MINI One D - any good?

[Lucie W]

I will be buying a new car at the end of the summer, in preparation for moving in Cornwall and doing long motorway drives. At the moment the two cars in contention are the Audi A3 TDi and a MINI. I would love a Cooper but the whole idea of getting a new car was to get a more economical one. However, I would be getting a Cooper for the looks of a MINI, whereas I would get the A3 for economy and comfort.

I stumbled across a One D (03/04/05ish)and I wasn't aware they did a diesel model that early on. Are they any good, they're not turbo'd are they? Would it equal the economy of an A3? Are they slow/ Good on motorways but rubbish around town?

Dilemma - please help!

[madbadger]

Doesn't sound right.

Vixta has an 07 Cooper D which was one of the first MiniDs about. I thought the One D was released after the Cooper?

FWIW the economy of the Coooper D is 50ish so comparable to an A3 TDi. Not sure how the One D compares.

[Lucie W]

There seem to a few about, for example -

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

The Cooper D is out of my budget, else that would be ideal.

[Accelebrate]

Petrol Cooper?

Mines the newer engine but it returns ~50mpg on the motorway, and I don't have to put up with driving a diesel the rest of the time.

[madbadger]

Lucie W said:

There seem to a few about, for example -

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

The Cooper D is out of my budget, else that would be ideal.

Fair enough. I was wrong.

[Lucie W]

Accelebrate said:

Petrol Cooper?

Mines the newer engine but it returns ~50mpg on the motorway, and I don't have to put up with driving a diesel the rest of the time.

Ideally...but Ive heard that the economy isn't very good. My friend has a 52 plate ONE and her economy isn't that great, no better than my 1.6 Civic really, and I expected a Cooper to be more juicy. Is the old engine a lot less economical or not?

[Accelebrate]

The 'old shape' Coopers are listed at...

Urban 31.4 mpg
Extra Urban 53.3 mpg
Combined 42.2 mpg

Not sure what they're like in reality. I would have thought potentially better than the petrol MINI One on the motorway, I've often found that smaller capacity petrol engines are at their least efficient when trying to maintain higher speeds.

[Waugh-terfall]

I wasn't aware that they did a diesel version of the pre-facelift R50 but apparently its got the same PSA/BMW 1.4 so maybe they did...

The enquiry is complete
The vehicle details for VN53 CDV are:

Date of Liability 01 04 2010
Date of First Registration 30 09 2003
Year of Manufacture 2003
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1364CC
CO2 Emissions 129g/Km
Fuel Type Heavy Oil
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Licence Due to Expire
Vehicle Colour BLUE
Vehicle Type Approval M1
This vehicle can be licensed at a DVLA Local Office without the V5C Registration Certificate
Vehicle Excise Duty Rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £66.00
12 Months Rate £120.00

[DrainTheSpuds]

Waugh-terfall said:

I wasn't aware that they did a diesel version of the pre-facelift R50 but apparently its got the same PSA/BMW 1.4 so maybe they did...

The MINI One D was introduced in June 2003, and uses a 1.4 litre chain-cam Toyota engine, also found in the Yaris and the facelifted Corolla. Unlike the 74bhp Yaris, the One D had a six-speed gearbox and 75 bhp.

The engine itself is a good one, nicely quiet and smooth, but the 0-60 time is 13.6 seconds. In September '05, it was given a power hike to 88 bhp, which reduced the 0-60 time by nearly two seconds.

It's also worth noting that unlike the other models, the One D did not get the external cosmetic changes introduced in July 2004.

[WEHGuy]

What's your budget? You might be able to get a decent powered diesel

[okgo]

Get the Audi. It will be st on long distance, as they are rattling uncomfortable things from that era.

[Lucie W]

I'm looking at about £5500 ish. A3 is the most realistic but for that money they are quite leggy.

[okgo]

How much Focus can you buy for that money?

[HereBeMonsters]

Long motorway journeys but you're considering a MINI and an A3?

Get the right tool for the job - something big and comfortable. A6 sort of size I would say, at least.

[okgo]

HereBeMonsters said:

Long motorway journeys but you're considering a MINI and an A3?

Get the right tool for the job - something big and comfortable. A6 sort of size I would say, at least.

a6 at least?????? they're huge, a 3 series sized car would be fine, as would a hatch.

[HereBeMonsters]

okgo said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Long motorway journeys but you're considering a MINI and an A3?

Get the right tool for the job - something big and comfortable. A6 sort of size I would say, at least.

a6 at least?????? they're huge, a 3 series sized car would be fine, as would a hatch.

The longer the wheelbase, the more comfortable the ride...

[V]

For £5500 you would only be looking at early high-mileage poor condition current shape A3 TDIs

Edited by V on Tuesday 6th April 12:29

[Lucie W]

okgo said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Long motorway journeys but you're considering a MINI and an A3?

Get the right tool for the job - something big and comfortable. A6 sort of size I would say, at least.

a6 at least?????? they're huge, a 3 series sized car would be fine, as would a hatch.

Why is an A3 not up to the job? I've heard they're very economical. An A6 would surely be much less economical?

I originally was looking at e46 320d's but the insurance is £800 more than on an A3 or a MINI.

And I know, Mini's aren't economical but I've just got an itch for one. Probably go with an A3 though. As for a Focus, I don't think it is much of a step up from my Puma, I want something that looks good as well (call me vain, well I probably am, female and 21).

[V]

Why not look at Golfs or Leons? Same car underneath as the A3 with the same engines, will drive indeticaly. May not have the four-rings but you get more for your money.

[Lucie W]

V said:

Why not look at Golfs or Leons? Same car underneath as the A3 with the same engines, will drive indeticaly. May not have the four-rings but you get more for your money.

I may well end up looking at a Golf, but I guess I just wanted something different to the norm. Around here the norm is a Golf or a KA or a Corsa. I guess you can't have something different, something economical and something good looking all at the same time for my budget. Hmm.