You can hear rattles when driving on rough roads, especially potholes. Everything about this last-hurrah is unique, and it blends some of the suspension and aerodynamic enhancements of the next-generation car with the rawness of the early Mini. You have to use premium fuel because of the turbo,but it gets better gas mileage if you do. The rear doors are hinged on the sides and open like a gate, but they hamper rear visibility. The car thought it had fog lights when it didnt so I was getting an indication that my headlights were out when they weren't. However, any time you meet an owner, they seem only too happy to both damn and praise their little car in equal measure.
Forums like and provide great resources on how to troubleshoot small problems, and do much of your own maintenance. Once you drive one you will be hooked. My wife and I bought this car for different reasons and we were both right! The R53 guys seem to turn their noses up at owners of the later generations for sacrificing rawness for comfort. The ragtop also has an Openometer, a gauge that keeps track of how long the car's roof has been down. That remains a place for occasional riders in a good mood-especially in the convertible, which feels even narrower at the shoulders with the top stacked behind. The Clubman also sports more cargo space, with 32. The last two years of the R53 are the most desirable.
We bought an extended service plan, and all maintenance was done on schedule. Hear us out — some cars just have inescapable personalities. Now days they are still faster than most cars on the road. Even six-footers will find the driver's chair supportive, with plenty of head- and legroom. First one had auto trannie still not boring to drive. The crank seal is a particular problem, but the oil pan gasket can start seeping too. The Clubman's elongated body stays true to form even in back, where the doors and tail are modeled after 1960s wagons like the Mini Countryman and Traveller.
I was a the dealership so I pushed them to replace it. I've had trouble with spending a lot of money on repairs in the past and don't wanna deal with the stress anymore. I sold it after my third timing chain replacement. An abarth does sound better and if done can look great. The latter was caused by a lack of proper padding in early cars, leading to the paint getting rubbed off. Compared to the standard Cooper, supercharging created some packaging issues, requiring the battery to be relocated to the trunk and removing the spare tire. The R53 is supposed to be one of the more reliable generations but that really isn't saying much.
Took to dealer and they claimed system was pressurized. Overall, don't get a Mini if you don't want to worry about repairs. Seriously do not get down about reading this. Even six-footers will find the driver's chair supportive, with plenty of head- and legroom. It is a much more practical car, 4 doors, 5 seats, and bigger trunk. The Mini lineup has been heavily improved, and the brand had no recalls in 2017, he said.
It's a little kitschy-the smiling grille, the wide patches of chrome, the bug-eye headlamps-and utterly endearing. Ordering just a few of these options can send the price tag into maxi territory. My Land Rover Discovery already suffers from that, with undue complexity just because the Bavarian engineers wanted to show off their engineering chops versus solving real problems. Prodrive has been working with Mini…. Blasted with walnut shells to remove. But how could that be???? Front wheel drive so no real need for that extra set of tires.
If you need some help ask away. Fuel economy is impressive at 33 mpg overall, but it requires premium fuel. The Mini features the same tidy, cute good looks as it did upon launch nearly a decade ago. Honestly so many say they are complete crap, but I could upload my complete car history and you would not see major repairs needed because it was well maintained. I wound up with a copy of , which was informative. While the Mini Cooper is a blast to drive, in some ways it's also a pain to live with.
Performance add-ons include 16-, 17-, and 18-inch wheels, as well as the range of John Cooper Works underhood tweaks. They are one of the funnest cars I've driven, they look nice and get compliments all the time. Basic maintenance is fairly easy for the back yard mechanic. It's the most fun one can have legally. Twin center-mounted exhaust pipes out back and a hoodscoop up front let everyone know that this was more than just a cutesy retro-hatch. Even on the sport-tuned suspension with 17-inch wheels, the ride's improved noticeably-but it's still a bit too harsh. Because the Cooper S comes with such a rigid suspension, the sheetmetal can take a real beating from rough roads.