RS man

Minis are not very reliable..... Looks fantastic and goes well but not a long-term proposition.

NC TRACKRAT

How long is a "long-term proposition"? That's like saying the same thing about Porsches when you only have the 996 to consider. The 996 dropped in value like a stone when it went out of warranty. Not so with the Series 1 MCS. If you were to go on the NAM (North American Motoring) forum, you'd find some well-cared-for MINI's in excess of 100K with nothing more than replacing a serpentine belt and perhaps a thermostat. I still contend that the 2005-2006 MCS is, in it's own right, a very reliable, incredibly fun car for a daily driver or for track duty. MINI folks are as fanatical as we are about 993's.

Mike J

I love these blanket statements - on what are you basing your opinion? (and note I said opinion, not fact). Just like Porsches, there are weak spots as well as good design, and in fact that applies to pretty well every car brand made.

Cheers,

Mike

gmorat

I had a Cooper S for less than a year. I hated it but I know people that love them. The ride was abhorrent and the ergonomics were maddening. The plastics were truly awful and the utility was non-existent. Swapped it for a 2013 5 door GTI which is a much better fit for me.

10% of the time it was fun and the rest of the time was a chore.

Each to his own.

G

RS man

We have a Cooper and had many issues which does not give me much confidence unlike my Hondas. If you go and have a read at Mini2 forum you will see lots of issues posted so it is not a blanket statement - I do not use loose comments like many on forums unless I mean it because the result is post like yours Mike....

993/907

Put me in the "wife's got one" column.
Bought an '06 S new, just turned 50k miles.
Zero problems until last week; leaking radiator and water pump.
Indy put in new radiator, pump and associated hoses/connections....total cost $1100 which I thought was remarkably inexpensive.
Wife in the shop (different shop) at the same time for some suspension work....I took the opportunity to drive the MINI as much as I could before she told me "enough, drive your own car".
The run-flats are ridiculous....replaced them right away with much better riding/handling/traction Nokian Haks.
All in all, if I didn't have the 993 I would drive a MINI.

Gordo

Holger3.2

Count me in, too...
(and I thought we were a lonely exception...)



2003 factory prepared JCW Racer
goes like thunder and is amazing fun on short, curvy tracks ...

After seeing the clip (Cooper vis. Porsche) earlier here, Missi talks already about kicking *** ...

I'm looking forward to that ...

Busta Rib

Call me crazy but if I was in the market for a hot hatch, I would seriously consider the Ford Fiesta ST. Haven't driven one yet but it has been racking up rave reviews by the automotive press and new owners. Supposedly one of the most fun cars to drive, especially for the money. I can't stand the front end, but I wouldn't be looking at it anyway if I was driving. MCS is a super fun car too. It is practically a street-legal go kart.





Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

BASE PRICE: $22,195

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 97 cu in, 1596 cc
Power: 197 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 214 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 98.0 in
Length: 160.1 in
Width: 67.8 in Height: 57.2 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 2700 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.2 sec
Top speed: 137 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 27/35 mpg

bart1

My mini had 106k, no leaks, no issues ever.

RS man

Window autodrop malfunction - window just leant outwards of frame; seat reclining mechanism kaput; Airbag contact ring failure; leaking radiator; reverse light switch failure; intermittent loss of top half of the digital odometer reading.... on less than 45000 miles; stiff as a rock runflats.... only good things about it is the looks, handling. Wouldn't buy another.

Holger3.2

Ok, ok I'm willing to take your burden, no regrets, i promise ... even ready to pay for the freight.
Just send the RS to Dubai. Exact Address per PM ...

RS man

If you have £170K, it is yours!

2ndof2

Just picked up an '06 MCS with 6-speed tiptronic tranny about 3 weeks ago for daily commuting. TERRIBLE gas mileage in the city though at about 21 per gallon. Requires premium. Not sure if the dyno-tuning and upgraded SC pulley is the reason for the bad mileage but the graphs show some huge HP and torque gains over stock and it really goes!

TRINITONY

A toyota with MINI CS problems is known as a lemon. At least the second generation. Try checking the oil. ..the impossible task. The majority of S cars are running with low oil. It's the only car that I've own that I bought an extended warranty on. Do a google search on 'death rattle', or 'carbon buildup' or 'catch cans'. :reckon: At 40k miles I have a stack of repair bills from the dealer - and it's not out of the norm; know issues on NAM. Best year, 05 -06 supercharged, stay away from the turbos.

Don't think I'll ever get my wife to part with it though, 25k miles in just over a year...

Mike J

Hmmm - try googling "Porsche 993 value guide issues" or "Porsche 993 steering rack" or "Porsche 993 shocks worn out prematurely" or ..... well you get my drift. . You can also do that with pretty well any brand and find lots of issues.

The real statistics are hard to tell - on any automobile brand forum, there is always a disproportionate amount of defects discussed (or perceived defects) for any car, and it always seems overblown. For every person on a Mini Forum, there are likely 100 not bothering to be on the forum who are doing just fine. I am sure the statistics are out there as well, but even then, it may come down to a choice of accepting there will be issues in trade for something unique or more fun to drive (unlike a Honda). We certainly accept that for the 993's, so I am not sure why the Mini's are getting so bashed on here.



Cheers,

Mike