Klayfish
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2016
We owned a 2010 Cooper S, called the R56 generation. The newest one started in 2014 and is the F55/56 generation.
Everything Squirlz said about it is true. They have quite a cult following, so if you want to get involved in the MINI community, you will meet a ton of people, can go on cruises, rallies, events, etc... They really can be a lifestyle if you want them to be. Your options to customize the car are endless, and really fun.
From a driving fun perspective, they're about as much fun as you can have on 4 wheels. They are a blast to drive. Responsive, nimble, a bit slow but that's OK their personality makes up for it. The interior is quirky, so it's a love it or hate it thing. I loved it. Seats are very comfy up front, in back they're nearly useless. Even the Countryman, which is better, is not a super roomy car. But if carrying 4 people isn't a big deal for you, it'll have plenty of room. MPG was very good. Even with my fully loaded S model, I got 34mpg, and could touch 40 if I was being crazy careful. Cars are just machines, and I don't believe in giving them names or "personalities", but the MINI sure as heck makes you smile every time you sit behind the wheel. It never gets old.
However, and it's a HUGE however, they are tremendously unreliable cars. Just do a Google search for "MINI death rattle" and you'll see what I mean. From the moment they came out, they haven't been a pillar of reliability. The R56 generation had quite a combo...owned by BMW (which doesn't make reliable cars anyway), using a French engine (again, horrible reliability) and assembled in England. It's like the trifecta for unreliability. They are known for serious timing chain issues (the death rattle), catastrophic fuel pump failures, electrical gremlins and the auto transmissions were made of glass, among other things. Yes, you'll find an owner or two who swears they got 150k trouble free miles out of one, and I'm sure there are a few. But as a general population, they're reliability is terrible. The newest generation ditches the French engine, but replaces it with tiny BMW turbo motors, which aren't likely to have much better reliability. Early reviews by car magazines have confirmed continued quality control issues.
So, I'd say if you're prepared to deal with the reliability issues, then everything else about the car will keep your heart fluttering. They're so much fun, but I personally just didn't want to live with the potential headaches. There are far too many good quality fun cars on the road. Darn shame too, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if they were reliable.
Everything Squirlz said about it is true. They have quite a cult following, so if you want to get involved in the MINI community, you will meet a ton of people, can go on cruises, rallies, events, etc... They really can be a lifestyle if you want them to be. Your options to customize the car are endless, and really fun.
From a driving fun perspective, they're about as much fun as you can have on 4 wheels. They are a blast to drive. Responsive, nimble, a bit slow but that's OK their personality makes up for it. The interior is quirky, so it's a love it or hate it thing. I loved it. Seats are very comfy up front, in back they're nearly useless. Even the Countryman, which is better, is not a super roomy car. But if carrying 4 people isn't a big deal for you, it'll have plenty of room. MPG was very good. Even with my fully loaded S model, I got 34mpg, and could touch 40 if I was being crazy careful. Cars are just machines, and I don't believe in giving them names or "personalities", but the MINI sure as heck makes you smile every time you sit behind the wheel. It never gets old.
However, and it's a HUGE however, they are tremendously unreliable cars. Just do a Google search for "MINI death rattle" and you'll see what I mean. From the moment they came out, they haven't been a pillar of reliability. The R56 generation had quite a combo...owned by BMW (which doesn't make reliable cars anyway), using a French engine (again, horrible reliability) and assembled in England. It's like the trifecta for unreliability. They are known for serious timing chain issues (the death rattle), catastrophic fuel pump failures, electrical gremlins and the auto transmissions were made of glass, among other things. Yes, you'll find an owner or two who swears they got 150k trouble free miles out of one, and I'm sure there are a few. But as a general population, they're reliability is terrible. The newest generation ditches the French engine, but replaces it with tiny BMW turbo motors, which aren't likely to have much better reliability. Early reviews by car magazines have confirmed continued quality control issues.
So, I'd say if you're prepared to deal with the reliability issues, then everything else about the car will keep your heart fluttering. They're so much fun, but I personally just didn't want to live with the potential headaches. There are far too many good quality fun cars on the road. Darn shame too, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if they were reliable.