LF Someone who owns a MINI Cooper

paperpusher · October 2014

The MINI Coopers have been catching my eye lately and I'd like to get some feedback on what others think of them, especially anyone who owns a Cooper S.

Specifically:
How they handle in the snow - I live in Upstate New York so snow is inevitable.

What type of drive they are. All wheel, 4 wheel, front wheel...

What would you rate it on the safe scale 1 to 5, 5 being most safe?

What would you rate it on the zippy scale 1 to 5, 5 being pretty zippy?

What's the gas mileage like?

What type of start up engine is it - keyed ignition, electric push button?

What's the maintenance like?

I'm just starting to research it, but any feedback from real live people and not someone paid to promote a product is nice.

penguin44 · October 2014

I had a friend that has one. It had a lot of maintenance the first few years. Lots of little things went wrong. The interior was falling apart.

That was a few years ago. I have no idea what model she had. I didn't have a good impression of them though. Then again, I don't really fit my 5' 11" body in them well.

hellosweetie1015 · October 2014

They are (were?) BMW made, so upkeep is high and really needs to be done at a BMW-certified place. My mom test drove one (used) and the maintenance costs lured her away. It was pretty zippy, probably a 4 or so. Snow - I got nothin', we test drove in GA summertime. Good a/c system! Very tiny. I was not comfortable in the back seat, and at 5'1" I'm a bit smaller than your average 6th grader. It felt safe for its size but rather like a stiff wind could flip it. No idea on gas mileage, I couldn't tell you the mileage I get in my daily car other than "crap". It was at the time a keyed ignition if I recall but I don't remember that detail. I seem to recall rear wheel drive? Again, could be wrong.

Keep in mind - all assessments made during a test drive of a used car in 2009. I've noticed that they've gotten rather bigger in the six years since. Also we're cheapskates so maintenance may not be truly high, but I know it was a higher general estimate than my mom wanted to pay.

cupcait927 · October 2014

@JennyColada‌ don't you have a MINI?

paperpusher · October 2014

I was in traffic next to a Countryman Cooper S earlier this evening and I think it sat up higher and was longer and wider than my current Subaru Impreza.
The closest Mini dealer is an hour away.
According to their website they have a 36k mile no maintenance cost. I'm sure there is fine print on what it covers and what it doesn't.

Right now I think I'm getting away cheap. Most expensive thing I've done was replace all 4 tires, plus brakes and rotors, and get an oil change. That came to almost $1000.

Oil change every 3k miles or so is about $40. The tires are what kill me.

snarkymaid · October 2014

paperpusher said:

The MINI Coopers have been catching my eye lately and I'd like to get some feedback on what others think of them, especially anyone who owns a Cooper S.

Specifically:
How they handle in the snow - I live in Upstate New York so snow is inevitable.

What type of drive they are. All wheel, 4 wheel, front wheel...

What would you rate it on the safe scale 1 to 5, 5 being most safe?

What would you rate it on the zippy scale 1 to 5, 5 being pretty zippy?

What's the gas mileage like?

What type of start up engine is it - keyed ignition, electric push button?

What's the maintenance like?

I'm just starting to research it, but any feedback from real live people and not someone paid to promote a product is nice.

Lurker here but I've got a 2012 MINI, automatic transmission (base model, not an S). It's 2 years old and less than 20K miles on it (I live in a city and really only use it on weekends).

Snow: Handles decently. It's heavy enough that it helps give you some decent traction, but I don't do a ton of snow driving since I don't drive to work and it's simply a recreational vehicle.

Drive: Mine's front wheel. The 4-door Countryman comes in an All-4 version.

Safety: I feel pretty darn safe. The doors are REALLY heavy - there's a lot of steel around you. Never been in an accident in mine (knock on wood) but they've always gotten good safety ratings.

Zip: 3. Here's where the difference between the base and the S is. I often have to shut off the AC when merging onto a busy highway because I worry about not having enough power to match the flow of traffic. However, my cousin had an S, and the extra 60hp definitely helped.

Gas mileage: Really good. I have repeatedly made 270 mile drives (highway) on less than half a tank (tank is about 13 gallons on the base model).

Start Up: Key fob and push button start. Best invention ever.

Maintenance: I bring mine in for scheduled maintenance as required by MINI (I'm also on a lease, so I will only take it to MINI, and the car tells me when it needs service. My car is smarter than I am). Overall, I've had no real problems with mine...except for the damn tires. I have regular tires (not run-flats). My tire pressure monitor goes off monthly and I have to refill. I've gotten really good at scouting out all the gas stations that let you fill your tires for free (shout out to Hess) because I have to do it that often. So, no major issues, but then again, I mostly only use mine on weekends so I don't have a lot of the issues that other people have.

Warranty is good - 3 year, 36,000 mile boot-to-bonnet but outside of the warranty, it gets expensive. My cousin had the S and her turbo actually broke apart and it wasn't worth it to fix it, so that's a known issue with the S.

Overall Impression: I have a love-hate relationship with Red Velvet. I love him, until something just feels off and I'm reminded that my car is part BMW and very finicky. It really does handle like a go-kart though, and I can park him anywhere, which is a major plus because I live in a little Hudson County, NJ city that has a big parking problem. I'll be sad when my time with him is over, but overall, I do like having a MINI and would recommend it if you don't mind a car that requires higher maintenance.

Also - if you get a MINI, put stripes on it. MINIs look naked without stripes.

FMIL12 · October 2014

I've had mine since 2006- it only has 45k on it right now. I've always felt safe in mine. Manual transmission base model ( no S). I think it's quite zippy

The maintenance under warranty is awesome and the dealership treats you like royalty. Outside of the warranty it can be really expensive but mine has needed ver, very little done to it in 8 years. Even just the rear wiper blade was difficult to come by if I didn't wa nt to pay an arm and a leg at the dealer (but I managed to fiind a place.)

huskypuppy14 · October 2014

paperpusher said:

I was in traffic next to a Countryman Cooper S earlier this evening and I think it sat up higher and was longer and wider than my current Subaru Impreza.
The closest Mini dealer is an hour away.
According to their website they have a 36k mile no maintenance cost. I'm sure there is fine print on what it covers and what it doesn't.

Right now I think I'm getting away cheap. Most expensive thing I've done was replace all 4 tires, plus brakes and rotors, and get an oil change. That came to almost $1000.

Oil change every 3k miles or so is about $40. The tires are what kill me.

Why do you want to get rid of your Subaru? (Fellow Subaru owner here!)

JennyColada · October 2014

cupcait927 said:
@JennyColada‌ don't you have a MINI?

I do! Thanks!

2015 non-S

I live in SoCal so can't comment on the snow. No idea of the wheels or drives. Hrm.

I think it's quite safe. Tons of airbags. Handles great. Very zippy. I love it!

I get about 46mpg-ish.

Push button start and keyless entry. Love it. Don't know if I'll ever want a key again!

3 year, 30,000 mile all included service and maintenance.

paperpusher · October 2014

Thank you all for your feedback. This has been very informative.

@huskypuppy14 I'm not even sure I do want to get rid of it.
When I still had my Buick (hand me down from FIL) all I could think about was Mustang and how long I've wanted one.
But then when I decided it was time to put my Buick to pasture because I was dropping more and more to repair it than it was actually worth all I was able to think about was Subaru.
I don't even think I looked at a single Mustang.

The Subaru had all the qualities I was looking for: safe, decent gas mileage, good for snow handling, zippy, low maintenance.

I had traveled to multiple dealerships, had been looking online and in the papers for ads. They were either too much, I didn't like them, or it was going to be a headache down the road because something was already wrong with it. (One that I looked at was HORRIBLE. If you ran your hand along the inside of it anywhere it came out black. The alignment was off and you could tell just by feeling the tires. Both bumpers were cracked)

And then it was like it was meant to be. A friend recommended someone from one of the local dealerships. I contacted him and asked what he had in stock. He said he had X,Y,Z and I let him know I'd come see him after work.

He gives me a call as I'm heading out and says - listen, I found this. It was a 2010 Subaru Impreza Premium. I fell in love with it at first sight, and it was dark out.

I did my preliminary check - checked under the hood at the engine, air filter, fluids, checked the tires for tread and alignment, lights, checked to see that there were no obvious cracks or dents in the body, checked the trunk for the usual repair kit, inside I checked the interior to make sure it was cleaned good and not disgusting, checked the gadgets and lights, how comfortable the seats were, if it came with a manual, how many keys, floor mats.

What really sold me was the sun/moon roof.

Came back the next day during daylight, test drove it for a few hours, then bought it.

levioosa · October 2014

@paperpusher I just saw this post!

I had a 2007 Mini Cooper S. It was an intense love/hate relationship. Honestly, it was a piece of shit, although it was the most fun I've ever had with a car. I still really miss it. My experience was also not unique. If you lurk on Mini Cooper forums you will see the same problems over and over and over again, at the exact same mileage. I put thousands of dollars into it. I paid for an extended warranty which was the best thing I ever did, because it paid for itself three times over in the first three months of having it.

To answer your questions:

How they handle in the snow - I live in Upstate New York so snow is inevitable.
- They probably handle really well. My car handled great, and for some reason whenever I'm in snow territory I always see a ton of Minis....which I honestly wouldn't have expected.

What type of drive they are. All wheel, 4 wheel, front wheel...
-Not 100% sure. They new Countryman might be all wheel. My Mini S wasn't.

What would you rate it on the safe scale 1 to 5, 5 being most safe?
-I felt safer in my Mini than I do in my Sonata. That aspect of their construction is the only real "well made" thing about it. I give it a 4. Minus 1 point just because anything that small going against a huge car is inevitably going to lose. You could say the same thing about Civics or Corollas. My Mini doors were super heavy because they were actual steel. Sometimes when I open my Sonata doors it feels like they were never even closed. I also had the prima donna package for safety. I think every possible surface in my car had an airbag of some sort. They consistently get very high safety ratings.

What would you rate it on the zippy scale 1 to 5, 5 being pretty zippy?
-10. lol. It was so much fun to drive (the S). I miss the zippy so much. Mine would go from 0-60 in like 6 seconds. I love speed adrenaline rushes, so it was awesome. I cannot emphasize enough how much fun it was to drive. Thinking about it makes me sad.

What's the gas mileage like?
-When I drove like a grandma, I got close to 40. When I drove it like they were made to drive I got closer to 27. But who wants to drive a Mini like a grandma?

What type of start up engine is it - keyed ignition, electric push button?
-You have a key fob. I'm pretty sure with newer Minis it's just push to start. They key can stay in your purse and you can open and start the car without ever getting it out. Mine was push to start but I had to have the key fob in the ignition (2007 Mini).

What's the maintenance like?
-Super shitty. After 50K miles expect your car to be in the shop every other month. Beamer's maintenance system is also crap. They tell you to change the oil every 15K miles. This is ridiculous and will ruin your car. They instituted the change via corporate a few years back to save money. It didn't come from the mechanical side of MINI/BMW.

Mini oil changes should be done every 3-5K miles. Don't take your mini to anyone who doesn't deal with minis because they will fuck it up. Not saying you have to take it to a dealer, but look on mini forums for a good repair shop. Dealers will also charge you an arm and a leg for anything done to the car. They tried to charge me $225 for oil changes. Under no circumstance take your Mini to a Jiffy Lube.

@snarkymaid do not follow the bullshit "maintenance program." If you want your mini to survive, make sure to get the oil changes every 3-5k miles. The change in their maintenance program is one of the reason minis fall apart so easily.

My other problem with my Mini was that it was kind of poorly made. Seriously, so much plastic on the inside for a $40K car. I can't even tell you how many times I had to replace the sun visor mirror cover. Mini also does this thing where they keep including parts they know will break in a certain amount of time or that easily fall apart. So that's frustrating.

If you are going to lease a mini for 3 years, fantastic. They start to fall apart after that and you can give it up and be like, "it was fun, but now fuck you." Don't buy one. I say this as a former mini lover who still really misses her mini but also couldn't take the abuse any more. If I had extra money I would have leased another Mini Cooper S instead of buying a car, but buying a reliable car was the smarter option for me.

The regular Mini Cooper has significantly less problems. The Mini Cooper S is much more fun to drive, but is also a mechanical clusterfuck.

My Mom also owns a Mini Cooper S. Same problems. She's part of a mini club and they all go driving and get together to work on their cars. She has a lot of fun with them and they're a great resource for helping to figure out what is happening with the car.

If you have any more questions, you can PM me.

huskypuppy14 · October 2014

paperpusher said:

Thank you all for your feedback. This has been very informative.

@huskypuppy14 I'm not even sure I do want to get rid of it.
When I still had my Buick (hand me down from FIL) all I could think about was Mustang and how long I've wanted one.
But then when I decided it was time to put my Buick to pasture because I was dropping more and more to repair it than it was actually worth all I was able to think about was Subaru.
I don't even think I looked at a single Mustang.

The Subaru had all the qualities I was looking for: safe, decent gas mileage, good for snow handling, zippy, low maintenance.

I had traveled to multiple dealerships, had been looking online and in the papers for ads. They were either too much, I didn't like them, or it was going to be a headache down the road because something was already wrong with it. (One that I looked at was HORRIBLE. If you ran your hand along the inside of it anywhere it came out black. The alignment was off and you could tell just by feeling the tires. Both bumpers were cracked)

And then it was like it was meant to be. A friend recommended someone from one of the local dealerships. I contacted him and asked what he had in stock. He said he had X,Y,Z and I let him know I'd come see him after work.

He gives me a call as I'm heading out and says - listen, I found this. It was a 2010 Subaru Impreza Premium. I fell in love with it at first sight, and it was dark out.

I did my preliminary check - checked under the hood at the engine, air filter, fluids, checked the tires for tread and alignment, lights, checked to see that there were no obvious cracks or dents in the body, checked the trunk for the usual repair kit, inside I checked the interior to make sure it was cleaned good and not disgusting, checked the gadgets and lights, how comfortable the seats were, if it came with a manual, how many keys, floor mats.

What really sold me was the sun/moon roof.

Came back the next day during daylight, test drove it for a few hours, then bought it.

What more could you want

wandajune6 · October 2014

I've never driven one. However, a friend of mine bought a new 2012 and has already gotten rid of it. She loved the look and feel of the car but the maintenance was crazy. Everything was expensive and everything needed to be done at the dealership. Mechanic friends (like DH and his buddies) couldn't even get their hands on some of the parts for fixes. I don't know much about cars so I can't give details but she was floored by the cost of ownership.

LF Someone who owns a MINI Cooper

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