I’m not sure exactly how to write this experience up, but here goes. We recently visited a dealership with an intent to purchase a Demo as part of #Performance Auto Group’s sales flyer posted on Auto Trader. We went to the dealership we had visited about a year ago and had the opportunity to test drive a Mini. We weren’t ready to purchase at that that time based on our budget, but the service was great and staff supper friendly and helpful, so we returned to this location. First visit we tried a car but for some reason found it really rough, we felt like an egg that had been scrambled after driving it. When we got back we advised the two young men at the dealership and were told that was the Mini experience. At this time they snickered. We advised them of our previous experience and they said it’s the tires. They’re new. After a few more exchanges, I said, I guess that means we aren’t Mini people, and the young man said yup. I want to point out that we weren’t offered to try another car to see if we thought the same thing.We left and ended up at a used car place where we tried a 2017 and we actually enjoyed the ride. The first visit was on a Monday, and on Thursday my partner and I returned to that original dealership because they had four Demo’s at great prices and low kilometres. I asked about the last Demo that appeared on Auto Trader that same day (the same young man from the other day), he advised it was out. I had to ask clarifying questions, Is it on test drive? No, Can you find out? He comes back and advises it’s on loan to a client. What does that mean? It’s on loan, When will it be back? I don’t know. So we took our phone out and looked up for another car to try, and apparently that was off site as well. He hadn’t seen it in a couple of days. Is it sold? No, Can you find out? He disappears. I’m about to blow, you have to understand he’s just standing there and the body language is saying go away. It’s very clear he doesn’t want us there. He’s not checking the computer and when we ask him to check, he ask us what the vin# is. We didn’t know it and he said, You should know what car you want, it’s like this the whole time. I asked him about the last car and he said, I don’t know anything about it, but he did offer a new car. Interesting to note the first car we test drove was at the back of the shop in amongst other cars. I’m pretty sure there was something wrong with it.So after we left on the first visit on our way to Burlington we were divided. I thought they were laughing at us because we were old and old people shouldn’t drive Mini’s (we are in our 50s), but my partner thought it was because we were a gay couple. My partner didn’t want to go back but we had such great service once before, I really felt it was worth a second chance.I have to say we fumed all weekend, because we’ve been shopping for about a year looking at various places, from Toronto to St. Catherine’s at this point and we had tried Volvo’s, a Jaguar, a Cadillac, even a couple of pick-up trucks (he wants one thing and I want the other and it’s for me), not all places are the same but it has been some time since we’ve walked away with this feeling. Most places are Here’s the key. Let’s go, or See you in a bit. Most places are welcoming and the agent usually ask questions and if you don’t like the first vehicle it’s, Let me show you another, and the end we exchange information.I was so frustrated that night, I didn’t even realize how much. When we left that place we tried a BMW X4 that I spotted in a John Bear lot. The drive was excellent and the sales rep was in the back seat and at one point I started to laugh as I realized some of tension was beginning to dissipate, the difference between sales agents. That weekend we visited the Kitchener location and had an okay experience. We even stopped in Paris ON, and tried a AlfaRomeo Stelvio, again super great staff.I had emailed the dealership and #Mini Canada about our experience, the Corporate office advised that they are independent of dealerships. The manager had investigated and found out that the first car was loaned out as the clients car was in the shop and the second car was getting cleaned, but this doesn’t address that we were shunned from buying a Mini at that location. I emailed again, more in detail like this explaining our experience of homophobia over the last fifteen years so they would know we were genuine about our experience not being right. Head Office #Kelsey ** again advised it wasn’t Mini Canada’s issue and to deal with the dealership. Finally I received an email from a manager for BMW/Mini in that area and finally he replies with an email that says they will review training with the reps in question as well as they are looking into sensitivity training as I had suggested.So all good right?, No! I now need to know that Mini Canada head office are concerned that the people representing their brand and their products aren’t discriminating against older people and gay people and any other discriminatory combinations out there. I find it hard to believe that BMW/Mini wouldn’t ensure these retailers are representing fairly, but according to the replies I got IT’s NOT THEIR CONCERN. To me, it’s one in the same, different people may own the brand versus the product but they both represent the same thing. I’m hoping no one else has a similar story.

In 2013, I bought a used 2012 MINI Cooper S R56 with 10,000 km on it. I like this car, but in Jakarta theres many broken road...and this car is low...so Im not recommend this car in broken road city. The performance is amazing...Im happy about it. But in Jakarta, the used car cost 60k USD...so its expensive here.

I purchased a 2003 Mini Cooper from Orange Empire. After 7 months of owning the vehicle, it started acting funny when driven more than 50 mph. It pulled back, hesitated. I took it back to the dealer where I purchased it and all they could recommend at that time was to have Irvine Mini Cooper check it out. So I dropped the car off at Orange Empire. They made the arrangement with Irvine Mini to have it checked. When I picked up the vehicle, they had reset the transmission and changed the transmission oil. This mickey mouse work only lasted for about a year and the same problem came back again. Mini Coopers are very hard to diagnose or at least several of the shops I took it couldnt find the problem until I took it to a shop that was highly recommended. Their diagnosis was the transmission needed to be replaced. The cost is approx $8,000 which is outrageous. Since then, I have been following a lot of blogs reporting the same problem Im having with Mini Coopers that were released in 2002-2005. I guess, BMW realized that the transmission in these models did not function to satisfaction and made changes from 2006 and above. But what about the rest of us that have bought Mini Coopers from 2002-2005? Are we stuck with such a high bill because BMW doesnt want to take responsibility? Im highly disappointed and angry. The car oil or any repairs arent cheap. Im still paying for my car and on top of it, I have to pay for a bad transmission? Not fair. Please help the thousands of us that own these vehicles. Thank you for your time.

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.

2006 Mini Cooper - I am the second owner of this car, bought a year old from CarSense in PA. I have about 111,000 miles on it, bought it at after ~35,000. I faithfully change my synthetic oil well before the recommended mileage, yet my transmission began destroying itself anyway. My previous car, a 1997 Toyota Rav4, lasted over 250,000 miles before my family traded it in without issues. The clutch alone lasted past 200,000 miles. I am very disappointed that BMW would put such a shoddy product on the market. My car is currently being dismantled by my mechanic to determine the extent of the damage. My first indication was a clicking sound which seemed to be coming from the front left wheel area. I was able to drive it for several weeks like that and took it to the repair shop for that noise, only to learn it was the same transmission issue that is plaguing many Mini owners. I do not recommend that anyone purchase a Mini Cooper due to this issue, which is not acknowledged as a known issue by Mini service at the dealership. I would love to join a lawsuit to resolve this and hold BMW/Mini accountable for their shoddy products.

First of all, I drive about 25,000 miles a year. This is my only car... I didnt buy a warranty past 50k miles. I should have done both warranties, the service and the general warranty. You need both... I didnt do everything perfectly.... I have a 2006 Mini Cooper S with the JCW engine upgrade. Obviously, this car has a 6-speed manual. It is my 2nd Mini Cooper (my first was a 2002 that I bought used). Do I love this car? Yes. It has had issues, most of which are known to those who research the car before buying: 1) Thermostat housing. Its known to warp and leak. Ive had this replaced 2x. First time was under warranty. 2) Crank position sensor O ring. Replaced 2x. Failed at 75k miles and at 150k miles. 3) Front strut mounts. Once for each side (left/right). These failed because of road conditions - i.e. potholes that I was trying to avoid but could not. 4) Passenger side engine mount - This is a known issue where the oil leaks out. A solid mount wouldnt be a problem, but solid mounts create vibration and noise that many do not like. 5) Exhaust header flex joint failure after 150k miles. This will happen to many cars, not just Minis. 6) Clutch. There is a service bulletin on the throw-out bearing. Clutches are rarely covered under any warranty by any dealer because it is really easy for the operator to screw it up. In my experience, most people dont know how to drive a standard transmission. Im on my 4th clutch (the first was replaced under warranty, the 3rd was a performance clutch that wore out so I cant blame anyone...) 7) Brakes. These are a standard wear-and-tear.....8) Control panel for A/C and radio. Half of the lights went out and the whole unit was replaced under warranty.Ive upgraded certain parts with performance parts (suspension, struts, springs, brakes). Ive never had issues with the windows. I baby my car as much as possible. I feel for the people that bought the CVT. Its not a good transmission. I feel that any brand can have issues. I also feel that if you pay for a service warranty, truly understand the terms before you sign. If you dont understand the terms, get a 3rd party to help you. If you sign it and dont understand, you are still liable as it is a contract, so try not to get indignant with the service people. Ive had multiple cars, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Volvo, Saturn. Ive had weird problems with all of them.Will I buy another Mini...? Yes. Will I be very careful with what I actually buy? Yes... Do I have a bias? Probably. However, find someone that doesnt have a bias to a particular brand of auto... Very hard to do.

My 2010 Mini Cooper Clubman S had 14100 miles on it. Within 4 days to continue driving it I would have had to put out over $2,000. First the brake pads which needed to be replaced could not be done without replacing the entire brake unit... over $800.00. Two days later the engine started idling roughly and the check engine light came on. I brought it to the independent mini dealer I was using and they told me that Peugeot was actually providing the engine for the Mini and many of the parts were made of plastic. The error reading was indicating *engine misfiring... Like badly*. It would cost around $1,000 to fix it and it would take 2 days and of course there would be labor costs also and the same thing could happen again. They cleared the check engine light and said drive it until the light came on again and then when it did repairs would have to be done. They were surprised, very surprised, that at 14,100 miles brakes and engine part melting was happening. I had 2 extended warranties but they covered nothing (brakes aside - wear and tear items). Now tossing and turning about this all one night, you gotta figure $2,000+ is like 5 car payments. When they erased the error, I RACED to the Honda dealer and got a Civic. The simple maintenance cost and repair cost of having the *hottest* car on the road wasnt worth the lack of reliability and exorbitant cost to maintain. I was always having to have sensor lights cleared at the dealer and after the check engine light situation I, sorrily simply passed the problem off to a non-Mini dealership. I dont love the Honda but I feel safe that I will not have to always be ready for some costly thing to happen before the next car payment is due. Amazing dumping a car because it is a financial and safety risk to drive!

Just bought a used 2005 mini Cooper S with about 86 thousand miles on it and the car worked fine for the first month. Now Im having problems. When I get into car it wont start on first crank and even the second time still wont start. All the power comes on and nothing happens. Gone to the point where Ive drained a battery trying to start it up.

Took the car in for a recall on tensioner chain, found out also had active recall for heat shield. Service called and stated when heat shield was being put on, found there was an oil leak. They said 928.00 to fix. I told them I thought that was why the heat shield was being applied, because it caused oil lines to leak, the o ring hardens and begins leaking. They said the recall is only to add the heat shield??? I contacted BMW and they said they would research and get back to me in 3-5 days. I dont understand how the two are NOT related.

My 2006 Mini Cooper S convertible has the same transmission issues as others here. Very dangerous to drive. Hesitates and then slams into gear and lurches forward without warning. I have been without a vehicle for about 6 months. I was hoping to get a rebuild on the transmission through a third party, but was turned down for most of the financing. My situation has changed since I purchased the vehicle and I am no longer in a full-time paid position because I am traveling back and forth 3000 miles two to three times a year to care for parents who recently lost their mobility.Now, I find myself in a similar situation because of a car company that did not care about putting out a quality product and denies the problem. What they didnt tell me when I shelled out the 36,000 for their vehicle 6 years ago was that in 3 to 5 years the car will theoretically be totaled and there is nothing you will be able to do about it. I would not have bought the car. One of the reasons I bought the car was that I thought BMW was a good make. I was familiar with their motorcycles. When I first bought the car, I raved about it to everyone who asked. I can no longer recommend Mini Coopers to anyone, and I’ll let people know whenever I can not to buy their vehicles. There should have been some kind of back up plan for the failed CVT transmissions. It is not like it is a $2000 fix. It is a $6,000 to $9,000 fix, and even a new or rebuilt one is the same situation. No guarantees, really.

My 2006 Mini S is clearly not meant to a quality automobile. Now even the radio/CD player is malfunctioning. The bargain basement way BMW built the engine is self-evident when you consider that parts of the timing chain assembly are made out of plastic. Yes, plastic as an internal engine component. Even a lawn mower engine doesnt go that cheap. But the worst was when a shallow puddle in the middle of the road destroyed the exhaust system. Good thing my step-son is a top notch welder. When the mechanic got the exhaust header off the engine, he showed me the collector all four cylinder pipes go to, which then goes the cat converter. My step-son showed me the cheap robotic weld between the collector and the cat. It was like two tiny spot welds. Im surprised it lasted as long as it did. The temperature shock of the cooler puddle water hitting the hot collector shattered those two spot welds easily. So suddenly, Im going down the road sounding like an old bulldozer. Mini wanted to sell me a new pipe because it was my fault for running into the puddle!! I can only imagine that cooperate meeting, No, they are not allowed to drive these cars in the rain... My step-son put a beautiful weld around the entire circumference and the mechanic put it back together. That was my introduction to Mini quality, and Minis philosophy towards customer problems.

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.

It is 2 years and 2 months I have a new Mini Cooper S coupe and it is full of problems. Started with overheating issues which took 3 multiple day visit to the dealership to finally get the right fix. The issue was documented by multiple technical bulletins which referred to 3 fixes overwriting each other. However bmw was only addressing one bulletin at a time, making the problem an ongoing issue. Another problem is the smell of unburnt gas when I start in hot weather. Bmw never been able to resolve this, telling me there is no problem. This is my 3rd Mini and I know that something is wrong there with this one. Finally, now it is the radio that keep playing even if I press the power button, turn off the engine, remove the key or lock the door. I had to remove the fuse to stop it. Now I will have to spend more personal time at the dealership to get this fixed.The car is now close to be off warranty because of the mileage, and it seems that problems are far to be terminated, cause huge inconvenience and soon huge cost to resolve out of warranty issues. Any problem discovered during the warranty period should have extended coverage so bmw would be forced to fix issues and not wait the end of warranty to charge the client.

The cars are garbage - trust what youre reading online because the issues are real. The dealers say well its a BMW - when your service bill is regularly $800-$4000. Well then I guess Volkswagen charges their customers PORSCHE repair rates? FIAT - Lamborghini? Turbo replacement - 70,000 miles = $4,000, clutch replacement 60,000 miles = $2,800 the whole front end of the car comes off, 2 water pumps & two tows!Car sucks oil like the Exxon Valdez 1qt every 1k miles at least and you have to check it ALL THE TIME. I havent had to do that since my first car in 1987 - which was built in the 70s!!!! RUN FLATS SUCK - harsh ride, costly to replace - TPSS sensors $199 each. Car engine clacks/rattles/ ticks/hesitates (turbo). Instrument cluster lighting - pixels go out. Third brake light - no longer working - $300 + labor. Convertible top wear (rubbing the mechanism) dealer says outside influence/tear - but it ISNT MINI Corporate doesnt want to hear it - doesnt acknowledge anything let alone work with you.The good things are its a good looking car, fun to drive but not near enough to offset the horrific expenses to keep it maintained and fix the amazing amount of problems that come up. Like others in the forum say - MINI Corporate considers everything to be your problem - too bad, so sad - next customer please. Well not me. Cant wait to get rid of it.

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.

In the summer of 2016 I bought a used 2013 Mini Countryman S from a Mercedes Dealer at 75,000 KM (just under 50,000 mi) thinking it is German and therefore, quality. I also bought a 3 year extended warranty through a 3rd party carrier and thank god I did. The car is now at 105,000 km and we have had the vehicle into Mini BMW 4 times. The thermostat, solenoids, spark plugs, water pump, hoses, pipes, chains, belt and the headlights have all gone in that time. Every time I go in I have to pay the ridiculous diagnostic fee and the $300 deductible. Some of those repairs are routine maintenance, sure, but I also own a 2013 Kia Soul at 160,000 km which I’ve only had to replace a couple lights and the brakes and tires on. I’m going to sell the Mini as soon as I get a reasonable offer for it. It’s an absolute piece of garbage. I would never buy a Mini product again, and by proxy would never buy BMW. I’ve heard they’re just as bad.

10 June 2014: I own a 2008 Mini Cooper S with 6 speed standard transmission. Last month (May 2014) I passed 40,000 miles. Shortly after I experienced a loss of RPMs, speed and acceleration. I later learned this was the symptoms of a failing clutch system. My local mechanic was unable to do the work required because they need specialized tools that were too expensive for them. So I had the car towed to the local MINI Dealer. They told me that to replace the clutch and flywheel will cost over $3000. On top of that the timing chain and/or tensioner needs to be replaced and that will cost another $2000. I hope I can persuade.I do not dispute the prices for the maintenance although I do think they are somewhat inflated. What I do dispute is that the age and mileage of the car do not coincide with the needed repairs. I feel I was deceived by BMW/MINI about the reliability and durability of this product, and I feel I should not have to pay for the repairs. I will not be buying another Mini Cooper and will urge all current and potential owners of a Mini to buy something else.

Approximately around September of 2010, I began to notice my Mini experiencing shifting issues. Around 70,000 miles, the engine would lurch into gear, seconds after failing to change gears effectively. At times, the car would suddenly drop out of gear while driving. I began taking my car into a BMW/Mini certified shop in Austin, TX. After much trouble shooting and emptying my pockets to the mechanics my Mini Coopers condition only worsened over a few months, and suffered complete transmission failure in July 2011. I sought other opinions on transmission replacement, rebuild options, with each shop giving me similar stories, and huge prices to fix my vehicle, averaging around $10,000. My vehicle has not been fixed or altered, and stands as it did the day of the transmission failure. It was towed from the shop to a safe place, where it sits today. My vehicle is no longer under warranty, and it looks like there are many others out there who have had similar circumstances. Class action lawsuits are in the works in California and New Jersey, for premature transmission failure. Why has there not been more light shed on this, as a national issue?

I bought the car new in March 2004. I had it serviced by the dealer only. The power steering went out last year. Expensive fix. And just last week, the transmission went out. How can they charge $8k for repairs on a car worth $8k! I had less that 70k miles on the vehicle. I thought I was buying a BMW-backed product! I loved that little car.

My wife and I bought a used Mini that was still under warranty back in April of this year (2013). Its a great car and truly fun to drive. A couple of weeks ago the air conditioning went out and we took it to the local Mini dealer. After about an hour and a half, the technician came out and said the entire line needed to be replaced. The warranty on her car had expired in May and of course the repair bill was $649.00. When I asked why it was going to be so expensive, they explained that the air conditioning line is all one solid piece. Fortunately, a good friend of ours who owns an automotive repair shop, suggested we bring the car into him and he could help reduce the cost. He did save us money, but when they were done, he brought the line out to show us something rather disturbing. The line had been placed improperly against a pulley. The line itself was not damaged, but the extension that all technicians use to check the line was damaged. Although it was clear to see that this easily replaceable line was the culprit, BMW/Mini does not and will not sell just that check line by itself. I have called Mini about this issue and to date they have refused to even discuss the issue with me. This car has 23,700 miles on it and every repair or servicing has been done at the dealership. Now with something as clear as a poorly placed line from the factory and no ability to just replace that piece, the manufacturer refuses to assist in any way. This is a poor example of support, especially knowing that low mileage and barely 6 months out of warranty they wouldnt assist us in the unnecessary repair. I have attached pictures of the damaged line and the repair shop has agreed to submit a letter stating the facts behind this issue.

We purchased a 2019 Mini Countryman 3 weeks ago. A overheating issue came up and coolant was leaking. Dealer says rocks punctured the radiator so it was not covered under warranty and we are trying to go through our insurance or we have to pay for it. My concern is that the makeup of the vehicle is such that a rock or rocks while driving on regular roads can cause this damage. This has to be extremely uncommon for any vehicle and curious if anyone has had this experience.

All good until warranty expired, Then... 2016 model bought new. No problems at all. Love the car religious with maintenance. Hit 53k miles and developed unusual noise and driving characteristics. Transfer Case is shot (part of the drivetrain on the all-4 models) and repair is $4,000ish. SERIOUSLY?! Vehicle driven exclusively by middle age highly conservative driver...very disappointing!

I bought 2012 S Hardtop brand new in Aug 2011 and it has been a great car. I have a six speed manual with the full electronics, cold weather, comfort and sport packages. Over the last four years Ive had a couple of minor issues but the Mini warranty covered them and I havent spent a dime on anything other than gasoline. There are some things about the car that are inconvenient, like needing to take the car in to get a fuse changed or that the TPMS light will come on every time the weather changes. But in four years I think Ive had to take the car in three times for something other than a standard service. I bought the Mini as a replacement for a 2007 Prius and this car has had a quarter of the issues that the Prius had.

Bought my MINI Cooper S hardtop new over 3 years ago, and so far no major problems. It has been my favorite car I have owned after the x 1/9 I had many years ago.

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.

Thermostat housing developed a leak causing coolant loss. Engine overheated warping the head and bending valves. Having to rebuild the engine. Ive been informed that to date, there are 15,000 housings on back order nationwide and no idea when they will be in. Mini is doing nothing.

I have a 2006 Mini Cooper with a manual transmission. The engine and clutch were just bought in 2009. But now, it already needs transmission repair or needs to be rebuilt.

Purchase a Mini Cooper 2011 Countryman with 47,000 miles. I had dealer in north Scottsdale look the car over and was advised that mechanically the car is perfect. As the warranty ran out at 50K why would they want to find anything. At 56,000 miles the fuel pump in the fuel tank failed. I was told this is not unreasonable. The solenoid valve also failed and leaked out into the electrical harness and almost onto the electronic board (I was advised). The cost of this repair was about $4,600. I also had to replace all four break pads (not unreasonable but it was just another cost - $800).At 60,000 miles the clutch went bad most likely due to the fuel pump causing the car to buck like a horse for a while. I was told that this is to be expected from a mini. Cost $3,200. Total cost of the two repairs is $7,800. Considering I have had the car for 12,000 miles and the dealer told me that the car was in perfect working order when I purchased it I am to say the least very annoyed and angry. We bought this car to be a low cost effective vehicle. It has been nothing but a money sink. And to quote the dealer these issues are reasonable. So at minimum I can expect these costs to be incurred every 60,000 miles. Possibly more if other things go wrong.Dont buy a Mini if you have the choice. They are defective, unreliable and expensive to own. Buy a V8 truck. It will be more cost effective as you wont be paying for repairs to a poorly designed car.

First, I got to say it was great for about 6 months. Love the look and seemed affordable. First thing that went out was the windshield cleaner boxes. I went to the Mini Cooper dealership because that is where my warranty was honored. 3 times I went back to fix them and never was it fixed properly, still doesnt work. The second thing was the air conditioner stopped working. And then the windshield cracked on the top. Come to find out, it was a manufacturer defect. I did receive a call back for that and the paper work was so extensive, I didnt even bother to try to get my money back. And then the little exterior pieces started falling off, there are so many pieces I cant even get through them all. Lets just say I would go back to the side of the freeway to find pieces of my car so I wouldnt have to order overpriced plastic pieces to make my car look halfway normal. And then the passenger door wouldnt open. And then the antifreeze is dumping out everywhere. I just keep filling it up until I have time to fix that too. And not to mention the tires for a turbo are $215 at the lowest cost. Oh did I forget to tell you there is a small oil leak also. Oh yeah, lets not forget the cigarette lighter stopped working too. Cant charge my phone either. Oh and both of the door interior door handles fell off too. Buyer beware. This car sucks!!!!!

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 a 2012 Mini Cooper non-turbo hatchback in September of 2011. In the nearly two and a half years I owned it, it was in the shop seven times, more than a week three times and for two months once. The water pump failed early on and took the head with it, that was the two-month repair. I have had problems with sensors, brakes, starter, and the before-mentioned water pump. While the car is well-conceived and a great amount of fun to drive, the reliability is miserable. I work in a tough part of a major city and cannot risk being stranded anywhere near my office. Mini Cooper road service is a joke. Of the five times the car stranded me Mini Cooper Road service only effected a rescue tow one time. I traded the car last week just before the warranty expired. Glad to be out from under that nightmare.

Bought my 2007 Mini convertible in 2012 and at around 75k miles, the transmission started acting funny. If seized up and failed completely. Cost me $6k for a new one. Less than 11k miles later, its slipping and about to completely fail again. There are so many problems with this car. Both rear windows have stopped working, rear view mirror wont stay in place, the top has this weird grease stain that is coming from when I put the top down. Nothing but problems and issues. Although I am part of the class action suit, its taking FAR too long. Filed in April and have got NOTHING in return!

I had the exact 2 things happen to me in that exact order. The car was running weird when cold, so I took the car to the dealer. They determined that the plastic brackets that hold the timing chain were cracked and could break and cause major engine damage. They showed me and it was apparent the plastic had become brittle and cracked. I called Mini corporate and got no help there so I had the chain replaced as they said they could not just replace the brackets. I have to ask how does the brackets get brittle at 60 to 70k miles on it. So after they fix it the car still was not running right. So back to the Mini dealer. They now said that the pump was not keeping oil pressure high enough when cold and it needed to be replaced (2 grand to fix it). I checked on web and there was a known issue with that part. I verified it with Mini. If I had not I would have paid for this repair. Had it done at no charge.6 months after I noticed an oil smell, and noticed I was going through a lot of oil. Turns out I had a major oil leak. (If this happens to you, check the oil filter seals 1st. I searched and they go a lot. I never had these seals go in any other car I ever owned, including 2 that made it to the 300k miles.) So good luck. As for me my next car will not be Mini.

We purchased our new 2010 Mini Cooper Sport with the hopes that it would be a reliable, sturdy commuter car. The problems began two years later, in May 2012, when the check engine light illuminated. The car was taken to our local Mini Service Center, where the timing chain tensioner, seal ring, and auxiliary water pump were replaced due to recall. The check engine light illuminated again in December 2013, at which time the car was taken to our local service garage, who replaced the spark plugs, ignition coils and leaking valve cover gasket.In March 2014, the check engine light again illuminated, resulting in another trip to our local Mini Service Center. The repairs required on our four year-old car included the following: turbo heat shield replaced (recall); carbon cleaning due to carbon buildup on the intake valves (parts $251.92; labor $1350.00), fuel injection and induction system cleaning (parts $54.00; labor $100.46), leaking oil filter housing and turbo oil feed line replaced (parts $436.29; labor $1822.50), leaking vacuum pump replaced (parts $525.61, labor $202.50), leaking water pump replaced (parts $201.79, labor $652.50), oxygen sensor replaced (parts $317.73, labor $157.50). Unfortunately, just 11 days later, the overheating engine light illuminated and coolant was running from underneath the car. The car was again taken to the Mini Service Center, where the following repairs were made: T-Stat replaced (no charge due to warranty), Turbo boot replaced (parts $140.00, labor waived).I contacted the Mini Corporate Customer Service in April 2014 to file a complaint, requesting reimbursement for at least some of the charges, as our car was only four years old, has been well maintained, had just missed the maximum mileage of 50,000 for warranty coverage by 4,000 miles, and required what I would consider an excessive amount of repair. My experience with Mini Corporate Customer Service was very disappointing. The agent ultimately assigned to my claim not once spoke with me in person. My claim was denied, but I have concerns that my claim was not properly documented. Additionally, attempts to speak with a Supervisor about the service I received, and concerns with my claim, were blocked; I was informed there is no management that can be contacted.

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.

I just bought a 2010 Mini Cooper S Manual Transmission car from a private party. Drove it 500 miles and clutch started making metal-on-metal grinding noise when leaving first gear. It now needs to be replaced and is going to be extremely costly. I found a number of people with the same year, make and model and having the exact issue. The clutch obviously was made cheaply. It cannot handle the torque the engine. This is completely unacceptable. I will be pursuing legal action. I recommend that you look into your clutch and if youre considering buying a Mini, make sure you the clutch looked at. I enjoy the brand, style and performance of the vehicle but this is a real hassle.

I have had an excellent overall experience with my 2003 Mini Cooper. It wasnt until 2013 that I had to have any work done on it besides the normal maintenance. At the time I purchased my Mini, they were fairly new on the market, and it was the unique look that love it. It has run-flat tires and a Harman Kardon stereo/CD that I like a lot. However, the cup holders in the 2003 are useless, they only give you clearance for a small cup of coffee. There is no way to fit my travel mug or my Venti cold cup. I bought something that latches around part of the console and is secured with a bolt through both of its ends. The problem is that I had to tape up the bolt because I kept scratching my leg on the bolt. Still love driving my Mini!

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.

Three years out of college and gainfully employed I bought the cutest used 2009 S with 67K miles for a reasonable price + 1 year warranty. First off - I only use MINI service centers. The run flats are the least of my worries. I started to get my moneys worth on the extended warranty right off the bat, repairing oil leaks/pressure issues at least 4 separate times in 6 months. 2,000 miles past the extended warranty we started hearing the death rattle on the front passenger side. The plastic guide had cracked and I was moments away from a busted timing chain. After fixing it ($1500) the service advisor at the dealership instructed me on the importance of oil changes every 5 thousand miles, (EVEN THOUGH Mini suggests you can go 10K/once a year!) and of checking the oil level every 400-800 miles or so.Three months later I was back at the dealer for the rattle, my chain had already stretched again, but not enough to cause concern ($500 just to look & measure + a few spark plugs). 10 days later I was in for rough running due to carbon build up ($700 walnut shell blast) typical around 100K. And then, three weeks after that I was in for continued roughness and rattling much louder than before. I am now on my second timing chain in 4 months. There is no way that is normal, but at least they covered the full cost of this one due to parts warranty.Thankfully I am OCD and insisted on service because at no point in this first year did a warning or engine light ever appear. The service advisors at MINI have been extremely helpful and taken pity on me, they are painfully aware this car is flawed. Every moment I am on the road and I hear a new whine/rattle/thump I am overwhelmed by sheer panic and see only $$$$. At first I thought I was going to be a MINI lifer, but I clearly cant sustain this kind of maintenance.

My right front tire blew out from debris on a major highway. I called MINI Roadside Assistance. After being on hold for 20 minutes the rep told me that he was unable to find a provider in my area. Then he suggested that I try to find a tow on my own. Really? How? Then he asked if I wanted him to keep trying. As opposed to what? Walking 30 miles to get home? I called the MINI dealer hoping they could help somehow. Ha! One person did say he would contact the tow company the dealership used and would call me back. After an hour Roadside Assistance called to tell me he still couldnt find a tow provider. I was less than 30 miles from Boston, MA.Finally a tow truck appeared - a passing driver had called the local police to report a broken down car and the police called a tow truck. The tow operator would only take me to the nearest service station not the MINI dealer. The service station owner was very nice. He arranged for a delivery of a new tire. Then he discovered that the debris had also punched a hole through the alloy wheel. He called the MINI dealer. The wheel was in stock but they couldnt deliver it until the next day - it wasnt even noon. I spoke to the dealership and begged for someone to bring the wheel. I was about 15 miles away. Nope. If RA had ever done their job I would have been towed to the dealer. But the dealership just pointed out (needlessly) that they werent responsible for Roadside Assistance. And I should have been towed to the dealer. Consequently I had to pay for a parts runner the service station used in addition to the delivery fee for the tire and the tow.I commute 80 miles a day. I travel almost every weekend to Northern Vermont. I need a reliable roadside assistance program. MINIs contract with Allstate does not provide that security. The dealership said that they had a lot of complaints about it. I wrote to MINI USA. They said to submit a copy of the receipt for the tow to Roadside Assistance for review and that it would take 4 to 6 weeks to process. How about paying for an AAA membership instead? Some day when I have more time Ill describe all the problems Ive had with the car within the first days of owning it. The dealership is arrogant and dismissive, MINI USA doesnt care about poor service, and the RA program is worthless. If anyone reading this is thinking about buying a MINI just dont do it.

Prior to the Mini craze that came to the USA in late 1999 we owned 4 Austin Minis and 1 Austin Mini Cooper. The Cooper was a dual fuel tank. The car was so small and light (weight) that 3 men could pick up the car. Our neighbors like to play tricks with us and often we found our Mini moved overnight and place between two trees. Much has changed since then. Our first BMW made Mini was purchased (leased) in 2003. Since then we have owned seven Mini Coopers and to this day own 4. My wife drives the Clubman S (2011), our son a Paceman (2012), our daughter a convertible S (2009) and I drive a Cooper S (2006). All of our vehicles are the automatic transmission. We like the 3/36 maintenance warranty as well as the 5/50 bumper-to-bumper. My Mini and our daughters were purchased from CarMax and we purchased the warranty MaxCare which thankfully hasnt been used. Having the extended warranty is more for peace of mind than anything else. We have been fortunate to have not experienced any of the horror stories many folks have written about on the forums. However, knowing our warranties cover everything major is a definite plus. MaxCare is identical to the BMW extended warranty but a grand cheaper and CarMax has more centers to get your car fixed than Mini Nationwide. MaxCare will also tow your vehicle anywhere you break down. And rental reimbursement is $40 better than BMWs $20.The Mini Cooper runs best with synthetic oil, 93 Octane, and radial tires (we prefer the Goodyear Eagle 1). There is a terrific website that will give a prospective used Mini Cooper buyer an excellent reference tool in helping decide which Mini year is best. Best wishes and happy motoring!

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 bought the 2007 Mini Hardtop at 61K. Within one week the timing chain needed to be replaced along with the valve cover and leaking oil, it ran poorly and stalled out at lights. The cost to me was $3K. I cant afford a car like this. Who can? I want to sell it and Ive only had it 4 weeks.

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.

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.

My 2007 Mini Use 1 quart oil every 3 week! After 60,000 miles. My dealer told me that is normal. I do not think so.

So here is what I think should be taken care of under a recall for my 2006 Mini S: 1 ) coolant tank - Should be molded from one solid piece; too close to the heat shield. Thats what makes it crack. And they all do it. 2) transmission - Thing is made to break. There are over 1000 complaints on this problem. And nothing has been taken care of. Big problems. Other than those problems. Love my car.

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 a 2008 Mini Cooper couple years ago. Since the first day we have owned it, we have had nothing but problems with it. First week of owning it, a sensor went out on it, lucky still under warranty, cost 200 bucks to replace. We have had the body control module act upon it and have to unplug the battery to reboot the car regularly. The sunroof switch quit working right. The driver door window switch automatic quit working. The radio screen doesnt show up all the way sometimes. When its cold it sounds really loud and the exhaust is Really loud when its cold. Tires go flat in cold weather a lot. Just had to replace the coil wires due to misfiring on all cylinders. Seems like we havent went over a month without the check engine like coming on. For what you pay for a Mini you should get a quality car and Quality they are not... Nothing but junk. Will never own another nor a BMW see tons of post about same problems with them. Mini doesnt back their product. I am going back to American made once I get where I own less than the car is worth. DO NOT BUY A MINI COOPER unless you like to be broke fixing it. Now I know why they kept pushing the extended warranty and maintenance package. You have to use the the whole time you have the car because its constantly in the shop.

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!

I own a 2015 Mini Cooper Base Convertible. It came out of warranty 4 months ago but it only has 17,500 miles. The Check Engine Light came on and the car was stalling. Global Imports Mini, Chamblee, GA diagnosed the problem as Spark Plug Coils, and as a result over-heating and a new thermostat. $1250 later its running great. Dont keep a Mini past the warranty. Dont buy a used one out of warranty (unless you have a few thousand dollars to spare for repairs). The quality and robustness simply are not there. The car has been cheapened to the point the quality is almost, but not quite as good as a Czechoslovakian Yugo. When Minis first came out they were great value...but BMW was losing money on them. Year by year the build cost and the quality have both come down and the car is a shadow of its former self (in terms of quality and reliability). By the way...Mini USA doesnt care if you are 1 day and 1 mile out of warranty....you are on your own (if you didnt buy an extended warranty)! I asked them if the car is only supposed to last 17,500 miles before major repairs. They were really, really sorry and sympathized with me. But basically said, Tough luck, you are on your own.

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?

I bought the 2007 Mini Cooper in March 2012 and every month I have to take it to the mechanic for one thing or another. Now, it completely dies in the middle of driving (when I have the A/C on). All the lights come on for a second and then it turns off (cant even take the key out). So far I have spent over $3000 since I bought it in March! I am not working and this is taking a toll on me!

When driving is becoming a boring task, you probably want to give Mini Copper S a try. It is designed to be different. It is not as comfortable as my Prius. But it makes driving to work a little bit more interesting. As long as you are not comparing it to Prius, Mini Cooper is quite reliable. But if you do need to get something fixed, dont count on the CPO warranty. It is just a marketing gimmick. Even if Mini has a list of items not covered by the CPO warranty, it does not mean items not on the list are covered. In fact, it would be quite amazing if you could find anything that is covered by their CPO warranty. So, if you want to get a pre-owned Mini Cooper, make sure it still has some standard warranty left.

I purchased my 2007 Mini Cooper S used in October of 2010. Shortly after purchasing, I was contacted by Mini to tell me about a warranty recall in the transmission, which resulted in replacing the transmission, clutch, timing chain, all of that. This did not cost me anything as it was under warranty. Ive always followed the regular maintenance schedule for my vehicle and have only had small repair issues for the most part. However, I took my Mini in for an oil change Nov. 21, 2014 and also to ask about a knocking I was hearing in the engine. I got a phone call from the dealership near the end of the day with some pretty bad news. Apparently, my timing chain is broken and has also broken the guide rails (Im not sure what those are), causing pieces of metal and plastic to fall into my oil tank. The cost to replace the timing chain is $1566. I was pretty shocked, since there was no indication anything was wrong with my vehicle. I was told that a leak in my turbo oil supply line is what caused the timing chain to break. Basically, every time the turbo was engaged, oil was just spewing out everywhere... I never saw it on the ground because it would burn off and didnt leak while the turbo wasnt engaged. I was told by the dealership Mini doesnt have an internal oil sensor to tell you if your oil level is low. My Mini was almost bone dry when I took it to the dealership and thats what caused the timing chain to break. So, to fix the leak and the timing chain, Im looking at almost $3,000. To me, this is completely unacceptable. Ive always taken good care of my vehicle, and the fact that there is an engineering flaw (not having a low oil LEVEL sensor - they have a low oil pressure sensor... but that doesnt come on until your car has about a quart of oil left) isnt my fault. And I dont really think I should have to come out of pocket $3K for it. So now, my Mini is sitting in my garage and not being driven because I cant convince myself to fork out the cash. Im working with the company right now and Im hoping theyll pay for this repair since its a systematic breakdown of their own engineering flaws.

After reading some of these reviews, I am now holding my breath. I have owned my brand new 2015 Mini S now for 8 months and truly could not possibly love it more. Any questions I have or any needs have been met right away from all Mini dealers in Tucson and Phoenix. Sounds silly but I even enjoy writing the check monthly for her. Yep, I am most definitely twitter patted (as Bambi or Thumper once said) with my Mini (even named her Itty Boo) (yeah, I know, over the top! ).

I had fallen in love with Mini Coopers while stationed overseas, and finally got one for myself in 2016! I was so in love with that car and excited! For the first 5 months I had no problems! Put Blizzaks on it for winter and off I went. Then summer came and I found out that I had no AC in 95 degree weather. Then the bearings went out. I went to the dealership and from the get go, they made me feel like they had no interest in dealing with me at all. The guy who had been my salesman walked by me like he didnt know me when I said hello. Then, after driving 2 hours to their dealership, they tell me that they didnt have the part they thought they had for the AC and made me come back the NEXT Friday, AFTER I WAITED FOR 4 HOURS for them to tell me that.Getting the bearings done on it was a nightmare with them. The mechanic didnt know I was the owner of the car and came in and said to the guy at the counter, I really hate her car, its terrible. I couldnt believe it! I immediately walked over and said, why is that? They had no clue what to do at that point. The service and lack of professionalism and customer service was the worst Ive ever encountered in all the years Ive been purchasing vehicles. If I had been smarter, I wouldve read the reviews prior to buying, but I was so excited about owning a MINI, that I didnt bother. Lesson learned. I will NEVER buy another Mini Cooper again, or anything to do with BMW for that matter.

An engine light came on in my 2012 MINI. I live 100 mi away from my dealer so MINI Roadside contracted a tow company come pick her up and take her to the dealer. As per policy of MINI USA and MINI Roadside, she was put on a flat-bed tow truck. On the return trip, 14 May 2014, however, things did not happen per policy. She was towed behind a tow truck with back wheels on the road and the front wheels 3 ft up in the air traveling down Interstate 75 from Atlanta to Warner Robins. The entire front of the car has suffered from gravel impact damage. Everything on the front end needs to be either replaced or re-painted (hood, hood trim, head lights, fog lights, bumper, roof, side mirror caps, front air dam, and wind-shield). MINI USA and MINI Roadside will not cover the damage and the tow company (who was under contract by MINI USA and MINI Roadside), of course indicates they did not damage the car. Both parties did agree, through a posted letter and an email, that the tow policy was not followed but there was no possible way my vehicle could have been damaged. When a vehicle goes to any MINI dealer for service, it is inspected for body damage (so the dealer is not held liable for damage they did not do, MINI USA policy). The service report from the dealer indicates no damage at all. $5k worth of damage and no one is to blame and no one knows how it happened in the course of 100 mi from the dealer to my house. MINI USA and MINI Roadside will not repair your vehicle if damage, but they will offer to pay YOUR insurance deductible (I kid you not).

Nothing but a junk transmission gone on 70.000 mile and cost me $4800.00. 2 months later, engine gone which cost extra $5500.00. Nothing but the junk.

People only tend to write reviews with they are very angry and over the brink. I have my 2012 Mini Cooper S for more than a year now and it has 20,000 miles. The car drives like a dream and has had one service issue and I have had 2 oil changes done by the dealer. Each time they gave me a nice loaner car. I feel you cant ask for more than that. None of the visits cost me any money. Great dealer at Prestige Mini in Ramsey, NJ with nice people.

On February 3, 2014 I took my car in to have the key checked out because it was not releasing when the car was cut off. This has been happening for over a year and reported to my service guy at the dealership on my last visit for appointed oil change, etc. I was told nothing was wrong. On this appointment, with 16,000 miles on a 2011 Mini Cooper, and one month before the warranty expire because of the length of the warranty, three years or 39 thousand miles, I was told that the cup holder had leaked coffee or something brown into the computer and that had caused the problem. I was told that the warranty would not be covered for that problem and it will cost me $1200 or $1300 to repair. I just read another complaint and the customer was told that you should only used cans in the cup holder!!! Why are the customers not told this and why do they put the holders on top of the computer if this problem occur??? My car cost over $30,000 and something so harmful should be taken care of by MINI COOPER, NOT THE CUSTOMER!!!!!

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!

After reading the bad reviews I felt I had to say I bought my 2006 Cooper new from Mini Irvine. It has 115000 miles on the clock and has been trouble free. I recently had to replace the AC pump, but apart from that it had been only tires and brakes. An excellent car. WE have however serviced it regularly and Im sure that helps.

I bought my daughter this Mini Cooper Clubman S 2009 a year ago. AMAZING condition... Only 55,000 miles. We did not know there was a Recall on the timing belt tensioner. The tensioner backed out and the car lost all oil. Therefore damaging the engine. Mini Cooper of Kennesaw took the car in and said that due to the recall, Mini would cover 50% of the cost of the repair. After 4 weeks they tell me the engine cannot be fixed. Now we need to replace.The cost to repair further is prohibitive. They changed the offer, Mini will cover 50% to install a new engine, but I am 100% responsible to pay for the repairs up to this date. They refused to cover more as they needed a service history for the car. I researched and provided a FULL service history for the car because one of the mechanics on the list was no longer in business, they claimed his service records were fraudulent and have removed all financial assistance. I am devastated!!!!

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.

After 6800 miles, my clutch and flywheel had to be replaced. The dealer did the repairs under warranty, but made it clear that this was a judgement call. Its true, Im fairly hard on clutches, my last car, I had to have it replaced at 30,000 miles, but 6800 seems a bit ridiculous, no?

BMW/mini is in the BIG business of WHITE COLLAR CRIME! This company is no different than your average criminal that breaks in cars, Rob you at gunpoint, or even hold you hostage. The only difference is these criminals (BMW/mini) wear a fancy tie AND ARE IN RESPECTED POSITIONS! Pls beware and get informed about this company. May ruin your life. I pray this saves someone the heartache I am going through with this DEMON brand!!! Despite public record of this class action lawsuit of defective recalled products (skeen vs BMW) mini is refusing to pay for the repairs that are recalled. Which is the heart of any car, MY ENGINE!!! BMW threw me in the trash just like all the rest of you. Im sorry.

I bought my 2010 Clubman about six months ago from the Mini dealer in Jacksonville, FL. I asked about the timing/mileage for tuneups, oil changes, etc. The salesman told me that this was all computer controlled - all I had to do was watch the dashboard lights and readout. I read the manual especially the section about maintenance. It is important to note that neither the salesman nor the cars manual states anything about checking the oil level or water level on a periodic basis. Neither the salesman nor the manual states that the oil level is monitored by one of the cars computers and lights/readout.So, one day the engine light comes on. The manual says it is okay to drive slowly with the light on. Which is exactly what I did -- I headed the car to the shop. Unfortunately, in less than one mile the car died. The car was towed to the shop. The engine threw a rod due to a lack of oil: there was less than one liter of oil in the pan. Now I am facing a $7000 bill to replace the engine. Why wasnt I informed to check the oil periodically? Had I done so, my engine would not have died. Mini was on notice of the lack of oil level monitoring and on notice as to oil usage/burning; however, Mini was completely silent. Question - is there a lawyer out there who is interested in a gross negligence lawsuit against Mini? If so, please contact me.

Reading these reviews renewed my anger at this crap company. Bought a 2008 Clubman 3 years ago. Fine the first year minus needing brakes. End of year two: dies in the middle of an intersection. A tow bill later Im told a belt in the engine snapped and bent valves. Engine is basically rebuilt (I later Google and find out that at 60,000 this very belt goes out in almost every Mini Cooper). LESS THAN A YEAR later, car dies in an intersection. Another tow bill. Faulty cylinder heads in rebuilt engine. Then, this winter. Driving to Ohio on the dark roads of Indiana country with my fiance and our dog. Car stops accelerating. We smell burning and pull over. Car is dead and barely makes it to the side of the road as huge semi trucks fly by and shake our stupid car. We feel like we are going to die on the Indiana interstate in a dinky small town. Merry Christmas to us. One day, two tow bills, one hotel night, one rental car fee we are at our destination. It took Mini a full month to tell me (after I borrowed a friends Triple A to tow it over a hundred miles to Chicago) what was wrong. That changed about 5 times. First, the cylinder (AGAIN). Then, a hose. Then the radiator. Then I was told the warranty wouldnt cover it because I had maxed the extra warranty I bought which had thankfully failed for the first two engine failures (at this point my warranty had paid 9,000 MORE than the stupid car is worth). After a full week of arguing with the ** head of maintenance (whom was ONLY nice when I was giving them money, but was a huge ** once I called Mini out on their crap cars) now my insurance is paying because Mini convinced them the damage was caused by a flying pebble we somehow didnt feel hitting the engine. I will be selling it for nothing near what I paid and NEVER EVER EVER getting this car again. I have told every single person I know not to buy one, either.

2006 Mini Cooper S Convertible - I bought my Mini used in June 2013. Within the first month my roof was leaking, my tire pressure light came on and my check engine light came on. The leaking roof turned out to be the window being uneven. The dealership spent the day and repaired it free of charge. My tire pressure was off and they added air as needed. Neither of these problems have been an issue since. The check engine light is another story. Turns out it was the oxygen sensor. They also replaced that free of charge (I was still under warranty). They also had it for more than a day because they told me it was fine to drive until the part came. But, the sensor had seized and because of that they had to repair my exhaust. After getting my car back and having it for 3 hours, the light came back on. I took it back and again they repaired it free of charge. I went to pick it up again and it came on before I left the parking space. I ended up going back and forth to have the oxygen sensor repaired six times in 5 months. While the dealership did fix it free of charge each time, the point is I had to run back and forth several times and every time they said it was fixed and should be no problem. Since the last time I got it fixed, the 3rd brake light has gone out and it is connected to a chrome bar that frames the whole back end of the roof, which they claim was working when they inspected it in June. The vent guard that is in the cowl on my roof has come up missing since it being in the dealership garage last and my hood shows a big gap between it and the top of my front bumper on the drivers side and no gap on the passenger side. My drivers side window is not working properly now. With the convertible the windows go down a bit when you open the door and back up into a groove under the roof when you shut the door. My drivers window no longer does this. So, every time I open my door you hear a loud sound like the release of suction from the window coming out of the groove and when you shut the door, the window hits into the roof and creates a pretty big gap from pushing the window out. To shut the window properly, I have to put it down and shut the door, go around to the passenger side and get in and put the window up so it goes up into the groove. I called the dealership because I am now ready to get myself out of this car if at all possible. After my 5th visit for the sensor, I contacted a firm regarding the lemon law but they couldnt help. They said my car was too old. I feel like my car is turning into a money pit. While these things may not be major, this is my first Mini and I have lost my faith in them to the point that I do NOT want another Mini, ever! I really love how fun the car is and how it corners like its on rails and I looked for reasons to drive it but, my love for the car has fizzled. I feel like its one problem after another :(

On 05 December 2011, I took my vehicle, a Mini Cooper JCW 2009, in to BMW Leo Haese Centurion. For a faulty clutch, I then received a quotation for R41 886.07 after telling me that the flywheel and turbo needed to be replaced. I went to the dealer and discussed the quotation as the vehicle is just out of the service plan. The workshop mechanic took me to my vehicle and showed me the turbo and said that the axle was lose and off center. Even after inspection on the turbo that was not the case, but still he insisted that it needed to be replaced. After discussions with the dealership, they sent me a new quotation to repair my vehicle for R8261. They also informed me that they will still replace the turbo and that not all the parts are in stock. I ask them if I can get my car back the next day, so to use it. The next afternoon, they phoned me and informed me that there was a new problem with the steering column, but I can still use it and that it is safe to drive and only the hooter will not work. On arrival, I noticed that the sensor on the dashboard was also removed. On inspection of my vehicle I found that none of the safety features in the vehicle is operational as well as any of the controls on the steering wheel plus the wipers were constantly working. The next day, I took the vehicle back as it was unsafe for me to drive. I was not happy that the whole truth was not told to me about the state of the vehicle as I would have never taken it. How could they give me a vehicle that is clearly unsafe to drive?On the 08 December, I paid the bill of R8261 and asked for the spare parts that were replaced on my vehicle, but they told me to get the parts, I must pay a further R2000 for it. My question is, why I must pay for my property. Is this the case or not? The sensor on the dashboard was not replaced as the part was not in stock and up to today, I have not received that part. On the 11 January, the turbo started to whine on the vehicle. I got an appointment on 16 January 2012 to book in the vehicle. I requested them to go with me to the vehicle so I could show them that the pipe from the air filter to the turbo was loose and that was not fitted properly and that I wanted them to remove a special wheel nut on the right back wheel. They told me that that will not be necessary for me to show them, they know what to do.On picking up the vehicle, I noticed that the wrong nut was removed. After informing them, it took them one and a half hour to bring a nut and told me that that is the nut removed. At closer inspection, that was not the case and that the nut was still not removed. I already paid them R376.20 for the work done. I decided not to leave. Before the work was done at around 18:30, they told me that I must leave and that I must sign the job card which I refused. Then they asked me and not in a friendly manner to leave with I did. On arriving at home, the turbo was still singing and I noticed that everything I asked them to do they did not do. Now, why must I pay for work not done and what did they bill me for? On the 01 February 2012, I took my vehicle for the Mini call back (water pumps) to Nelspruit BMW. They also inspected the vehicle and phoned that the turbo needed to be replaced, not understanding what was going on as the turbo was replaced less than 2 months ago. The workshop manager explained to me that when they, Leo Haese Centurion replaced the turbo, they did not fit the air intake pipe correctly and or the seal was pierced and broke off and went through the turbo, thereby damaging it. I now need to replace a turbo again that was not faulty in the beginning and was not installed properly. After all this, I have to ask the following: 1. Why must I replace the turbo because of bad workmanship? 2. Why did I have to pay for work not done? 3. Why was I treated so badly when I was not happy with work done or the lack thereof? 4. Why was I lied to and told that the nut was removed? 5. Why did they not listen to me when I wanted to show them the work? 6. Why was I over quoted on 05 December? 7. Why did they give me a vehicle that was unsafe to drive? 8. Where is the dashboard sensor?9. Why would I ever want to go back or recommend someone to go there?My vehicle broke down on the 20 Feb 2012 in Nelspriut. After inspection of the vehicles turbo, we found that the piece of pipe was in the turbo fans and that the pipe that was damaged. I phone Leo Haese Centurion. After talking with them, they told me that whey will not help me in this matter.I am standing before you for help in this matter as I do not know how I will be able to resolve this problem and I am disgusted at Leo Haese for their treatment of me, a paying customer. They really put the name BMW, which in the past stood for service par excellence, in disrepute. I hope you at BMWSA can help me in this regard and right the wrong that was done to me

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....

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.

Yes! I am finally sending my Mini to the junk yard tomorrow with not even 100,000 miles on it! The first transmission blew up early on. Of course, like most of the others, I found the replacement cost insane. I found a replacement at a junky which I could afford. That lasted a few years and yes, that blew up too. I also had the mysterious misfire in cylinder 4 that you read about. My cooling system /radiator went down. My drivers side door wouldnt open unless you threw yourself against it. The back hatch wouldnt close properly, so it leaked. My drivers seat broke. I had a few broken windshields like you read about. The computer never worked right. What a nightmare!

This is definitely worst car in history. I honestly believe the Germans are trying to pay us back for kicking their ** during World War II. I bought this car for my daughter two years ago. It only had 57000 miles. I bought it from a salesperson in offer up. Vehicle drove nice during the testing drive. I just wished I would’ve done some homework before saying yes to my lovely daughter. Instead of going with my heart I should’ve gone with my gut feeling of never buying European cars. Oh well. Vehicle ran good for about 5000 miles. First thing I noticed was an oil leak. Oil housing gasket needed to be replaced. Turbo oil line needed to also be changed.Luckily, I did these changes myself which saved me about 2000 dollars. Ran good for about a month then the light engine turned on. Misfire on Cylinder 1. I replaced all spark plugs and coils. After a few weeks, light went on again. This time it was the valve cover. Replaced it myself. Light goes on again. This time I replaced several sensors. Again, oil leak. Oil housing gaskets changed again. Rattling noise began coming from engine. Open valve cover and noticed chain retention rail broken. This is common on all Turbo minis. Replaced top rail retainer and cleaned out the oil pan gasket. During cleaning parts of the rail were obstructing oil pump mesh. Mini recommended to chain whole chain costing me 2100 plus 600 for cleaning oil pan. No Ty. I will do it myself. Mini ran good for about a week when light light up again. This time it was the vacuum pump. Replaced it myself. Vehicle ran good for a week until one day I get lots of white smoke coming off the exhaust pipe. No engine light though and no sign of over heating. What gives?? I’m afraid this time the head gaskets could be the issue. I’m done with this car. Two years of unbelievable headaches. Like I said worst car ever. Btw, Im selling it to CarMax. I just don’t have the heart to give someone else this piece of junk... never again am I buying a Mini... I have noticed I don’t see them on the road as much as before.

So I bought this Cooper second hand from Carmax and not even two months after having it, the transmission has given out in it. So tomorrow will begin the journey into having to find out how deep this rabbit hole really goes.

So first I want to say I own 3 currently and sold my forth a few years back. I loved the brand for a number of reasons like handling and performance and the overall style. At this time my stable consists of a 2012 MINI JCW GP, a 2012 Countryman and an older 2006 JCW. The Countryman has been in the shop almost every month since we owned it. It has had taillights replaced as well as the heating/AC replaced numerous times during ownership. Right now it’s got another check engine light and on its way back to the dealer since it hates to start. The heater will not warm up the car unless it’s floored and since it’s 18 degrees out that is unacceptable. Especially since it’s been fixed numerous times.Now onto the GP. This is the company’s flagship performance car. Its very limited and one would think well documented. Yet when brought in to have an alignment done, the techs were unable to figure out the adjustments and I had to assist by providing the details they needed and showing them how it should be done. The GP had a tail light out. This resulted in them frying the radio trying to replace it. Not sure why it’s connected but it is. So they had to replace the stereo and the ECU. The problem was the dealer installed the wrong ECU software version so the car ran like crap. I did not notice right away. It wasnt till after I installed a cold air intake that I noticed the car was running off. After convincing them on the 3rd trip there to install the latest ECU version did they see it was wrong. This was after blaming the CAI on the issues it was having. So I should be happy now right? They finally installed the correct ECU software and it should be back to normal. Nope. Now the car bucks on the highway. I tore the intake apart thinking it was the problem. I tried everything down to boost leak testing the car and duct taping the MAF tube in case it was leaking. I was TIRED of talking with the dealer. When nothing worked I brought it back in. They said it was the MAF. They replaced it. I got it back a day later and the same problem persisted. Here I was going back for the 4th time only to have them tell me my modifications were the issue. They said they fixed the seal on the CAI (which was fine) and the car was tested and perfect.On the way home I noticed it bucking again and no longer had the sport mode pops and burbles you get from the exhaust which is a key character of the car. I refused to bring it back. I looked around the engine bay and studied the MAF connector more closely. It had a brand new MAF so I knew it wasnt that. Turns out all the problems I was having was due to a loose wire in the harness connector. This did not fix the sport mode button but at this point I dont care. Im tired of missing work and dealing with the hassle of going to the dealer and being stuck with a loaner. Now mind you both my older 2005 and 2006 MINIs had issues but were basically bullet proof and well over 100k miles. The newer ones are nothing but problems so far. Neither new car is over 30k miles and have spent most of their ownership in the dealer for one stupid reason or another.

I know I am going to get bashed for posting this but understand the only reason is to let Mini customers know that repairs they are paying for at Mini Georgian or after talking to Mini Canada may have been a warranty repair. Georgian Mini Cooper in Barrie tried charging customers for work that should be covered under warranty. This happened twice to me. Once for rust repairs and just recently for a power steering pump at a cost of $1600 plus tax. I had the power steering pump replaced under warranty at Mini Vaughan with no issues. What is strange is I have a email from Mini Georgian in Barrie saying my car has no warranty/recall for power steering pump and a second email from Vaughan Mini stating that yes, the power steering pump is covered under warranty.SO BE VERY CAREFUL DEALING WITH MINI GEORGIAN IN BARRIE or information from Kelly at the head office for Mini Cooper Canada AS THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND ONLY CARE HOW MUCH THEY CAN CHARGE YOU. IF you had a power steering pump replaced at Mini Georgian or anywhere else, you should call Mini Vaughan to verify that it is not on the warranty recall. My car is 8 years old and was covered.See below correspondence with BMW CEO Mr. Reithofer email (**):#1 - I regretfully having to contact you again regarding the service I have encountered by my closest Mini Cooper dealer (Georgian Mini) in Barrie Ontario, Canada. As stated in prior emails, I am a true and true Mini Cooper owner and am a lifetime owner hopefully. Mini Georgian is trying I feel very hard for me not to continue owning future Mini Coopers as I just had to AGAIN travel 360 Kilometers (90 Km each way 180 x 2 days) to have my Mini Cooper serviced at your Vaughan Mini location in Woodbridge, Ontario instead of my local Mini Georgian dealer that is about 4 km. away.Mr. Reithofer, this all started when I was having issues with my power steering on my Mini Cooper and did a little research (Google) on Mini Cooper power steering problems. I noticed that my car might be covered under 150,000 or 10-year warranty. I phoned and asked Georgian Mini if my car was under warranty for the power steering pump and was told as you can see in the attached email from the dealership that no warranty left on your vehicle and it does not have any recalls regarding this issue.Mr. Reithofer, just because of past dealing with Mini Georgian regarding warranties or recalls as they just seem not to care about their customers only how much can they make off of them, I contacted Vaughan Mini Cooper to inquire with them. After talking with Ashley at Mini Vaughan, she advised me without me saying anything about warranty/recalls that if the problem is the power steering pump then it will be covered by warranty and if it is only a leak then it would be my cost. Please see attached email from Mini Vaughan.So, Mr. Reithofer, why do I have to travel 360 Km. over two days (Mini Vaughan did not have power steering pump in stock) to have my car serviced under warranty when I contacted Mini Georgian who has the same info on my vehicle as Mini Vaughan does but advise me that the power steering pump is not covered. If I did not follow up with Mini Vaughan, it would have cost me approx. $1600 plus tax to replace a part that is under warranty. How many other customers have been taken advantage of by Mini Georgian in this manner? As of now, I am afraid to take my Mini Cooper to Georgian Mini for so much as a oil change as all they seem to care about is how much they can make off me bringing my car in and no regards to how to treat a customer.#2 - I just received a call from your Canadian office by a rep named Kelly. She informed me that there is no recall to the power steering pump. She started out stating that we have talked before and that she had talked to me about previous complaints (previous rusting issue covered by Minis 10-year rust protection) indicating that I am a constant complainer. Kelly was under the understanding that the power steering pump would not be covered as it does not have a warranty under my vin!!!!!!I asked if she even read my concern and she said yes. When I mentioned that the pump was already replaced, she quickly backtracked on what she said to me. I ask her then why in my letter did I mention I had to travel over 360 km to have my power steering pump repaired, She advised me, I thought you drove down for two days to have a consultation regarding it being covered by warranty!!!!!!!!! You have to be kidding me that someone would do that and it indicates to me that she just figures I am a difficult customer and I would do something ridiculous like this. So your senior employee dealing with customers with the already perception that they are wrong and she seems to take pride in being right and letting me know that. She was 100% percent wrong telling me that it will not be covered under warranty and as stated was shocked to know it was already done. So how much did she look into my concern before she called me?Again, my original questions were not answered as Kelly was too quick to just verbally attack me telling me that she dealt with me on previous complaints and that this concern regarding the power steering pump I was wrong also and as in her words it will not be covered by warranty. I dont like the word complaint as it is more of a concern. I guess Mini Canada Reps calling them complaints are all on the defensive and not dealing with customers concerns in a bias manner.I am so frustrated by this treatment I could just sell my Mini as I do not want to have dealings like this every time. But on the other hand that is silly talk as I love my Mini and I guess the relationship now is a abusive one. Every time I deal with Mini, I get treated poorly and I keep coming back for more. So it is my fault for coming back every time but I love my Mini too much not to. All this just makes me sick to my stomach in how I am treated every time. Awaiting your response and please do not hesitate to contact me should you need further clarification on any manner.Again you can bash me but all I want to do is give Mini owners a heads up when dealing with Mini Georgian in Barrie as they may pay for work that should be covered by warranty. Hopefully, if you have had work done, you can get your money back.

2006 Mini Cooper S Transmission Issue - The transmission on my Mini went out. The car is six years old and has 68,000 miles on it. It’s certainly not old enough or driven enough to have this kind of problem. According to the dealer, it will cost $8,600 plus tax to fix. I have seen a number of comments online that suggest this is a common problem with this make/model, yet the dealer will do nothing, except take my money, since the car is no longer under warranty. It seems to me that if this is a common problem, there should be a recall or some kind of compensation for this problem.

My Mini is only 6 years old (bought new) and it already needs a new transmission. Since you cant just repair the broken part, you need a completely new one!? Random plastic pieces have broken inside the car - part of the seatbelt, the end of the gear shift, the sunroof screen - and there no standard parts. Everything has an upgrade. A year ago, there were SIX oil leaks at the same time! Oh, and if you pay for the extended maintenance program, and its about to expire, and you take your car to the dealer for one last round of FIX EVERYTHING that is covered, they wont do it. Two weeks after taking it in, I had to take it to a mechanic (not the dealer) to have spark plugs replaced and they told me I had 10% left on the front brakes. Yeah, Mini didnt replace them, even though they are covered.

I have never felt so disrespected, unappreciated and taken advantage of by a company in my life! Minis recent decision to extend the warranty on the faulty power steering pump for models between the years of 2002-2005 as well as some 2005 Mini convertibles has caused there to be literally no replacement parts available in the North Texas area where I live. I happen to be one very unfortunate 2005 Mini convertible owner who has had to pay an inordinate amount in repairs on the car, such as paying close to $8,000 for the CVT transmission to be replaced after only 70,000+ miles, having to get the control arm bushings replaced, and so many other problems that should not have happened with the car considering how cautiously I drive it. I am being told by local dealerships that I can expect to wait up to a month before my car can be fixed. Until then, however, my car cannot pass state inspection with its current lack of power steering. I have now been left without a car and no options that I could feasibly afford to get into a temporary vehicle. I have received absolutely no help from Mini to assist with temporarily getting into a different car until mine has been repaired. Again, I only have to wait because Mini does not have the parts available, not to any fault of my own. I am left to decide whether I want to break state law by driving without current inspection and risk getting more citations for it, or dropping out of school as I will have no way of getting there. I have been completely screwed over by Mini, and it appears as though they couldnt care less that they have left me and possibly others in distress.

We had several malfunctions on our Mini Cooper convertible, which the dealer was happy to cover under the original 48 month warranty. I actually got the feeling that the dealer was on my side. I then purchased the Mini Cooper USA extended warranty when the car had about 18 months left on its original warranty. About two years later, something in the steering failed, and also the trunk stopped opening. It took them a long time to determine that the latter was simply a short in the wires to the electric trunk opener latch in the truck door. The dealer appealed to Mini Cooper USA, but the response was that neither repair was covered because all rubber wear was not included in the extended warranty. It cost me close to $800. I felt cheated.

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.

I own a 2007 Cooper that I bought used in 2012, it had 40k miles on it so I thought it was a great car to buy. Within a year the repairs started piling up and then the big one; the panoramic sunroof cassette stopped working. The repair at book price is $2400 dollars and is a quarter of the value of the car. A couple of weeks ago the water pump went out and my wife, who happened to be near the dealership, had it towed there. After a couple of days, they came back with multiple problems on top of the pump all totaling another $2400, plus they wanted to sell me tires. I asked if they wanted to buy it back and they said they would call me back with a quote that day. They made an offer of $7000 and a day later I called back and accepted. I drove 1 1/2 hours to the dealership in Fife Wa. ready to sign paperwork. They kept calling it a trade in and looking back I guess they figured I would be buying a new car from them and I let them know I wasnt buying right before I made the trip. When we sat down they told me they couldnt do it for that much but would offer me 6k for it. They would not stay true to their word so I couldnt in good conscience let them work on my car. I came back after two weeks (too busy to make the drive), and towed it to my mechanic. So now I have a fun car with a $2400 sunroof that doesnt work, a water pump that needs replaced, for about $650 at their price, and apparently another $1750 in repairs. To top it all off, my dealership lacks the integrity to honor their word. Im done with Mini for sure.

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.

Our car had problems that we could detect before 38K so we took it to a local dealership. They claimed that they do not see any issues and paid for transmission fluid replacement. We have a MINI Cooper 2004 that could not be driven, has 40k on it, was garaged, maintained properly, problems were apparent, but all we could do was to take it to a local dealership that sold us the car. They suggested that we change the transmission fluid and other maintenance, which we agreed to. The dealership assured us that nothing is wrong. They drove it over 100 miles and nothing was noted. We took the car home and had the same problems as before.When we called, there was no other response but that they cannot find anything wrong. Yet the car was towed several times and the dealership denied anything needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, at the time, we had experienced great personal tragedy and could not attend to a car or anything, just the bare essentials.Finally, when we took it to another private small company, they told us about the transmission problems that not only plague MINI Coopers, but that dealerships are known for not assisting with this and deny any responsibility. The same thing happened when we tried to call the corporate office. There is a class-action suit in CA and NJ, but what about the other states? We cannot put out almost $8,000 for another transmission on our MINI. What can we do? What do others do? Why all owners who have similar experience do not get together as folks in California? Why dont we inquire about MINI/BMW taking responsibility for a clearlyfaulty car that has brought us more headaches than we could ever imagined? Most of us saved years to get this car, as did our son. Most of us bought MINI as the dream car and depended on the MINI/BMW reputation. If anyone is able to put together a Web site and gather information from all owners from the U.S.A., I think that MINI would eventually have to assist us with the replacement of a transmission that they put in the car knowing that it does not work.We would do our part, but do not know what or where to turn, it helps to write for others not to buy the car. How could we get together and have something done? The corporate offices deny any culpability and claim that they are not aware of any problems. Transmission is way too expensive to replace and it is not the only thing people complain about, yet, outside from California activism, we just complain and do nothing.Does anyone have any suggestion? Someone with legal expertise? Someone who has experience with car mechanics? Someone who knows that it is possible to put pressure on MINI/BMW to request that they do something--given the years of knowledge of faulty transmissions?It is a sad story. We thought this was a reputable company. I am over 70 and would not want to part with the car that belonged to my deceased son. Could anyone suggest what can be done? Please contact me at ** if you believe that we indeed could accomplish something together.

I purchased my 2006 Mini Cooper S brand new in January 2006. The car currently has 108,000 miles, which are mostly highway miles as I commute to a job out of state a few days a week. Since purchasing the car, I have had a myriad of serious and unsafe issues starting with the replacement of run flat tires within the first 2 years of owning the car. Those tires run $350 a pop and if you run over a nail, you have to replace the whole tire. They didnt warranty them back then, though I think they do now. For the first 65,000 miles, I did all my maintenance at the dealership, but switched to a National Auto Care chain as the dealer costs were 40% higher for the same work. I changed tire to regular tires with a warranty to stem the bleeding.The latest issue began two weeks ago when I noticed the car was slipping between second and third gear when running for a while in stop and go traffic. The car shifted fine when cold. I brought the car in for a check up where I was referred to a National chain transmission repair shop where I was informed that my CVT would need to be re-manufactured at a cost of $6,000. I was also informed that my power-steering pump is leaking and the power-steering cooling fan is not working, so both need to be replaced. As much as I love this car, and even with these problems, I still do love the car, but I cannot recommend it because the premium price I paid for BMW engineering does not translate to reliability. These issues should not be occurring at this point in the cars life.I will be without a car for another week, at least, because the valve joint they need to re-manufacture the transmission is on back order as they re-engineered a new valve joint, for the originals were prone to premature failure. One would think BMW would address this or work with their customers on a reasonable repair cost for this. Unfortunately, when I called the dealer I purchased the car from for assistance, they quoted me over $10,000 for the same repair. Needless to say, I will never buy a Mini or BMW ever again. I am aware of class action suits in NJ and CA regarding this issue, but I cannot find anything in MA. If there is, or if there is an attorney looking to start one, please contact me.

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 bought my Mini at East Bay Mini but soon realized that going to Mini of Marin was a lot easier than the drive to the East Bay, and so with that being said that is how I arrived at Mini of Marin. I feel that my 2009 Mini Cooper S was a lemon from the get-go. I have had nonstop problems with this car since purchasing it. The car has 67,000 mi at the time of this review. The reason I was prompted to write a review is because of negligence by Mini of Marin during yet again another servicing. This time I took the car in because I claimed the car was popping out of 2nd gear, they claimed the car was doing no such thing but kept the car for almost a week and after getting it back it never popped out (so why would you need to keep it that long if there was nothing wrong with it). So I have it back for a week plus and never opened the passenger door and today I opened the passenger door and find that the metal runner alongside the seat that says Cooper S is no longer sticking to the floor and is bent and making a terrible noise upon closing the door. I have always been very pleasant which is saying a lot after how many times this car has been in the shop, but there is a limit to how much abuse a customer can take. I really wanted to write a review to the Headquarters of Mini but I felt it would land on deaf ears. Within the last year this car has been cooked 2 times for carbon build up, had a new engine (which Mini headquarters required me to pay a portion, even though the car only has 60,000 plus miles), new clutch, popping out of 2nd gear. I feel like I spend more time at the Mini of Marin dealership than I do at my job.

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 am writing because I am shocked at the terrible reviews I just read. I have owned my 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible since November 2005 and have never had a single problem. Of course some of that may be due to the amount of miles I have on it (about 38,000). We drive it from N.C. to Fl and return once yearly. Although there are only a few miles, the main thought I have is, why havent I had any problems in the 12 years I have owned it? Anyway just want to share my good news after reading the previous ones.

I purchased a brand new 2008 MINI Cooper (back in 2008). I currently have 126k miles on the car. I bought this car because of the good gas mileage. Unfortunately, once I actually paid off the car (60 month financing), thats when coincidentally the problems started. I have had to replace the coils and spark plugs (several times), cyclone separator, and water pump and thermostat. After a lot of research, it seems like these are common failures. Now it has cost me much more to repair/service the car than what its worth. As much fun I have driving the car (easy to handle, sporty) - the total cost of ownership isnt worth it.

I purchased a new 2017 Mini Cooper Clubman from Vista MINI in Florida. The car currently has 30k miles and it has had several problems. The car currently has a strong vibration problem which affects the acceleration. The car has been in a MINI Service Center 3-times for the same problem. The dealership acknowledged this problem to affect the non-turbo models. There is no current fix for this safety concern according to the dealerships service center. MINI solution to the problem is spending more money on a more expensive S model. If you are interested in purchasing a MINI please check all consumer complaints before the purchase.

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.

I had the steering go out at about 50k miles. The dealer wants over $1200.00 to fix it. The doors wont open from the inside. You have to roll the windows down to get out of the car. If the power fails, you will die because you cant get out.

Only three thousand miles, so far so good. And Im extremely abusive with my manual mini cooper.

My husband bought a 2010 Mini Cooper two years ago. Thought we were getting a great car, not so much. It is a money pit. He kept up on all required maintenance, but it didnt matter. Three weeks ago it was leaking coolant like crazy and there was oil in the coolant, of course an $800.00 fix between the thermostat and whatever else they did. Now this week the check engine light is on again and the car is misfiring. Changed out all the spark plugs and the coil and doesnt fix the problem. Take it in today to the shop and its the motor. Needs a new one. So now we are left with a car, that we are still paying on and doesnt run, that we can spend $6,000 to get it fixed or $7400.00 to get fixed at the dealership. Not what I expected to happen with a car with 62,000 miles.

Were the crazy car people you hear about. Every year we go to the Detroit auto show, New York auto show, Philadelphia auto show, etc, and we generally replace one of our cars every 2 - 3 years. In 2014 I was impressed with the Mini Cooper at one of the auto shows that I ordered a nearly fully loaded Mini Cooper S Hardtop with the John Cooper Works package. After all was said and done, I spent approximately $36k. After waiting a few months, it finally arrive on the docks of New Jersey but it had a recall on it (already) and it wasnt allowed to leave the docks to be delivered until the recall had been satisfied. That process took a month for someone to change a part on the dock, which is very disappointing knowing that your new car was being held captive by slow moving dock mechanics.After about 4 months of driving, the oil filter exploded. Yes, EXPLODED. The mini dealership did a pretty good job of towing the car and bringing me out a loaner for several days until they could fix it. At that point, things went downhill. Heres everything going wrong with it to date: During driving, several times the stick shift came completely off its base, leaving me scrambling to shift but could not. This was fixed when the oil filter exploded and have not had any problems since. Several times a month, when the car is started (warm or cold) the RPMs will go back and forth from 0 to 1000, then die and restart itself (all while the auto start/stop is disabled) and will continue the same cycle for up to 10 minutes.During normal driving, I lose all power to the car. Just last week I was pulling out of parking lot into traffic and lost all power, even with the gas pedal to the floor. I was lucky enough to get into the center turning lane before being struck by oncoming traffic. The window seal on the rear seat window (on the drivers side) has slowly begun to unravel and hang out of the space between the window and the hatch on the back. The service department at the dealership said they had seen it before, and a glass company claimed it shouldnt effect the seal, but I can visibly see space between the window and what should be the seal. The low tire pressure monitor displays warnings about tire pressure even after I have confirmed the tires are inflated properly.Getting additional errors on the display in regards to a discharge of the battery while the engine is stopped (perhaps a draw on the battery somewhere). The voice recognition software is either just plain horrible, or something is faulty. When I supply a valid, easy to understand address or location for the GPS to navigate to, it changes the radio station. While in reverse, the backup lines on the reverse camera disappear every now and then. The only way they show up again is if you go into the settings and re-enable them manually. When I buy a car, I keep it for 2-3 years before even considering trading it in. With the problems Ive listed above and having only owned it for about a year, I asked around for trade in quotes. I was astonished to discover that the car I had paid $35k for a year prior, was now only worth $18k on trade in. Thats nearly a 50% drop in value in one year. When the car is running ok, its a lot of fun to drive... A LOT. But the issues that Ive had with it arent just annoying, theyre dangerous. In fact, due to the loss of power on occasion, I cant allow my wife to drive it because I fear for her safety. Im not sure how much longer Ill have the car (or how long Ill be stuck with it rather), but Im truly disappointed. I expected better from BMW. Ive owned a lot of cars, but this one was by far my biggest mistake.

I had a Cooper S 2008 which had few issues only. Oil leaks. AC compressor failed. Gear box will not go after 3. Talking fair. NEVER buy this crappy product. I will not pay a penny for 2015 brand new with 10 years warrant. THANKING you and hope readers will know its good if you have 2 cars and you work for the agent.

My review will be short and sweet. Ive learned over the last couple days that BMW is a professional corporate thief. My wife owns a 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman. I will admit she loves the look of the car and I will say that it looks pretty sleek. I wont go into details but her battery died and would not hold a charge. No worries all I will do is buy a new good battery and replace it. After needing to take the passengers side wiper blade off to remove the stupid battery I learned I wasnt even close to being done. I learned I had to take her car into the dealership so they could program and certify my new battery to the cars computer. I called three dealers and the quotes were $75, $60 and $100 just certify the battery with a laptop and BMW software. I bought an expensive battery costing me $195 and then I had to pay the dealer $75 to program the battery. IMO that is horse **.Why would BMW engineers design the car so that you had to take it to the dealer for such a simple maintenance project? Obviously I know the answer to my question and that is $$$$. What scares me is if I had to pay almost $300 to change my battery what happens when something real goes wrong. In the end I guess this is really my fault because I should have researched what I was buying. This is the first and last product that I buy from this corporation. Its not really the money that ticks me off but rather just the fact that BMW is one greedy bunch of people. I will make a concerted effort to tell my friends, family, peers, team-mates, acquaintances, neighbors, people I see at the store, people who are stopped at the same red light as me, my clergy, my Facebook friends, my Twitter friends and last but not least God to never, never, never buy a Mini Cooper or Mini Popper!