The Cons of Owning A Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper is extremely popular given the pure fun of driving one and the relatively low price. There are waiting lines in many parts of the country to buy one. Yes, even in this economy. That doesnt mean that the car doesnt have its negative issues.
Credibility is important when it comes to reviewing cars. I always find it annoying that someone who drives a car for a test run can opine like an expert regarding the vehicles. I am intimately familiar with the Mini Cooper. I own a 2008 "S" and drive it every day. I actually love my Mini, but there are some definite downsides that need to be discussed.
Run Flat Tires
The Mini Cooper uses run flat tires. As the name suggests, these tires will continue to perform even when they suffer a puncture for 50 miles or so until you can get to a tire shop. Some people hate the way they perform. I dont really mind the performance, but I do mind the cost. They are expensive.
This is a bigger issue than you might think because of the nature of the Mini Cooper. It drives like a go cart. I dare anyone to try to drive conservatively in this car. It is impossible. Youll be whipping around corners without even thinking about it. The car can handle it, but it does a number on the tires. You can expect to need new ones at 20,000 to 25,000 miles. The cost? Itll end up running you in the $1,000 range depending on the prices where you live.
Room
The Mini Cooper is a small car. It actually has a lot of cargo space because you can drop the back seats down. Packing the car with groceries or boxes is no problem. That being said, the Mini is not the car of choice when it comes to hauling stuff around. If you need to do so fairly regularly, this is not the car for you.
Dealers
BMW has released the Mini Cooper on a limited dealership basis. What does this mean? It means there is often only one dealer in an area that can work on your car. Since the dealer has to be the choice to maintain the warranty, this leaves you somewhat at their mercy. Ive not had any problems with the one deal in San Diego, but you should read up on opinions regarding the one in your area before you buy. Having no alternatives makes me nervous to this day.
The Mini Cooper has been noted to have other problems as well, particularly with the timing belt on certain models. Ive never personally experienced these, so I dont have any thing to report on them. I love my Mini, but that doesnt mean the car is perfect. As always, do you research and due diligence before deciding to buy one.
Dirk Gibson is with DCJ Auto Parts where you can get more Mini Cooper information and parts at low, low prices.