I will never purchase another BMW vehicle. My husband wont let me due to their failure to take care of my mini and its obvious engineering flaws. I currently own a 2006 Mini Cooper S convertible. Its a love (my car)/ hate (its transmission! ) relationship. After attempting to get BMW to take care of what is clearly their responsibility, I was told that I needed to pay a mere $9000 to replace my transmission. My car currently performs the way others have described: refusing to change gears, then slamming into gear with the squealing of tires.

I bought my Mini in Feb 2015 (car considered new and was a loaner car). In July, we had the car in the shop because the windows wouldnt go up and today the car was back there again for the passenger window. Explanation… because you smoke in the car and the ashes get in the groove of the window. Really? Wouldnt the dirt, grime and stuff coming off the road get into the grooves as well. I guess I am not supposed to have my windows down while driving. I spent a lot of money on my car and to have this lame excuse given to me… well to say the least, I am livid. I did contact Mini and told them what was going on and how dissatisfied I am with the service dept. Lets see what happens next. I also brought up the staining on my seats every time they get wet. No matter how or what I use to clean them, the stains are still there. Of course there was no explanation as to why my seats are water stained.

Power steering will intermittently fail while driving. When I turn the car back on, its fine again. Not today, though. I turned off the car and the power steering is still running. I cant get it to shut off. I called Bavarian BMW in Michigan and they said, Just wait until it burns itself out. There isnt a recall but I can get you in here Monday to fix it for $1200. Other people have had this issue and their car has caught fire. Im worried.

I purchased my 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop in October 2014. First issue with the car was at 6,000 miles (April 2015). Vehicle was having a hard time going on a slight uphill, car then misfired - white smoke came out of the tail pipe. Within 5 minutes, the car misfired 4 separate times altogether. My car began to chug along and go very slow, an alert came on the dashboard saying Drivetrain Malfunction - drive moderately.. Oil below minimum. Add 1 Quart of oil as soon as possible. Car was then towed to dealership. They had my car for a little over a week. They called & said there was a lot of carbon buildup on the injectors. They then asked what gas I use which I said 89 or 91 and always getting it from Sunoco gas stations.. which is what they recommended when I purchased the car. They replaced the spark plugs and the injectors.For about two weeks after repairs, car was driving okay, seemed as though it accelerated a little slower than when I first had the car. I, then had an alert show up on my dashboard saying Oil below minimum. Add 1 quart of oil as soon as possible. I had to turn around on the thruway & take my car to the dealership. Again, they had my car for over a week. They replaced an oil sensor that apparently was bad. The service department manager gave me a service log for Mini Cooper that said, ALL Mini Coopers that have a turbocharged engine should top off their oil with 1 quart every 750-1000 miles. Seems very, very strange. But the car was repaired & they sent me on my way.The following Friday (6 days later), I decided to measure my oil while my engine was warm.. the oil meter seemed to have lost a quarter of oil in the past 6 days which DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL. The next day, Saturday, I had an alert come on my dashboard yet again that said Drivetrain Malfunction - drive moderately. Luckily this time, my car seemed to have been driving normal - it didnt misfire at all. Turned around & drove the car back to the service department. They had my car for about a week. They said there was a crack in the valve over the gasket, so there was some oil leakage - which the service department manager said that would explain the excessive oil loss in a matter of 6 days. A warranty extension was presented to me, 6 years instead of 4 years.However, the service department manager failed to mention that the last 2 years of warranty would not cover exactly what the first 4 years covers. I am EXTREMELY displeased with their customer service. I am eligible for a brand new Mini Cooper but I had told the service department manager I do not want a new car, or my current car - my 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop falls under the Lemon Law & I want a FULL REFUND. No brand new car with only 6,500 miles on it should have this many issues. How can a brand new car be unreliable? This car has immediately lost its longevity as well as its resale value. Mini Cooper is an unreliable product.

Minis are great as long as they are under warranty. I was having mechanical problems within the first 3 month. The car was repeatedly at the dealership for various problems. That was all ok for the first 4 years. Just don’t keep it past the 4th year cause Mini won’t recall any of the many known problems and it’ll gets costly. The repairs don’t end.

Apparently, MINI thought it was a good idea to put non-sealed cup holders over the gearshift box so when any liquid is spilled, it goes directly into the gear box and requires a $1200.00 repair bill to replace the entire part. The cup holder had a part in this also since the grips inside the holder put a hole in the Styrofoam cup of coffee. The coffee drained into the gearshift box causing the car to be locked in park. I honestly thought MINI had a great vehicle, but obviously you are not to put any type of liquid container in the cup holders because spills/accidents do happen.

My wife and I purchased a 2010 Mini Cooper convertible at Greenville, S.C. in Sept. of 2010. The vehicle was fun to drive and could easily bring out the teenager in you. After over 5 hours of being brow beat in the dealership, we left with what we were led to believe was a 5 year, 100k, extended warranty. We sadly found out that it was an extended service contract. We also found out that, at this dealership 2 hours from us, there always happened to be over $100 in work needing to be done that wasnt covered. This quickly rose to $500-600 each visit. When we took our first trip of over 2 days or went to buy more than 2 bags of groceries we quickly learned the best way to put items in the rear seat was to lower the top. So much for the $500 rear seat cover I ordered. We stopped using the rip off artists in Greenville, finding a repair facility locally that is reputable and does fantastic work, though the expense of service was still high due to Minis pricing.Recently the engine light has been coming on and the vehicle began skipping. Our repair shop did all they could, sometimes at no charge to us, to repair the vehicle. They suggested we take it to a dealership. There was a new dealership that had opened closer to our home. We took the vehicle there and it took them a week to call me to report that the #1 plug was fouling and the suggested repair was to replace the engine.The vehicle was serviced regularly with all recommended services being completed locally. The vehicle was not abused, driven by 2 60-65 year olds. I think it is very poor workmanship when a vehicle with under 120k miles has to have the motor replaced. I was told by the dealer service manager that this was high mileage. Basically got the same from Mini corporate and that this may also be the norm on BMWs .If you have a Mini get rid of it before 100k miles. As far as the manufacturer is concerned you have a disposable car.

Has anyone else had trouble getting the wheel-controlled Bluetooth phone controls? Mine comes and goes, without any apparent cause. Dealer said he could fix it for a thousand dollars US. No way. Others have told me this is a known fault. Any and all suggestions appreciated. By the way, I love my Mini Cooper S 2008, 54,000 miles, hardtop.

I have a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman still in warranty with 45,000 miles on it and I have owned the car purchased new for less than 3 years. First, the airbag light came on. I took it to the dealership in Memphis, Tennessee. I was told that the sensor got wet and it was not covered under warranty. I am not sure how an important sensor such as an airbag sensor would even be in a place that water could touch it. Even better, how about making a part that is water-resistant? It is the air bag sensor for Gods sake! Even though I provided recall announcements on the sensor, the dealership would not cover it. At 42,000 miles, my car began hesitating almost to the point of losing power when increasing speed rapidly to move from an interstate ramp to the interstate. I brought the car in and I was told that the oil needed to be changed (out of general maintenance so I declined the dealerships oil change due to elevated cost), brakes were now dangerous (now not under warranty but 4 weeks ago, they were in good working order and I drive 10 miles/day). They checked the hesitation issue and stated that the car was showing electrical voltage changes and they tightened the battery cables. As I was driving from the dealership, the car immediately began to hesitate. It continued to worsen. I called the dealership and I was told to check the gas cap for a tight fit, then take it to other service stations because the gas had water in it. Blah, blah, blah. The emission light came on and then the engine light. I had it towed to Roadshow BMW in Memphis, TN where I bought the vehicle. For 2 days they tried to find a diagnosis. The shop foreman was called in, the service manager was looking at it, and even a regional technician was contacted. Finally, I was called by a service rep. She stated that the turbos needed to be replaced at a tune of $3,000.00. Yes, this problem was covered under warranty, but because they did not do the oil change when they were to fix the problem in the last visit, the turbo replacement would not be covered under warranty. The dealership, in my opinion, is anything but honest. I am hiring an attorney and beginning my correspondence with Mr. McDowell, president in NJ at Mini USA. Fun car but if the dealership is slippery as a snake, it is not worth the money and headache.

Just purchased a 2009 Mini Cooper S from Carmax. We are not happy with either. Yes, they are neat cars, but the reviews and warnings you read about are all accurate. These engines are so poorly designed. Had the car for a few months and it has been parked more than driven. Purchase something else and maybe Mini will eventually redesign. We have already seen a failed vacuum pump, timing chain tensioner issues, misfiring engine. This was a huge mistake. Worst car we have ever owned.

2005 Mini Cooper - My first problem with my Mini was the power steering pump. The original went with less than 10,000 km. Replaced with used - it broke down very soon after. I bought one from Mini for warranty - last summer. Since then, my tranny failed. The mechanic said it had a hole in the lower left section. I bought one from a salvage company from Quebec. I replaced that one in Feb. and due to bad weather, only drove it short distances 3 or 4 times. April 23rd (90-day warranty), it broke down when I had my disabled son with me - good thing we had just gotten into London, ON. 2 weeks left on warranty, the salvager wont honor. I will go to small claims court. We managed to get to the Mini dealer. They were only going to get rid of my airbag error light. They did and told me after their scans that this automobile has numerous problems. Not once did they indicate all the problems associated with these cars. They tried to tell me that it was old. It has been OFF the road more than on in the 7 years Ive had it!! Less than 98,000 km! The horn wouldnt work so we put an aftermarket one on. My son did it and works great. One side of the hood wont catch, 3 power steering motors and pumps, and now 2 trannies!! Mister transmission will tell me tomorrow whether or not they can fix it, and if so, will give me a warranty of 100,000 kms or 5 years! I will get it fixed if not too much and then sell it or trade it if the warranty goes with the car. Gas mileage was always great, BUT it is DANGEROUS and I will NEVER RISK DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY AGAIN!! Mini would NEVER admit any of these problems and KNEW it all along!

I am sitting here waiting for a tow truck now going on 4 hours. My car - Mini Countryman 18 with 8800 miles just died. It won’t start and keeps shaking. No one was available from the diagnostic area so the roadside called a tow for us. I had to get the roadside info from the closest dealer - 45 min away. My dealer - Mini Annapolis didn’t help at all since their service dept. closes early. The roadside employees seemed calm and wanted to help but 4 hours for a tow when AAA takes 30 min - this is unacceptable!!!

Brand new 2015 Cooper S with sunroof. Protective netting of the sunroof slid open as I drove. Gas mileage is 25/26 (I was quoted 32/38)! Brought it back for repairs. 1st time, 2nd time - No fix. Glue globbed on the sides of the netting; that didnt work and looks awful. They intimated gas mileage due to the way the car was driven. Loaners got much better mileage (same driver)! They tested 3 other like models and advised that the netting did the same and they didnt know what to do. I wanted to replace this car. Mini USA Execs denied my request. This is a DEFECT, and DANGEROUS! I was told that since the other models did the same thing, there was nothing they would do!

Purchased a new 2004 MC hatch, only minimal issues until 2007 while still in warranty, the car slowed until full stop on the busy highway intersection. We were literally put in the danger since the traffic was heavy, and car could not be even started or moved. Towed to the local dealership, they changed transmission fluid, and we were assured the engine was checked and re-checked and driven miles, all is fine. It was for a while although experienced problems with automatic window and two other engine issues, but no lights went on and the dealership claimed this sometimes happens and not to worry. Once off the warranty, the same stop on the highway, overheated engine, stopped, towed back to the dealership and this time (although explained that the scenario was exactly the same and sanctioned by them as fine before), now the Cooper has a major issue and we need to pay around $8,000 for replacing CVT transmission. We were fortunate that on either occasion nothing happened to either us or the drivers in the traffic around us. MINI/BMW would not even listen -the only fix is to replace the CVT transmission.Took the car to an independent Euro repair-shop that did confirm that CVT is not properly working, but we also learned that MINI has known about this issue for years and this is far from individual problem. In fact, there are many complaints and pending class-action lawsuit related to this issue. Our MC with little over 40,00 mileage and after always being maintained and properly checked, has been sitting in the garage and would not drive it beyond a very short distance around the block. Other issues: faulty wheel, had to replace battery prematurely, CV player stuck, front seat unable to move, and the list could go on. We are the first owners, always driven by two family drivers with good experience, yet have never owned a car with so many problems, and excessive charges for any minute repairs. Will join any nationwide class-action lawsuit if available. Owned European cars before, but this one was built with faulty CVT transmission and BMW knew about it although they keep insisting this is a problem they havent heard about before? I doubt it. It is all over their website, even non BMW dealerships are well aware if this. How is it possible that BMW would not stand behind their product, this is not understandable. We hope that MINI/BMW would be forced to pay for CVT faulty transmissions they put into these cars and while they reject any assistance with repairs, we hope that class action lawsuit would justify the owners big expenses or those who have cars standing around and could not drive them. Shame on this company.

This is the worst car Ive ever had! I was so excited when I first purchased this car. I felt like a celebrity because kids would run up to it and hug it. I just loved the way the wind felt against my hair as I drove with the top down. We all know this car kills you with cuteness. Dont be blinded by its adorable exterior, its super sensitive money-eating machine. The first year the dashboard was lit up with issues. The first two years I drove a loaner and Mini Cooper employees knew my face very well, and I should have moved right in. Anyway this car has steering wheel issues that will cost you thousands of dollars. An airbag recall that Mini will repair but leave you to any other airbag related issue thats probably related to the stupid recall, but they want you to pay for it. I had plugin problems with the cooling system, whatever that means... The car would be shut off and it would sound like its still on trying to cool off.One issue that drove me crazy was you cant bring this car to any mechanic because this is a foreign car, they have no clue what to do with your car. Ive had mechanic break parts on the car doing a simple oil change, so I was a slave to MINI Cooper. I couldnt take it anywhere else which is super annoying. MINI isnt trustworthy either though. I went in and asked them to check my engine because the light was on. I specifically asked them to check my fluids. They didnt and later my car overheated and was smoking everywhere. They came and served it but I was a scared mess after the experience. Overall I wouldnt recommend this car to anyone, and if you want to spend money on two cars to keep one cute one go ahead. I drove around anxious all the time worrying about what light will come on next and how many thousands of dollars will cost me when the next light comes on. Not a way to live.

We should have known that it would be a mistake to purchase this car, when we were treated very rudely at the BMW dealership... but we really wanted a convertible. Biggest mistake we ever made. Less than a year old, and drivers side window motor had to be replaced. Less than a year old, and engine mount had to be replaced. 2 years old and the fuel pump had to be replaced. Multiple repairs spanning multiple years on the obviously flawed cooling system (out of warranty). At 5 years old, had to pay $7,000 for a REBUILT engine. 6 weeks after the rebuilt engine, and now the entire electrical system is gone. The dealer says its $400 just to diagnose it (and he cant get to it for a week, causing me to have to rent a car) and that he has no idea what is wrong, and has never seen anything like it.

I bought a Countryman in 2012 with the technology package that included iPod integration and the Navigation system. The car consistently resets the iPod, forgetting where it is in the playlist, rebooting the iPod, forgetting settings (i.e., Random) and generally being garbage. The nav system frequently confuses north and south, indicating that Im going in the opposite direction as I am, off roads, into rivers, and generally being useless. The folding side windows frequently do not deploy all the way. Ive had to turn off the ignition at a stop light and turn on the car again in order to get the mirrors out. Dont buy this car.

I got my 2009 Mini Cooper convertible back in 2013. It was below 18,000miles so I thought I was getting a good vehicle. By far the worst decision I ever made, and am at this point willing to lose money on what remains to be paid for the vehicle just to see it behind me. In the past 4.5 years, I have easily spent around $6000 in repairs, and I have another $2400 to repair on the engine and brakes just to pass this years inspection. Not little things, mind you - HUGE issues. Things that kept it in the shop for days.And it seems like every day there is something else that needs to be done. Will be trading it in, and I tell everyone I know that unless they have a bottomless pocketbook, and dont plan on really using the car very often - i.e. if its your fun/weekend vehicle, not your primary - then dont go there. It isnt worth the stress or the expense. Like a mechanic recently told me when I hit another expensive brick wall with this car: its a toy, not a car for people who actually need to drive somewhere.

I have a MINI 2009 Clubman S. At 48000 miles, I had to replace the turbo. At 58000, I had to replace the engine for a failed timing chain. I will have put 10000 more into a car costing 28000 with 56000 miles total. Both the turbo and the timing chain gave me no warning lights from the super duper computer system I was sold on. My dealership in Memphis Tn is horrible as well. I went to one of the dealerships in North Atlanta, Wonderful service! I had been missing the passenger foot mat for all the visits to the Memphis location for years. They never replaced it. The Atlanta dealer did at no charge. I did not even ask. I am at my wits end with my dealership and this lemon of a car. I am talking to an attorney tomorrow.

I love the car and I have always wanted one. Its small and compact but plenty of room. Its excellent on gas too. You can go two weeks on a tank of gas. But I dont like that its a 2 door. When trying to put something in the back seat its hard to do. Ive had the car 2 years and the thermostat sensor has went out on me 2 times. I recently had to replace the thermostat and you have to replace the whole housing unit. Overall the car is fancy looking and if I was to buy another car it would probably be the same model with a little more options to it.

My Car is the 2009 Mini Cooper S, 87k miles. By now I have lost count of the major repairs I have had. Some of the highlights: 1) $900 walnut shell carbon cleaning procedure, which the dealer explained occurred because I did not use a fuel cleaning additive regularly! (Note that the manual does not recommend any such thing); 2) Failed turbo valve; 3) Failed thermostat; 4) Failed timing chain; 5) Failed water pump; 6) Oil leaks; 7) Failed fuel injector; 8) Failed hood latch cable; 9) Multiple problems with bushings having become cracked; 10) Frozen tie rod. Sad thing is that the car is still a blast to drive. But the build quality is awful and MINI (BMW) refuses to take responsibility for the ridiculously poor quality of this vehicle.

I have a 2008 Mini Convertible S. NO ONE wanted to love her Mini, like this girl, but... its been one expensive repair after another. The latest was a WIRING HARNESS. Really? On a car with 75,000 miles? I have owned a lot of cars, and even on my really OLD ones, I never had to replace a wiring harness (I had thermostat issues and intake hose issues at less than 30K miles). It turns out MINI re-engineered the original part. So there was no replacing it. I had to had a new throttle valve (nothing wrong with the existing one) in order to make the NEW harness design work. The cost was $1850.00. I argued, like mad, and Mini agreed that I shouldnt have to PAY for their shoddy design. Thats ONE point in their favor, but their reaction is one that suggests, You should be FINE having to completely rebuild this car after six years. I DISAGREE. That, to me, is a recall item. I also think about the HUNDREDS I put in to replacing a faulty thermostat at 20,000 and an intake hose that must have come from the factory with a hole was money I shouldnt have had to come up with.This car is made by BMW. I, frankly, expected better quality. TWICE, (first the right and now the left side) rear window pulleys have just SHATTERED when I raised the top. I swear, I thought someone had SHOT me. I looked for shattered glass. My husband is handy and can repair that, but he has to take the door apart and its a big PAIN. Its a cheap, plastic $248 part. I dont know how much it would have cost us with their labor. Also, the cup holder was placed right in front of the stereo, so when I hit a bump, my Starbucks went in to my stereo, burned it up, and that had to be replaced (Live and learn. Ask for a cup plug). Oh, and my convertible top is pulling apart at the seams now, and I was told its about $4000-5000 to completely replace it. I wanted to be a generational LOVER of the Mini. I wanted to buy my kid one for college, and maybe even treat my mother in law to one. As fun and sexy and cute as it is to drive, it hardly makes up for its expensive breaking ways. I almost traded it in on a second Prius. Emotionally, I am bonded with its cuteness (I dont really like the new models. They dont look cartoon-worthy like my year, but I GET that they want it to look more like a BMW) or I would trade it in on another car. Its like a BAD BOYFRIEND you just cant bring yourself to dump. I wonder how many more thousands of dollars I need to pour into it, before I can break up? Hubby is SO over this car, and vows NEVER AGAIN. He would have bought me a brand new one, this year too, had this one not given us such a headache.

My cars power steering will intermittently fail while Im driving. When I turn the car back on, its fine again. I already had one pump since owning the car, number 2 will be next. When will Mini recall for this problem?

2009 Mini Cooper S owner - In 2014 It was love at first sight, so much so that I flew to Colorado to Ralph Schomp Mini to pick up my car and make the drive back to Texas. A real beauty - pepper white with blue racing stripes, a blue jean style convertible top, gorgeous black rims, paddle shifters, heated leather seats, and only 30k miles!! I should have done my research. This year is a lemon. There is a huge class action lawsuit where Mini admits the Timing Chain is defective. Shortly after buying my car (in 2014) I received a notice in the mail regarding the lawsuit. Of course, I panicked and went to the nearest Mini Dealership, Momentum Mini, who calmed all my insecurities stating the timing chain was replaced and handled by Ralph Schomp Mini.Funny thing is in February of 2017 my car started the famous Death Rattle (go ahead and google it). The class action lawsuit was good for 7 years of 100,000 miles for the noted years with the defective timing chain. Here I am with my Mini in the dealership, around 2.5 years after purchasing (and after the timing chain was replaced) and Im told the entire part was not in fact replaced, only looked at, and Mini decided the entire timing chain kit did not need replaced. Mini has DENIED any liability in this defective part of in the improper replacement. My bill is now running well over $2,000. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MINI... and I was the owner of two. My mistake. Mini has soured me. Do your due diligence and read the reviews online. Many people this year are experiencing multiple timing chain replacements among many other repairs. Its not worth it... and theyre not a company that stands behind their product or their customers. Awful.

My Mini just died - will not move. Was told trans is bad and will cost me about $7,000 to fix. The repair shop told me a very common problem and Mini wont stand behind the problem. There should be a recall. It seems they dont care about the consumer. Its really sad that all they are worried about is fattening their pockets and not helping the customer. SAD!!!! REALLY SAD!!!!! I will never buy another Cooper and I will pass this info to everyone.

While I have enjoyed driving this car, the cost of continuing repairs has been staggering. The electrics and the mechanical components of this car are poorly engineered and have been repaired or replaced on a regular basis throughout the eight years I have owned the car. It has leaked oil as well as burning oil from early on. It is now requiring a great deal of repairs due to leaking and burning oil and a non-functioning oil warning light. In fact I was told by my mechanic that it is not worth fixing. It only has about 160,000 miles on the clock. Fun to drive does not make up for poor engineering and high cost of repair. I would never recommend a MINI to anyone.

Bought my 2008 Mini. Second day engine light came on. Brought it to pep boys - there for a few days. Got the car back. Fix a few minor issues. They did tell me I needed to replace the catalytic converter. Couple days later engine light came on again. Brought it to the dealership. They resettle the engine light - told me if it happens again to bring it back. Next day driving to work car starts shaking losing power - had to call triple A. They towed it to an auto repair shop which cost $165 to fix some other issues. This car is already too much - only had it for 17 days. Out of those days 2 weeks it was in the shop. Lost for words how these dealerships can sell the consumer crazy cars and get away with it. There has to be some kind of protection for us. Pissed as hell.

I do love how unique my car is, however I thank god for purchasing a 100,000-mile warranty when I bought the car brand new. I even bought a tire warranty for blowouts on the run-flat tires. The tire warranty cost me a little over 900.00. It paid for itself the first year. I had 2 blowouts and the Dunlop tires were 400.00 a piece. I have not had one since then. I have had a serious oil leak that took the dealership about 5 different times to repair, but they finally did and paid for the oil stains to be removed from my driveway.OMG, I just noticed the new Mini S has the exhaust pipes, one on far right and one on far left, which is to prevent serious burns to your legs while getting things out of the back of your car. That is a wise idea! I am bringing my car in tomorrow to the dealership for service. The red lit up fonts are getting blotchy and I think I need a break job. I have never had a break job and there is 51000 miles on my car.... Hmmm. I get over 400 miles to a tank on my mini, and it is fast! ONLY USE SUPREME CHEVRON OR SHELL GASOLINE!!!!!

My 2006 Mini Cooper convertible has been serviced by the authorized Mini dealership since the day I got it. My last service was at 100,000 miles. At 127,000 miles my transmission has gone out. I love my Mini but golly, Ive never known anyone driving any vehicle that has had their transmission go. Is this a known Mini issue or is my case an anomaly? Is the suit in California regarding Mini transmissions a national class action suit?

Bought my Mini new (2012) and all it is a money pit!!! Every time Ill take it to get fixed it is a $1,000 to fix it. Mini should let other shops work on it. Never never never ever going to buy a car that only the dealer can repair. Dealers employees are rude and arrogant. I hope this helps so no one else make this mistake.

I am shocked and dismayed about the number of complaints about Mini Coopers! I too fell in love with my 2009 mini (cute as a box full of kittens!) LOVE driving it! BUT at 25k the water pump went. At 49k the top had to be replaced. Later the thermostat housing cracked, and at 82k a freeze out plug inside the timing chain housing blew out, blowing the engine. I still love the car and am going to fix it (at about $8000 for a used engine). I think BMW should be responsible for all of these engines blowing! What if the used engine blows? I cant afford another 8 grand!!!

My car has 110,000 klics on it and the transmission is gone. To fix it they want $8500 for the parts and another $1500 for the labor. They have to put the same transmission in and the same thing could happen again. The sales manager said it would be just better to sell it as I wouldnt get much as a trade in. They have these problems with the transmissions from 2002 to 2007 then they changed it. I do not think its is acceptable for a company to know this and not do a recall or at least fix it. These are $40,000 dollar cars and I think you should get a lot more mileage than this. I LOVE my car and it has cost a lot in repairs, but am so disillusioned with the reaction of the company.

I was with my children and had to call the roadside assistance due to temp/engine light suddenly coming on. I also was told there were no carriers in the area and we were on the freeway and it was getting dark. There was no sense of urgency and she said, We will keep trying and call you back. I called a tow company after dialing 411 (took 5 mins) and called Mini roadside assistance back and told them I had found a place that would do it. They asked me for the number and name of company which I gave them. The woman said, Thanks for doing this, I would have never found it. (Isnt that their job?) After waiting another 45 mins we were finally rescued. I just wasnt impressed with the level of service and cant imagine how its even functional. She kept calling me the wrong name and said, Where did you say you were again? It was almost comical. I love my Mini but this was not good.

I bought a low mileage car, 76000 miles. I smelled something burning while on my way to work. Guess what, no power steering! People need to file complaints with the NHTSA to get a recall ordered before people get killed. Its dangerous for women to drive if the power steering quits in a turn.

I just had to take my mini in for service as it sounded like a diesel it a metal rattle noise was quite obvious. I have a 2010 mini Cooper S that fell victim to a large issue two years ago just prior to the mini Cooper recall. I am not sure if that recall is in fact tied to anything with this problem but that day the car had to be towed to the mini dealer and it only had 30 some thousand miles on it. Now Ive taken it in and been told the timing belt tensioner is in fact completely broken and the car drained 2 1/2 quarts of oil- etc etc. The car only has 52,000 miles on it and if it even looks different I take it to the mini dealer for service constantly. This is not a car that has been even given the opportunity to be neglected. This particular repair is over $2400 which is extremely odd especially with this particular car and how Few miles its driven. I have now read about the unusual timing belt problems with Mini and I would strongly suggest as per a previous article I read that the 2010 Mini be included in this consumer complaint - and seriously looked at as a potential recall problem. This can be extremely dangerous and needs to be addressed immediately. As I write my car is in for service of this exact issue crossing my fingers.

I own a 2006 Cooper S convertible. I just read the blog on 12/9/2011. I have experienced exactly the same. I have taken the car into the Mini dealer at 12,000, 24,000, 32000 and 47000 for the same issue, each time to be told that the computer shows no fault found. I have serviced the transmission and had Mini Cooper service look at it again at 94,000. The car has been kept in excellent condition. The car will surge and the tachometer dial will move then the car grabs and shifts hard, sometimes making the tires squeal. I have had an independent mechanic drive the car to agree that there is an issue with the transmission. This is a manual transmission with the steptronic paddle shift capability. After having the transmission serviced, driving the car home and the transmission would not shift out of the gear. It was in and would not move forward other than a 5 to 7 mile idle. This happened while driving in rush hour traffic.

My 2007 clutch had to be replaced on February 2012. I had to replace the valve cover, gasket, and hose at 37,500 miles. It cost $718.00. Then in March at 40,000 miles, I have to replace the timing chain at $2200.00 and a thermostat at $675.00. I have to pay out of my pocket for all the repairs since February 2012. I think that Mini does not built a car to last longer past 35,000 miles before you have serious problems. I am getting off the car and buying an American-made car. I have contacted Mini, and they said theyre sorry and that they will not do anything to pay for the repairs.

2010 Mini S extended warranty - OK I purchased my Mini about a year and a half, bought all the bells and whistles to protect it from major work inside and out. 2 months after check engine light came on. Took it in, Oh it is just the sensor BUT you need new spark plugs. OK well should be covered NOT paid over $200 and they reset the sensor. My Mini run hot, towed it to the shop and it needs a lot of work. Now seems since I have been changing the oil myself they do not wanna honor my extended warranty to fix what is a $2,300.00 buncha crap stuff. So my question is is my 2010 Mini S extended warranty voided since I like saving money and not driving so far to the dealership for oil changes?

2 years ago I found my beautiful Mini Cooper Convertible, a beefy convertible Ive wanted since I was a kid! Fun to drive, but not nearly enough power. I feel like it was at the Dealer getting services a LOT but it has 19800 when I bought it and MINI covered the maintenance/service up to 36k which was a dream. Tires had to be replaced due to them not being rotated before I bought it. I did start driving 25mi each way to work in LA traffic, but this has gotten ridiculous.In May of 2016, I noticed my oil light coming on. I didnt think much of it until my bf took it to the dealer and they stated it was just really low on oil and since I was close to getting an oil change, went ahead with the service. 5 months later, I noticed my car sounding weird/grinding. Checked the oil level and you can barely read the stupid dipstick in this car. Looked fine. Checked an hour later and it was EMPTY! There was NO OIL. I filled it with 5 quarts! I called MINI and other shops and this is normal?! How is burning 5 quarts of oil and having little to no notification normal?FFW to Feb 2017, My car has always lacked a lot of Gusto, but I noticed it sputtering then accelerating, esp on the freeway around 2000 rpm. I thought it may be a fuel line issue and needed a flush. Called a mechanic who specializes in MINIs, and he said it sounded like it may be a trans issue. Took it to AAMCO and sure enough my transmission has to be rebuilt/replaced. MINIs powertrain warranty ends at 4 years 50k, My car is 4 years, 3mo and has 51k. BS! Luckily I purchased an extended warranty from the dealer I bought it from (not MINI) and after fighting with them for a MONTH I got a used transmission put in. Im getting it today but Im seriously considering getting rid of it even though I am upside-down on my loan. This is ridic! Not to mention the stupid brakes/rotors have to be done at the same time. I knew MINIs needed some love, but this is too damn much.

I have a 2003 Mini Cooper. It has only approximately 55,000 miles on the engine. Its been very well taken care of and maintained and never driven hard. It has a CVT transmission which failed winter 2014. It was a catastrophic failure; there is no other way this type of transmission fails. It cannot be easily repaired if youre lucky enough to be able to repair it.I understand the warranty has expired but a transmission shouldnt fail at this mileage. The cost to repair? $8000.00+ with only a 1 year/100k mileage warranty. Thats the value of the car! Mini couldnt offer any resolution. They could care less!! Instead of trying to resolve, they just leave a comment to the Engineer Department who basically have designed a faulty system. The warranty offered infers that!! Dont buy a Mini Cooper!!! Its obvious Mini is only concerned about initial sales. Ratings show that!!

I bought a 2011 Mini last this year, it drinks oil like no other car Ive had and makes a thumping sound after driving it for a while. Any knows what that is about? This car is scaring me, Im thinking about trading it in, I cant afford any major car repair bills right now.

Purchased a Mini Cooper s new. After 32,000 miles engine started having major problems. Long list of repairs totalling $7,000 were needed. Sold car for a loss. I was sold on Minis styling, fuel economy, and small size. I wish I had paid attention to its lack of quality and longevity. I been driving for over 30 years and have never had a car with so many issues with such low miles. The service people and dealers seemed to imply my mini was some kind of unique problem. Guess theyve been drinking the Kool-Aid too long.

My 2010 Mini Clubman S is a danger to everyone. 3 times in the past 2 months, the engine light has come on and then the gauges go out of control. The speedometer and RPMs go up and down wildly; the windows wont roll down; and the blinkers wont work. This is a serious hazard on the road especially if youre driving on the Autobahn. From what I have seen on several blogs, this is a common issue that has gone unresolved. It has 50,000 miles on it and I have already taken it to the shop to have the solenoids and gasket changed. 3rd times a charm I guess because oil is still leaking and the same issues have come back. It is extremely frustrating as a customer that a company would make such a pathetic product that has so many issues in their infancy of its life. People dont have time or money to spend deal with this crap. Mini should recall these vehicles because not only is it a serious safety hazard, but customers are losing massive amounts of money off the lot for ** product. Go back to the drawing board Mini! DONT BUY MINI!!!!!

My 06 Mini Cooper convertible transmission died in 08 @ 28,000 miles. Mini replaced it since under warranty but now it is dead again. Not sure under warranty any longer. There is a class action lawsuit in California for mini owners there with faulty transmissions.

I leased a brand new Mini Cooper Countryman S only 6 months ago. Everything has been great until recently. I was three hours into a 5 hour drive when suddenly a red light came on telling me to stop and shut off the car since the engine was overheating. I immediately called my salesperson who said to use the SoS in the car to get a tow. I was told to not drive for car. Unfortunately, I was on the side of I-95 where 18 wheelers were flying past. Well, I sat there for 3 hours, THREE hours, waiting for my tow that Mini organized. It was terrifying to say the least.It was towed back to Alexandria, Va where I live and leased the car. I was informed that a stone hit underneath and damaged the radiator and that I had to pay for it. What? How could that be? My drive was smooth and nice - no problems. I have since discovered that is a design flaw that exposes the radiator to this type of damage. I had to get my insurance co involved, and I have been waiting two weeks already since a needed part is coming from Germany and they have no idea when it will arrive. I have been car-less except for the first several days when Mini gave me a loaner. After all of my complaining, they have since said theyd give me another loaner which I will pick up shortly. First of all, this is a lease, and this is a corporate problem so I should not be responsible. Secondly, if my leased car sits in their garage for a month (?), why should I make a payment when I dont even have the car. Needless to say, I am dumping this car after my lease, and I am not leasing or buying another Mini Cooper.

I am very disappointed at the sales practice in Morristown Mini. I would advise DO NOT buy car there, I had to bear a loss of $17,000 because this dealer didnt disclose the tire information at purchase. As a loyal customer, we have purchased a Mini Cooper two years ago and were satisfied with the car. However, when we decided to replace another car and got a Clubman last Sept. in the same dealership, nightmare started not long after the joy of having a fully loaded clubman. First snow, which as a resident of NY and NJ for 20 years, was really nothing, my husband though couldnt even drive the car up to a small hill for my daughters music lesson, it was a dangerous zigzag. We couldnt figure out why. Until we sent car to dealer, they told us its performance tire and cannot be driven under 40 degrees. Since we bought it at 6k miles, no one bothered to disclose this information to us. And I tried to call dealership, the manager never called me back. We are caught off guard. We purchased a car not suitable for weather here. After that, the car is mostly stalled on the driveway, upon recent snow storm, when we had to go out during and after snow to get gas for generator. So, after 5 months of suffering, we terminated car with $17K loss... Bought a SUV with all season tire.

I owned a 2007 Mini Cooper S with many expensive options and the engine failed at 73,000. The dealer (New Country MINI - Hartford, CT) would not do anything even though I needed to buy a new car so I had to junk it. I believe the MINI warranty is 4 years or 48,000 miles. Meanwhile many less expensive cars have 7 year/100,000 mile warranties.

2005 mini. In August 2011 at 74,000 miles the electrical fan stayed on after work the next morning the battery was dead and the dealership wanted 5k to do the repairs of the power steering pump/fan, radiator fan, and new battery. I could not afford that so the car sat in the driveway until I decide to attempt the job myself. Well $500 later, and two weeks. I completed everything the dealer ship said was wrong. EBay man’s best friend new radiator fan $180, Rebuilt pump (send yours in the rebuild yours) $250, new battery $85 advanced auto parts.January 2012 the transmission starts to slip. Seems like it is going from second to third gear. Seems to be getting worse. For as expensive as these cars are you think they would be a little more reliable. All the reports I read online say the same thing these issues all start between 70-80k. Come no MINI / BMW fix these on your dime, you know there is problem quit sucking our pockets dry while you are getting stacks of cash from people buying these cars and paying these ridiculous repair costs.

I bought my Mini from the dealer - the owners daughter had driven it for 11k km. I got an extended warranty 160k and then it took two weeks to get delivery because the electronics in the car wouldnt allow it to pass emissions. Since then I have put 90k but have been through hell with the electronics telling the car the brakes were worn out 3 times but they werent, sometimes it wouldnt start, the CD player quits all the time, the air bag light comes on all the time etc etc. Its endless to write it all. The dealer each time says They cant replicate this condition and reset the computer. We can land on the moon but cant fix a Mini. Stay as far away from a BMW Mini as you can. Great car to drive - just too many problems and nobody that can fix them.

I love my 2012 Mini Cooper, looks sharp and handles great, fun to drive, great get up and go, shifts good, like that you can easily customize the look of your vehicle. I like its color red, the 10 year US anniversary version, bonnet stripes, interior features including heated seats and cruise control, great cd player and sound, love the interior lighting. But it could be easier to get grandkids into the backseat. And as with any vehicle, it could have better gas mileage or electric, now that they have a 4 door coupe I would have selected it to better get kiddos in backseat.

I purchased my 2008 Mini Cooper S hatchback with 32K miles on it and still owe $11K. I quizzed the salesperson on maintenance requirements and different aspects of the vehicle; so far nothing he said has been true and I have spent $11K so far in repairs. This car, with payment, gas, repairs and insurance is costing me $880/Mo; a house payment for heavens sake!Right now it is in the shop after: 1 month ago replacing the valve cover ($800). 2 weeks later the timing chain ($4K). Not even 2 weeks went by and now waiting for the call to find out what the current issue is but know its going to be big $$ because the engine light went on again. I purchased this vehicle for the gas mileage as I have a 56 mi commute to work and its a BLAST to drive but the most UNRELIABLE & DANGEROUS car I have ever owned! Im probably going to sell it to the dealer and take a huge loss with nothing to show for it. Minis are like boats; the 2 happiest days of ownership are when you buy it and sell it! Youve been given fair warning: Dont buy a Mini!

One star for the Mini dealership, four stars for the car. I own a 2007 Mini Cooper S that I have owned for three years with just over 100,000 miles. I absolutely love it. The car did have a major oil leak, but my boyfriend (who is a trained mechanic but doesnt work for a garage) and I bought a kit from Detroit Tuned and rebuilt the turbo ourselves based. Using Mini forums for people who had a similar leak was a huge help. We repaired it for a tiny fraction of the cost it would have been at the mini dealership. Its not perfect, but the leak is fixed. Oil leak aside, this car does consume a lot of oil and you need to keep an eye on it. There have been a couple of other minor issues, but paying close attention to the car made it easy to nip those in the bud.I dont trust the dealership at all since I went in for a quote on the oil leak and they quoted me five grand for that repair and a bunch of other repairs I didnt need. For example, I had a faulty brake sensor and they quoted me all new brakes despite the fact that they were brand new and Id just replaced them. If you get a Mini, I highly recommend NOT getting your repairs done at the dealership unless its totally under warranty. Youre paying for the brand with them, not the repairs. Despite all of this, I love the car. Not a day goes by that I regret buying this car. It fits me, its fun to drive, I enjoy how compact it is but I can still haul tons of stuff. Im looking right now to trade mine in for a newer one, simply because its getting older and I might as well upgrade to some newer features while there is still a strong trade-in value.Moral of the story, this isnt a car you can just drive and ignore between oil changes, but a car that you need to pay close attention to otherwise it can become high maintenance. And find an independent shop or friend who knows auto mechanics, and know what the common issues are with these cars before you buy so you can anticipate them. That may sound like a lot of unnecessary work, but this is more of a little novelty sports car than your run of the mill family car. It needs a little extra love.

I bought a used 2009 Mini Cooper in May 2013 and have been out it since August 23, 2013 and it is now October 27, 2013. My Mini Cooper had a coolant leak that caused my engine to blow and was taken to three shops before any one would even fix it. A newer engine was put in as well as a new radiator which cost about $3500 on top of needing to be taken to a BMW shop to be reprogrammed which took two weeks for them to do. The day I should have gotten it back a sensor went out and am still without my car. It has been over two months with my car. The shop it was taken to has now fixed 6 Mini Coopers with the same problem. I will never get a Mini Cooper again once mine dies on me again.

I bought my Mini used with 39,000 miles on it, the dealership I bought the car from offered a 90 day 3000 mile warranty on everything and thank god because 75 day and 2500 miles in the timing chain and tensioner had to be replaced at cost of $2300 .Since then I have had a recall on the cooler for the turbocharge, just recently I had my thermostat housing and sensor replaced. Now Ive been dealing with major power lost as if the turbocharger isnt working at all....I bought the car to save money and it has been nickel and diming me more than my 15 year old Ford F150... And the car uses more oil than any car that I have ever owed and Im pushing 50...BMW/MINI needs to fess up and fix these design flops because its a reflection on both companies....

We purchased a used Mini Cooper S for 6500 while trading in a car. This was going to be a car for a teen. The check engine light came on and we were back and forth to the dealer in Texas- Mini of Arlington multiple times and they kept resetting it doing no work. We gave up. We then found about the tailpipes recall and contacted Mini of Arlington again who said the recall had been done even though the pipes are clearly sticking out past the bumper. Then we have had intermittent issues with the turbo and there was a lawsuit regarding transmissions and now ours is slipping in 3 gear. We again took it back after owning it a year to mini of Arlington who again rejected any claims of recall work. We stopped driving the car for the last 8 months due to issues with it. We moved to another state. We have now owned it over 2 years. My son was getting stuff out of the trunk as we drove it to the store and he suffered a burn to his leg due to the exhaust pipes sticking out past the bumpers. I contacted Mini corporate who asked for vin and other information. I took pictures of the exhaust and vin plates and sent it to them. They have since ignored me. I think a previous dealer did claim to have done recall work and never actually did it. If that isnt the case perhaps they entered the incorrect vin number. I need it fixed and they are denying repair. It now has transmission and turbo issues and my son has a burn and probable scaring.

Updated on 03/26/2019: The last time I posted my Mini was in the shop (at 55k) having the head gasket replaced. 8k later the head gasket had to be replaced again. The shop wanted to re-check the car 500 miles after the repair, which they did, and all was well. Decided as soon as the first sunny, reasonably warm day came I was going to clean/wax the car and get rid of it. The other day fit the bill so I went to the auto parts store to buy wax, etc. Got out of the car and noticed the fan was running. Managed to make it back home without any lights coming on, but the fan continued to run. 10 minutes later I went to start it to move it a few feet in the driveway and the engine light came on and the car didnt want to start. The car just turned 65k and has always been maintained. We have mechanical breakdown coverage through our insurance and frankly Im hoping the entire engine is bad and we can just get whatever they give us for it and be done with it. Absolutely a blast to drive --- but from a mechanical standpoint its far and above THE worst car Ive ever owned.Original Review: Although my 2012 (hardtop) Mini is a blast to drive I will NEVER buy another one. Just turned 55k miles and Ive already had to replace tires/rotors, ignition coils, and the water pump. It is currently in the shop with head gasket/engine repairs to the tune of $2,500.00. Thank goodness for the mechanical breakdown coverage we opted to buy when we bought the new Mini! Its absurd to have this many expensive repairs on a car with only 55k miles!!

In 2009, I brought it brand new. The engine light has been going on several times. Each time I take it into the dealer (thankfully it’s still covered under warranty), they tell me that it’s the type of gas I put in. Okay, fine. I bought the 91 octane gas and put in fuel injector cleaner as per their recommendation. This happened 5 times. Tomorrow, it’s the sixth time. As soon as this repair is done (thankfully still under warranty), I will drive to the Mazda dealer and trade it in. There is just no excuse for this type of problem. After reading the entries on this and other sites, I guess I feel lucky that I have not spent thousands of dollars on repairs. I love my car (09 Cooper S convertible). So much fun! But I have to let it go.

I bought my 2005 base Mini convertible with around 35K miles on it. I bought at a BMW/Mini Dealership where it was first purchased. I was told I would be the second owner and that all services were performed there since new, including the first power steering failure. OK now, the certified vehicle they sold me had a throw-out bearing noise the day I bought it. I heard it at night with top up and windows up. Same thing with the power steering; it was failing when I bought it. I am sorry, but how can a BMW/Mini tech certify such vehicle? They had had to know it had these issues. Not to mention, the seat memory function was also broken from the day of purchase. All the issues were done under factory warranty. I also bought mercury platinum extended warranty. Now moving on, around 50K, the throw-out bearing noise is back big time. Power steering is noisy again. Once again, theres warranty on the throw-out bearing. No luck with power steering; I had to keep bringing it back and was declined every time until it actually started going out while driving! No power steering! It was replaced at that time under warranty, and the new pump was so silent at first. I was thinking hmm Im still upset they sold me a certified car with major money issues but this time the power steering is fixed good.The vehicle now has approximately 75K. All services are up to date, including resealing the oil pan and the third valve cover reseal. But what the salesperson never told me was that the interval for resealing the oil pan is every 40K as normal maintenance! And the clutch is shuddering; throw-out bearing is about to fail, getting really, really loud knocks with clutch out squeals if I push it all the way down. I have to push it down and let up around 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch to stop the squealing, but its still making noises always. So the clutch components are no longer under warranty. Great. And the power steering that was so quiet a short time ago has a crazy loud noise again and the fan is staying on after the vehicle is shut off. I can make it stop by turning the key on and off a few times. I should be covered for this power steering unit with a deductible through Mercury, but they seem to ask for mega diagnostic tear down money. Its like pulling teeth to get them to even act human. I will do that for the power steering, because its bad and I know it will be covered. (crosses fingers)I was told that the noise of the clutch components may be internal in transmission, so I should authorize a lot of money, so they can tear down the transmission and see. Really?! its the throw-out bearing again. Im not authorizing that obvious leap of faith/ripoff. Did I mention I have records from the first month I owned the car about it not going into reverse unless I for up to 3 full minutes mess with the shift left through all gears and let clutch out in each gear and a little trick I learned while being honked at because I wasnt backing up fast enough? The trick is hold the lever towards reverse and ever so lightly release the clutch pedal a tiny bit. It will go into reverse that way, and it may do so with super sweet sounding ultimate grind, which it does all the time even when not forced to use an awful trick to get it moving backwards.The last time I brought it in, the service writer, whos always so full of tech wisdom, actually duplicated the problem. The service writer could not get the vehicle into reverse, and after fiddling a while, it went in with an ultimate grinding experience. But now, this tech savvy writer has forgotten everything, and it seems all that schooling (self-proclaimed) and BMW-awarded service training has slipped the highly trained uber techy service writer into saying that he wrote on the repair order duplicated in service drive. But I still have to pay $1000 plus for tear down to prove to Mercury what I have been telling them has been happening since it was under factory warranty! I could duplicate it everyday, every time they said cannot duplicate.Well, they could have if they drove around more till they did duplicate it for not long rather than sitting in their service bay shifting the lever around! Both window regulators are starting to fail. I loved this car. Its fun. it looks great, but I would not recommend one to my worst enemy. Oh, thats BMW/Mini. Hmmm. Well, you know what I mean. I will never recommend BMW or Mini without saying They drive great, but youre gonna pay.I tell people if they must have a BMW or Mini and dont mind being in the shop a lot, lease it. Never buy anything from BMW! They are literally spot on to provide you with the ultimate repair bills as soon as warranty is out. BMW is criminal in this kind of treatment of their customers! I mean, really, its pretty well-established. The clutch components suffer from poor/weak/cheap design and parts. Its 2012, and BMW still doesnt even offer a superseded part number for clutch components; no upgrades for you! This is the absolute end of my time with BMW. They can keep their cars, until they fix whats wrong and stop covering up long-standing design flaws. Oh my God, some give them Japans phone number or even GM for that matter for a little updating on their still being filled with really bad electronics from silly connectors long obsolete to flat out... Really, you havent stopped those light from flashing yet! Which ones you say? I say pick anything. BMW electronics and Mini are in need of some updating.Lets say bye BMW/Mini. Never again. I cant wait to get rid of this nightmare that could have been so nice a car if they finished it. Too late trading it in on anything nice, even nicer not made by your dishonest bloated overrated company that smiles at you while lying and... I cant wait for my Lexus or Acura or Infinity. I just cant wait. Own up to the problems. And at least, if youre going to charge for a repair that is due to your cheap poorly placed parts in a nice car, offer a fix. Its called a fix! You know, like when you dont sell a Mini owner the same ** part. Why just fix it!

I have been driving a stick shift for over 20 years. I have over 400,000 miles driving one. I have NEVER lost a clutch until Mini Cooper 2010 with less than 38,500 miles on it went. I called corporate, I called dealership. I was ACTUALLY told You can drive a car off the lot, brand new and it could break. That was enough to tell me to NEVER buy a Mini Cooper again. I have an 11 year old Mazda 3 with 90,000 miles that has cost me less to fix in the last 11 years than the Mini did in the last year. They do NOT stand behind their product and can clearly care less about quality and workmanship. They said a clutch is a wear and tear part and there is nothing to be done. Wear a dress tear at 38,000 miles when another car I owned hit over 100,000 miles or close without losing a clutch...its a DEFEAT and they know it!Yesterday, I get into the car and it decides it doesnt want to accelerate past 26 mph and it took 5 min to get there. I live in a MAJOR metro area. I was almost hit 7 times on my way HOME! I dont consider it poor quality anymore. I consider it endangering to me and others on the road. I have 8 months before its paid for and I have already spent almost the purchase price to fix it. Not worth it. It was fun to drive and was great on gas, the only reason I bought the car to begin with, now I want it gone! I no longer feel safe. I would rather drive my 11 year old Mazda. Its safer and more reliable.

Bought a 2002 mini type s in 2012. Had 29000 miles on it. Not even a month later exhaust right at the flex pipe ripped. Took to the dealership, wasnt covered under warranty. They pointed me to a mechanic who could fix it. Cost $1600. Lasted about a month. Broke again. Took it to a different shop. REPLACED it. Spent $1600. Lasted about a month, broke again. Brought it to 3 other mechanics who all could not even begin to tell me what the real problem is. Barely driven the car since 2012. Waste of time and money.

I took my Mini in and complained that there was a humming noise coming from the engine and that the check engine light kept coming on. But every time I took it in, the dealer kept telling me that this was normal and that there was nothing wrong with the car. After awhile, the car kept getting worse and started making a knocking sound and losing power. I had it towed to the Mini dealer and they told me nothing was wrong with the car, turned the light out and sent me on my way. I am tired of Mini refusing to fix whats wrong with the car. This is a serious problem and needs to be dealt with.

I have a 2007 Mini Cooper 7 that died on me. I was driving home and the check engine light went on, gave me a message about the catalytic converter. Took it to a local and trusted mechanic shop and they basically told me I needed a new engine (rough cost for used $7k and new $9k). Found out this is a known issue with the R56 engine so I decided to contact MINI USA to see if they would cover the costs. They requested that I have it towed to an authorized Mini dealer so off it went to Mini of Concord. They performed their own inspection and stated, I dont need a new entire engine, just the top portion! It was going to cost roughly $5k but they would give me a 25% discount so my cost would be $3600. I stated that I dont feel that I should have to cover any cost considering it is a KNOWN ISSUE with this engine. Still waiting to hear from MINI USA on what they are willing to do and hope they do the right thing. There is a class action lawsuit going on regarding these cars/engines, so my question is, why havent MINI USA/BMW recalled these vehicles??? Very disappointed that they are refusing to do the right thing and making customers pay for a known defect. Here is the link I found about the class action lawsuit. Please read and take action people! https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/consumers-complain-of-mini-cooper-timing-belt-failures-080113.html.

I have had this car since September 2010 and have been feeling very unsafe in this vehicle over the past couple of months. It currently has 12,000 miles but it is not accelerating properly. The car hesitates between 20/mph and 30/mph. The tachometer quickly moves to the middle of the dial, and then the car jumps or bucks into the desired speed. I took it for service but the technician could not replicate the problem and said that it is handling as it should. They want to send me home in this death mobile. The cars computer system says it is ok so no one cares that Im experiencing a real threat to my life on a daily basis and unable to drive on my city streets safely or on the freeways going to work. Since Im under lease, I am totally stuck having the option to pay it off or give it to someone else. I cannot imagine putting someone else at risk the way they are to me by completely disregarding my concerns and complaint.

Cant give them 0 stars, so they get a lucky star...just one. Super friendly sales and service people for sure, MINI, good job, youve trained them well. The complimentary Starbucks coffee and Chex Party Mix are also a nice touch, but NONE OF THESE CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR ENGINEERING AND DELIVERING A QUALITY AUTOMOBILE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! Id rather buy a car from a jerk that was a quality product, designed for performance, reliability, and longevity. The automatic transmission on my 2007 Mini Cooper failed at 108,000 miles. A regularly serviced automatic transmission such as the one in the 2007 Mini Cooper, by comparable industry standards, should be good for at least 150,000 miles.This was not an inexpensive car (over 30K new, with over $15,000 in labor and parts in the meantime). The transmission was serviced when the car was still under warranty, and well after the BMW corporation was aware of the design flaws that ultimately led to the transmission failure. Rather than service the defective transmission while the warranty was in effect, they sent me home with a car that they knew had a poorly designed/engineered transmission from the factory. Although the transmission was serviced 18 months prior to this failure, and I believed the work carried a 2-year warranty, MINIs position is that the work performed was not mechanical, but electronic in nature, and was not covered under the 2-year warranty. The MINI was fun while it lasted, and as a professional that works with young adults as a career, I always felt comfortable recommending the MINI as a first car. My position on the MINI (not Bill Jacobs, youve been consummately professional) has shifted, and I will ultimately share my story of dissatisfaction and disappointment with the BMW corporation. Of notable irony is the fact that I originally purchased a MINI because of their resale value. $45,000 later and I have a MINI that is worth $150. The final tow to and from Bill Jacobs MINI will cost more than that. I believe that any of the owners of Bill Jacobs MINI or its representatives would feel exactly as I do in regards to this situation. To MINI and BMW...you missed the most important thing that car buyers want, that is, a quality product. Everything else has been tasty, perfectly-brewed, and pleasant.

I love my Mini. Aside from some superficial quality issues (bits of the grill have just simple fallen off on three different occasions), my 2011 Cooper has held up well. I utterly detest working with Mini dealerships. The list of reasons is long: Celebrity name dropping at Santa Ana on the day I purchased the vehicle in 2013. It just so happened to be a celebrity who knows quite a few gaming acquaintances and friends of mine, no less - and yes I directly told that person what happened. The utter lies told to us about our warranty and how it works, even when we showed noted from date of purchase which showed different information. The racial slurs tossed at me in Torrance by a car wash attendant. A regional BMW manager had to reach out personally to resolve that situation. The bizarre fees for even looking at a car (which change with every call and each dealership), ranging from $50-$250, even when the car was under full extended warranty. The misogynistic garbage I was fed by not only by the maintenance associate but the liaison to the general manager who told me that the first guy is close to his mother so couldnt possibly have treated me with disrespect.

60,000 and I need a new engine. Had the car 1 1/2 yrs. Mechanic told me damage was done BEFORE I bought it. Timing chain, oil, etc just like all the other complaints and Im getting the run-around. Thought BMW was a great product.... Guess not.

I would like to join a class action lawsuit if someone could please advise. I bought my 2007 Mini Cooper S Turbo in 2008 with just 14,000 miles on the odometer. I was told that the original owner was not satisfied with the noise that the engine made and that he returned the car to the manufacturer. At first I thought that I found a gem of a car at a local used car dealership because this Mini had every option available with very low miles on it. Little did I know just how much of a mistake I had made in buying this piece of junk.In six years I went through 2 timing chains and sprocket repairs after hearing the death rattle. Not once did a warning light tell me when I was low on oil. I actually had to top off the oil every 1,000 - 1,500 miles. This car consistently sputtered, hesitated, blew black smoke out the tailpipe and broke down so often I finally took the car to a local mechanic after my extended maintenance and parts warranties with Mini expired - which incidentally I paid an extra $5,000 for. After replacing the timing chain twice and being told by two local mechanics that my engine was ruined - Mini customer service representatives insisted that the engine was fine. I finally let my local mechanic work on the car and he found that the valves were gunked-up with carbon and one of them had a large chunk missing from it. After that repair - lo and behold my car finally stopped burning oil and I never had to top it off again between oil changes!In six years I had replaced: 2 timing chains, starter, thermostat, head gasket, water pump, rust in the gear box, rusty bolts in the hatch that were showing through the paint, knock sensor, faulty computer messages, leaking air conditioner, antenna shorting out the rear defrost and radio, service light not coming on, split o-rings, valve cover, engine vacuum, oil line, fuel inlet, leaking coolant, sensors, etc... Not to mention the multiple pieces of trim that blew off the car while driving down the highway and the multiple towing fees at $750 each.I did get some goodwill or NCs on my invoices after fighting for them and had to remind customer service every-single-time that I did indeed have a 2nd party warranty agreement that I purchased from the Mini dealership. I actually had to produce my contract each time that I was there for repairs because they couldnt find it in my records. After paying $5,000 in extra warranties, huge towing fees, $100 deductibles with every repair, lost time at work, thousands of dollars in repairs after the warranties expired, and the unnecessary grief and exhaustion of owning this piece of junk, I would never recommend that anyone buy a Mini Cooper. The customer service representatives were friendly.

I have a 2006 Mini Cooper. The engine wouldnt turn over. They charged me $359.00 in Oct 2011 and said the battery was shorted out. In Feb 2012, the same thing happened again. They said it was the battery cable and it would cost me $454.00. Since the original problem wasnt the battery I asked, if they would deduct the $359.00 I had already paid. They said they wouldnt.

My wifes 2003 Mini Cooper developed a steering noise and its steering boot was found leaking fluid in March of 2012 .Repairs were made to replace the leak and its steering rack in March of 2012. In May of 2013, we received a letter from Mini advising us of steering problem issues to the 2002-2005 models. In August of 2013, the steering became very stiff and was taken in for repairs. The repair facility found that the power steering pump was inoperative and the pump cooling fan had seized. These were replaced. Due to the severity of the steering problems taking it to the nearest dealer some 80+ miles to Seattle (we are in Sudden Valley) was considered too risky for my wife to drive there. So all repairs were done at European NW Automotive in Bellingham not a Mini dealer.These repairs were not covered by Mini and I have just discovered by phone were denied but no letter has ever been sent to us advising this. The coverage letter was 13 years or 150K miles whichever came first and to date this Mini has just reached 30K. All repairs were done at European NW in Bellingham not a Mini dealer. The Mini letter states repairs for parts are covered even if you had the repairs done at an independent shop. I have tried discussing this situation and cannot understand Minis explanation. Its my contention that although repairs were made after the letter of May 2103 all the repairs necessary fit Minis steering warranty coverage issues and should be honored and covered. Could you please help me with this? Note: I do understand now that I dont qualify for the 2012 repairs and do not expect Mini to reimburse us; however, on reflection I think that the 2012 repairs were a forerunner for the 2013 repairs outlined in their May 2013 Warranty Coverage Extension outlining the steering issues that needed to be corrected. The costs for the 2013 repairs were submitted to Mini in August of 2013 and are denied (without notice) for reasons I do not understand. Thank you.

I bought my 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman S used at 20,000 miles in 2011 from a local dealer. At 63,000 miles (after the warranty ran out), it was discovered that the head gaskets on the engine were blown. This was discovered by my mechanic during an oil change and fluids top-off; I had to have it towed 45 miles to the closest dealer. Ferman Mini in New Port Richey, FL, who did the work, promised me my engine would be like new - after paying $4,500 to fix it.At 67,000 miles, I noticed that the water coolant tank had black sludge in it (no warnings or nothing, just happened to check the water level). Mini of Ft. Myers has had my car for 2 weeks - they took apart the oil casing, the gasket heads and turbocharger and still couldnt find what was wrong. They still cannot find the point of failure and have said the only option is they replace the entire engine for $10,000. Or I could trade it in for $3,500 for another Mini from them. And I still owe $9,000 on my loan (thats $23,500 for the loan, previous and current [suggested] repairs). The repairs on this car cost more than the car is worth and more than I owe..... For someone just out of grad school, I now have no car, cant afford the payments to fix and cant sell it. Never, ever buy a Mini Cooper. Im heartbroken as I loved that car. Ill be paying it off for the next 20 years.

I was riding my old BMW R80 down the interstate when a lady in a beautiful MC passed me on the 4 lane interstate. As she pulled back into my lane a large cloud of oil fogged me and my aging bike. She exited the interstate and was stopped by the failed engine. Again, this car was beautiful with 12,500 miles on the odometer. My grandson and I stopped to assist the lady (in her late 60s) and we were met by the sight of a well ventilated Mini engine when we opened the hood. The oil pan had been ventilated by two connecting rods that were found on the edit ramp. She was quite pleased that werent burned by the oil coming from her car. Or worse yet, had crashed in the oil slick from her car.A month later while riding on the same road, a BMW SUV pulled in front of me (I saw his SUV in my mirrors) and was met by yet another fog job from another BMW product. My R80 has over 100,000 miles on it, I rebuilt it from a basket case and this old scooter has what was once known as BMW quality. I lost a trans in my R100 back in the 1970s and BMW took care of all costs even after the bike was out of warranty. What has happened to this once proud mark? After those two incidents we bought a poor mans BMW. It is known as the Mazda 3. Fun to drive and easy to own. It uses no oil between changes and gives 43mpg on the highway at 70 mph.

I recently brought in my 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible for some jerky shifting issues about three weeks ago. Mini told me that they connected it to a computer to modify the timing of the shifting and sent me home after telling me that they fixed the issue. After a few days, the jerky shifting returned and I drove the car back to Grand Rapids Mini to have it checked again. I was told 45 minutes later that I need a new transmission. My car has 68,000 miles on it and has been services consistently at Mini for ALL maintenance issues, during and after warranty. The cost, $10,580.00 with parts and labor. After doing a bit of research, I found that there was a class action lawsuit settlement regarding the CVT transmission in the older model Mini Coopers, of which my particular mini falls under the category.After posting a complaint on Minis Facebook page, I did receive a phone call in reference to my issue. Tina, a Mini Cooper motoring relations team member, called to tell me that she was instructed not to discuss my case with me until I have received information from Grand Rapids... A very unproductive discussion. Grand Rapids called to offer a whole 25% off the cost of parts and labor with the new $10,580.00 transmission. I declined and told them that the offer is unacceptable and frankly, disrespectful. I called Tina back to discuss this case with her further only to be told that the offer from Grand Rapids was the only offer that could be made. After requesting to talk with a supervisor or manager THREE times, I was forwarded to Simon ** at Mini Corporate.Simon talked over me several times, told me that there is no record of my car being serviced at Mini of Grand Rapids, which it has been serviced there and ONLY THERE since 2008, for which I have documentation, and told me that my car is too old to fall under the category of the class action lawsuit, even with only 68,000 miles on it. He stuck to the 25% discount on parts and labor and that was it.I cant believe that BMW/Mini Cooper can really pass by without a recall of this transmission considering all of the well-documented material online regarding the lawsuit. How can we get a recall? Does it take death? Are faulty transmissions not considered to be a safety issue? This is ridiculous. I will NEVER purchase another Mini again and I will advise my friends and family against it. Customer Service is horrible and not taking responsibility for your own manufactured issues is disgusting. Mini sucks.

I have a 2005 Mini Cooper convertible. I love my car, but now she is costing me a fortune. First, the power steering pump went out and I had to replace that at $1,100 (that was going to a certified Mini mechanic, but not the dealer). Since this is a problem with Minis, why is there not a recall? Now, I am having problems with my convertible top, (also a problem with Minis). The dealer wants over $800 for the parts and $520 for labor. But they only want to warranty it for 2 years. So I have found someone who specializes in convertible tops and is doing the work for half the price.There are other things that I am having to replace all at once. But my issue is, Mini has recognized most of these things being an issue in just about all Minis and refuse to recall these items. I bought my car used, because I saw what other Mini owners were complaining about and I was not about to buy a new Mini and have to always go to the dealer for repairs. This will most likely be my first and only Mini unless something is done. I love my car, but this is getting to be ridiculous and with the price of gas going up and our economy coming down, you would think that Mini would start taking some responsibility.

The Mini is fun to drive, has been reliable and almost trouble free. It is also comfortable and spacious for its size. Annoying things are a poorly designed heater, it only produces heat or demisting the glass when set to the highest and noisiest setting, the AC is very poor. The windshield wiper just has two speeds fast and very fast, great if raining hard but a pain in drizzle or lighter rain as one has to constantly turn the wipers on and off. Hate the no flat tires, the car has no spare or jack, so effectively cannot drive further than 50 miles from the dealer as the low flat tires can only be fixed by them or more likely replaced at $500 a pop. If Mini had the common sense to fix these 3 basic issues, they would have a terrific car.

Beware, Minis have a tendency to have the water pump and tensioners go out at fairly low miles. Love my Cooper but I expected a BMW product to be better built.

I have a works Mini Cooper turbo charged and it produces excessive heat to the hood and air scoop mounted to the hood.... Over a period of time the plastic air scoop has warped and now need replacing at a cost of $350. My contention is this is a design flaw and BMW Mini should provide the service and labour free of charge because a heat deflector needs to be mounted to prevent this problem and therefore it should be a recall.I have looked on numerous Mini forums and it is common place among readers so the problem does exist and the Mini technician are aware of this as I was told this by one of their techs during a service visit.

Ive owned 3 Mini Coopers. A 2013, an 2002 Mini Cooper S, and an 2014 Mini Cooper Coupe S. Ive had nothing but great Motoring with all 3. Doing normal maintenance, oil changes, tire rotations, will eliminate a lot of your problems. But Ive had excellent luck with all 3. The cars are manufactured by BMW. Ive owned BMWs in the past and they were excellent automobiles.

Since owning my 04 Mini Cooper, I have had to replace the automatic window control, the sport shifter, the whole gas line system, and a few other things on it. The gas system was the latest and greatest fix in the world of my Mini Cooper. I have had my car at the dealership in Dallas and Fort Worth, TX. They of course, after much haggling, fixed the issues with my car. The gas system was fixed in Kentucky only after my car decided that it was going into limp home mode and break down completely in Indiana. That was tons of fun. I am now thinking that my timing chain and tranny are starting to go. Granted my car has 109,000 miles on it - she is barely broke in. I love my car, but the issues and constant being in the shop for repair are starting to take its toll on me and my pocketbook.

I have a mini cooper 2007 with less than 67,000 miles that has given me many mechanical problems. Just a few months ago $6000 was spend on mechanical issues. Once more at the shop, but this time Mini Cooper wants to charge me $3000! I cant believe Mini Cooper doesnt give a warranty on parts being of such good standards!

2006 Mini Cooper S- Absolutely loved the Mini Cooper look and driving feel from the moment I saw it! Bought a brand new 2006 and excitedly waited for it to be built and shipped to the U.S. I knew going in to this purchase that minis had their issues and was willing to deal with little problems for a sweet ride. My mini finally arrived and for the first 6 months the mini was everything I could have dreamed of!!! 6 months in I heard a chatter and had to have throw out bearings replaced...ok not a problem I knew they had problems. 12 months throw out bearings replaced again and window wiper solution tank replaced..ok all under warranty but honestly this is getting old. 24 months throw out bearings, clutch has issues (really! Ive driven a manual car my whole life 300,000 miles with no issues) and the window wiper tank needs to be replaced but we need to take the bumpers off to fix it... Of course you do cause it’s out of warranty and it’s going to cost me 300.00 for the window wiper tank, and I didnt even wait for the other estimates. I walked out saying “Ill sell the car before I give you another dime!!” Walked out and bought a Subaru. Not the same fun :( but I can get up my driveway in the winter and no maintenance issues. Love the peace of mind! :)

I drive a specific number of miles to work each day and the miles are doubled from what the actual mileage is.

Ferman Mini in Clearwater Florida has had to redo most repairs they have done. So unreliable and they asked ME not to come back... HA! ALSO my 2005 lift back was elevated one day and randomly came down and cracked me in the head. Terrible that the engineers never thought to put a safety catch on the elevated door but instead they all say I should expect it from an end left vehicle. Now tell me that is a dependable manufacturer/dealer when your customer got cracked in the skull by your inappropriate design. Shame on them for trying to humiliate me telling me to never come back. What losers.

We bought our daughter a used 2008 Mini Cooper S in 2014 and the transmission went out the first week of 2016. Mileage is currently at 134K. We have had 2 quotes for the repair, including the Mini dealer, both are $8,000 with no guarantee the transmission wont have another untimely fail. This repair cost is the book value of the Mini. It is very unfortunate as the car is in otherwise great condition and was fun while it lasted. Its now sitting in our driveway while we figure out how to dispose of it... at a total loss. This was our first and last Mini. I would run... not walk away... from buying one of these again. The cost to maintain too great. Do your research.

I just want to shed some light on here in regards to having a 6-year old car with low miles or hell could be a 20-year old car with 2 miles on it... Heres my point right to the point: If you do not get critical connections, joints parts where metal to metal or hoses that are meant to have fluids run through them and just sit, they will all began to either rust/crack/stick or squeal. Its just that simple!!!If you dont drive that much or buying a collector car, rule of thumb: go out on the weekends and at least start the motor and let everything get up to operating temperature and the fluids lubricate, hoses, etc. and it would actually benefit you to either get your car off all four tires because they will flat spot and if youre not careful, they can and will dry rot!!!So when I hear people say its this old with low or super low miles, I do a double take. If they are selling it for two reasons: one to see how nice the car is and secondly have they taken care of it by doing the mentioned above, and if not I walk away so please stop moaning about problems. Its typically not the cars fault but end user lacking in their responsibilities!! My .02.

I bought a 2010 Clubman S in December of 2009. Since the beginning, there have been lots of problems: tons of rattles inside, the windows stopped working twice, the A/C made a huge whining sound, there are clunks from the engine area that no one can figure out where they are coming from, the check engine light came on randomly twice and the car went into limp mode (at the dealer nothing wrong was found), pieces of outside trim were installed poorly, the sunroof wont open on hot days without pushing it with your hand, the brakes sometimes feel shaky when making sudden stops (not ABS, or if it is then its the worst ABS Ive ever experienced) and the inside of one of the club doors popped off.This car is made incredibly cheaply, and the problems I have had are echoed by some other Mini owners Ive met and all over Mini message boards. I spent $32,000 on a poorly made piece of junk, awesome! Both Nick ** and South Bay Mini have not taken responsibility for some of the problems, sometimes saying things like, Well, the MINI is a quirky car. If quirky means made like junk, then yes, theyre right.To top it off: the handling is downright dangerous because of the torque and bump steer.Fun to drive but made horribly, and way over-priced for the quality you get.

I have had nothing but Hondas. I was involved in an accident where it totaled the front end of my car. So I got my money and decided on getting a Mini. I got a 2007 with less than 65,000 miles on it. I got it home and two months later, the oil light came on. I didnt want to change. It had head gasket and air condition compound thats gone out totaling over $2000 worth of work. I got it back a month later and another part went out. Then another month later, the timing belt went out. After that another issue, the total is over $5,000 in less than a year - I have only seen my car. Its beautiful on the outside and inside but horrible engine and electronics. i would not ever recommend getting a mean Mini. And from what I have learned, BMW is also another one that I would never ever, ever get unless you have a lot of money and time to blow.

Do not ever buy these cars, no matter how good you take care of them something will keep going wrong. They are costly to fix, may tie a lemon to the roof and park it across from the dealer and its not just mine. We should all band together for a class action, buyer beware.

1009 Mini Cooper S suddenly died after getting off of OC Freeway in the rain. Dead stop, cannot even charge battery. Clunking noise the day before. Towed to auto repair ... tensioner broke, blowing up gaskets, engine. Repair $3500. No warning light came on at all, just the clunking noise the day before. Engine light comes on for low tire but not tensioner!! The thermostat went out last month and then a week later the water pump. $5000 in one month. Very discouraging since after reading about it the tension will break again, since its such a bad design. Is there anything one can do?

I have had a problem with my 2005 Mini Cooper S, off and on, for about a year. The passenger side air bag light comes on in the dash and over the rear-view mirror. This was occasionally on, but when someone sat in the seat, it would register the seat as occupied. Then occasionally, it would come on, when no one was in the seat. Now, it is coming on and staying on, even with someone in the seat or not. I called my local Mini Dealer and spoke with a man in the service department. He knew exactly what I was talking about, but stated that there is no recall with this problem. It seems to me, that if enough people have this concern, Mini would have no choice but to issue a recall on this defective sensor. Especially, someone was seriously injured before.

2008 Mini cooper S - First off this was my grandpas car and it was lent to me for a Grad present last year and let me tell you that car had so many issues and repairs I couldnt afford it at all. Just to replace the battery they had to take apart the engine to do so which cost 700 dollars. The car died on me 4 times in the middle of traffic and took it in and they said it was just because of the heat (lived in AZ at the time) then it happened again. BTW I only drove that car for 2 and half months. I now bought myself a Lexus and it runs so much more smoothly and no issues with it at all so if you want a mini just make sure you have a few thousand dollars hanging around.

I own 2005 Mini Cooper S with 55000 miles, just had engine failure. There is small kicking sound from the timing belt area. I contacted Mini USA, they put me on 5 months of investigation by me providing all my maintenance records, which were up to date. And after all that wait, they refused any help.

I purchased a 2009 mini cooper hard top used with 50k miles from the dealer. I was so excited to finally have my dream car, and for a year or so it was heaven. The car was not only adorable, but fun to drive and got great mileage! Sure, I had to pay for premium gas and oil changes were around $100, but the car was a dream. That was until the problems started to roll in at around 60k miles. The car began making a thumping noises after driving (with the engine off) and the engine would idle very loudly and even rattle. I took the car into the dealer and they assured me it was fine. One night the engine died. The cars oil had leaked into the engine and the engine was done. Third parties wanted 7k for a used engine replacement and mini wanted 10k for a new one. I was devastated. That was over half the price I bought the car for. I found someone who was willing to rebuild the engine for 4k. That lead to more nightmares. Several nights making long drives the car just died on me. Stranded and alone I had to have a friend pick me up and the car towed (at least 3 separate times) and then wait for weeks while the car was in the shop. The car was on its last leg, huffing and puffing around, ready to die any second. More repairs were needed. Mini said the car needed a part, I cant remember what it was, and that it would be $900. And only mini had the part. Recently I was rear ended on the freeway and the car was totaled. It was a rare case where the person whose car is totaled is actually happy about the situation. I still have a few more payments left on the car, and the payout will cover just a bit more than the payments and the engine rebuild, but at least this is done. Everyday driving my mini was uncertain. I never felt safe in the car. That said, I loved the car. It was still fun to drive and so cute, but the anxiety and maintenance repairs make this car criminal. I would not recommend this car to anyone unless they are leasing it or rich and dont care about all of the repairs.

My Mini C S convertible is under 100k miles and took it to change oil. The mechanic says it run a diagnosis and diagnosed it need a new transmission and cost over $8000. I still owe on this car 5 more years. What is the thing to do now? This is the scariest thing ever. Now the car is lurching and light is on saying needs service. Where am I to get the 8k to fix? I heard a lot of people just leave and abandon this cars but did not know the experience until now. I am debating if I should take it to the Car Experts in Glendora, CA where they rebuilt for $3500. I am over 100 miles from them and really have no money now. I need my car so bad to go to school and work.

I have put less than 7000 miles since my lemon was purchased used. Over 2,000 dollars in repairs so far. Mini Coopers should be made obsolete because of unreliability and bad engineering. The salesman I dealt with do the two step and lie by omission. Buy anything else!

I purchased a 2006 Mini Cooper from an individual with only 60000 miles on it. They had spent quite a bit on a new clutch and flywheel ($2800), $800 for new brakes and calipers, and $800 for new tires. I bought this car in 2013 for $8000. This car has sat in my garage more than I have gotten to drive it. First, oil was spewing out everywhere, so had to have the whole front end removed to replace oil pan gasket, got that fixed. Not 2 weeks later, steering fluid was leaking everywhere, had to replace hoses ($80 each) and clamps. Then the transmission fluid started leaking, so I put gook on it just to stop it from leaking and to get rid of it. I absolutely loved this car, so much fun to drive, but who can afford one? Had considered buying a brand new one, until I read all of the reviews. Anyway, couldnt get myself to sell to an individual, so I sold to Carmax. Bought for $8000, sold for $4000 just to get rid of it - of course they are going to take it to an auction. Couldnt let myself sell it to an individual because I knew it was junk! So buyers, be aware of what you are buying. They are so much fun to drive, but you better be rich!

My wifes car is a 2007 Mini Cooper S with about 98,000 miles. We bought it used at approximately 14,000 miles. It is on its third engine! There has been so much maintenance on the car. I can only begin to list the problems. The entire panoramic roof cassette had to be replaced. Currently, it is burning about 2 to 3 quarts of oil every 600 miles. The exhaust is making a noise which approaches the threshold of pain. The radio behaves erratically such that you only get one am station. When the battery inside the key fob died, we had to replace the entire key fob! The car devours tires and brakes. While I have mechanical breakdown insurance, we still had to pay costly deductible payments. Mine is for sale - cheap!

Very angry is the only words I can to describe this situation. I have a 2008 MINI Cooper S. Bought it used from a very reputable dealership with only 26k miles. It was still under partial warranty from MINI when I purchased so I took the car to have them check to see why check engine light was on. They changed the water pump under recall and erased light but didnt say why it was on. I then went until the light came on again and they stated it needed oil changed. Took to get oil changed and was not covered under warranty as Im assuming my warranty had ran out. They changed the oil and sent me on my way. Mind you ever since I bought this car I mentioned the rattle under the hood and stated this at first visit and was told thats what a MINI sounds like. Then this next time they said, All sounds normal to me. Well the next oil change I took car to MINI dealership to get oil changed and they replaced oil and advised me all was ok. Well got paperwork signed and left and noticed engine light was on in the car. I immediately contacted the dealership and they stated that we could bring it back in and they could check it out but it would cost $150 to hook up to the machine. I stated that the car did not have a light on when I brought it in but as soon as I left the light came on. After lots of arguing back and forth they said they could not erase code so I asked what was wrong with car and they stated well it may be attributed to needing a new timing chain and tensioner and that will cost $2500. I said, Excuse me? I mentioned that when I first brought car in and was told it was one even though they never looked into it or took cover off to measure chain or check tensioner. I know this because I placed a tiny mark with magic marker and the line never moved. So after all this time I have contacted MINI numerous times with no help and rarely drive car due to being too scared it will break. I just filed a complaint with BBB and will seek legal help. Also to mention my brother has same car build date and mfd plant and he is getting timing chain/tensioner replaced, turbo heat shield, and thermostat housing all replaced for free under service action recall even though mine somehow isnt covered even though all parts are same and I have picture and written proof as the same.

I have sent many many e-mails to mini of Towson and mini of america and they indicate that the peeling of the coating on my rims is just curb scratches. Well dealing with this type of answer indicates they DONT care about there customers and maybe future customers.Based on this I will not buy another $28,000 car from MIni who does not care

I have (had) been a loyal Cincinnati Mini customer for the past 10 years. I have owned 2 vehicles and feel that that should have warranted me as a loyal customer. However, after my latest vehicle had over $15,000 in repairs, causing it to be worthless to both me, Mini and anyone else, I am not a happy customer. ($3000 repairs in February. Repairs in May estimated initially to be another $3700 (transfer case issue due to All Wheel Drive poor design), ended up being the transmission failure (additional $7000 estimate plus $4500 clutch that was shot after they put the transmission back in). I was willing to accept my loss, but the dealership decided to rub my nose in the issue by charging me an additional $590 to tell me the news. (And they expected me to be grateful for not charging me restocking fees for the parts they could not use).I was told by the service department manager (Steve) that he would look into my loyalty dollars and see about getting me a deal on a new mini. (This was on Friday afternoon). By Monday, I had to call them to find out what the deal was. Basically it was a used demo that had no special features and would cost me over $30,000. I was basically treated like a piece of garbage. I ended up paying the $590 to tow it away (sold it for parts for $700). MINI offered to “keep it” in exchange for my $590 bill. How kind. There was no way I was going to give it to them to fix up and resell to an unsuspecting customer. I’m amazed that there hasn’t been a lawsuit come down about All Wheel Drive transfer case. Steve shared several times that it was a design flaw MINI was aware of. (I have been so upset by this experience it has taken me several months to calm down to report it. Do yourself a favor and really research the dealer and the car before buying).

First, I am not a fan of BMW products. We owned a 2006 X3 which was purchased CPO from a BMW dealer here in NH in 2008. Had the car 6 years and it was at the dealer 11 times during the first 3 years of ownership for warranty repairs. Torn engine mount, failed sunroof controller, failed ECM, failed radio, failed drivers seat memory module, failed rear door latch, failed brake light, failed airbag wiring harness, broken rear coil spring, phantom check gas cap lights, multiple instances of gross engine misfiring when started which the dealer was never able to diagnose. And then after it went out of warranty, the troubles continued: broken other rear coil spring, failed CV joint, leaking oil filter mount. In 2014, I convinced my wife to get rid of it at 105K miles because it was evident it was going to be a money pit. She then saw and fell in love with a used 2012 Mini Clubman S. Low miles, well taken care of, fun to drive. Seemed to be a good car and I stupidly thought that, perhaps, BMW had addressed their quality problems so we decided to buy it. The Mini had 23,000 miles and was still under warranty so I thought, OK. The car is a daily driver that is not abused in any way and only driven on paved roads.Car went in for a service at ~28,000 miles; nothing wrong. Went in again just after the warranty expired for a bad ABS sensor in the right front wheel and the dealer was nice enough to fix it at no charge. Run flat tires were replaced with non-run flats at around 40,000 miles. Always hated the run flats because of the very harsh ride. You could feel every imperfection in the road. New tires were great and gave a much improved ride quality.Right around 50K started hearing a droning sound from the front end and the tires started wearing oddly. I am an excellent mechanic and have been doing all my own car repairs for 40+ years. Oil changes, brakes, shocks, engine repairs, transmissions, torque converters; you name it, Ive done it. So I quickly found that both front wheel bearing assemblies were bad. I mean wobbly, sloppy loose bad. Car was out of warranty and I knew Mini would charge an arm and a leg for the repairs so I did them myself and saved $$. Not happy about wheel bearings going bad at 50K but, oh well, it wasnt an expensive fix because I did the work myself. Probably caused by the crappy run flats transferring shock and vibration to the suspension.No further problems... until now. Car has 60K on it. The other day all three of our cars were in the driveway and my sons and I were standing there when we heard a loud ping sound. Couldnt localize where it came from but I know the sound of metal snapping. So we quickly checked over all three cars but didnt find anything. A few minutes later I asked my son to move the Mini so we could play basketball. He starts the car, puts it in reverse and the moment he started moving backwards, the left front dropped 4 inches with a bang. Got the car up on the jack, pulled the tire off and saw that the coil spring had snapped about 1 full coil up from the bottom. I was dumbfounded!! I couldnt believe that a car with 60K would have a spring break let alone break while sitting still in the driveway. Other than the BMW, Ive never had a car or know anyone whos seen a coil spring break like that. Thank God it happened in the driveway and not on the highway as Im sure that the sudden change in the steering geometry would have caused a potentially fatal accident. Called the Mini dealer 35 miles away in Bedford, NH and explained the situation and that I wasnt happy about the coil spring breaking at 60,000 miles and potentially putting my wifes life in danger. I asked them to send a wrecker and get the car and replace the spring for free because a close inspection of the break clearly shows it had cracked at some point, rust had invaded the crack and weakened it. This is clearly a defective spring. And, while they were at it, they should also replace the right spring too because now it couldnt be trusted either. They refused to do anything. Said it was normal for springs to break. Told me it was my problem to get the car to them if I wanted them to repair it but they would be happy to sell me a new strut assembly (which they didnt have in stock anyways) if I wanted to do it myself. We went round and round about the defective spring being Minis problem, not mine, but they wouldnt budge. Suggested I contact Mini USA which I did. After waiting 3 days I was told that I had to get the entire car to Mini of Bedford, at my expense, for them to diagnose the problem but that there was no guarantee Mini USA would pay for the repairs. I told the nice woman that the diagnosis was very simple: The defective spring broke! I explained that it made no sense for me to pay $250+ to have the car towed to the dealer, have them diagnose the broken spring at $120/hr, then tell me I would have to pay for repairs (another $300+ for the part(s)/labor) when I can get new strut assy for $125? So I would potentially be out $500+ for their defective spring. And, if I chose to repair it myself, then Im on the hook for another $250 tow back to my house? She said Mini USA would not consider doing anything until the car was brought to the dealer. I offered to take pictures of everything and send them to the dealer and anyone else inside Mini/BMW. I offered to remove the strut assembly and bring it to the dealer for them to look at. I offered to do all the repair work myself if they would pay for the parts, since, after all, the spring is defective. She refused it all. I asked if we could escalate this issue higher inside Mini USA. She said no, she was the highest person who would deal with this.Mini/BMW does not stand behind their products at all and does not give a crap if their defective parts could cause fatal accidents. I am through with BMW forever. Ive learned the hard way that they build cheap cars with cheap parts and that they could care less about driver safety. A coil spring is a vital part in any suspension and for one to break with so little miles is totally unacceptable to me. Theres no way you can convince me that its normal for a coil spring to break under normal use.When the X3 had the broken rear spring I did a little research and found that BMW used to use a German company for their springs but had switched to a Romanian company in the early 2000s. Since then, hundreds of reports cases of broken suspension springs across all their models. I dont know why there hasnt been a NTSB investigation/recall yet.