Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

MINI Cooper

14647484951

Comments

  • joem5joem5 Member Posts: 201
    Go to the Mini forums page and the class the class action suit is in there probably in the maintence and repair. My wifes a physcian and all the young nurse are telling her to buy one.
    However, my wife researched them and came upon $47000.00 to replace trans mission because car was 5000 mi over 48 monmany women were replacing clutches at 5K a pop. Then alot of guys were complaining too.
    A volvo is a nice car,but there upkeep is expensive also.
    I'd really do my homework go into the mini forums type in class action and check out the repair forum.Lifes short get what you want,but get alot of advice Mini 's are in demand so you will pay MSRP or more.
    What did it was, she was having her BMW service and ask the technician about the Mini and he said to move on to something else.
    However, the Germans are making them now and the resale seems high. I' d drive it 50 K then dump it,if you really want it. :shades:
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    " I' d drive it 50 K then dump it,if you really want it"

    Yup, just don't keep it beyond the warranty, for peace of mind. For us, our Minis (we're on our second one) have been as trouble-free as any Japanese car that we've had. (Knock on wood)
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for all the input, it's been a big help. One last question, if I keep it for 4 years I will still owe on it (doing 5 year finance) what's the trade in on them like?
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Trade-in on all cars is horrid. When you trade-in, you're giving up several thousand dollars. Yes, even the mini.

    FWIW, my Mini has been trouble free. Best car I've owned in years.
  • joem5joem5 Member Posts: 201
    Mini's normally have a great resale value. they don't depreciate as fast .
    Sell your car yourself. You really get taken if you trade.
    The salesman will say we have to detail it, put brakes on it,fix this or that(Rubbish) no one knows your car better than you. Do the maintenance and the do the math. Go to Kelly's Bluebook.NADA etc.Like Helen Reddy sang in the song" I'am woman,I'am strong"
    Keep all your records to show the buyer. :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    After 4 years of payments you will certainly have equity in the car. Mini resale values are terrific, among the best of any car sold in the USA.
  • bfromholdbfromhold Member Posts: 38
    Sabrinae ~ You mentioned your friend had to get a new automatic transmission in the 1st year. Is her 2004 MINI an S or non S? The automatic is different in the S vs. non S (so I've been told).
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    The automatic is the same in R56 coopers and cooper S cars.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    We've had both the CVT, and now the Steptronic. And yes, overall the Step is superior to the CVT --- smoother and sportier. The only 2 relatively minor issues I have with the Step is that 1st gear is so short that you end up redlining it if you don't conscientiously induce an upshift; and the adaptive logic in the transmission appears to be so effective that if you share the car with another driver with a vastly different driving style, it does take awhile for the tranny to "re-learn" your driving style each time. In our situation, because I drive more aggressively than my wife, it is more an issue for me because the car would be sluggish until the tranny has adapted to my driving pattern.
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    So what's with the "paddles" on the steering wheel? Blurb states new auto tranny shifts from auto to manual with the paddles. Do they get in the way? How does it work? And would everyone hate me if I got the British flag on the roof???
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    The paddles allow for automatic drivers to pretend they're driving a car with a manual. They click a paddle - video game style - then there's a lag and the car shifts up or down a gear depending on the direction the driver pushed for a gear change. It's hokey and serves no real purpose. It's still an automatic, still has a torque converter and within a few days of getting the car, nobody really messes with the gimmicky paddles again.
  • joem5joem5 Member Posts: 201
    There a gimmick that I Box players buy.
    The British flag is nice,but I'd stay away from S. Boston and Irish pubs. :shades:
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    As long as the paddles don't get in the way I'm cool. As for the flag, I live in a small town in Texas, are minis bullet proof :) I think I will put them on the wing mirrors too. :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    No problem for me. I immediately red line any vehicle I own :P

    I thought the paddle shifter was okay if you like that sort of thing. As you say, it's not a "real" manual transmission controlled by electronics, it's still an automatic and you aren't doing anything much different than the person with the 1965 Buick shoving the gear lever from L to D.

    The British flag is okay because as the driver you don't have to look at it every day. Graphics can get "old" and you can't ever sell it to a Frenchman.
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    Thanks, that's a really good point. No graphics then, well maybe the rear view mirror.
    So I get a cooper automatic with no frills. Is the S worth sacrificing the gas mileage to get it instead?
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    Yeah, I agree all manumatics are gimmicky. After the first week, you would only play with them once in awhile when you get bored.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Depends on whether you are a "spirited" driver. The S has all this extra power, but do you use it? The S is a turbo car. Depending on your age, status, etc, this might also afffect insurance rates.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    All -S- models have them... base models don't, unless you go for upgraded wheels... That may be an issue..

    If you don't get an -S-, I recommend the sport seats as an option for $250 (standard on the -S-).

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    "Is the S worth sacrificing the gas mileage to get it instead?"

    Depends on several factors. Are you an aggressive driver? Do you regularly carry more than 1 passenger? Do you carry heavy cargo? Are there hills where you drive? If you say no to all, or even most, of the above, then the Base would probably be ok.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    I just got back from a twenty-minute test drive of a 2006 Cooper S/Steptronic. The car was a blast to drive but I have to say it would've been even better with a standard. Problem w the Autobox in this car is that there's a built in lag before the boost builds up added to the normal lag for the torque converter to hook up. This can result in a certain amount of snatchiness in the way the drivetrain responds. Read the Edmund's
    long term test and try to get a long drive before deciding.

    This car is definitely on my shopping list, I'm certain you could learn to drive it it certain ways to counter the defects of the drivetrain and get used to the fairly idiosyncratic controls and instruments (no temp guage in a Supercharged car?) I found it fling-able in the way that my '83 GTI was something I doubt you could say about many modern cars.

    FWIW, I found it easier to use the lever rather than the paddles even though the up/down shift positions are backwards of what they should be.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I drove the base, and the S turbo and the older S supercharged and older base models and they are all different in their characteristics.

    Id consider a base model 6 speed, but the base model automatic did nothing for me. Also the older base model engine is rough and weak, I didn't like it at all. (pre vanos)

    Turbo cars are not everyone's cup of tea. I really liked the older supercharged engine better, especially at lower speeds.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Have you tried the Clubman?

    If the Cooper feels rough, try a Clubman. You'll be amazed at the difference in how the car handles bad roads compared to the Cooper.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    was that for a car equipped with run-flats and Sport package the Cooper S I drove was pretty smooth over the pockmarked NH country roads, I didn't ride much harder than my non-Sport 528i with go-flats. The ride was a little jigglier due to the short wheelbase but that's what makes the Mini's reactions so quick.

    A lot of people might tire of that jiggly ride but old sports car guys like me accept it as the price you pay for really athletic handling.

    Did I tell you I really liked the steering and cornering? :shades:

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Take a corner fast on a bumpy road...those wretched RFTs will bounce the car sideways.

    BMW has no idea how they've ruined their cars off-the-lot with RFTs.
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    How do you deal with the lack of a spare. Any experiences out there? I can't imagine not being able to slap on the spare and taking the flat to be fixed. What do you do?
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I removed my RFTs. Drive without a spare.

    I did the same with my 06 BMW. I've got roadside assistance through Amex, so if all goes wrong I call Amex to get me towed.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    RFTs with sport suspension is BRUTAL on a Mini unless you are on a smooth flat track. Bumpy country roads or highway strips will drive you nuts.
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    I have decided against Turbocharged anything so the Volvo is out. It's the mini or a honda or a versa and I don't want the honda or a mini no matter how sensible they are. :P
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    I second this. In fact, get a set of the original 15 inch rims if you can and stick high profile tires on it. The car isn't powerful enough or heavy enough to need more than good modern 13s, let alone even 15 inchers. 17 run flats is just silly. Really. Makes an amazing difference in comfort and ride as well as increases MPG on the highway.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    And will help your braking and maybe even spare those broken shock bolts and motor mounts that come up in early MINIs.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    A large part of the Mini's appeal is looks, or style. 15 inches wouldn't look right, let alone 13"!. Even the Fit is going to 16", VW's have had 17" for years. I agree they need to replace or refine the RFTs, or retune the suspension to suit the tires, but the large wheels have to stay.
  • coupahcoupah Member Posts: 18
    Sorry to say you've been given poor user info regarding paddle shifting. The post labeling them "a gimmick" is from someone who is clueless.
    This technology has been developed from open-wheel racing. And is currently the fasted way to shift a transmission. In hundreds of milliseconds... I am NOT implying that the MINI shifter is racing equipment, rather, it is proven technology...
    Here is my take...
    I drove, just last week, an 06' S with paddles.
    At low speed and low RPM's-yes it could shift a bit faster. But above 4,000 RPM and shifting near redline, this vehicle ROCKED! I had all I could do to keep it on the road! All my attention was devoted to where I was going and having both hands on the steering wheel allowed me to drive it hard. I have an '06 6-speed and i can't come close to driving it like I did w/ the paddles.
    All I can say is that the naysayers are ill-informed, have NEVER driven the paddles and I may very well order an '08 with paddles.
    Catch me if you can!
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Sorry to say you've been given poor user info regarding paddle shifting. The post labeling them "a gimmick" is from someone who is clueless.

    This technology has been developed from open-wheel racing. And is currently the fasted way to shift a transmission. In hundreds of milliseconds... I am NOT implying that the MINI...


    Or someone who has driven the Cooper (R56) and Cooper S (R56) with the silly 6 speed automatic (an automatic with a torque converter - power sapping, slow to respond). It's a cheeseball system designed for average drivers to suffer from the delusion that they have some kind of automatic with manual abilities. The 6 speed automatic in the Cooper adds weight, cost to the car, complexity, maintenance issues and removes the driver from really controlling the engine. There's a reason BMW's sloppy 6 speed automatic is not on the M cars and there's also a reason all of today's performance cars are shifting to computer operated twin clutches; BMW's upcoming variation on the dual clutch automated tranny concept, the Evo's new twin-clutch, Nissan's twin-clutch in the GT-R, Audi/VW's DSG, Bugatti's DSG, Ferrari F1, Porsche's take on the DSG - yes Porsche's finally ditching their horrible Tiptronic.


    I drove, just last week, an 06' S with paddles.
    At low speed and low RPM's-yes it could shift a bit faster. But above 4,000 RPM and shifting near redline, this vehicle ROCKED! I had all I could do to keep it on the road! All my attention was devoted to where I was going and having both hands on the steering wheel allowed me to drive it hard. I have an '06 6-speed and i can't come close to driving it like I did w/ the paddles.
    All I can say is that the naysayers are ill-informed, have NEVER driven the paddles and I may very well order an '08 with paddles.
    Catch me if you can!


    That's adorable and very misinformed. We have a DSG - a real manual with computer controlled clutches - in one of our cars. Even that system, which can shift faster than a human, still suffers from adding weight, complexity and extra maintenance.

    If you like it and believe it somehow is superior to an automatic, go for it. But don't roll up and pass on this marketing garbage about race-developed transmissions. It's a straight up automatic tranny - just like the kind found in every manumatic for the last 10 years.
  • coupahcoupah Member Posts: 18
    Huh?
    All I know is I drove one and I liked it.
    I doubt you have...
    I think you might know too much for your own good...
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    Back on point.... Is the mini hardtop a good car to drive back and forth on a 40 mile round trip 5 times a week and will a teeny tiny woman be comfortable in the regular seats? It's all about me you know, I can't help it I'm British. :););)
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    The base cooper with 16s is plenty comfy for long drives. Set the cruise - get that multifunction steering wheel - and the little bugger will chew up the miles and give you great gas mileage.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I love driving cars. Try a DSG-equipped VW/Audi if you really want to be wowed by an automated manual.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    Is your commute on the highway? The Mini is actually very stable (like all European cars), and surprising quiet at highway speeds. At least for the automatic which is what we have.
  • sabrinaesabrinae Member Posts: 10
    Bit of both really and I would get an automatic, the quiet ride is important. I just spent 7 years driving a Saturn L300, not a very quiet car. Steering wheel whistles when turning to the left since the first year. Dealer fobbed me off until warranty up.
  • versegereversegere Member Posts: 1
    My mini Cooper experiences acceleration surges at low speeds. Does anyone else have this problem and what can one do to eliminate it ?
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    "acceleration surges"

    I wish mine was capable of that! :P ;)
  • ltqltq Member Posts: 28
    See my reply to someone else in the "Wheel and Tire" thread.
  • ltqltq Member Posts: 28
    Blueguydotcom is right, the MINI 6sp auto is a conventional tranny with torque converter. It is NOT a dual clutch device. On the other hand, considering the mechanicals, for its type, it is indeed a very fast shifting, revs-matching (on downshift) auto trans in the Sport Mode, or the Steptronic+Sport mode (shift lever to the left of D, where use use the stick or paddles). Try it !! So the flipside is that Coupah is ALSO right, it can be great fun on very twisty roads, and some drivers (more tentative with manual) will undoubtedly do better (and safer !!) with the Aisin 6sp auto than using the otherwise very good Getrag.
    One advantage of torque converters - probably low on the list of MINI owners - is the relatively safer going on icy/snow conditions. Unless you are very good with a manual & know how to drive on ice/snow, the auto trans torque converter allows gentle power transitions to the road, while allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel where they belong under these conditions!!! From my limited experience with dual clutch shifters, this is NOT the situations where they shine....
    Whatever you choose, have fun & stay alive !!!!
  • ltqltq Member Posts: 28
    Regarding 40mi commutes: I have a Clubman S, and it is very smooth at high speed. Not too quiet by today's standards, but even that noise is "fun". I have 16" wheels with RFTs, and will probably get non-RFTs as replacements, since I bought an on-board spare (with reservations: see Wheel & Tire thread).
    Regarding never buying a Turbo - the MINI S is different, usually no turbo lag. Driven carefully, I get 33+ mpg mixed driving on the Clubman S automatic (the worst mpg combination for a MINI). But I can choose to mash the gas pedal and IT GOES!!!! Of course the mpg also goes (down) too!!! Still, with occassional blasts, I'm easily getting 31+ mpg per tankful in mixed driving. JUST GREAT!!!
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    How do you find the rear barn doors? Does the middle post create a blind spot. Despite my 18-year-old son proclaiming the Clubman to be ugly, I find it has a certain appeal --- sort of as an entry-level BMW with a modicum of practicality. The only "dilemma", so to speak, IMO, is that a moderately equipped Clubman S is within about $2K of a BMW 128, or a basic 323, either of which, one could argue, is "more car" than the Mini, and more refined. On the plus side, the Clubman likely performs as well, if not better than, the Bimmers, but offers significantly better mpg, more utility, and is more of an all-season car with the FWD.
  • ltqltq Member Posts: 28
    Hi bodble2,
    Many have written everything from horrible to just few minutes to get used to the center blind spot. For me, it was the latter, not as much a problem that I thought it would be. HOWEVER, this doesn't change my (and most others) opinions that a hatch would have been far better!!

    I tell you what IS a bigger visibility problem that I haven't seen mentioned: the right rear HEADREST. Yeah, the headrest!!! It blocks rear quarter vision a lot when positioned for an adult (the angle depending on the driver's seat position, of course..... I'm 5'8"). Since I put my booster seat there, I simply took off the headrest and put it in the underfloor cargo area. But this is poorly designed. More than a dozen annoying problems with the Clubman S, but ya gotta live with them if you want a "sports car" with utility, great gas mileage, and most "smiles per gallon".

    Re: Clubman S vs low-end Bimmer - See the Edmunds Inside Line bizzare comparison of BMW 128i vs Clubman S. Reviewer says MINI loses, but make sure you also read the Exec.Editor (Michael Jordan) Second Opinion that goes with it. For me, my next car was REQUIRED to get real-life 30mpg or better, so the Bimmers were never in the running. In fact, almost nothing except econo-boxes, hybrids (but I already have one), and diesels were in the running; and certainly nothing with the sporty attributes and power of the MINI "S" lineup.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    Thanks for the "heads-up" on the headrest! I'll be sure to watch out for that when I test drive one.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    Almost all recent cars have a blind spot caused by the RR headrest, perhaps this is exaggerated in the Mini by the relative narrowness of the car and moreso in the Clubman by the additional blind spot in the center.

    It shouldn't be a problem w properly adjusted side mirrors.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • ltqltq Member Posts: 28
    You are right. I forgot to mention that it is annoying, but with careful adjustment of the side mirrors, the headrest problem is reduced in my Clubman, I am happy to report. And I drive with it off most of the time. But still you'd think they'd find a better solution......
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    I did the same thing w our Saab 900S and just removed the damn headrest on that side. Funny thing is I sold it and found the headrest on that side. I keep forgetting to ask the new owners if they want it.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

This discussion has been closed.