked a two parts honest question.

First Part: are MINI that bad? Base on my search they have common problems like any other car. The concern is base on the low mileage that the problems are showing/ happening.

Second Part: are people expecting more? I have seen post of members of this site that will never buy another MINI.Others members opinion are "if you want reliability buy Honda or Toyota" So may be people are expecting more of what they pay for.

I have all the papers on my desk to buy this car, so I don't own car nor winning and complaining about a noise that is coming from the car.

I am not making the decision of buying a car base on stories on this site. I am doing my homework so I know ahead of time what I am getting for.

I just wanted may be a yes or no of either question and a little bit of feedback.

Thanks,

 

First, I think it's pathetic that some people are poking fun at the OPs English. Please grow up and gain some perspective. To Kimnieves, I apologize on their behalf.

As for the OPs questions (specifically the second one), I think that people do generally expect more out of their MINI, specifically the newer ones. They've been riddled with some pretty big common issues like the thermostat housing, timing chain worries, and leaking oil feed lines to the turbo to name a few. If Honda or Toyota can build a car to last 150k+ miles no problem for the same or cheaper price then I don't see why MINI can't do it either. I personally got rid of my MINI for reliability issues and I have a friend who did the same a year or so ago. Plus, there's always the people that say 'Don't keep it past warranty.'

In my own personal opinion, if you're looking for a used car that will be both fun AND reliable, a MINI Cooper S is not the right choice...though a base model may serve you well. They are seriously fun cars to drive, so if that is what you are after then go for it.

 

teamrubixcube - i can apologize for myself thank you - who the heck are you?

to Kimnieves i meant no harm and i apologize. I have done the same thing when writing.

 

I wasn't even referencing you really! I just wanted to make sure the OP didn't feel attacked or profiled in any way, especially if they are considering a MINI as their next car.

As for who I am, I'm a HS math teacher who has been driving MINIs for much of the last four years (r50 and r56S). Last spring I jumped into a 2012 Civic Si coupe because I wanted something more reliable, yet still have a fun drive into work (good HP, 6 speed, agile, etc.). I still sign back into NAM once in a while because I used to spend so much time on here and I still know a lot about the community. I can still pick out a MINI at night from a good distance just by the front lights....I can even tell which generation. I'm interested to see how people take to the new F56.

If your question was rhetorical then please pardon me. I didn't intend to apologize for specific individuals, but rather to suppress any form of bullying mentality from the thread.

Happy motoring and best of luck to the OP with their tentative car purchase!

 

I've had my MINI for a little over a year now, and put down almost 20,000 miles driving all over Florida. I had a 2009 R56 previously, and that car was trouble-free for the entire 15,000 miles I had it. I traded it for the Clubman S, and this one was completely trouble-free until the last couple of months, when I had a coolant leak in the overflow reservoir and water pump. Had I been preemptive about obtaining the Bentley manual, I'd have saved myself the trouble of being compelled to get it repaired at the MINI dealership while far from home. LESSON LEARNED.

I'm an aircraft mechanic by trade, mechanically proficient, and had the foresight to capitalize on the Snap-On corporate account at my last job. Staying on top of maintenance is a given. My experience thus far with the MINI is that it's a little less reliable than x__x Japanese make, but that's not saying much. It's more rewarding to drive, however, and light-years more dependable than Government Motors, or Chrysler. Only my '06 Ford F-150 (sold to get the first MINI) is unparalleled in reliability.

That being said, my Clubbie is in teardown to replace the oil filter assembly gaskets for a leak, and while I'm there, pre-emptively replacing the turbo oil lines and upgrading the boost diverter valve. Have time, will wrench. Nearly fell into the same trap of reading people's comments here on the site, fretting about taking a bath on repairs. The other posters are correct - I was silent on this site until now, because I never had problems. However, the MINI seems to be mechanic-friendly, and parts that are likely to fail seem to be only above-average in cost. I'm a 30-something returning college student (engineering), and most know the value of fiscal responsibility (except Congress).

There seems to be four types of people who drive MINIs:

1) Well-off people who don't have the time, aptitude, desire, or resources to work on cars, and deign to the very notion of manly pursuits involving blood/grease/sweat. They can afford to pay for MINI dealerships and swap out the cars at 50,000 miles. Hey, that's their choice.

2) Those who lack the wherewithal to maintain/operate anything more sophisticated than a Crock Pot, and were attracted by the cheeky marketing campaign. (Nobody told me I have to check the oil! Tires should last 100,000 miles! The outrage! MINI anger me! MINI terrible!) They don't read anything called a "manual", have serious entitlement/narcissistic issues, and are the folks most governments enjoy keeping in the margins.

3) People who like the car, possess mechanical aptitude, and are proficient at a number of different skill sets, such as being able to interpret parts diagrams, troubleshooting, and understanding complex systems. They may or may not have a wad of cash, but do their own work because it's enjoyable and cost-effective. They understand the mechanic's motto: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", so their MINI does not explode spontaneously because of poor maintenance. They resemble the "Competent Man":

4) People that got into MINIs expecting them to be economical go-carts. The brand is a niche subsidiary of a parent company that does not have the same economy-of-scale as Honda and Toyota, and a different strategy. Additionally, there's a lot more performance in the MINI than any Hyundai Elantra (let's just start with the availability of manual transmissions!!). There's no fault on this group, the intention was just short of the mark; however, after awhile, their expectations will realign accordingly - and they'll either live with the car, or part with it.

Okay, I've likely missed the mark on a few things, these are just observations. Owning a MINI is a two-way relationship, and whether that's enjoyable to you depends on your own personal disposition and lifestyle. They're require more TLC than a Hyundai, but my experience has been good overall. MINIs are not for everyone...that's what makes them MINI. Besides, that's Honda's ancient slogan anyway.

Perhaps someone can suggest another car that handles this good, goes this fast, parks this easily, and sips so little fuel - at this price, with four wheels (as opposed to a sportbike)?

 

Well said, my friend, well said

 

lmao

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

Guilty as charged. I'm a lawyer with absolutely no mechanical skills. I bought my '14 Roadster S because it was an English ragtop that quickly revived memories of my three MGs. My mileage is low and I have the financial wherewithal to cover repairs and maintenance. My wife owns an '09 Jaguar XF with 35,000 miles on the odometer. She bought it new in Fall '08 and we've had no major issues over the years. The XF is her fourth consecutive Jaguar and we've experienced similar luck with each model. I can only hope my beloved Roadster fares as well.

 

I hope you have good luck with yours! My 2011 MCS hardtop hasn't been very reliable at all. But it's still a blast to drive.

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

My two cents:
I have a 2009 justa. I can afford to have it repaired, but I prefer to maintain it myself. I spent a small fortune on tools, and can now do rotors, pads, serpentine belt, oil and filter changes. I plan on doing the thermostat when that quits.
Mini's are fun cars. If I can learn how to make repairs, then anyone can. Making my own repairs is both enjoyable, and rewarding.