RE: Shed of the Week: Mini Cooper
Discussion
Great cars, we ran 52 plate that had been speced to the nines, chilli pack, CD player, auto air con, etc. Black on silver looked great.
Handled brilliantly, but always felt it needed more power. Would have considered a remap had a baby not come along and we chopped it in for Skoda Octavia.
The air con failed had it re-gased, and was still crap so system had a leak somewhere.
Handled brilliantly, but always felt it needed more power. Would have considered a remap had a baby not come along and we chopped it in for Skoda Octavia.
The air con failed had it re-gased, and was still crap so system had a leak somewhere.
Edited by WigWonder79 on Friday 23 September 09:32
We have an 04 Cooper we paid £2000 for in January with about 85k on the clock. Basic spec and I've had to do a few bits to it (replaced exhaust with one from a breakers, new front caliper and a few other maintenance bits) but overall, I absolutely love it. Cracking little car. Not at all fast in a straight line but puts a grin on my face whenever I drive it. We just wanted a cheap second car for the missus to bimble to work and back in which is only a few miles each way and in a sea of mundane, drab, boring little superminis, the Mini stood out. Build quality is top notch too. My only regret is not getting the Cooper S the garage had for a few hundred quid more!
These are great fun things to chuck around especially when like this one they come with the smaller 15 inch wheels, less grip = much more fun (and much better ride). Not that far off the feeling of an old school hot hatch just not quite quick enough.
A great little car for sub £1k.
These cars came with 5 speed gearboxes, early cars had problems with gearbox bearings, later 6 speed model cured this.
A great little car for sub £1k.
These cars came with 5 speed gearboxes, early cars had problems with gearbox bearings, later 6 speed model cured this.
My boss drives a '62 plate which I've had the experience of being a passenger in. Put simply, I don't get the appeal of them and for a 180k miler - "I wouldn't touch it with yours". Perhaps this is because I'm much more of a substance over form person. The '62 plate, 80k mile car rattles, creaks and suspension is funked.
I know it's a very different car to last week's 5 series but the relative value between the two is a no-brainer.
I know it's a very different car to last week's 5 series but the relative value between the two is a no-brainer.
We had a 52 plate Cooper on the same wheels. Drove very nicely, and despite its 100k miles it was still on the original gearbox with no odd noises.
No aircon on ours but it did have a big electric sunroof and cruise control. Put it on Gumtree for £1400 2 years ago and it sold within 15 minutes. One of those occasions when you wish you'd asked for more.
No aircon on ours but it did have a big electric sunroof and cruise control. Put it on Gumtree for £1400 2 years ago and it sold within 15 minutes. One of those occasions when you wish you'd asked for more.
I assisted buying this for my son to learn in....
A bit more than shed money, £1600.
2006, 117k miles, FSH. Pepper pack inc a/c (albeit non functioning at the moment - regas?)
Importantly it has the Getrag 5-speed rather than the Midlands 'box and is in good condition.
Not perfect but "better than average".
A bit more than shed money, £1600.
2006, 117k miles, FSH. Pepper pack inc a/c (albeit non functioning at the moment - regas?)
Importantly it has the Getrag 5-speed rather than the Midlands 'box and is in good condition.
Not perfect but "better than average".
My ex had one for a number of years from new, and it was both reliable and a hoot to punt about. I liked it so much that I now have a GP myself
Think I'd be inclined to search the back of the futon for some extra cash and break through the Shed's ceiling for an S though. Not seen a Hartge one for years, they were lovely
Think I'd be inclined to search the back of the futon for some extra cash and break through the Shed's ceiling for an S though. Not seen a Hartge one for years, they were lovely
irocfan said:
weirdly I quite like these - a few years ago I fancied a Cooper S but my friend (who owned one) put me off with his tales of fuel consumption (it wasn't so much that the mpgs were bad, rather that I could nearly get the same out of my Iroc Camaro - 4-pot sounds vs 8-pot? Hmmmm....)
I have never in my life heard of an Iroc getting the 33mpg I get in my 04 MCS (B road/village driving)!Probably a decent first car or runaround for not a lot of money, if it starts up, goes, doesnt make any untoward noises and has an MOT will be as good as any other aged hatchback at the money, it will just never have workign aircon, I got mine gassed as it had never been done, £40, so if its not been done at that price so they dont have to say needs a regas, its screwed.
Surprised at all the hate shown for these! Top shed for me (even though I wouldn't see them as "sheds").
I think that they're great looking little cars and properly fun to drive too with their road-holding and sharp turn in. The 110bhp isn't as bad as people are making out in terms of performance considered that this is a city supermini intended as a run about / second car, its sounds decent too. When compared to its peers this is still a thoroughly modern and enjoyable car. I doubt that a 15 yr old Polo or Fiesta would be as enjoyable a proposition. As this car's 180k+ miles attest, they're well built too.
We have an 05 Cooper and its been reliable and every trip is fun, I always look forward to driving it. Sure, the trim does rattle (seems weather dependent) and the boot is small, but still beats any of its options as stated above!
GranCab said:
Blimey ! Shed is up early this morning ... and no mention of Mrs Shed - has she moved out into a bedsit? Has she finally filed for divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty?
We need to know ...
Could it possibly be??We need to know ...
Is Shed really Brad, and Mrs Shed Angelina?
Everyone keeps lamenting the lack of performance yet the stats bear an uncanny resemblance to the original Golf Gti.
Mini Cooper 115 bhp. 0-60 9.2 Top speed 121 mph
Golf Gti 112 bhp 0-60 9.0. Top speed 111 mph
I'd say the performance is decent enough, given that in a lot of cases it will be a first car for a newly qualified driver.
GeordieInExile said:
That's a good looking car for 15 years old. Still a nice shape. Nice things to drive as well.
But at £1,000 I would expect this to be properly borked - £1,500 looks like the floor for an even half-decent one.
When I was looking, anything under £1500 was a mess, no history, unloved and as you describe most borked in some way.But at £1,000 I would expect this to be properly borked - £1,500 looks like the floor for an even half-decent one.
I ended up, upping the budget at little to correct those failings and get a car that was a good base from the start.
We dropped lucky with a guy who was keen to sell quickly....
Even with the car we bought it's had money spent on it, a full service, replacement drive shaft boot, new oil filter housing (the original seized preventing filter replacement).
It needs some addition bits sorting, a/c recharge, replacement high level brake light etc. Nothing major, but would prefer it to be fettled to a reasonable level.
V8DNW said:
No, no, no. Just no.
Most unreliable, poorly and cheaply constructed vehicle we've ever had.
How these are "premium" vehicles I have no idea.
Terrible ride quality.
And so slow - unless you absolutely rev the t*ts off it everywhere.
No redeeming features whatsoever.
agreed, the JCW GP was alright but the S felt slow as sMost unreliable, poorly and cheaply constructed vehicle we've ever had.
How these are "premium" vehicles I have no idea.
Terrible ride quality.
And so slow - unless you absolutely rev the t*ts off it everywhere.
No redeeming features whatsoever.
t, the ride is awful too and the latest ones feel so big and boring. A few of my mates had the mk1 MINI's early on in their life (the MINI's not my mates)
They ALL had expensive problems. Mostly gearbox related IIRC.
Also, they should have just made them 2 seaters. I sat in the back a couple of times. I've average height, about 5.9 - I thought I was going to die back there.
They ALL had expensive problems. Mostly gearbox related IIRC.
Also, they should have just made them 2 seaters. I sat in the back a couple of times. I've average height, about 5.9 - I thought I was going to die back there.
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