Quote:
Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy
I’ve had a 2002 S and a 2005 base, both bought used. Very fun, practical little go karts. Horribly made, everything is cheap snap together plastic, maintenance access is awful, and they are not very reliable. I absolutely despised working on mine because it was almost guaranteed that you would break something just trying to get to the part that needed repaired. Interiors were creaky rattle traps and did not wear well. Parts are BMW expensive too.
I would look GTI, Focus or Fiesta ST, Mazdaspeed3, WRX, Audi A3 before another Mini. I had a Focus ST that was a great little car, well made and dead reliable, lots of fun to drive.
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I had a hankerin' for another small car (have had a few and love them) back in '12 - '13...wanted a Mini thinking the I could pretend it was a Cooper - a car I missed out on.
I went on the Mini forums and I just couldn't find a year that didn't have issues. Quite disappointed, I was.
I bought a new '13 Fiat Abarth 5 spd...dead reliable and not one issue since. If the multi-speed auto was offered at the time I would have chosen that.
Corners like a snake down a rat hole and brakes that will suck your brains out through your forehead.
In "Sport" mode (alarmingly quick), 26 - 30 mpg city, 36 - 38 mpg hwy.
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Good luck in your search.
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