[Aussie65]

I'm considering a new Mini Cooper as my next car, replacing a Mazda 3 SP23 as my every day vehicle. I also own a Mk1 MX5, and enjoy a spirited drive.

However, after lurking around these forums for the past few months, I'm having serious doubts about the reliability and quality of the Mini. After owning ultra reliable and cheap to run Mazda's since 1990, am I going to be disappointed in a Mini?

I tend to keep my cars for a long time (10 years or more) and once warranty has expired I do all my own servicing. My "local" MINI dealer told me that the Mini MUST be serviced at the dealer, there is no DIY possible.

Is this true? Is it possible, for instance, to reset the service indicator myself on a F56 Cooper?

Also, any input from fellow Aussies on Mini ownership welcome!

 

[jeremybingham]

Your dealer is telling you fibs to keep your money. I had an r56 cooper s .2010 servicing was a total doodle. Changed the oil and new discs and pads were easier than on any car I've ever worked on. Rear discs didn't even need carrier removal and pads were one bolt! Oil change easy though filter a fiddle due to being placed below the turbo. Read the forums. Spark plugs needed a specialspanner easily bought online. Resetting the computer was a very simple job. Now all that was on the 2010 r56 but my point is if that were built like that then i can see no reason why the f56 should be any different. I have no qualms about mini quality. My wife and I have had 4 between us no issues and very very cheap to run and the f56 feels even better. Don't read the horror stories the web is full of them for every car model.it truly is a fantastic car. We have 70000 miles of trouble free mini driving under our belts between us and would not buy any other car. You won't regret it.

 

[jeremybingham]

Ps many of the parts 're capillaries are from recognised suppliers who sell to all makers eggs I am sure my mini alternator looks like denso or I have seen denso on something under the bonnet, well they supply to Toyota and my mr2 was the most reliable car to date with 17 years and 160000 miles happy ownership. The only things that went wrong with that were dealer errors = wrong spark plugs blew the cat.torn bar k especially fallible boot.and wear and tear items. 2 new radiators due to stones and 1 denso alternator and 1 exhaust 1battery in its lifetime with me. Mini use dense and so I am happy. There are also Valero bits in there and the headlights are the same firm vw Audi use. In other words these are world cars now . I've been to the factory the love care and attention to detail out into every car is totally amazing YouTube f56 production and watch the video. Even the shell is cleaned with ostrich feathers to get dust of prior to painting and the galvanized steel to make them won't rust. Truly a quality products. Oops I've gone on a bit and no I don't work for mini or bow I am a head teacher.you can tell I am converted.

 

[Aussie65]

Hey, do keep going on!

Good to hear some positive experiences and not just from people who have owned their car two weeks.

Maybe my planned manual Cooper in BRG with white roof and bonnet stripes will happen!

 

[Hat]

i ran 2 coopers between 2003-2007, switched to a Mk3 MX-5 for 7 years & have just got back into a F56 Cooper S. As much as i loved the MX, its like coming out of the dark ages stepping back into a Mini. the fit & finish compared to those early Coopers is miles ahead of what it was & the drive is, in all honesty, superior to the Mazda in power, delivery & handling.

the Mk4 MX-5 looks interesting though but it doesn't sound like it's going to have any more power than the outgoing model

 

[Mike]

Now on my third Australian spec MINI.
Started with a Cooper R50 in 2002 and put 50,000 kms on that in almost two years.
Traded it in on a Cooper S R53 in 2004 and put almost 200,000 kms on that before buying the current Cooper S F56.

Had the R53 serviced by a third party, better and cheaper than the dealer, I also know MINI owners who do all their own servicing.

Agree with Hat about the quality of the F56 over the R53 and R50.

Mike

 

[ThunderSeven]

You can definitely take your mini anywhere you want to service it. The only thing is.. many mechanics have no experience or don't really like working on minis because they are built so compact. A lot of work/time apparently goes into taking things appart just to change some basic maintenance things... I'm around mechanics a lot as my family is in the industry.

Anyway this will be my first mini cooper after driving a Hyundai Accent 97 and a Dodge Nitro 2008, and I'm SUPER DUPER excited

 

[Hat]

its down to the way the mini is assembled - the whole front chassis member is attached after the engine is installed so many of the engine ancillaries are impossible to reach without taking the front end apart. My wife's R55 Clubman had to have this done just to replace a turbo intake pipe

 

[jeremybingham]

But it's worth it.as said above its a fabulous car.

 

[Oost]

I'll just chime in to say that my first new MINI was a R55 (Clubman S). I owned that for 4 years until an oak tree caused it's untimely demise, otherwise I would still be driving it. Any and all problems with it were not trip ending ones and all were covered by warranty. This is a very well covered car in that respect. It was just out of service warranty when I had to say goodbye. It may have been a few dollars a year to keep it up, but not really any more than other premium vehicles.

My next MINI was the current F56S, which I have now owned for two months. Not a quibble or complaint. It's better built than the previous model, due in part to better materials and design. The engine is smooth and powerful, the suspension is awesome (I have dynamic damper control) and the styling is very cool and modern. It's expensive yes, but packed full of value. There are faster cars, yes, but how many of those make you smile when you fire them up? As far as reliable, I think that if you keep it up and invest the time and money in maintainance as the car ages, you'll do fine.

This is a drivers car. It's a blast to drive either to the supermarket or on a winding road in the country. Might not be as cheap as a Japanese vehicle to keep on the road, but it repays you in other ways.

Enjoy,
Oost

 

[jeremybingham]

oost is right in every way except here in the uk we get tlc servicing that my dealer threw in for free which gives us 5 years free service for £299. Makes the car one of the cheapest to run full stop. Insurance is the cheapest I've ever had on any car too though I am getting old but they say is due to low repair costs and security of the mini. So in all it beats any car for me for running costs and we have had a golf Hyundai I 20 daihatsu sirion and Toyota mr2. Makes my motor bike look nuts. Alternates between 150 and 350 annually ,ktm 990 smt by the way. And it never does more than 40 mpg! Cooper is on 44 !