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

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

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

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.

2008 JCW Mini Cooper S convertible with 33,175 miles. Clutch has gone out twice; the throttle twice. It brakes once. It was an unknown problem where they pulled the engine. I went to trade it in. When it was new, it was $39000. Less than three years later, they will only give me $14,000. They know what the car facts are. I got $14000 two years earlier on my 2002 Cooper S that was 6 years old.

One prob after the next. Blown clutch not covered under warranty. Dealer asking 4,300 to repair. Bad thermostat 550 to replace (diff to access). Fuel pump defective, 800.00 to replace. Dealer, agent, manager at Hassle BMW, indifferent, rude, did not return calls... Do not buy a Mini. Inferior mechanics and no accountability.

I took my 2007 Mini S to a dealer for a free recall repair last year and was told I needed new brakes. The car had only 27,000 miles and I paid over $1000 to have the work done I was told needed to be done. That was last year. This year, the warning lights for the ABS and traction control started coming on at random times although I dont see any difference in the handling when the warning lights are on or off. I went to a dealer which is 135 miles from where I live to have it checked and was told the black box that controls these functions has failed and would need replacement to the tune of $1350 plus 3 to 4 hours labor plus tax. Im still under 40,000 miles, and over $2,500 for repairs in 2 years on a car with this low mileage seems excessive. I was going to have them set up an appointment to do the work, but since there have been issues with reliability of this model for this year, Ive decided to hold off and see if I can get feedback to help me decide in what direction to move. I love driving this car. It has all the options I could want and then some. It cost $31,000 new in 07 but if repairs are going to start being a major issue, I may need to rethink keeping this car or trading it on a vehicle on which I can get service locally.

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.

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

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

Let me start by saying my vehicle is a 2007 MINI Cooper S. It currently has 114k miles on it. The original owner had purchased a 100k mile maintenance package so all service was completed by MINI at the recommended intervals. This car was taken care of and babied. My vehicle suffered a complete engine failure on 12/2012 at around 105k miles. The failure was caused by the poor design of a lifetime part. I received an undated letter sometime a few months ago where MINI admits that the part that failed on my vehicle was, fitted with a faulty chain tensioner which may lead to an insufficiently tightened timing chain. A loose timing chain is recipe for disaster as this is what keeps the pistons and everything moving in the correct timing and order. When this chain breaks or skips a link it can cause devastating damage which it did.I contacted MINI in hopes of getting some of my $6500 that I paid for a replacement engine reimbursed. After being put with a customer relations supervisor name Shawn who didnt return any of my messages for 3 weeks, he finally calls me back and states that my claim was denied. But when I asked for a reason, he wasnt able to give me one. I asked to speak to a supervisor to which he stated he was the supervisor and nobody would be able to give me another answer. Ive sent off various emails, most of which are ignored, and various calls which seem to get me nowhere. MINI has 100% admitted fault for the damage to my engine but they wont take financial responsibility for their design failure. It has put me behind financially and causes me to lose faith in a company I trusted. I have all paperwork to support my claims and wish to get them to own up to their failures.

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.

I bought the car used with 67K mi for use as an RV tow vehicle (manual transmissions will work O.K., even the BMW doesnt warranty it). I installed the tow bar but never used it much. I added a MiniFini Continental Kit, not liking the RunFlat tires. I replaced the Super Charger at 105K mi for $2500, using a German Car Mechanic who is excellent. He said the speed up pulley caused the blower to wear prematurely. The power steering/fan module was replaced at 127K mi for $1400. After reading the Horror Stories, Im worried at what might happen next as the clutch makes a cold bearing noise periodically. The car is fun and I get good mileage 33-36 mpg. I baby it. I hope the 2014 turns out better after the redesign.

Coveted this car for 10 years. Finally bought a 2011 Clubman S in October 2011. Was initially a blast to zip around. Sure, theyre cheaply made. They start to squeak soon after purchase. The plastic covers randomly come off while driving. The tire maintenance is the worst. The controls are in the dumbest place, but I didnt realize how unsafe the Mini Cooper is, until I had an accident.Three months after purchase, I was rear ended by a hit and run driver (a full-sized truck). I was at a stoplight. The truck was going about 50 miles per hour when it crashed into me. My seat belt failed to restrain me and my forehead slammed into the steering wheel. My forehead muscle snapped and my forehead busted open. Blood was sheeting down my face. Sub-dermal and topical stitches were required. $21,000 later, the car was repaired at BMW-certified repair shop.While I question the brains behind the insurance companys decision to fix it, what bothered me more was BMWs response to my experience. Because the computer had no messages (was disconnected to repair car), they could only offer me $2,500 off the purchase of a new BMW or Mini. Like Id ever buy another of any of its vehicles. The only blessing in my story is that no one was in the car with me. Lets face it, its a tin can. The injuries passengers might have sustained is unknowable. In this case, I think thats a good thing. Let my mistake be your lesson and keep shopping. Good luck. Safe travels to you.

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

I bought my wife a Mini Cooper 2006 R50 in 2010. It already had 52k miles on it. It now has 120k on it. I do most of the work myself because its simple, but very time consuming. If I dont do this Id look at spending about 40k dollars (overall) at the dealership to fix everything that wouldve gone wrong with it. And I should point out that Houston where I live is extremely hot so the more heat the more prone to failure. I usually go to the dealer for an inspection every 10k miles. They tell me what the problems are (charge a fair bit) but its worth it to get their knowledge. I think I was around 400 dollars, but had them replace the oil & filter as well etc. Then I go fix it myself.To avoid costly repairs the engine oil needs to be checked and topped off if necessary every month (about 6 or 7 hundred miles! Not changed).. Topped off to the max. If the engine oil goes low thats when plastic chain tensioners start to get hot and fail/break off causing catastrophic failure. I dont go for the oil change every 3k garble. I have the dealership do it every 10k (when they inspect it).Lately Ive had a misfire on cylinder 4. It cost me 20 dollars for a compression tester and will tell you that it has low compression (could be something else). Note 400 dollars if you want Mini to do it. Youll also be able to figure out if its the top end or bottom with a drop of oil (Google it). In my case it was a burnt valve on the head. As stated before its very simple to do these repairs. Its just very time consuming. The head was put to a machine shop though. Machine shops are pretty cheap.Over the 70k miles Ive had suspension issues, radiator fan issues, thermostat issues. Oxygen sensor issues. Engine mount issues. And numerous others I cant think of. 400 dollars to change a crank shaft sensor O-ring is a little excessive especially if youre changing the pan gasket at the same time. But in all its not complicated. It just takes time and some elbow grease.I have to say though I was tempted to buy a 40 thousand dollar BMW, but after the last time I took the Mini in and the guy said Its pretty good shape for a vintage that was the clincher for me. Its clearly obvious BMW do not want to work on cars over 5 years old, that is why they are charging so much. They want you to buy a nice new car every 5 years. So look forward to either spending 40k in repairs or 40k on a new car. I remember when Mini was Mini. Cheap and cheerful and would save on gas! Now its just spend spend spend. And can we please stop making plastic manifolds and plastic thermostat housings!!!!!!!!! Geesh Ill pay the extra 1k dollars and wont complain either!!

Ive read a majority of the posts and see that most of the issues come from buying a used MINI. In my past experience of car buying, Ive never had much good luck with buying used European cars. I love them, but they are usually used for a reason. Because of this, I bought a brand new Cooper S in 2011. I picked out everything on the MINI USA website because I knew I intended to drive a lot of highway miles between GA, where I own my house, and NC, where Im currently stationed. True to my word, I have 125K after driving it off the lot brand new (with accompanying extended warranty) on Memorial Day of 2011. In that time Ive had three repairs--one major. Honestly, I have never loved driving a car so much. Just like drivers in big pickup trucks feel powerful because theyre the biggest thing out there, I feel powerful because Im the smallest, quickest and most maneuverable. I love to drive and this car is meant to drive. I love motoring! Despite that, I am currently awaiting tomorrows appointment for the diagnostics on what I believe will be another costly repair. I believe the turbo has gone kaput. I wish I could trade the car in but with the number of miles, I already know Ill be upside down. I am afraid I wont be a Motorer much longer and its really sad. MINI could have a lot more loyal customers if theyd focus on making their cars more reliable. I dont know too many people who have so much money they are willing to waste it on brand loyalty.

If I could give negative stars, I would. After owning this car barely 4 years, and JUST as the warranty expired, the engine pulley had to be replaced. Lights came on Battery Malfunction Engine Overheated- turn off car, do not drive, etc. Mini changed how they made this part in 2016 but have failed to recall it in this model. They only recalled the S Cooper. In spite of this part being a problem, they refuse to reimburse car owners for the very expensive repairs. Courtney from Mini USA called to give me her speech on this not being a known problem, even though they changed how they made it the next year. She also said it was too bad for me since I agreed to pay the service department for the repairs. I told her I was stranded at the grocery store when the lights came on and had to have it towed to the dealer. Was I supposed to walk to work? She said the warranty expired and I shouldve bought the extended warranty at purchase. I said the car shouldve lasted more than 4 years without an engine issue! Obviously, BMW USA AND MINI USA couldnt care less about standing behind their cars once they have your money. Your only recourse is to spend more money for when they break down. IF I CAN GET RID OF THIS LEMON, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MINI EVER!!!

I own a 2007 Mini Cooper S. Its had all regularly scheduled services done at dealers (Phyla, PA; West Chester, NY; and Darien, CT). Now the car has about 50,000 miles on it (December 2011). In June 2011, with about 38,000 miles, the engine started having rattling sounds during cold starts. I brought it to an authorized Mini dealer (West Chester) and they found nothing wrong. Two weeks later, the sounds got worse, and the dealer checked the Mini. They said the timing chain guide (plastic) had cracked in pieces and scattered though the engine and oil pan. The dealer replaced timing chain, timing chain tensioner (broke too!), and guide. Its been less than 6 months (December 2011), and the same sounds are coming back!There is obviously a timing chain mechanism design flaw (just Google Mini Cooper timing chain problems). Mini should correct this on all affected vehicles. Mini is responsible for their design mistake regarding a substandard timing chain box.

2009 MiniCooper JCW, silver and black. Love the car, but...The first clutch linkage had a problem at just over 9000 miles. It was making a noise when I engaged the clutch and accelerated. I took it in. The service dept. at my Mini dealer where I bought the car said the clutch had been abused and that the clutch had to be replaced. The service technician sent me a picture of the clutch linkage, saying the linkage had been glazed because the fluids inside the casing got so hot. I drive the car to and from work. I dont race it. Ive driven standard on Mazdas, Pontiacs and Audis. The least distance a clutch lasted with driving in my 20s (read: probably drove much harder then) was 30,000 miles. Today, the same issue started to happen to the replacement clutch. I have 20k miles on the car. Now, the service dealer will not do anything unless I guarantee to spend $2000 to check out the car. They say if they determine that the clutch wore out because of my abusive driving then I will owe them $3400 to replace it.I called BMW of North America. They connected me with a Mini representative who would do nothing without my commitment to spend the $2000 for a diagnostic. Amazing. These guys are putting clutches out there that fail in under 20K miles every time. Nice business, if you can get away with it.

Wow, where to begin. I purchased my 2005 Mini Cooper S convertible in July 2008... It only had 38,000 miles on it. Now it has 61,000 miles. I have had recurrent convertible top problems (going into the shop again tomorrow for another top failure issue); a broken glove box door (just fell apart); wiring issues; valve cover gasket, drive belt and tensioner; wheel bearings and many recurrent grinding sounds, squeaks and clunking sounds that the service folks can never seem to duplicate? Since purchase, I have spent more than $7000 in repairs... and certainly expecting another large invoice after tomorrows visit! I guess I should be thankful the transmission hasnt failed yet. Anyone want to buy a cute little lemon?

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!

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!

I have now owned 3 Mini Coopers. A 2004 Cooper 2dr hardtop with a 5 speed manual purchased in 2018 with 151k miles, a 2013 Cooper S 6 speed manual bought in 2016 with 21k miles, and a 2016 4dr hardtop Cooper S 6 speed manual purchased new. I have loved each of these cars! My 2016 I was in an accident with that totalled the car and the car kept me totally safe. I had no problems with this car, in fact I put 64k miles on it in under 2 yrs with no issues.The 2004 was intended to be a little junker until I bought something new after my accident with the 2016 Cooper S. This car has been so reliable and is so easy on gas and economical that I will keep it till it dies, and I have already put over 12k miles on it for a grand total of 164k! There are issues with the dimmer switch for high beam headlights beginning to wear out which makes the brights come on when I put on the blinker if Im not careful, and the parking brake no longer holds, and a previous owner dismantled part of the dashboard so I do not have the large speedometer, or a working gas gauge LOL! It had no exhaust system, only the manifold was left, and I put in a new exhaust pipe, muffler, and all of the components needed to mount it for about $800. But even with these quirks I love this car! No problems with transmission or engine.The 2013 was my sons car and I admit he has been hard on this little vehicle. Not keeping up with all scheduled maintenance and racing any other sporty vehicle out there he could find, however this vehicle has had no high ticket issues. It has always started without issues and has been a very reliable car. I will be trading this car for a 2017 Cooper S Clubman because I want the AWD and a little bigger car, and I miss the 4 doors. All in all I am faithful to the Cooper vehicles and have been very happy with all of them that I have owned. I am truly surprised and saddened by the bad reviews posted here and that made me want to share my experience with them.

Mini Cooper convertible S car is a very sturdy, fun ride. Mini has since updated their options which now includes a much more comfortable ride with a lot more options. Love the ease of the convertible top. The ride was a bit stiff for long distance motoring but has since been fixed to accommodate more comfort, electric seats, backup cameras, just to name a few. Such a sporty fun ride that I feel very safe in.

I bought a brand new 2006 Mini Cooper S convertible in April of 2006. I have brought the car several times to the dealer for maintenance and minor service while the car was under 36,000/3 years. I have complained three times before the 36,000 mile mark that the engine was loud from a knock/rattling I heard and each time, it was dismissed by the dealer as XYZ. Assuming they were the experts, I figured it was nothing. Well the knocking didnt get any better over time. The next time I brought the car to the dealer, it was two years later and the car had about 43000 miles on it. Keep in mind, I own two other cars, so driving this wasnt a priority. It was supposed to be my fun car. I hadnt returned to the dealer in two years because I thought the car was out of warranty and I can get oil changes cheaper locally. This time, when I went to the dealer, I brought this up again and told them specifically when the knocking occurs which they never asked when the knocking or loud engine sounds occurred. I gave them specifics and suddenly they were able to figure out what it was. Now that the car is out of warranty, its the dual fly-wheel that knocks and its $3,500 to repair. I was unhappy to hear about it because I brought it up when I bought the car but since I am not an auto mechanic, I didnt have the technical name of what it did. It also knocked the loudest when the car was cold. What pissed me off is that they acted like I was crazy. The worst part is they accidentally gave me a copy of a service bulletin from Mini corporate that addressed the dual fly-wheel problem from 2006 then revised in 2007 then again in 2009. The long and short of it, they knew about the problem and according to the service bulletin, it allowed for repairs at customer request. I called Mini corporate and told them my story. They said that they would help but didnt because the car hadnt been brought to the dealer in two years. In the end, nothing was done because the car was over four years old (although under the 50,000 miles limit). I did not know there was a drive train warranty of 4 years/50,000 miles. I assumed it was 3 years/36000 miles. This is the number one reason I didnt go back to the dealer. To add insult to injury, the dealer told me that if I had come before the car was four years old, they would have helped me, but I did, several times. Had I known how inferior Mini cars were, I would have opted for the extended warranty or another manufacturer. I have owned over ten cars and never had a problem like this. I do not have $3,500 sitting there waiting to fix a transmission on a new car, especially after paying over $30,000 for it. I asked the dealer to get me in touch with the regional person and Im still waiting three months later. I asked the dealer for something in writing stating that they are not covering it and still waiting on that. The sad thing is that, I have had better experiences with less expensive vehicles by other manufacturers like Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Chevrolet, GMC, and Mercury.I just wanted them to honor the service bulletin they knew existed. I just wanted my car fixed for a known defect.

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

Our countryman (standard) is fun and does good on gas. Very roomy. Im 64. So I know what Im talking about. We just dot back from a 650 mile round trip. Enjoyed the trip. Do it again. We would highly recommend the countryman. If you want a little fun in your life this is the car. My age is 68.

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

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.

My husband purchased a new 2009 Clubman from Irvine (CA) Mini, which has ~50k miles. He did not have any major problems with this one (previous Mini was traded in due to engine fan problem), until a few days after the New Year. We noticed transmission oil leak on the garage floor and driveway. He took it in for service. Upon inspection of the transmission, the service rep informed him that the transmission pan was broken/damaged and welded. They claimed that they do not have this type of welder. We were subsequently advised that the repair would not be covered under warranty. We informed the service rep that the car has never been in an accident and they were the only dealer (service) that have touched (worked) on our car since it was purchased from their dealership as a new car. My husband called the corporate office. We were told they will not cover repair - cost was more than $1,000.00. The other infuriating part is that they will not guarantee their repair! I just spoke with another (2011) Mini Cooper owner yesterday, who coincidentally purchased hers from the same dealer (Irvine). Her car also leaked transmission oil. The pan was noted to have been bent/damaged. It was repaired twice because it continued to leak after the first repair. She was lucky it was repaired under warranty.

I have a 2010 Mini Cooper S with 24k miles. I hardly drive the car and maintain the car well. All of a sudden I realize oil is leaking. I turn the car on ready to get it examined. The car is making a loud noise and starts to stall. I stop the car and get the car towed to the Mini Dealership. Six hundred dollars later and no real answer but it could be the cylinder, the timing bolt or the engine. Repair would run from six thousand to ten thousand dollars. After reading many blogs I see Mini Coopers are known for these problems and the car co. will not offer any discounts or take responsibility. I have a car which is not working and will be taking up space in my driveway.

I took my cooper in for a tire noise. I paid diagnostic fee of $120 to figure out that it was an almost flat tire. They refused to apply the diagnostic fee towards the installation of the new tire. Also, I was charged $70 to put in two light bulbs. Has anyone had this experience? I feel very ripped off.

Mini CVT transmissions - Another family member wrote on this forum about the Mini repairs that have been done on our 2004 Mini Cooper. Well, to top that off, the transmission died at 77,000 miles and they wanted $7K to fix. Great fun car, but reliability is the pits. Our other cars? A Saab 9-5 with over 154K and a Jag with 51K. All with less problems than this BMW Mini. I would not recommend anyone buy a 2004 used Mini at all. In fact, we traded our Mini in for a Honda. Yes, I know, its boring!

My 2005 cooper had been making a ticking noise for a while. I changed my front tires because one of my tires was wearing incorrectly and this didnt solve the issue. I decided to take the car the the Mini Dealer in our area and have them diagnose the problem. They found that the noise was coming from the transmission. Well, I was dumbfounded because my car is at 89K miles and a manual Transmission. So I thought how could my tranny be going out? I called 1-800-ask-mini and asked for assistance and help in regards to the transmission going out and I also needed a new passenger seat mat because my airbag warning light was on and this means the seat mat is messed up.Brent from Mini said he would call me back in a few days to investigate. The mini repair called me back to let me know that they would be able to offer me 15% off the price for the seat mat and they never referenced the transmission.A few days later, my car actually broke down. I have spent over 3K to replace my transmission. The mechanic showed me the core which has a nice little hole bored through the metal. The upper part of the transmission was blown out by what ever it was that was digging through the metal. Nonetheless... the transmission problem I had was truly a defect and I would like to know how I can get Mini to take some sort of ownership for the problem.

Mini Cooper S 2006 70k miles - transmission bumped, brought it to the dealer and they said the transmission needs to be REPLACED. I asked why cant they change the valve body instead of a $9000 transmission. Mini will not fix them but only replace them. The biggest scam ever and they are getting away with it. Now when I see a Mini, I laugh.

I was pressured into buying a car that I didnt need... purchased car because warranty was running out. I asked if I could extend... they lied, saying that I could not pay for an extension.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hi, I purchased a used 2010 Mini Cooper less than a year ago which I am still financing, Yesterday my wife was on her way home. The car started smoking from the vents and soon after the car locked down while I was driving and could not breathe. While driving on the left lane she was able to come to a stop and turn off the vehicle then the door open for me. With the door open she then turn back the car as other vehicles saw that the car was smoking. They let me merge to the right lane. A police officer in his car noticed that something was wrong and came to my aid. As he was asking her what is wrong, she tells police officer that the car is smoking and thats when the car lit up in flames as the horn was going off. The car and all of hers and my personal belongings got destroyed in a blazing fire that almost killed her. What should my next step be? I am out of car, my laptop, cell phone, sneakers, etc. A response is needed. Thanks.

I am the owner of a 2006 mini Cooper and my car has 65,000 miles in it and needs a new transmission as well as a water pump, struts, oil gasket and other things. The quote I received totalled nearly $14,000 for all repairs, which is approximately what the resale value of the car is at this time if it were in good condition. I was only asking for help with the transmission, since they are asking close to $10,000 to replace it altogether as it cannot be fixed. I have read up on many occurrences on the same nature of these cars manufactured between 2002-2006 and I was surprised when all they offered to me was either 20% off of a new transmission or $4,000 on a trade. I will be making my last payment in September and I was excited about the possibility of trading up for a newer model. Instead, I will own a car that is technically negative in value. I have two sisters and a best friend who each own mini Coopers because of my enthusiasm for the car. They know my story and are just as disappointed to hear that the dealership would not even meet their customers expectation but would rather lose a customer and possibly four. I guess it is out of their hands after they sell the car. In fact, I never even heard from the sales department again after the purchase not even a follow-up call. In summary, over the five years that I have owned this car, if I were to pay for the repairs it needs now, I would be the proud owner of a Mini Cooper S that has cost me a grand total of $55,000 (this includes the cost of the car and all repairs completed and still needed). Please help. Thank you.

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 :(

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

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

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

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

I loved driving my Mini Cooper, but could not take the chance of it breaking down out of warranty. I bought a 2008 Mini brand new. with the only mileage on it was my test drive mileage. I was back at the dealership within the first two weeks, because the windows would go up and down, of their own accord, and didnt always do so when I wanted them to. This problem took three tries to fix. It seems Mini likes you to return several times for each problem you encounter, before theyre willing to authorize the fix that will actually solve the problem. The gearshift was my next replacement. I took the car in numerous times, because the low tire pressure light came on every other day. That problem never was really fixed, and I owned the car for almost four years. I wont even go into what a pain the tires and their cost is, nor the fact that I had to rent a car for two days, because I had trouble getting the run flats for it. The check engine light would keep coming on, and I was continually told that I should just drive it that way, because they werent finding anything wrong with it. As it turns out, it was the engine after all. Mini finally had to replace the valves, head gasket, timing chain, 02 sensor, and whatever else went along with that (after telling me the light was on because my oil was low, so theyd do an early oil change on it). This was all before the 30,000 mile mark. About six weeks ago, the check engine light came on again. I got the same old story oil was low, well do an early oil change, and we think theres something wrong with some kind of air intake sensor, which is then replaced. Two weeks later, the check engine light came on, and when I took it in, I tell them its idling rough on start-up, and when I have my foot on the brake at stop lights, and its starting to make the same noise it did when they had to replace the valves. This time Im told, before they even put it on the machine, that theyd noticed one of the cylinders wasnt firing right, and theyd check that a little more closely (why cant they just fix things the first time? Over the last four years, Ive spent at least three weeks of my vacation time sitting in their waiting room, and theyve given me loaners four times in four years). So, they cleaned out the carbon buildup in the cylinder, and put on a new tensor/tensioner (beats me, I know little to nothing about cars, so I hope Im explaining things correctly) on the timing chain. I drove it home, and its still idling roughly. The car actually shakes when youre sitting with it idling. I finally decide that with only 200 miles left on the 50,000 warranty, I need to buy a car that will hopefully be much more reliable. I now own a Subaru, and I am truly hoping that the curse of my Mini is history. Its really unfortunate that the Mini has so many problems. It is the most fun car to drive ever! I did notice that after my last fix, I did not get the usual email inquiring about the service I received. I did, however, get a call shortly thereafter, asking me how the service was, and when I stated that I felt needed to get rid of the car, the comment was made from the salesperson that generally her customers trade their Mini in on a new one, after two or three years at the most. I wonder why that is. Apparently, this car is not made to drive for more than two or three years? Fortunately for me, except for time and aggravation, this car did not really cost me anything out of pocket. If your Mini is starting to have problems, even little ones, you might want to start thinking about getting rid of it soon.

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.

My Mini Cooper Spontaneous caught on fire. Before all this happened, I took the car in for service. I stated to the service advisor that the car was not driving right. I said Im sure that some services need to be looked at. My buddy ol pal popped the key into the card reader and said, Nope, nothing showed up. Youre good to go. I exited with a smile on my face, never thinking twice. It could be that my mind was playing car games.On Saturday, 8/27/11 (10:30 pm), the car was sitting in drive. I came home, parked the car and didnt hear or notice anything. On Sunday, 8/28/11 (4:00 pm), a police came knocking on the door. My car was on fire. The plantation fire department was in the process of putting out the fire. The cause was unknown. The fire department guy said, From the looks of this incident, whats seems to cause this was the electrical fuse. The flames were shooting 8 ft in the air. The car is totaled. Theres no engine. Theres nothing left besides some of the interior cabin.

I bought 2 Mini Coopers. I bought a red 2005 Mini Cooper automatic for the wife and a silver 2008 Mini Cooper S 5 Speed for myself. I dont know which one of the 2 was the worst, they both spent more time at the repair shop than on the road. For such a good looking car they turn out to be one of the worst cars on the road. Even my dads old Ford Pinto was a far better car than the Mini Cooper. Why do people keep buying them is beyond my expectations, we spent almost what we paid for them in repairs, when it wasnt one thing it was another overheating problems, brake problems, electrical problems, sunroof problems, but the worst was when we needed to get the oil change, we was charged $110. per car. We will never ever own another Mini Cooper again even if they were giving them away for free, my wife Mini Cooper only had 46k miles and it was always in the repair shop. Meanwhile we traded her 2001 Honda Civic with a little over 200k miles and in all the time she had it, all it ever needed was oil changes and a new timing belt. We were so scared to drive too far from our home because we didnt know if we make it back home that night. BMW Mini Cooper thats one in the books for you as one of your biggest failure.

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.

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

I have to start by saying that the Mini of Fairfield County in Stamford has been great about dealing with my 09 Clubman. I purchased this car as a post cancer treat to myself, trading in a 95 Mazda MX6 that had not given me a lick of trouble for the 14 years I owned it. It drives great, is a lot of fun, and hauls an awful lot of stuff! I do wish I got a turbo, but perhaps I would regret the tickets I would have invariably gotten. From the start, the sunroof stuck and would not open when parked in the sun. It went in several times. And now I just resign myself to pushing it up during the first hot spells of summer. One of the most frustrating problems was the car not starting. I push started the car the first time and dropped it off at the service department over the weekend. But it started when the mechanics showed for work on Monday. I talked to the service department. I stated that at times it would not start (no noise, nothing when the button was depressed). But since no warning indicators flashed, they were at a loss. Over the next year, the car was towed in 4 times for not starting. The first three times it was okay by the time they got to it. The final time, I picked up the car after a week of being in service. The very next day it failed to start. When I dropped the car off that day, I also left both sets of keys and told them I didnt want the car back. They actually found the faulty wire that time and it has started ever since (almost a year now). Now the problem is leaking. First, the water in the spare tire well, now under the passenger side mats and on the driver side, is causing a soggy seat belt. It has been in twice or more for leaking. I live in CT. It rains. Get over it. Occasionally, I go to the car wash, get over it. And, heres the kicker: I do park outside. This car needs to get over it!

I bought a used 2007 Mini Cooper in July 2010. At 69,000 miles, I was driving it home from work which is about 40 minutes from my home when it started losing power. At that time, the engine light came on and I just didnt have the time to get to the side of the road before the power completely went out. It was unable to restart and there was an earthquake type of rocking/knocking in the engine area. Upon having it towed away, there was dark oil on the pavement. The mechanic that I took it to was unable to diagnose the problem but stated that there was an oil leak that seemed to start from the gasket area. They quoted me $8,600 to repair and I owe $8,300 on it. I have never in my life had such a lemon of a car. Even in high school, my junky $200 car lasted longer than two years! There is no recovery per my insurance or through Mini of Louisville. They basically said I am SOL due to the warranty being over at 50K miles. It was nearing its next oil change but other than that, no warnings. There must be something illegal about a company that sells such an overpriced product that doesnt meet up to the standards of what the product should do.

I have Mini Cooper Clubman 2009. When I start the car the engine RPM is going up to 3, then going down and up weirdly, then it go back to the normal under 1, then the exhaust pipe is spitting out a black dirt when I started the car and the gas smell is everywhere. When tried to stop the car while driving, specially when the automatic transmission is going down from 2-speed to 1-speed. The car is going crazy like I cannot stop and the RPM is going up and down again. Please help me, thanks.

My 2010 Clubman S had an exhaust problem roughly 2 years after purchase (I bought it new). Specifically, carbon buildup in the exhaust system, which has to be sandblasted out using walnut shells. MINI covered it under the warranty, but only after I threatened to sue. I was told to use Shell gas and to drive the car harder, which I did. Now, at 57,000 miles the problem has reoccurred and extended warranty I purchased, which was the best available from MINI, wont cover it. The cost: $1000. This is clearly a design defect in the car and MINI should have recalled it. Id never recommend the car or the company to anyone.

Its ironic how I love my 2009 Mini Cooper but at the same time I have nothing but anger boiling inside of me. Problems are as follows: Valve gasket replaced twice, Engine rattling needing replacement of timing chain and tensioner, Need to put oil every 300 miles, Passenger window not working properly, and Engine sputters. It all started when I brought my Mini in for an oil change. I was told that I have an oil leak and that the valve cover gasket needs to be replace. Six months later, I brought it back for another oil change and I was told again that I need a valve gasket change. When I informed them that the gasket had just been replaced six months ago the reply was, Its probably a factory defect. I am the original owner of my Mini and it has less than 30,000 miles. My theory is that they dont know what theyre doing or they are sabotaging my vehicle to make money.

I have a 2009 Mini Cooper S with 58,000. I drive the car daily. Recently a oil drip started to appear in the garage. I take the Mini to dealership (they are the only ones I take this car too) and they tell me I need to replace the gasket for $1,800.00. I am also told - that this is a common issue and 1-3 are seen each month for the same work. I am told the cause of the gasket failure is the engine goes from cold to hot and then back to cold. I asked like normal drive - from the house to the office then back home 9 hours later - I was told yes. Upon further reading and investigation - the issue is not the gasket but the housing becomes warp over time - due to poor design - no bolts to attach the oil housing to the oil coolant - thus a heat warp is created and oil starts to leak out. So, even if I pay $1,800.00 for the gasket repair - the warped housing is not corrected and the oil leaking will start over again. If Mini is aware and so many are being seen each month - why not a recall and a corrective fix.

I have a 2003 Mini Cooper, with only 44,000 miles. I have everything original, and have had extensive service and care since it was new. It never had track time, or abuse, only 2 sets of tires and original brakes. The car is a lemon, and BMW Mini knows it. I have contacted them about the following problems, and their answer is this is normal operation, and the vehicle is out of warranty, sorry. The problems thus far, have cost nearly $18,000 in repair, and it’s still not working as it was designed. The following has happened: transmission failure/manual; 2 AC systems; 2 power steering systems; navigation system; radio failure; auto temp control failure; left high beam headlight stays on (I had to unplug it); internal lights and gauges are not working; and power steering leak. I am a disabled combat veteran, and would rather be back in war, than deal with this thing one more second. BMW Mini is junk. Never buy one.

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.

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

Purchased a 2006 Mini S last year with 67,000 miles. Have put another 1000 miles on it... until it stopped working. Last week I drove it around town to do several errands. Got in it to go home and turned the key, it cranked but wont turn over. Had it towed to a mechanic who three days later said come and get your car. We cant help you. Towed it to the nearest MINI dealer. Theyve had it for two weeks and cant their diagnostic equipment to work on it. Said they created a case file and asked for advice from a corporate engineer. Called yesterday and asked about progress. Still working on it. They asked if I had any ideas. Ah ha ha ha.... Really? Like the look of the car... am not trusting the BMW engine. How can they be proud of their product?

Had the winters tires exchanged for summer ones today and during the Mini inspection, the technician noted rusting and pitting on the brake discs. Recommended replacing at a cost $1300 (CDN). The car has only 16K kilometers on it. I had my previous Mini for 6 years and it did not require brake replacement during the time I owned it. The technician suggested the rust was the result of the car sitting for long periods of time, but my driving habits are identical to those when I had my first Mini. My concern is that this is something I have to look forward to, every year, like taxes.

As mentioned by thousands of other unsatisfied owners of Mini Cooper, I am also a victim of the dreaded CVT transmission. Had I known about the unreliability and short term of CVT transmission in ’06 (apparently BMW did), I would not have wasted my money on a Mini. Dont buy a Mini. My transmission just gave out without any warning. And now, I am left with nothing due to the expensive cost of the repair and not being able to afford it. I hope you burn in hell BMW. BMW has a class action lawsuit against them regarding the CVT issues but will not acknowledge or help. I am going to park the car in a parking lot until the suit is settled. Hope it will be soon.

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.

The problems with the Mini Cooper are two-fold: 1) the design of the car is atrocious. 2) the maker & the service are designed to financially abuse the purchaser. First, the design flaws: OK, this car was designed as a toy, not as a practical piece of transportation. But why did they make the dipstick impossible to read? Why did they go out of their way to make the clock a brain twister to reset the hours (which we do twice a year in America)? Why did they make it so that putting the windows up and down while driving is actually a painful distraction from driving? Other than that, the car is small but has terrible fuel efficiency. It is too small for road trips (unless you really, really like this car), too small for carrying much more than a few groceries, and too small for anyone with children. Yet it is not a luxury sports car, and it sure isnt an economy model. The ride is nauseating. There is such turbo-lag that it is dangerous to try to pull into fast-moving traffic because your car will wait a beat or two before lurching forward. NOW, the use of this car as an instrument of financial abuse: this car is designed to take your money away from you. My wife bought it to drive to the train station and yoga on weekends (not good for anything else, really). She bought it as a Certified used car from the Mini dealer. In a year and a half, she put on 900 miles. I took it in for an oil change - and they told me I had to replace the brake fluid ($150) as well as the micro-filter ($110). Another 18 months, another 1700 miles - and THIS TIME the dealer wants us to spend more than $3,700 to fix all the little things they say are rotting off the car everywhere they look. To review, with oil changes, that is more than $4,000 in maintenance to drive a Certified car 2600 miles over 3 years. Good thing / bad thing? BAD THING! Bad bad bad car!

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.

I have a 2013 Mini Cooper Convertible (47k miles) which already had following problems: busted Spark plugs, Ignition coil replacement, Engine Leak, Blower motor and blower motor resistor, trunk latch sensors, etc. and Customer Service. My biggest problem is one of the most pathetic customer service of Mini USA. I will make sure that none of my family members or friends ever buy mini. #**Mini They sell you car and then dont give a ** about it. All they ever do is we will document your complaint and we will handle it internally. WTF does that mean? If you dont have warranty on this dud, be ready to spend your hard earned $$.

Whatever you do in life do not I repeat do not purchase a Mini Cooper. What amazes me is that BMW continues to produce this pile of **. I guess as long as there’s consumers not willing to research like me why not! If you value your money spend it wisely on Honda -Toyota.

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!

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

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

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.

Advised by Mini, I need a new engine below 100,000 miles on a 2003 Coopers. Original clutch, all recommended and required service done by authorized Mini dealers. Owned since new. Experience is that MINI and BMW do not stand behind their product. Buyer beware!!!

My 2005 Mini Cooper convertible that’s purchased new has had and still has a myriad of serious problems. The dealer, Mini of North Scottsdale (Penske), never addressed these problems. These problems include: windows that do not completely close; windows that failed; CD player that does not eject the CD; and others. The warranty, as interpreted by this dealer, means nothing. Repairs are not made, even after multiple appointments. One telltale indication on the quality level of the Mini Cooper is that Consumer Reports lists this as a “too be avoided vehicle.”

I had to replace the crankshaft pulley assembly and serpentine belt at 51,909 miles. The age of the car at this time was roughly 5 years and 8 1/2 months.The headliner has started falling. This started at around 53,000 miles in January of 2011. The age of the car at this time was roughly 5 years and 10 months. This car has been garaged for most of its life. I have had cars for much longer than this and these type of problems do not seem normal for the mileage or age of the car.

I have had my Mini Cooper for only three years now. I bought the MINI COOPER - 2009 / CPO with 22k on it. LOVED the car and it was a nice ride which QUICKLY became a NIGHTMARE!!!! The first almost two years of ownership, it was just maintenance on the car which was fine but quickly became a PROBLEM.1. With key FOB issues the car would not start with the FOB, but on other occasions it would. After going to the dealer in Massachusetts several times and pushing the issue that it might be the FOB, the dealer decided to try keeping my car for a week and said they didnt see the issue the car was fine. Just painful!!!! Finally after several attempts and being stranded a few time, it was the FOB and I had to pay a deductible and got the new FOB car then was fine.2. Window malfunction, light came on during the dead of winter and then the car COMPLETELY shut down and wouldnt start. Again, back at the dealer for another few days and they decided it was a computer that caused the problem. Replaced the computer.3. Car started stalling for no reason, VERY rough idle.. Surprise, back at the dealer. Another week the car was in, they couldnt figure it out. First they said it was the battery REALLY!! It wasnt after a week they decided it was another computer and had to replace that.4. Again car is running rough and RPMs are dropping and the car is ready to stall then my mini started having the RPMs ramp up at a complete stop and no foot on the gas... Weird. So I got concerned and knowing that the mini means business, the car is back at the dealer for another week. Actually is still being worked on. So far they said I have timing chain tensioner is gone and INTERNAL VACUUM LEAK IN ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD NEEDS TO Be REPLACED so far.... OMG. I have never experienced a car like this in my life. Again I have owed the car for three years. Although the dealer is trying to fix the mini as the problems arise. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE for any CAR to have these issues so early in ownership and VERY disappointed.

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 loved my car (2009 Mini Clubman, purchased new) until it hit 52K miles. I always had my car serviced by Mini Service, at the required intervals. At 52K miles, it needs multiple repairs ($6K) that are more than the blue book value. Repairs include drive belt, water pump, front crank seal, transmission fluid leak, and thermostat. I reached out to Mini USA and they covered $780 cost of replacing the thermostat, but refused to cover any of the other costs. (My understanding is the life of these parts is short because the engine runs hot, is in a small space, and the heat from the engine is drying out and cracking the small parts.) Mini doesnt seem to be concerned that the car only lasted 52K miles.If you are going to buy a Mini, be aware that it has reliability issues, has a very short life, poor resale value and that Mini USA will not stand behind their product. And sell your Mini as soon as the 3-years of included maintenance (or extended maintenance, if purchased) ends so you dont end up stuck with a car that is worthless.

Do not buy a Mini Cooper! I have a 2006 Mini Cooper with 47,000 miles and the automatic transmission has gone out! I was told that you cannot buy parts; you have to replace the transmission at the cost of $7500! Shame on Mini Cooper for being aware of transmission problems and not standing behind their product!

In 5 years and less than 70,000 miles I had countless problems with my 2008 Mini Cooper. I had problems with the automatic drop on the windows 4 times at less than 5,000 miles. Around 20,000 miles I was at the airport and couldnt get my suitcase out of the trunk. Trunk had somehow locked itself and would not unlock. Had a really awesome time prying the back seat down and trying to get my luggage out! Car was at Mini for 3 days for that repair. At 36,000 miles I had radiator problems and the car was in the shop for 3 weeks. At 60,000 miles the water pump had to be replaced. It also chewed through brake pads and tires like nothing I have ever seen before.

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

2004 Mini Cooper Hardtop - The power steering pump failed at 90,000 miles, at road speed, causing a dangerous loss of all steering assist. A serious accident was narrowly averted only through brute force applied to steering. The Mini Cooper dealership claimed ignorance of any problems with the system and informed that any repairs would not be covered by any warranty.

I purchased a 2005 automatic Mini Cooper last year which had 70,000 miles on it. From the word go there where problems starting with tyres needing fixed and reverse parking sensors not working. Then I discovered a much bigger problem whenever I turned my engine on my mini was either revving far too high or far too low. My mechanic didnt know what was wrong and tried a number of things to fix this including replacing the oil (£300!). The problem kept coming back however and so I went to another mechanic who told me my solenoid valve was broken and it turns if you cannot buy solenoid valves separately for minis you have to buy a whole new gear box, roughly £5,000! Essentially deeming the car unfixable. Has anyone ever had this problem/ did anyone find a solution?

Mini Cooper S 2010 problems -- I got this car from my niece with only 17000 miles on it. Since then, my car has spent a lot of time on local dealership. I had to replace following things: Faulty High Pressure fuel pump, Torx Bolt, Pressure hose assembly, Turbo heat shield, stabilizer link, steering box, brake pads and sensors, vibration absorber, Timing chain tensioner leaking, aux water pump. They also serviced my car for carbon build up in the intake valve. Well this was done in last one year. Last week my car stopped at the freeway and I had to get it towed to Mini Dealer in Gaithersburg, MD. They told me that it has missed the timing which could be due to slipping timing belt or loose timing belt tensioner. I am waiting for this phone call and heavy bill they are going to tell me about. Since the car is just out of extended warranty with 27000 miles and little over 4 years, MINI will not cover the repairs.

1. Right and left engine mounts cracked at 55k. 2. New transmission at 55,123 miles. 3. Weather stripping rotting and replaced often. 4. Convertible roof replaced due to rotting weather stripping (twice). 5. Power steering hoses leaking and replaced. 6. Thermostat replaced. 7. Thermostat gasket replaced. 8. Oil pan leak and gasket leak. 9. Trans harmonic converter replaced.10. Bushings.... The most exciting part of this car is that indicator lights dont come on for some of these issues... I can tell you from experience that its very unsettling to have some of these issues arise when on the freeway or on busy city streets .P.S. I maintained this car accordingly my Mini advisor told me so... along with that he stated he just didnt understand why I was having so many problems.

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! ).

On 3/1/16 my 2009 Mini Cooper caught fire after I turned the engine off and walked away. It started smoking and the engine compartment was fully engulfed in flames in just minutes. My car only had approx 69,000 miles on it. The result was a total loss. I never received any recall notice about my car despite the fact that I took it in for maintenance numerous times. Ive read that other owners had engine fires back in 2012. The dealership did perform a turbo heat shield check on 10/28/13.On 5/ 13/11 I had to have the turbocharger and oil supply pipe replaced at a cost of $3212.38. I recently received a notice for a class action suit against BMW for timing belt issues and engine failures. Dont know if that is relevant to my fire issue. I have received a settlement from State Farm Insurance for the fire loss but I think Mini Cooper and BMW should be responsible for these issues. How many other Mini are on the road that may catch fire? I would just like to know where I should start with these companies. I would appreciate any advice. I have all my receipts and images of my car fire.

I bought a used 2007 mini October of last year. The week before my year anniversary the check engine light came on and a message about the catalytic converter came on and I couldnt drive over 25 mph. I pulled over and hoped that letting it cool would work. Waited a while and drove home about 10 miles VERY SLOWLY. I had to ship it back to the mini dealer that did the original engine repair (200 miles). The car in total had less than 48,000 miles and I got the great news I need to install ANOTHER engine because this isnt the first, but SECOND engine this car needed. Mini has had my car for 6.5 weeks now and they offer to give me $500 to help...... Thanks.Im devastated that I spent 16,000 on the car and now a year later I need to dump another 8,000 into it. I thought buying a German car would be great, but they dont stand behind their product at all. Im so disappointed that they feel $500 is a reasonable compensation for a car that will have its 3rd engine in under 50,000 miles. Im completely gobsmacked. All I can say is NEVER BUY A MINI!!!!!! IT WILL COST YOU WAY MORE DOWN THE LINE!!! Its so sad because I really did enjoy the car and I would have definitely had another one down the line, if this never happened. Buyers beware!

My 17 year daughter went to a local car lot, and fell in love with a 2004 Mini Cooper. She went to the bank on her own, and bought this car. Two weeks after having it, the oil pump went out. I say went out, I believe it had an issue when she bought it. Our bad is, we own an auto repair shop, but she didnt let her dad check it before she bought it. She left the parking lot and I noticed a puddle under her car. When she came back there was no oil on the stick. She called on the warranty (that the dealer had her purchase), but because she didnt tow the car 1/2 a mile back to the auto repair shop the warranty will not cover if the engine is knocking or locked up.After getting it in the shop her dad noticed the oil light had been disabled from the dash and an oil sending gauge had been installed. The car had oil in it when she left or there would not have been a puddle. We were able to fix the oil pump and all the gaskets and sealed that were leaking. It seems to have been running okay; with the exception of mysteriously losing 2 quarts of oil after a week. She drove it for 3 weeks, and had it towed off the side of the road. We have not diagnosed it yet, but it just died on her going down the road. It was not running hot; had gas in it, and plenty of oil. She was able to start it again and it just died. When my husband started it at the shop it shook the whole car, and is making an awful noise. Hes guessing a rod. So now she has $9000 in car payments, and may need a motor. Biggest piece of junk we have ever experienced. For the parts to be on the high end (expensive), they sure didnt design a high quality car here.

I bought a 09 Mini Clubman s and at 53k the turbo oil line started leaking. Fought with dealer to repair and dealer just played games. Mini America didnt seem interested in helping. This oil leak is a known problem and Mini should have recalled this. Now it failed completely and I had to pay to have it fixed. Mini knows its an issue by they put a cheap heat shield over oil fitting to stop the fitting from failing! But wont acknowledged this is faulty and dangerous. When it finally failed and started spraying oil all over! My brakes were soaked and couldnt stop fast enough! Not to mention the smoke that overwhelmed the cabin and windows. Anyone who has had this issue needs to make a complaint and get together to make Mini pay. Another issue is the carbon build up inside intake that makes your Mini have horrible acceleration before 3k rpm. You have to have it walnut blasted and buy a delete plug to stop the returning of emissions being put back into intake.

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.

At 43,000 miles the clutch went on my 2010 MINI Cooper S Clubman. Between towing costs & repairs, I anticipate a total bill around $4,500. The car is no longer under warranty and the dealer, although very understanding, expects full payment. An internet search indicates that clutch and transmission problems are a common problem with MINIs: particularly with the 2010 and 2013 models. My search results indicate that some clutch failures occur as early as 15,000 miles. I have always driven a standard; my last car had 139,000 and the original clutch. I know when/when not to/and how to use a clutch; I dont ride the clutch and I dont rip the car around, although all MINI TV commercials show the car being driven this way. MINI has had issues w/ the transmission also; in fact there is a class action suit against BMW North America that is pending settlement. I wonder if there is potential for a class action suit here since it seems to be a consistent problem, and I am sure MINI must be aware of it.

I am a super fans of MINI COOPER since I was a teenage girl. I always wanna have Mini as my first dream car. With decades of hard work in my career, my saving money got enough to lease it. When I got the car and sent it to insurance company, the inspection report showed me that it is a used car with over 9 thousand miles on it! On 7/11/17, a dealer name Enrique ** from Mini of Morristown, NJ said found a car to me, but he never ever mention it is an used car. This is such a trick because the sales just wanted to make money out of me and push me to sign without explaining and showing me everything. What a “great” service! A sales push customer to sign? NO ONE WANTS TO LEASE A LOANER OR USED CAR!The dealer Enrique ** told me the car is $32,000, but it is only $26,997. I have paid $3,000 down, $270.5 per monthly of 35 months by leasing. And a maintenance service fee $600 package (I called MINI Service it is only $399). Again, I want to lease a new car, not a second hand or loaner car. The main point is NO ONE mention it is a 9,662 miles loaner car or a pre-own car until I found out, this is such a fraudulent conduct.On 7/14/2017, I called the manager Omar **, he is not helping to get this case done, he yelled at me, speak so loudly, and didnt even say sorry to me. Just say: bring the car back, I give your money back. I took 2 days off, driving 2 hours from New York City to NJ, spend my time to deal with the dealer, and I am a client and big fan of MINI, I should not deserve they have this kind of attitude to me!All in all, I cannot believe that MINI Morristown Dealership is so rude and deceitful! I have my friend accompany with me, so that I have all the text messages can be used as evidences. It destroyed my dream of the first mini car I have. I need to have my right back! I need an apology and solution on this as soon as possible. If your company just try to let it go and fool me, then I will file complaint to NJ Consumer Affairs, BBB. Furthermore, I will report it on all the medias since I am working in the media and PR field for 5 years, I will use all of my connections to get my fight back! Even seriously, sue Mini of Morristown. I am NEVER THAN EVER DISAPPOINTED!!! Shame on Mini of Morristown!!!

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

Mini Roadside Assistance does not provide assistance, instead it provides terrible unprofessional customer service. On two occasions now, I have called in for assistance when broken down on the side of the road. The agent was not friendly or helpful. On both calls, I was on the line for 16-24 minutes and at the end of both calls I ended up calling AAA for help. AAA was able to provide me with roadside assistance after a 3-minute call and I was towed within 30 minutes. The customer service at AAA is kind, efficient and professional. The complete opposite of the service you receive from Mini Roadside Assistance. I strongly suggest they look into who they hire for these call desk positions.When you lease or purchase a Mini, one of the perks is Roadside Assistance, but when that assistance is provided by rude and incompetent people where is the perk? Instead Mini Roadside Assistance has been a huge waste of time that has left me stranded and angry in an already frustrating situation. Mini you should be disappointed and embarrassed by the service you provide!

I bought my Mini 2 years ago this month. A year ago, my car was stalling so I brought it to the dealer to see what was wrong. They told me it was the quality of the gas that was causing the problem. I had asked if it could be the transmission and I was told no, the Mini has a sealed transmission and thats not the case. Needless to say, a couple of weeks ago, I took it to the dealer once again with the same problem. $1,500 later, I was told it’s the ball joints and spark plugs that were ruined. I pick up my car and it’s far worse than what it was in the beginning. At this point, it was not drivable, so I returned the car to the dealer. I was then told it was my transmission and that I need to replace it and it would cost me $8,900. How ridiculous. I bought the car for $11,500, so how can a transmission cost more than half of my car? Im so disappointed at Mini. I thought when I bought the car that was doing a great investment but obviously not!