MINI hatchback (2006-2014) | owner reviews: MPG, Problems & Reliability

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Bought used with Mini TLC still active. Previous owner had ticked nearly all the boxes but sunroof, spare wheel and reversing sensors. Mpg no where near the 75mpg but guess all manufacturers exagerate. Diesel engine has great torque and feels faster than 9.7 seconds 0-60. Got to have the xeons and JCW kit otherwise just looks too normal now that Mini's are so common.

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No Red thumbs down

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No problems so far

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too new to have any issues only 2 weeks old

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Battery failed whrn only a few weeks old

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Good

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Very good, just had a Ł10 sensor break on me which caused a misfire, but thats all...

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No faults yet

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No Red thumbs down

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There have been a number of issues which are well known and common according to Mini forum websites, such as the bonnet catch cables stretching and the timing chain tensioner - of course, the main dealer wouldn't acknowledge this was a common fault! Also had an issue with oil build up within the turbo reservoir oil catch can, which meant dismantling the front suspension to access the problem

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Apart from an intermittent fault with the drivers window, the car is very reliable

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It has been one of the best cars that I have owned. Really reliable.

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Nothing major. Central locking on drivers side does not work. Air con issues. Only other items are consumables.

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Never a problem of any kind in 5 years

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The only time it didn't start is when I left the lights on over a weekend,butility it jump started no problem.

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I have had two non warranty items that needed fixing. A cambelt tensioner to cure noisy start up (I now believe this is a known fault) and a new ABS control unit.

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failed DAB aerial meant rear screen had to be replaced.

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A nice car to drive only used as a two seater andhold the road well.

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I love my mini cooper s, it's fast, solid, cool if a bit common and the handling puts a smile on my face every time i drive it.

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Great fun car that is cheap to run but expensive to buy.

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My car makes me smile every time i look at it, dealership has never let me down and provides world class customer service to me.

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Ideally suits my current driving

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Best performance car that you could buy for £10k

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Iconic name, great mover due to bmw manufacture. I love my mini!

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Absolutely love it. The internal screens are beautifully styled, always commented on positively by everyone who rides in it. Whilst the boot is lacking in space which does make taking a lot of bags, two friends and i all managed to fit in the car with snowboarding bag and luggage! The seats are very comfortable, but leg room is limited in the back where you can feel every bump in the road! Only major downside is the cost of the run flat tyres which i have within 1 year had to replace 5, very expensive. Overall would thoroughly recommend.

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Great to drive. Great performance. Proud to own. Only cost has been run flat tyres which are ridiculously expensive.

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Its great! I love the style, its my mini adventure car. It feels so funky yet so great to drive and it doesn't take up much space. A good buy!

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An absolute joy to drive with loads of smiles per mile. Performance and handling would be hard to beat.

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Sporty, fun, not good on petrol!

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No Red thumbs down

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Nice enough needs tracking again hence more expensive run flats.

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Good

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I love driving my mini its the best car i've ever had. This is not the most practical but it makes up for it in every other way.

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Very good small car for the two of us

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I absolutely love it. The ride quality can be a bit harsh at times, but the biggest gripe for me is the torque steering and the general way the steering follows cambers in the road. Apart from this, i feel it is pretty much perfect. The handling is sensational with great feedback from the helm and all the major controls have a lovely weight. It may not be as capable as some other hot hatches at covering ground on bumpy surfaces, but for fun factor, very few others can match it. The engine is brilliant, torquey, economical and makes a good noise most of the time! I find the interior/exterior styling great, with plenty of storage and generally a nice space to spend time. Build quality has generally been excellent, with only one or two creaks from the dash, but all other aspects of the car remain rock solid. Interior space is remarkably good given it's size, particularly in the front, although this is to the detriment of boot space which is menial; although dropping the seats is a cinch and more than makes up for the tiny boot (except when four people up with luggage!). Another major plus point for me is the fact that you can park the mini in the tightest spaces that most other cars have to pass up. Problems: As much as i love it, i can't deny i have had my fair share of problems. Whilst it has never let me down at the roadside etc. It did require engine work as the engine was misfiring, infrequently at first, and then it developed to point of becoming annoying. The garage diagnosed something to do with a timing chain tensioner. This was covered under warranty at 45k miles. Since then the 'diesel rattle' cold starts (typical for this engine) have pretty much been eradicated, although the car still misfires when under full load (ie with several people on board or climbing a steep hill in 6th gear etc.). I specified the hi-fi speaker system, which for the most part provides fantastic sound, but with certain songs, the tweeters give out horrible static irrespective of the volume. Annoying! This last complaint is trivial one, but it bothers me none the less! I find that engine torque is severely restricted in first gear. This is obviously done to protect the clutch and make the car more tractable, but first gear is really tall and the difference in 'grunt' between first and second is significant in my opinion. I would like to be able to 'disable' this! N summary, after 60k miles of mini adventures, i love it probably even more now than i did when i first got it. My biggest problem is what to replace it with when the time comes!

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Nippy little car but still not so economical than some other makes

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Great little car

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Brilliant, fun to drive, and easy to park. Would like a mini s but cost of fuel deters me.

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I feel the car is outstanding, it handles superbly and the only area i could wish for more is in the breaking department. It is a mini so to complain about the space in the back is daft, but even my dog thinks it is small. That said it is one of teh best car i have ever owned and now that i am thinking of a replacement i am struggling to think of options that will offer as much fun as teh mini does.

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Fantastic but small. cabin is spacious but it is at best a 2+2

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£600 to replace a complete headlight unit because of a wiring fault in the headlight which they would not fix.

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Good, but minor niggles. Would have expected bmw/mini to have sorted out during development.

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As one of the last of the first generation supercharged mini cooper s this car came with extra bhp and lsd. Apart from a few niggling faults in the first two years it has ran faultlessly. Even the economy has risen to a heady 34mpg after fitting a long life air filter. Front tyre wear is an issue along with the harsh ride that run-flats produce, overall a great b road rocket. And the whine from the supercharger when pushing on is great!

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Great car however many small things keep on going wrong and having to take it back to the dealer 4 times so far. Bonnet stripe replaced with an incorrect one now both completely different sizes.

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No Red thumbs down

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This is a review of my Mini Cooper S R56 1.6 turbo 2006. This car fair enough is nice looking sounds lovely and pops and bangs on sports mode. My experience from this car has been nothing and I mean nothing but a nightmare since day one!! I got the car on finance which did have previous owners. About 6-7 months after having the car trouble started, anyway my partner rebuilt the engine him self (nightmare of engines to work and rebuild on) issue after issue. And still the car is not fixed so now I officially pay finance on a car that I have not been able to drive in 9 months. I really wish I had read reviews on these cars I was told by a mini expert to stay away from the 2006-2008 models as they're money pits!! Really unhappy and annoyed isn't the word.

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Mostly reliable, but problematic DPF, as with most new diesels

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No faults reported - just general wear and tear - replaced the tyres and general consumables.

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No Red thumbs down

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No problems until time chain went! Have had break pads renewed

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No problems at all

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Never had any problems with reliability at all

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No engine issues or problems with anything on the vehicle

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Never broken down.

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No Red thumbs down

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never let me down

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No Red thumbs down

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A couple of problems fixed under warranty

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Yes Green thumbs up

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never had any problems

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Only had the one issue of a dash rattle and this was sorted by the dealer on the first visit

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No issues with any mini's I have owned.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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power steering pump and alternator failed both common

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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The car is grreat fun to drive and is surprisingly comfortable for long distances (to continent and back), even for tall driver (6ft plus). It is only really a two-seater and luggage space is limited, but enough for long weekends. Fuel economy is very good if driven gently, but can rapidly deteriorate if driven enthusiastically. Faults Pre-tensioner on timing chain failed at 34,000 miles On board computer failed during service and had to be re-programmed. Both fixed under warrenty, by dealer - cooper croydon who have been excellent.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Funky, a real gem of a motor

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Superb

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Yes Green thumbs up

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It does everything it is supposed to do.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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It's a mini, you either love them or hate them. I love mine.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Very dissapointed, air cons gone, door lock not working performance not all it's cracked up to be, the dreaded mini steering pump went and dumped us in a ditch. Back to land rover for us

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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It's fun to drive and very economical. Not much space in the back but fine for two. Great build quality.

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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The syling is brilliant but the car needs to be abit more reliable, some rattling noice from the back at the slightest bump in the road, i believe it has been a problem with all mini of the same age. Need to improve reliability, build quality and fuel efficiency.

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No Red thumbs down

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Good, but can't be pushed too hard, it's performance and handing are at the edge of the envelope already. some small niggles, indicators don't return to 0 very well, not a damage type fault but inherent fault. Ditto wiper control. Fidgety.

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Great

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Great car but unimpressed with the dealerships

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No Red thumbs down

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Excellent value

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Excellent

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Thermostat replaced as only fault The best car i ever had the heater defrosts the Front & windows in 5 minites from cold, First thing in the morning.no scaping off the ice. Normal tyres with ultraseal may be better than runflats.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Really good combination of performance, handling and economy

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Few niggles on car - will ask for them to be looked at on first service. Running costs very good - cheap tax, good economy, service contract. Biggest issue is poor radio sound quality and no intermittent wipe

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Still enjoyable but service from franchised dealer was not up to expectation.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Great sporty hatch with resonable economy, but lacks a little bit of leg space for back seat passengers.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Clatter from engine

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No Red thumbs down

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Great car. The cooper d is an stylish car that is fun to drive, has great handing and performance and still manages to save the planet by having a very low co2 output. The range does need a high performance diesel engine and i am very pleased to see that this has just been announced

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Yes Green thumbs up