MINI Cooper S 1.6 3d (04) (2005/05) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
OK - but you have to spend a lot on extras to bring it up to a reasonable spec. Don't forget this when calculating depreciation.
Costs
Bit heavier on fuel than expected. Accessories and extras are expensive.
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On the road
Driving
Handles well, but ride is very poor. Car skits about on bumpy corners. Not much fun on a long journey.
Performance
Not as much punch as I had expected from the 1.6 - about average I would say.
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Living with it
Reliability
Several problems. Airbag light coming on. Misfire when accelerating. Radio reception not too good. Needed several visits to the dealer to fix these. Trim rattles a lot.
Image
Good image. Very trendy car.
Comfort
Crashy and bone shaking ride which jars the spine on a long journey. Quite a lot of engine, road and wind noise. OK for town use or as a 'weekend car' - don't buy it if you need to make long journeys.
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Security and Service
Security
Seems OK so far.
Service
Rather poor service. Once they had my money the smiles went and they have been a bit snotty about fixing problems. Everything takes at least two visits.
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Too much noise. Some misfire problems.
Other
Minor electrical problems. Lots of squeaks and rattles.
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
New
Would you buy the same model again?
No
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
No