Tell Me the Real Truth - How Do You Like Your Mini?

I'm on my 1st MINI. Just picked it up in Dec. 2011. It's a 2012 Lightning Blue Cooper Hardtop (Hatch) I've been getting about 33.5 combined now which is 2.5 more than estimated. I got into this car for a lot less than an entry level 1 series. It's incredibly fun to drive and reminds me an awful lot of my old e36 318ti. I see a very long relationship with this car.

I bought our Mini for my wife as her daily driver. It's a Cooper S convertible and it replaced her Smart Passion Cabriolet, which was a very competent car but more like a golf-cart when compared to the Mini. So far, she loves it...as in you would have to pry this car from her cold dead hands kind of love...and it's perfect for her commute to Georgetown (M and 31st Streets for those of you familiar with D.C.). What impresses me about the Mini is that I can immediately recognize the BMW influences in the car...great power, solid and tight driving feel, connectivity to the road, well built. The only "con" I can discern is the power-to-weight ratio...IMO the Mini is overpowered for its size and can be dangerous if the driver doesn't take the time to really learn the car. As a "city car," the Mini is a terrific bargain in my opinion.

How long is her ride in every day? Back in the 70's and 80's we lived in Germantown and commuted to the State Dept every day. On a weekend it took us about half an hour to get there, on workdays an hour and a half. I suspect things have only gotten worse since then. The traffic heading home was so incredibly frustrating what with the slowpokes riding in the fast lane and the rubberneckers slowing at every stalled car. I miss the vitality of DC, but not the commute. A Mini S is just perfect for zipping around the zombies on the Cabin John.

Originally Posted by Gluhwein

How long is her ride in every day? Back in the 70's and 80's we lived in Germantown and commuted to the State Dept every day. On a weekend it took us about half an hour to get there, on workdays an hour and a half. I suspect things have only gotten worse since then. The traffic heading home was so incredibly frustrating what with the slowpokes riding in the fast lane and the rubberneckers slowing at every stalled car. I miss the vitality of DC, but not the commute. A Mini S is just perfect for zipping around the zombies on the Cabin John.

We live a few miles outside the Beltway in Silver Spring and her drive is almost to the river in Georgetown...through D.C. and Rock Creek Park...perfect for the Mini.

I really do believe that the used car to avoid label is strictly because they are dealer maintenanced.

I looked at my father's maintenance schedule for his Honda CR-V and there's TONS more maintenance intervals and fluids to be changed as compared to my BMW X3. I think I lucked out when finding this forum or else I would never have thought of maintaining some of the items that the manual never covers. Take for example the fact that Honda's all wheel drive system barely ever transfers power to the rear wheels, yet their transfer case fluid needs changed close to every 7k miles. There's not even a mention of changing the transfer case fluid on the X3 from 0-100kmiles. Of course I know the devices are different, but I would hope anyone reading these forums does not buy into the 'lifetime' fluid claims BMW makes.

I really like the 2012 Mini Cooper hatch in our garage. It really does handle like a go kart and is the most fun front drive car I've ever driven - and I've driven more than one turbo Saab.

121 horsepower isn't a huge amount but it's plenty for the 2500 pound Mini. That car easily pulls up the mountain passes on I-90 in Washington State at 75-80 mph with plenty of power in reserve. Close to 40 mpg highway and around 30 in city driving, too.

Bad points? After driving it the 330i feels like an oil tanker, albeit a very fast oil tanker.

Originally Posted by Shrike

I really like the 2012 Mini Cooper hatch in our garage. It really does handle like a go kart and is the most fun front drive car I've ever driven - and I've driven more than one turbo Saab.

121 horsepower isn't a huge amount but it's plenty for the 2500 pound Mini. That car easily pulls up the mountain passes on I-90 in Washington State at 75-80 mph with plenty of power in reserve. Close to 40 mpg highway and around 30 in city driving, too.

Bad points? After driving it the 330i feels like an oil tanker, albeit a very fast oil tanker.

Couldn't say my 330ci drove like an oil tanker...it (like the 335) was like riding on rails.

I have a 03 Cooper 5spd manual sedan and an 08 6spd manual Cooper Wagon. My partner has an 03 Cooper auto. All vehs overserviced (12000km suplimental oil changes etc). We love them all and have not had problems with any of them so far. Tyres are noisey (run flats) and the power steering has a whine at low speeds on the 03 cars (standard to the model). Sun roofs do not open when very hot so use air con to cool down interior first (thermo switch in roof). Heaps of fun to drive even on longer trips. We do have the sports seats with extra support and height adjustment though. Our vehicles are all Australian spec.. Other vehs in fleet are E23 E30 and E38.

So, it's been several months since I started this thread and just wanted to thank those who joined in with their comments. I've since sold the Porsche and leased a 2012 Z435i (new pic below). Still Mini-less... but today attended a local LBC car show here in Cleveland (Shaker Hts to be exact). Included were old Minis along side new ones. My wife actually found the Clubman to be a really neat vehicle (without even driving it). This one had the JCW and chipped to 250 hp; quite the "little" rocket I am sure! So - who knows.... maybe there will be one in my future anyway. Thanks, again for the input.

Doug

I suppose you already got your answer, OP, but I have a countryman and I do love it. It handles nicely, sips fuel, is a nice in-between size and since there isn't a dealer in my city, there are only a few in town so I get loads of compliments. However, I do not like the "finish" of it. It feels very "plasticy" unlike a BMW product and the seats aren't super comfy.

I also love that I only need an oil change every 12,000 miles or so!

Originally Posted by YBWoolf

... I also love that I only need an oil change every 12,000 miles or so!

Just a word to the wise: I know this is the oil change interval recommended by MINI, but if yours is a turbocharged version, you might want to seriously consider doing the oil changes at half of the recommended interval. Some of the conventional wisdom running around one of the MINI forums is that the recommended oil change interval is too long, and mainly designed to save BMW/MINI money on their free maintenance program rather than provide proper engine lubrication over the long haul. Circumstantial/empirical evidence seems to suggest that the 12,000-mile oil change intervals lead directly to many of the problems these engine experience, including oil consumption, turbocharge failures, and timing chain issues.

Either way, keep a sharp eye on the oil level!

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't heard that. I will definitely keep an eye on it. The dealership did send me with an extra quart (I had to pay for it in their package ) so I will make sure the man of the house checks up on it occasionally

Originally Posted by YBWoolf

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't heard that. I will definitely keep an eye on it. The dealership did send me with an extra quart (I had to pay for it in their package ) so I will make sure the man of the house checks up on it occasionally

No worries! Motor on!

Keep in mind that MINI will not cover 'interim' oil changes with their maintenance plan; so any extra oil changes you do will be on your dime too...

Going on two years of ownership with no real problems and 23000 miles. I agree a MINI does not handle like a 335i Coupe if its stock. My MINI has a bigger adjustable rear sway bar, Koni Sport shocks, camber plates and Michelin Super Sport tires. I have done one HPDE at VIR in this configuration and can say that a 335i coupe is a fat slug next to this MINI.

Originally Posted by timfitz63

Just a word to the wise: I know this is the oil change interval recommended by MINI, but if yours is a turbocharged version, you might want to seriously consider doing the oil changes at half of the recommended interval. Some of the conventional wisdom running around one of the MINI forums is that the recommended oil change interval is too long, and mainly designed to save BMW/MINI money on their free maintenance program rather than provide proper engine lubrication over the long haul. Circumstantial/empirical evidence seems to suggest that the 12,000-mile oil change intervals lead directly to many of the problems these engine experience, including oil consumption, turbocharge failures, and timing chain issues.

Either way, keep a sharp eye on the oil level!

This is why I'll be leasing the Countryman S I ordered and am waiting to arrive. I'll be following MINI's guidelines and won't have to worry about putting out extra cash for extra oil changes. If I was going to be keeping the car, then yes I would change it more frequently.

Hey everyone, I just joined this forum tonight. My wife has had her 2001 e46 for 9 years and it still looks better than any other car that's 9 + years.. Any ways, I sold my truck and dirt bike and picked up a used 2007 S cooper hatchback. Shortly after I purchased it, my auto tranny and fuel pump went out. I was pissed and than found out after the fact that this car had 3 trannys within 32000 miles so I made BMW buy it back from me with no real hassle. After going through these issues and not knowing if I still wanted another mini... I took the gamble and purchased a 2012 cooper jcw packaged mini with jcw struts,sway bars, Aerokit, slotted rotors and brakes. I couldn't have made a better decision. I miss going camping and my buds with trucks used to say "look at the cute car" so I let a few of them drive it and they were hooked just like I was.