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So the tranny/clutch problems you're hearing about are from early model base Cooper's; the Cooper S has had a stellar tranny from day one (and now the base Cooper does too).
I drive an ML 350 AND an S2000; I got the ML because it was a REAL truck (Most people would profile it as a guy's truck) with a sturdy ride and I got the S2K because it is a very real sports car with one of the slickest shifting sticks in the third rock (Again, most people would want to profile this as a guy's car..There is not a single guy - under the age of 33 at least - that wouldn't want to be seen in the S2k, unless he can't handle a stick shift; In fact, most guys would rather be seen in an S2K rather than in a Mercedes SUV). On that token, the Mini-S with it's stick is indeed one of the nicest cars to rip thru' twisty back roads, provided the driver can handle a stick. I would still stongly consider a mini-S for my Camry's replacement, when the next redesgn is out. Maybe I won't go for a soft top, now that I got the S2K, but, I would still get a Mini for it's driveability. And yes, the hard top is just as full of testosterone as the soft top - in fact, it provides bigger doses of it, considering the weight savings...
If it is more endearing to girls, Oh well, what kinda young lady wouldn't like a distinctive and well put out car that handles like a thrill ride, not to mention not wanting to own one for herself??
eashley,
Thank you for the input on your car. I am glad to know that you didn't have any issues and makes me wanna drool for the Mini even more. The basis for my comment was this: Wasn't 2002 the MY with the most issues and they got it addressed subsequently, starting with MY 03? That is exactly what I mean by saying the reliability might be questionable on the first model year unless the car is QA tested by real world drivers.
I am not trying to make one of those "not as reliable as Toyota or Honda" kind of comparisons there. I realize a Camry is very reliable, so, I have one for the family work horse slot. The ML has questionable reliability but outhandles the ultra-reliable Lexus, so I chose the ML over an RX330. Finally, the S2K is more reliable AND outhandles an Audi TT or a Z4 ( i felt so at least, after test driving them AND test driving the S2k repeatedly), so, I went with that.
That said, I am still willing to take my chances in getting a redesigned mini during it's first model year, similiar to how I knowingly went in for my ML - I love my cars for what they are - I do not beleive in compromise candidate cars.
Cheers!!
--njexpress
SUV's don't drive like an ordinary car, yet people (and I recognize this is a generalization; I own an SUV myself) drive them like it--and the results are often disastrous to the person on the receiving end.
Do we need SUV's? Yes, but not for what the majority of them are used for. So we've got a number of people driving them poorly, and an SUV driven poorly is far more dangerous than a Mini driven poorly.
It's not even clear wether the 143 HP engine will be in the new Mini, as Edmund's stated, although it's looking more and more likely that there will be 115 and 143 HP Cooper.
Edmunds is a great source of info for most mainstream cars, but for something like the Mini, there are some fantastic mini specific sites.
In any event, you can certainly do it and it will help tire wear somewhat by making them wear more evenly. Some folks think it's absolutely essential, but on a FWD car like the Mini, you can probably just replace the fronts 2x the rears and do about as well. So I view it as important only if you're set on replacing all your tires at the same time.
If you do rotate, you never want to rotate side-to-side if the tires are directional (designed to roll in one direction only) and yours probably are. In any event, I'd just swap front/rear on the same side. Obviously, there's no spare to worry about.
- Mark
I am ready to purchase a 2002 Mini Cooper for what I think is a great price. It's got 21,200 miles on it, leather, roof, 5-speed and CD changer. I'm bringing it to a dealer to check it out before I commit. My question to the forum is, is it worth it? On the flip side of that question, and considering that I've seen many other Mini's with more miles go for more money, why is it so inexpensive? The dealer that I am buying the car from says it was listed for $2000 more and sat on the lot for 3 months. So perhaps he just lowered the price to get it off the lot?
I relaize that I am answering my own questions here, but I am very close to closing the deal, and wanted a little more feedback that my own.
Thanks all! :confuse:
I couldn't help but put my 2 cents worth in to your earlier post: "In the most current issue, they've published some updates, and Mini has improved to average and is now a recommended car. This is pretty strong evidence that, while it may not match Honda or Toyota reliability, it's improving with every year of the current design, and is now an easy match for virtually any European car and most American cars."
I currently have a 2001 Honda Civic EX with only 74,000 miles. Well, this is my first Honda and my LAST!! I've had problems with this car that's inexcusable. Examples:
* I had to pay to repair the sunroof only 2,500 miles past the factory warranty. :mad:
* I just had the automatic transmission replaced at only 70,000 miles (and it had been serviced with all Honda parts/AT fluid 6 months ago). The dealer charges a whopping $3,500 to replace the transmission. :mad:
I don't have much faith in "Asian" cars anymore than any other makes. Hopefully I'll have better luck with my MCS that I have on order. The only thing I'm still debating on is whether I should buy the extended maintenance & warranty. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions about extending the maintenance & warranty? Also, is an alarm better to get or a Lo Jack?
The odds are that you'll spend more on the extended warranty than you'll make back on claims. If this weren't true, they wouldn't make any money on them and they most certainly make money on extended warranties - it's one of the most profitable segments of the car business, for both the dealer and the insurer. But peace of mind is worth something too. So buy it for this reason, not because you think it's a good deal, because it generally isn't.
If you do get an extended warranty, you need to make sure it's from a reputable insurer - I don't think Mini itself has a factory sponrsored extended warranty program. And bargain hard - their is usually a lot of negotiating room in their list price for the warranty. There's no reason to get it when you buy the car - you can always buy it later and from another dealer. Finally, be careful of bogus piecemeal insurance like "wheel and tire insurance" and the like. They're almost always a total rip off.
The car is under factory warranty for 4 years, so I don't see any reason to commit to an extended warrany for while.
Have fun,
- Mark
Personally, I'd steer away from the 2002 cars at anything other than a blowout price. They have been extremely troublesome and tend to be plagued with shoddy interiors and rattles. 2002 was a clean sheet new design in a new factory - always a recipe for lots of problems. Mini made hundreds of changes in the 2003's and 2004's that have improved the car remarkably. 2004 and on are the "good years".
- Mark
They are firm at $15,000. Is that a "blowout" price? Compared to others that I have seen, it is the best so far.
The '04's look to be around $2000 more.
I've read the posts about the rattling and (ugh) tranny problems. the rattling and interiors QC I can deal with. My biggest concern is the engine and tranny, which is why I am bringing the car to a Mini mechanic to look at.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Actually, I'm buying/ordering a 2006 MCS from Rasmussen Mini in Portland, OR. For some reason they don't have the back order problem like here in Washington. I was promised the car will be delivered sometime in late September to early October this year. They are selling the car to me at MSRP, and they're even throwing a few freebie items into the deal: sunshade and mats (front, back & boot). However, they are charging $175 for document fees and the trip permit (I guess I'm pretty much paying for the "free" items, huh?).
I drive about 18,000 miles a year, so the 3 yr/36k maintenance is really only going to last me 2 years & the 4 yr/50k warranty will be up in 2.75 years. That's why I'm debating so much on the extended maintenance and warranty. Plus, considering the bad luck I've had with my Honda, I'm not too optimistic on reliability anymore. Interestingly enough, the price for the extensions are cheaper than the dealer here in Washington. Not too sure why... I guess I can wait and think about it. I don't believe I'd have to pay tax on the extension if I paid it Oregon as well?
I'm also still toying over the possibility of getting the security alarm or the Lo jack. Are these cars hard to steal? I rarely park my car for extended periods of time in questionable areas. Do I really need an alarm? Has anyone out there had theft problems or vandalism to their cars?
Like I said, get the warranty if the peace of mind is worth it to you. But shop hard and read the fine print - don't make a snap decision when you're in the finance mgr's office signing the final paperwork. As I said, unlike most other mfgs, I don't think there is a standard extended warranty backed by Mini USA, so the price differences may be due to the different coverages of different carriers. If you don't have time to do the homework, I'd just postpone it - there is no advantage to buying the warranty at purchase unless you absolutely have to roll it into the financing.
Don't know much about security systems or the theft risk of a Mini. A lot would depend in where you park the car and how good your insurance is.
- Mark
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320007588827
:P
I'm headed over to Mini of Concord in SF Bay area on Saturday to test drive a Cooper with my wife. She's against one as she thinks its too unsafe but I'm at least going to test drive it with her. Am looking to sell my G35 Coupe but still want some fun.
Andy
Yes, typically when someone says they bought at MSRP, they paid the bottom-line mfg sticker price (including destination), plus tax, title, and license fees (the stuff that is fixed by the state).
I think Mini's are safe enough and are a blast to drive, but you definitely are going to be taking a huge step down from a G35 in terms of ride, comfort, outright speed, etc.
- Mark
The cooper is currently going for $1100 over MSRP and the S some $1800. She said that she could get only $600 over MSRP for Costco or AAA members.
-A
- Mark
AFAIK that is the case.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Why pay $15,000 for a used Mini when you can own a new one with a full warranty for $3000.00 more not to mention the quality problems for 2002.
Enough said.............
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My question is seperate from warranty issue. Wanted to ask you what brand did you use when you did your brakes on your mini. I'm at the point where my factory pads probably need changing. I've got 33,000 on the odometer. Are O.E.M. pads worth it?
Would like to hear your thoughts,
Joe
I'd stick with the OEM pads. There are other pads with better stopping power, and also less brake dust (greenstuff pads are popular on the Mini), but there have been several reports of people having issues with the rotors warping after going with a non OEM brake pad--I'd stick with the OEM pads.
Joe
that is all!
Since it now has a Peugeot supplied engine, I'm wondering what kind of gas it requires. An informal survey of my friends in Europe indicate that Peugeots are pretty reliable cars which gives me more confidence in the new Mini engine.
northamericanmotoring.com , its a hot bed of Mini Cooper fans with more posts and pictures than you can ever read or look at.
I am currently seeking a Mini S Auto
The only thing that I dislike about the mini is reaching for the seatbelt. However, that can easily be corrected with an attachment to the headrest that pulls out the belt for easy reach.
As time goes by the car becomes more and more fun to drive. My only regret is not getting the sunroof. The multi function steering wheel is a must (the only way you get cruise control).
Best of luck
I'm really looking foward to getting a Mini S and where I live the only way you can get a good deal on a Mini is at the dealerships (in Pensacola, Fl they sell used Mini's for about the same price a person could get a new Mini for)