My
2001 MINI Cooper - A long term test
 "Charlie 2" arrived on the 8th November 2001
and left my ownership in September 2004. What do I think after
driving my MINI Cooper for nearly 3
years and 30,000 miles?
The first 6 months
Amazing! Everyone gawps at the car as if its a UFO.
Kids wave and stretch out of their seats to look. Grown men and women come
over at petrol stations to chat about it and ask about it and to me - its just
the best car I've ever driven. Solid, comfortable, gadget-city (for me)
and fast enough.
The whole experience
Driving another ordinary car for a day and then
returning to my MINI makes
me appreciate just how good the MINI really is!
Overall - superb! Very sharp steering, very
little roll, very easy to go faster around a corner than you would in a
'normal' car, the car has more grip than you'd expect from the standard
15". 175 tyres making you realise that grip is certainly not just down to
tyre width. The ride is very hard, but this, and the extra-sharp
handling is largely down to the Sports Suspension Plus (SSP+) that I specified
as an optional extra. This is the stiffened suspension featured
on the Cooper S.
It does "something" when you push it very hard into a
corner that I've never experienced before - I think its down the Z-axle - you
can adjust it with the throttle while it goes around semi-sideways - not
under steering like a front drive car at all. Gives amazing confidence
even when you overdo it.
Update - April 2004 - Switched to 16" run flat
wheels/tyres. Much firmer ride, much better grip, not really any more
fun, but definitely looks better!
-
Performance, economy & Brakes
The engine loosened up
from about 5,000 miles onwards and seemed much smoother and more
eager to rev at 30,000 miles than it did at new. Its very easy to wheel spin without meaning to (I did not specify
traction control) until you get used to the 'drive by wire'
throttle pedal . The fuel economy is okay if you drive gently - for
instance I did a 420 mile trip (on one 50 litre tank) which the trip computer
told me was 41mpg - not bad, although I did contain myself to cruise speeds in
the low 70s. Fuel gauge is accurate and range
function of the trip computer is very useful. Economy around town is
poor if you're using the power.
The brakes are AWESOME. Truly amazing. The first time you drive
this car you will be in danger of going through the windscreen. Very,
very good. Update - they softened up after about 18
months with less bite but still strong.
After about a year I fitted a John Cooper works
induction kit which made the engine sound much more sporty - should be
standard equipment! HIGHLY recommended.
This is a very comfortable little car if you decide to drive sedately with
passengers. Quiet, smooth and the front seats are exceptionally
comfortable and fully adjustable - including height adjustment on both
seats.
I've never had a car with so many toys to play with! Not only that,
but I'm STILL discovering nice wee touches that give you a pleasant surprise.
For instance, the superb CD player and both the wipers are linked with the
speed of the car and vary their volume/speed accordingly - very clever
- and the dash lights fade up and down, as do all the interior lights.
Rear seat room, is rather similar to that of the old Metro or Mini - you
need to make sure the front seats are about halfway forwards and then its fine
and everyone is comfortable. The front seats go a LONG way back, enough
to accommodate a 6'8" driver apparently (!) - and can actually touch the
back seat.
Build quality is exceptional. The car feels very, very solid.
-
Faults & minor complaints:
June 04 - My car has had far too many problems,
despite me waiting for over 6 months of production before ordering.
Dealers have on occasion been excellent, but more often than not fall way
below par. I still love the car though!
Complete Breakdown!I was happily driving along the motorway on a cold, sunny Saturday
afternoon a few months after I got the car when
at about 60mph, just doing a gentle cruise and listening to my
CD when I realised that the rev counter was showing 0rpm (!) and all
sorts of warning lights came on! The engine had simply turned
itself off! I managed to get across 2 lanes of heavy traffic and
onto the hard shoulder - scary stuff! Car was recovered by MINI
RESCUE who also got me a rental car immediately which I held onto for a
week even though the car only took 3 days to fix because I was away on
business. Fault was traced to the crankshaft sensor which was
replaced - all seems well since. Update: this
happened again a number of times in June 04 and was traced to a faulty
wiring harness - replaced - and a replacement throttle body too. Air Conditioning & Heating
Failed in July 03 on the hottest day since I got the
car - typical! Identified the fault (a split pipe) and called dealer
to book in with full description of fault. Despite this they did not
have the parts available when, 3 days later, I arrived for the repair.
Another day wasted. Then on its second visit for this fault, over a
week after it went wrong, they discovered another fault - the condenser -
the radiator type thing at the front of the engine bay - had a whole in
it! How could this have happened? Amazing coincidence...
they generously did it for me under warranty... ever since this
repair it has 'grumbled' when on.
Separately in the same month, the heater mechanism fell
apart. This was the bit that the heater knob makes move, near the
drivers left knee. It just fell off. Looking closely at it, I
was hardly surprised... 'Product
Enhancements'
You'd probably call them recalls... They've all been
done, 5 or 6 of them I think... Seats
The design of the seat folding mechanism as fitted
to my car when new is clever, and if you know
how it works, quick and easy to use. If you don't know how it
works, however, it is a COMPLETE disaster and can end up with dangerous
situations - such as folded seats while driving when all you meant to do
was recline it slightly. Also, my drivers seat has started making a loud squeaking
noise.
Oct 02 update - squeaky seats still an issue -
but currently no squeaks thanks to Henry Bros greasing them/cleaning the
mechanisms...
Jan 03 update -
Seat levers replaced so that seats are same as in latest models - a new
fool-proof handle for folding the seats... it doesn't look as good
though, and doesn't let the driver fold the passenger seat which is a
shame... oh well can't have everything
Jul 03 update - squeaky drivers seat came back
and was repaired again (2 shots required)
Jul 04 update - no squeaks for a year!
Rear Wiper
The rear wiper does not reach the top of the screen - i.e. it does
not clear a full arc. From reading the comments in www.mini2.com
this is simply a faulty wiper blade, but for some reason my dealer
ignored my request to fix this. The wiper also makes a fairly loud
noise from the motor. The dealer lubricated it and it stopped
making the noise for a few weeks but now it is back.
Oct 02 Update - Rear wiper working perfectly
for 6 months, after final of numerous attempts by dealer to sort it
worked.
Steering Pull
My car drifts to the left if you let go of the steering wheel.
I intend to get this fixed even though my dealer tells me its "one
of the better ones" and not to worry about it. Apparently
this is a very common problem, but I didn't really notice this fault
until I went looking for it so am not too bothered.
Oct 02 Update - official fix applied to car to
resolve steering pull - now 100% perfect and I'm delighted. Was
worth the wait. Large bits of the front suspension were replaced
and tracking adjusted. I contacted MINI Customer Services who
contacted my dealer who contacted me to arrange for the fix.
Jul 03 Update - slightly squint steering wheel
fixed. Car still goes in a straight line!
Power Steering Noise
Not a fault, but t he power-steering motor (its electro-hydraulic apparently) makes quite a
loud whining noise and passers-by seem to thing I've got a fault that I need to
be told about. My dealer assures me this is normal.
I don't like it at all.
Boot Lid
This needs slammed heavily or else it rattles and a warning light
tells you its open. Also if you open it with the remote plipper,
it only opens halfway and then sets the alarm off! Again, the
dealer ignore s my request s to fix this for some reason. I've tried
the boot on other MINIs and its fine. I can
shut it, but friends never shut it properly.
July 03 - still the same, living with it!
Tyres
These were at 45 when delivered and they should be at 30!!! No
wonder I though the suspension was too hard and there wasn't much grip!
Naughty dealer!!
Front tyres lasted over 16,000 miles which I was
pleased about given my driving style! Dunlop SP200s were replaced
with the same again. Roof Trim
This
became detached on one side - doesn't seem very firmly attached at all -
Fixed in Oct 02 and seems OK for now. July 03
update - roof trim came off and was waving around in the wind.
Reattached Again. Bonnet vents
Fell to bits and were replaced.
Headlights Oct 03 - Keep getting stuck in
their fully dipped position which makes it difficult to drive at night!
June 04 - Still doing it.
July 04 - fixed and mostly not doing it now!
Gear Lever Selector
Oct 03 - has started squeaking when car is cold and selecting
1, 3 and 5. It feels like there is a rubber thing in the selector gate
under the lever which needs lubricated or adjusted.
June 04 - still doing it.
July 04 - fixed.
Overall & Would I buy another?
Fantastic and - I just did! There aren't many
products where I would tolerate the problems I've had with my MINI but the
overall "rightness" of the car shines through and I never stopped loving it.
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