RE: Shed of the Week: Mini Cooper

[s m]

IanCress said:

I never had any issues with the performance of our Cooper, it was more than quick enough to keep up with traffic in the outside lane.
Anyway, the Cooper S exists. You don't buy the middle of the range model then complain it's not as quick as the top of the range version.

Agreed - never found them that slow

[MadDog1962]

A fun little runabout but with a galactic mileage. I've recently seen similar with less than two thirds the milesage for only another £250. I confess I've never driven one, but I have never been a fan of the package as a whole. There have been a lot of better sheds this year. 5 out of 10 must try harder.

[swisstoni]

Do they rust? Can live with most issues but rust get on my wick.

[emicen]

Mr Tidy said:

Great cars!

OH bought an R53 Mini One in 2003, got invited to the R56 launch in 2006 and ordered a Cooper on the day!

Shed needs to check history a bit more carefully - Coopers never got forced induction until the latest 3 cylinder model. R53 and R56 Cooper S had a supercharger but I think the current Coopers and Cooper Ss have a turbo.

Plus the R53 Cooper only ever had a 5 speed gearbox (which is a BIG potential problem) - the 06 plate R53 Cooper I found last year for my sister is a 5-speed.

But they do drive really well, and despite mega-miles the one featured must be more fun than any Fiesta/Corsa/etc. (while it works)!

R53 is Cooper S, R50 is One or Cooper

R56 Cooper S is turbo'd, not supercharged

R53 Cooper S only ever had a Getrag 6 speed in manual form, 5 speed Midland and Getrag boxes have their merits and demerits, namely the syncros on the Midland and input shaft bearings & diff bolts on the Getrag. Midland are easier to fix but also more likely to need it.

[V8A*ndy]

swisstoni said:

Do they rust? Can live with most issues but rust get on my wick.

Can get rather tatty underneath apparently.

The Wife's 2006 R53 had been waxoyled and it's rust free everywhere else as well. So no complaints here.

The exhausts don't last long though but it now has a Miltek.

The Wife is moving jobs with a hefty commute and she is struggling to find a car to replace the Mini with. She wants to sell it on with the low mileage and doesn't want the fuel bills but she can't face parting with it.

It's such a great fun car.

[emicen]

swisstoni said:

Do they rust? Can live with most issues but rust get on my wick.

Interestingly, facelift rust a lot worse than pre-facelift. If it's a facelift that's lived by the sea, avoid big time. There's ~10kg BIW weight difference between pre and post facelift, appears thinner or lesser quality steel in the later models accounts for the weight loss.

All have a bit of a weakness around the boot handle but as long as it hasn't been painted previously BMW will still usually sort it or help sort it.

[kev b]

Every one of these I have encountered has been hiding at least one expensive problem.

Gearbox, pas pump, clutch, head gasket, timing chain tensioner, heater controls, air con, worn/misaligned suspension, all PITA jobs.

Combined with the usual age related faults that can appear on any older car but seem to be more awkward and expensive to fix than most, I would avoid any MINI.

[Leptons]

I picked a MK1 convertible cooper up for a bargain price a couple of months back. Needed drivers window mechanism and central locking actuator. I don't get where the "cooper is slow" brigade are coming from either. Perhaps yours were broken? They go well enough for what they are and are an absolute hoot to fling about. On a sunny day with the front half of the roof open (can only get away with the full roof down when the OH or little one are with me due to compromising manliness) it can't help but put a smile on my face!

[shininghero]

I owned a standard Auto Cooper from new (£15500) for 11 years before I got rid (£2300). They are fun and OK in terms of reliability and it never broke down....but I had to do many preventative maintenance including:

- replaced exhaust twice
- new rad
- rear box hanger rubber perishes easily so the rear box knocks about
- abs sensor replaced twice
- DSC cable needed replacing
- central locking failed on one side (needed new £90 door latch)
- PAS cooling fan failed
- crankshaft pulley misaligned so squeeking belt

All the jobs were fairly easy to do at home and the parts are quite reasonable so definitely recommend shedding, especially the S as a second/third car

[jay-kay-em]

Hateful things; even though its the best shape of all the BMW-MINI generations to date. The mk1 had some interesting homages - the flashing lamp in the wiper stalk, the chrome toggle switches, the coke-can tailpipe. In 2016 all this has gone. That, and ballooned in size. Shame really.

Ex girlfriend had a 2006 Cooper. Not quick, not economical and not reliable. I have heard LDVs with quieter layshafts. Despite being a straight car from the main dealer, the gearstick selector seized, rear wiper packed up, high level stop lamp went crazy, power steering pipes leaked, clutch juddered, mystery SRS lamp illumination, headlamp level motors went wonky and a power steering motor you could hear from 2 streets away. Parts are expensive too.

I just remember the torque curve being so boringly flat with an engine note and resonance not appealing. Through the bends it was fun, but the engine didn't inspire.

ARONLINE has some good write-ups on its development.

[battered]

shininghero said:

I owned a standard Auto Cooper from new (£15500) for 11 years before I got rid (£2300). They are fun and OK in terms of reliability and it never broke down....but I had to do many preventative maintenance including:

- replaced exhaust twice
- new rad
- rear box hanger rubber perishes easily so the rear box knocks about
- abs sensor replaced twice
- DSC cable needed replacing
- central locking failed on one side (needed new £90 door latch)
- PAS cooling fan failed
- crankshaft pulley misaligned so squeeking belt

All the jobs were fairly easy to do at home and the parts are quite reasonable so definitely recommend shedding, especially the S as a second/third car

That;s an impressively short list of things that packed up in 11 years, assuming you do normal levels of miles.

[Cpt Flashhard]

Gutless, fragile cack. Ran a '55 plate Cooper S for about 6 months when it was 3 years old and had about 30k on the clock. Rattled worse than Renton in Trainspotting. Pal had a Cooper that sounded and went like a sewing machine. There was no point revving it because the noise just got worse. For what were expensive cars when new they felt unbelievably cheap and nasty inside-the trim gaps were laughable! The only thing you had to look forward to was being patronised / exploited at the BMW dealer dependent on whether you had any oil services left in your "TLC" servicing package....

[ArmaghMan]

Lots and lots of people on the thread telling tales of woe about 2/3 year old MINI's which rattled, or were gutless, etc. etc.
Rattles are the soundtrack to the dedicated shedders life. We are suspicious when things get too quiet!
Bought my daughter a 02 MINI one as her first car. Yes the power steering pump whines like an AMG Kompressor, the electric central locking doesn't work on the drivers door, the left front brake squeaks like a bag full of mice from time to time but, compared to a lot of the dross that we looked at when buying it, is a solid, comparatively well made little thing.
As a final point anyone talking about " main dealer prices" on the shed thread isn't really playing the game. Either you can handle a set of spanners or you have a friendly mechanic who always knows where to find a good second hand thingamabob or whatyamecallit for a packet of salt and vinegar and a KitKat.

[ES335]

My Sister In Law has one which she has thoroughly abused and its been relatively reliable. I've always found it a fun handling little thing and not as slow as most people have commented here. The engine is an absolute nail from a refinement point of view though.

[Cpt Flashhard]

I suppose the point is this: if they rattled and squeaked like hell at 2/3 years old, then another 10 plus 150k miles is unlikely to have improved things. Equally it tends to suggest they were not especially well made in the first place, and are likely to cost the genuine shedman a packet. Main dealer prices are irrelevant to shed but a handy guide to how pricey parts are should they go wrong