Mini Cooper S (R56) | PH Fleet
Springing back into life with some new suspension
We’ll start with the good stuff. Even though the bad stuff is what we all love to read. With MOT advisories for corroded springs and a ride that felt pretty harsh even given my expectation of a 2011 Mini, I had all four replaced at my local garage. Perhaps unnecessary right now (and £600 it would definitely be nice to still have), but there has been an improvement. Or I’m telling myself there has been, OYJ less prone to crash through every imperfection and more settled down a road. Of course, the big step up would surely be some fresh dampers, but that seems a bit much for the moment.
And anyway, on some roads near me that have recently been resurfaced, the Mini feels fantastic: sharp as a tack, fast, great to listen to plenty grippy enough as well. You’ll know when the traction control cut in - these systems really have moved on lightyears in the past decade or so - yet it’s always later than expected. Front tyres will be on the shopping list soon, as there’s a bit of a mismatch between locked down rear and a front with not quite so much purchase. A younger me would have just swapped the wheels around. But two axles with really decent rubber seems a more sensible option.
Final bit of good news before we get to the juicy stuff. The Anker Soundsync Bluetooth Receiver recommended last time around works a treat for playing podcasts and similar, making long journeys much more palatable. Setup is a cinch, too. For £25, it’s highly recommended for those cars that only have an aux socket.
And the bad stuff? Well, I’m getting used to warning lights, put it that way. Just like a proper old British classic. First was the engine one, which is always a good kick off. When the Mini was left overnight somewhere that wasn’t home, it would start in a limp mode with an amber dash warning, struggling along like it had 50hp. On both occasions, however, turning the car off and on again has resolved it, with seemingly no aftereffects. I’ve also been told the brake light isn’t working when it is, although the tyre pressure bong did pipe up at the right time. And at least I’ve learnt a lot about clearing them over the past few weeks. Mercifully, the dash is clear the moment - let’s hope it stays that way.
Broken air-con probably needs attention first. Obviously, it first started playing up in the hottest weather; with other cars around recently and my partner between jobs, the Mini hasn’t been used as much and I didn’t think much of the problem. But keeping cool is pretty essential, and it needs to be sorted. Hopefully it’s just a regas - time to share your Mini A/C horror stories now…
I don’t think these niggles and gremlins are the end of the world, because it rather comes with the territory of buying an older car. For the majority of the time, my little Cooper S functions exactly as it should and I enjoy it a great deal. I won’t say the faults add to its character, but they don’t detract from its appeal, either. Sadly my partner Alice is already a bit fed up of it, keen to get something newer, cushier and with an automatic to make her commute easier. And she would put some of the money up. And Clio 200 EDCs weren’t that bad, were they?
Only kidding, the Mini stays for now. I don’t think it’s a pup (famous last words and that), I think it just needs a couple of bits sorting to be back near its best. Like so many cars of this age. Speaking of which, by the time you read this the Mini will be going in for a clutch change - yikes. The bite had been getting really high, it was occasionally whiffy, and I’m sure the shift wasn’t quite as positive. It’s a big old job, so it would be daft to move on after this. I wasn’t comfortable selling it thinking work needed doing, and I’m not sure there’s any guarantee of buying something slightly newer and slightly lower mileage is any additional guarantee - assuming something could be found, that is. An expensive month ahead, then - had to happen at some point. Good job I like the car, so hopefully there’s more fun to report next time. Then the MOT…
FACT SHEET
Car: 2011 Mini Cooper S
Run by: Matt Bird
On fleet since: February 2023
Bought for: £6,400
Mileage: 73,586
Last month at a glance: The reality of fairly old, sort of cheap car hits home
Previous reports
Matt wanted an RX-8 - he ended up with a Mini
Honeymoon period commences…
It's not that old, for me that's a relatively new expensive car, wear and tear, springs and shocks I accept, the rest are just annoying.
Admittedly my car is newer, 2014, but only just, and it was cheaper because it isn't a performance variant, but so far, 18 months, no electrical niggles or other faults. So I wouldn't necessarily be accepting of those niggles and would definitely want to get to the bottom of them so as to prevent them happening repeatedly.
It's a great looking car though, like the previous gen car, it looks the right size, later models look too big to me. I think I'd prefer the previous gen though, the supercharger sounds awesome.
Look how many Citroen DS3s and Pug 206 GTis of the same era are left on the road - virtually bugger all because of that engine which sent them to an early grave. The MINI badge has kept many of these going thankfully.
It's nowt to do with how hot or cold the engine is, mine did it in last summer's heatwave and in the winter as well.
Don't try to put fuel system cleaner in the tank, the lubricants in it will make the problem worse!
P0087 is the usual fault code.
There's a chap on Ebay - 789mikea - who refubs the HPFP on an exchange basis, or he'll send you a refurbed one with a deposit repayable to you when he gets your old one; much cheaper than a new one. Seemed like a safer bet than the Chinese made aftermarket ones, and solved the problem on my car. Changing the HPFP is a relatively simple job, an hour's labour.
My aircon (also a 61 plate car) also stopped working earlier this year- pressure test was fine, just needed a regas.
The clutch on my one needed replacing at 70k miles, so that sounds about right!
Mate of mine has a Clubman S (N14 engine) and it’s been a pain in the arse; he’s had to sort the timing chain, HPFP and a very very cracked and leaky rocker cover. When it’s working, it’s a fun wee car.
The A/C is probably the condenser. They seem to be a common issue on all cars to be fair.
But it was made of chocolate.
I had the tensioners done just to be safe as it was low mileage and had sat for a long time. But other things just kept coming, always a bill here and a failure there, oddly it was the failure of the heated seat (we see a few of these sir) that sealed its fate. I just thought that any car where even the heated seat couldn't be wired right had to go. Oh and the HEVAC was on its last legs - I mean this was still a young car - 'oh sir that's not uncommon and a dashboard out job'
I loved it and if it hadn't been for the fear of some implosion I would still have it, crikey the front offside suspension collapsed (yes offside)??
I did discover a way to gauge reliability, ask a warranty company for a quote - the JCW was incredibly expensive to get cover for. I miss it but I danced a jig as a left it with we buy any car.
I'd much rather have a BMW Mini than a BL one!
That is a fairly low bar.
I think it's fair to say that middle aged BMW are far from unknown for their:
Dash like a christmas tree / bongs of death
Timing chain issues
HPFP issues
Injector issues
Oil leaks
Coolant leaks
All available in abudnance in an R56 Mini too, as I've discovered in the half dozen I've owned and the dozens I've looked at.
I think it's compounded quite badly in Minis because they're quite likely to be owned by people who utterly neglect routine checks and servicing; I've seen more visibly worn cam lobes on Minis than on anything else made after about 1995.
It's nowt to do with how hot or cold the engine is, mine did it in last summer's heatwave and in the winter as well.
Don't try to put fuel system cleaner in the tank, the lubricants in it will make the problem worse!
P0087 is the usual fault code.
There's a chap on Ebay - 789mikea - who refubs the HPFP on an exchange basis, or he'll send you a refurbed one with a deposit repayable to you when he gets your old one; much cheaper than a new one. Seemed like a safer bet than the Chinese made aftermarket ones, and solved the problem on my car. Changing the HPFP is a relatively simple job, an hour's labour.
My aircon (also a 61 plate car) also stopped working earlier this year- pressure test was fine, just needed a regas.
The clutch on my one needed replacing at 70k miles, so that sounds about right!
I used the eBay chap and the replacement showed up nice and quickly. Not too much of a pain to remove, the electrical connector is the fiddliest part.
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