Yesterday my April-build 2007 MCS went over 50K miles. I thought the board might be interested in my experience with this car over the past four years.

Problems: Cigarette lighter fuse replaced twice; rear hatch microswitch replaced under warranty. Nothing more than these insignificant niggles. Overall, the car has been outstandingly reliable and trouble-free.

Timing Chain Rattle: Yes, I have a bit of this occasionally, especially in winter at low temp on starting. However, the rattle never lasts more than a minute and I am careful to run the motor gently until the chain tensioner pumps up, which it never fails to do. I run Mobil 1 0W-40 and believe the lower viscosity helps the tensioner pump up more rapidly in winter. I left the car at the dealership (Mini of Baltimore County) for three days once, requesting that they look at the timing chain rattle issue and install the fixes. They started the car each morning and reported that they were "ünable to duplicate" the rattle, so nothing was done. The car runs like a top, and I do not have the sense that the minor, occasional startup rattle has done any consequential damage to the motor. I don't consider this a big issue for my car, but I do keep a close eye on it.

Maintenance: Just routine service. Stock engine, exhaust and suspension. Oil and filter changes at home every 5K. Air filter cleaned periodically with compressed air, changed once. Brake fluid changed once at dealer. Wiper blade inserts changed several times. Alignment still true, no pulling or uneven tire wear. Still have original brake pads and rotors with some margin left, although rotors are approaching minimum thickness. I plan to change pads and rotors within the next several months. Will perform first Seafoam decarbonisation soon.

Performance: Seat -of-pants impression is that engine power is is at least as good, perhaps better, at this point than when new. I try to achieve a smooth driving style, but frequently use full power for passing and aggressive "squirts" through openings in traffic. I do not "baby" the engine in the least, except that I do not use downshifting for engine braking, but prefer to let the brakes do the stopping. Last week I took a 300-mile trip on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, on cruise control at about 72-73 mph and using the A/C for about 100 miles of this. Fill-up took 7.6 gallons, calculated 39.4 mpg. Average about 31-33 in city driving, 35 in mixed city/hiway.

The Bad: Radio/Stereo/Computer controls. Unintuitive, confusing design, frustrating for a newbie. However, now that I am accustomed to the rather complex menu and experienced in using it, I can select whatever function I need quickly and easily. As Leadbelly once said when someone asked him how he played those amazing 12-string rags, "It's so easy when you know how." Heater/A/C controls seemed rather underwhelming at first, but in practice have proven simple and effective to use. No issue there. Larger-than-necessary rear view mirror obstructs view in right-hand curves. Stock
runflat tires ride harshly, have poor feedback. I ditched them and installed Nokian snow tires on the OEM rims, with 16" OZ Ultraleggeras and 205/50 sticky tires for summer. I carry a Continental electric pump with sealant, and a Dynaplug set. Suspension can occasionally jitter and lose contact momentarily on rough or washboard surfaces. Occasional but easily controllable bump steer going over sharp irregularities during turns. Perceptible but controllable torque steer when accelerating hard in turns. Relatively noisy cabin at speed, with wheelwells seemingly the biggest source of noise. Plan to install some Dynamat soon. I wish there were a water temp gauge.

The Good: Engine performance and driveability are very gratifying. Almost-imperceptible turbo lag and astonishing low-rpm torque make this a very user-friendly, easy-to -live-with engine. Acceleration is impressive and useful when needed, but the car still returns very good mileage. Easy to perform routine maintenance on motor. Completely oil-tight, virtually no oil consumption. Manual 6-speed gearbox is well matched to engine- after 50K it shifts more slickly now than when new. Steering wheel control stalks are
thoughtfully designed, if a bit different from those commonly found elsewhere. Once I became accustomed to them, they are the easiest to use I have found on any car. Xenon headlights are brilliant, literally. Giant speedo is retro-cool, but mostly useful as a light show and a place to mount my GPS. Nearly all useful info is available from the tach dial. Seats are quite supportive and comfortable, well bolstered for hard cornering. (I use a CG-Lock on the driver's seatbelt to stay firmly in place for brisk driving.) Cloth seats are holding up extremely well thus far. I have made several 6-800 mile trips in a day, with no discomfort. Stock suspension is firm and generally well controlled for non-track driving. Acceptably comfortable ride, if rather choppy. I tried the Sport suspension before ordering, and found it rather harsh and more performance-oriented than I need for everyday driving. Utility of the Mini squareback design is under-appreciated, I believe. With the rear seats folded, this diminutive car will hold an amazing load. Last year, for example, I carried nine 50-lb bags of mulch without a problem. With the exception of the occasional handling quirks noted above, the car exhibits great agility and quickness, but at the same time is quite stable. I drive exclusively with the Sport button ON - far better response from both steering and throttle in this mode. The electronic stability control, considered intrusive by some, is a great asset in slippery conditions. I recently drove through torrential rain for 50 miles during Tropical Storm Lee, with so much water on the road that many cars, including the Mini, were hydroplaning to some degree. The DCS was working overtime to keep the MINI on the straight and narrow in these extreme conditions, and was very effective. Works great on wet leaves as well.

Best Options: HEATED SEATS. Multifunctional steering wheel w/ Cruise Control (necessary for long-distance driving) and stereo/radio controls; Xenon headlights; Upgraded stereo -Unlike some, I find the OEM speakers quite acceptable. I am a musician, but probably not as much of an extreme audiophile as some. Robin Cassidy Cocobolo gearshift **** and handbrake handle are beautiful, sensuous to the touch, and a worthy upgrade.

Overall, I have found my MCS to be an extremely satisfying ride. I love this car! MINI's combination of performance, handling, iconic style and utility are difficult, if not impossible to match on the market currently. (The Fiat 500 may be MINI's only real competitor in this niche, but we will have to await the Abarth version to see if it can really challenge the MCS). But most of all, the MCS has a FUN FACTOR that is just off the scale. By far, the most entertaining car I have ever owned. And it does all this with -thus far - rock-solid dependability. I seldom post here, and I think the same is true for many happy MINI owners who quietly enjoy their cars. Boards such as this tend to be dominated by the issues/gripes/complaints of those who unfortunately do have real or imagined problems. I thought folks might be interested to hear about all that has gone RIGHT with my car. I am a happy and thoroughly satisfied MCS owner who daily applauds my choice. It's not perfect, but what a great car!!

 

Excellent review! Thanks for this. It should be encouraging for many of us.

 

Diploman: I also have an '07 MCS w/45K miles on it and could not agree with you more. I cannot add anything to what you have shared so eloquently. It is so nice to see something positive written about our beloved cars on this forum....well done mate!

 

Yes! Well said!

 

Very good indeed. I feel the same way about my 09 MCS. I don't have that many miles on it yet but I have had zero problems thus far. Great car. I'm hating the fact that I am trading it in on the new Coupe. (Maybe)

 

Here here! Well said, succinct, loaded with useful information. Thanks.

 

Excellent review! Not just because its a positive review, but because it explains why. I check NAM every morning and must admit I sometimes get tired of the negativity of some of the threads. Its great to hear from someone who's truly happy with their car. We all love our cars when they are new, but to still feel this way after the newness has long worn off- thats a good sign. I have only had my Mini for a year and a half, but I feel the same. Its really a unique and amazing car.

 

An excellent, thorough review: I agree totally.

 

Well written review and thanks for sharing. Rather helpful for us prospective buyers

 

Thanks for the review. You can get the torque steer eliminated by having dealer reflash with the anti torque steer program included on 2011 and later models. See the anti torque steer thread. I had it done and the difference is amazing. Congrats on 50k miles of fun. I am a over 20k on my 2009 MCS convertible and have had good service.