Specifically Mini Cooper convertibles with the base engine and an automatic.
Not for me. A friend asked me if they are more reliable than the earlier cars, but I haven't paid much attention to them. So, I turn to the experts here. Fire away...
Specifically Mini Cooper convertibles with the base engine and an automatic.
Not for me. A friend asked me if they are more reliable than the earlier cars, but I haven't paid much attention to them. So, I turn to the experts here. Fire away...
It's a car designed by Germans and built in Britain. Is there any possible way for it to be reliable?
Well it is designed by Germans, it has to be reliable. What with all the people tracking and racing these little cars, I have not seen any go 'Boom' too often.
Mike924 wrote: Well it is designed by Germans, it has to be reliable.
...otherwise, yes. The base R56 with an auto is generally less troublesome than the R50/52 models with the CVT. It's still a MINI, so one shouldn't expect Toyota/Honda reliability (not that they've been great recently either).
They are pretty light, and therefore easy to push should the break down. Much better in that respect than a Suburban. So there's that.
stumpmj wrote: It's a car designed by Germans and built in Britain. Is there any possible way for it to be reliable?
With an engine that has French roots, IIRC. What a combo...
When I had my Cooper S, I read many times over that the base model is much more reliable than the S. As already said, I don't think they're top notch reliability, but the base model should be decent.
The newer non-S motor is supposed to be pretty reliable, way moreso than the turbo. The auto trans from the Gen 1 was just as bad as the CVT. IIRC the auto trans carried over to Gen 2 and may or may not have been improved. Now a Gen 2 Justa with a manual would be pretty reliable.
stumpmj wrote: It's a car designed by Germans and built in Britain. Is there any possible way for it to be reliable?
You see, the German engineers are so brilliant, they managed to engineer British style "reliability" into the car, they were not however brilliant enough to make it as cheap and easy to work on.
Well, my shop has done timing chains on three different 09's (2 turbo, 1 non) in the last 2 weeks. All had 30-40K on them. 2 of them jumped time, but luckily no interference.
So they haven't been able to engineer quality or reliability in to them yet.
In reply to Cone_Junkie:
The first few years of the R56 are known for that. Supposedly fixed in later ones.
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