Mr BlackSouth East Queensland, QLD
So far so good 2010 R56 Cooper Hatch
2010 R56 Cooper Hatchback
1st Mini for me, Second hand straight swap for a 2011 Ford Ranger (long story, but a happy ending). Happy with it, no issues that I'd complain of. Glad I didn't go the Cooper S, as they appear to have more problems than the basic Cooper.
Daily driver, go kart cornering, but understand that I will have to fork out $$ for servicing, parts replacement and run flats. Lucky I have a mortgage eh!
Happy motoring!
Purchased in January 2021.
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Rachel M.Northeast, VIC
I loved this car until the timing chain broke without warning, causing catastrophic engine failure.
I regularly serviced my Mini and it was less than six years old when the timing chain broke without warning. It was out of warranty and Mini was going to charge me $14,000-15,000.00 to repair the engine or $16,000.00 to replace the engine. They only offered me $1,500.00 for a trade in (initially $500.00). I have since discovered that this is a common problem and a design fault in these that BMW is aware of. Although I loved this car and had no issues until this point in time, I feel devastated as I believe my car to have been worth about $25,000.00 at the time that it broke down. I had hoped to be driving for a few more years before I traded it in for a new one. Google BMW and timing chain faults before you buy these cars.
Purchased in January 2021 at Mini Dealers.
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MitchellSydney
- 23 reviews
Terrible dealership service...good car!
We bought our Mini Cooper S through the Trivett Dealership and loved the car.
However the attitude by the Trivett Mini Sales Manager ruined what could 've been a gr8 experience.
Soon as we bought the mini 4 months back and we reported a chip in the paintwork on the bonnet.
When my wife took the delivery of the car, she was obviously distressed by the after-sales service and failed to notice the tiny chip. The car had dried water streaks from being poorly washed, on delivery.
I called in during the week (of the delivery) to report the 'chi...Read more
Purchased in September 2021.
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lamsterSydney, NSW
- 13 reviews
Mini Cooper S Cabrio R52 Sidewalk
Buying a Mini is a lifestyle choice. It afords you the opportunity to join car clubs and meet nice mini people. My Cabrio is a special edition, noting major has gone wrong however I would recommend keeping regular maintenance especially in the oil department. Supercharger is very characterful. Roof works perfectly and is the outstanding feature of this car. This model is the ultimate version of the Mark 1 modern minis designed by Frank Stevenson.
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JuliaGreater Melbourne (Outer), VIC
- 7 reviews
Fast and economical.
Enjoyed ever bit of that car. It is small, it is compact, fuel efficient. The car is comfortable to drive. Has a great pick up even though doesn't need that much petrol. The design from inside is a bit weird, the whole dash board is in the middle, unusual but easy to get used to.
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TomislavGreater Melbourne (Metropolitan), VIC
- 8 reviews
- 11 likes
MINI COOPER-MAXI PROBLEMS
well,where should I start..For the Love of my Daughter I bought this LEMON when she got her License..Water pump.Thermostat,Overheating,computer troubleshooting,Automatic faults of simple battery change,left shock absorber changed twice,still noisy..changed the remote key-does`nt unlock after rippoff from BMW,heater blows only on one side(passenger)..Can-Cup holders-useless,Boot so small cant fit even a slab of beer,,,Only good thing a can mention is a Cheeky-Atractive look and a lot of eyes are watching you at the lights..Guys,Girls,FATHERS exc...Read more
ept the Look,this Car got nothing else to Offer You...I can only say that Peugeot 1,6 petrol engine is very economical..Interior is plastic toyish looking,seating low but comfy,,,End of my Experience DON'T BUY IT....Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
LaurenMelbourne
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Fantastic to buy from
Bought a 2011 r56 mini cooper, awsome little zippy car. Purchased from Gabrielle motors NSW, were fantastic in their customer service and super responsive communication. Will be purchasing the next one through these guys again!
Driving is amazing 8n the mini, it hugs the road and corners beautifully, ive put to the test too and it handled very well.
Interior is basic but it feels like your in a larger car.. very roomy feeling.
Running cost are cheap as.. 45 to fill the tank and it lasts for ages, have had it now for 3 months and hasnt even done 100,000 ks not a thing wrong with it. Mechanic was blown away by how cheap and easy the car is to maintain.
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GreggSydney
- 7 reviews
Great car if maintained properly
Overall it's a fun great car. BUT
* don't get the auto (will fail)
* Manual 5 speed box will fail UNLESS you change the gearbox oil every 30k's. Mines busted and this can cost more than the car to fix. The 6 speed S box is fine. Just got a new box and will start from scratch knowing it's looked after. Only buy one thats had regular oil changes or recently been replaced.
* bushings and engine mounts are bad, BUT if you replace them all with performance (urethane) once it's better than new handling.
It can be cheap to get parts if you find ...Read more
online yourself and use an honest BMW trained mechanic, or ridiculously expensive through other mechanics (as it's tricky to get things apart). So suits someone who's a little savvy. Great to drive, easy to park, and the back seat fold flat so surprisingly practical.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Endless Headaches/Sloppy Engineering
Can't give them "0" stars, so they get a lucky star...just one. Super friendly sales and service people for sure, MINI, good job, you've trained them well. The complimentary Starbucks coffee and Chex Party Mix are also a nice touch, but none of these can substitute for engineering and delivering a quality automobile to your customers! I'd rather by a car from a jerk that was a quality product, designed for performance, reliability, and longevity. The automatic transmission on my 2007 mini cooper failed at 108,000 miles. A regularly serviced aut...Read more
omatic transmission such as the one in the 2007 Mini Cooper, by comparable industry standards, should be good for at least 150,000 miles. This was not an inexpensive car (over 30K new, with over $15,000 in labor and parts in the meantime). The transmission was serviced when the car was still under warranty, and well after the BMW corporation was aware of the design flaws that ultimately led to the transmission failure. Rather than service the defective transmission while the warranty was in effect, they sent me home with a car that they knew had a poorly designed/engineered transmission from the factory. Although the transmission was serviced 18 months prior to this failure, and I believed the work carried a 2-year warranty, MINI's position is that the work performed was not mechanical, but electronic in nature, and was not covered under the 2-year warranty. The MINI was fun while it lasted, and as a professional that works with young adults as a career, I always felt comfortable recommending the MINI as a first car. My position on the MINI (not Bill Jacobs, you've been consummately professional) has shifted, and I will ultimately share my story of dissatisfaction and disappointment with the BMW corporation. Of notable irony is the fact that I originally purchased a MINI because of their resale value. $45,000 later and I have a MINI that is worth $150. The final tow to and from Bill Jacobs MINI will cost more than that. I believe that any of the owners of Bill Jacobs MINI or it's representatives would feel exactly as I do in regards to this situation. To MINI and BMW……….you missed the most important thing that car buyers want, that is, a quality product. Everything else has been tasty, perfectly-brewed, and pleasant.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
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Melody21Charters Towers
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
- Cooper R56.I (2007-2010)
- Verified purchase
My perfect first car
Mini cooper is really easy and fun to drive. For a new female driver, parking is easier with mini copper. It's very safe and fast to do turnigs and corners. The most important thing, The looking is cute. It's actually bigger than it looks. You can always put down the back seats and hold big luggages. Filling a whole tank is about $50.
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jokergeelong vic
- 3 reviews
- 3 likes
retro brilliance
when looking for a new car this year, most cars seemed nearly all the same,accept for mini by bmw, the modern retro look is one of the most handsome cars i,ve ever lais eyes on,when getting into the drivers seat the interior is simply just beautiful, has a spaceship feel with retro looks. When accelerating with the 1.5 turbo engine you feel part of the car,as it handles the road like a go cart,sticks to the road on every corner like glue,a true sporty drivers car,buying a mini is buying a car that most likly no one else will have the same,as th...Read more
e choice of colours, add ons,models is so unique and personel, after couple months of owning a mini, mini will send you a plaque with any name you want up to 8 letters to further personelise your car,mini cooper sevens with 1.5 turbo engine becomes even better on a highway as the turbo gives heaps of over taking power with sublime handling,special isn,t enough for the mini cooper sevens, heaven fits its better,a firm sporty ride for those who love their cars.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Cyn
- 2 reviews
Perfect
Mini is my first car, I enjoy to drive it every day. The only said point the service is too expensive. My first service if mini copper service team cost me 490 (engine oil is free)... But overall. the experience with MINI and their service team is very very good.
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The BeardMelbourne
- 5 reviews
- 1 like
Best Car EVER
I love my Mini Cooper. I have the basic model 2015 and can't really fault it. The 3 Cylinder Turbo is very powerful yet incredibly economical. It handles very well and I have plenty of control on the road. The build quality is great and the interior looks funky. It is responsive for both acceleration and braking whilst looking cool on the road. Fits 4 people max.
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Richard1850Metropolitan Adelaide, SA
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
Retro styling with modern convenience and real sporty ride!
Initially I disliked the look of the "new" minis, having been driving a "real" mini for a few years, but I had a look at a few and liked the features in them. I considered buying a R-53 (supercharged) but the R56 offered so much more in terms of features and I liked the idea of a turbo motor.The more I looked at them the more I liked them, and then my 1991 Magna died and I wanted a good car. I hunted around and waited until I found what I wanted, a Cooper "S" with the JCW kit (add-on, not factory). The JCW Kit adds an extra 10 KW over the stand...Read more
ard "S" motor and lots of extra torque. I was mightily impressed by the low-end power, with the turbo kicking in from about 1800 rpm, with the 4 cylinder engine remaining silky smooth, unlike my old Magna! The JCW kit consists of (essentially) an ECU flash and an upgraded exhaust on a Cooper "S", which really sounds muted when you are driving it, but is actually much more noticable from the outside. I really enjoy driving this car, as it is quite nimble and sporty. I will confess that I did the "Road Test" on a nice quiet country road and quickly got to 200Kph before I backed off. Top speed is given as 235Kph, which to me is quite believable, as it still was accelerating strongly when I backed off. The original purchaser of my car must have ticked nearly all of the boxes when ordering it, including heated seats, integrated sat nav (relatively rare in 2007), Xenon headlights and headlight washers, stainless steel trim with chromed instruments, adjustable interior lights (blue-purple-red-orange), bluetooth (also relatively new in 2007, although it is phone only) auxilliary sound input, i-pod/iphone connection in the (cooled) glove box (except it won't charge Iphone 4s) to listen to music and lots of other stuff. The original run-flat tyres were long-gone when i bought it, most owners recommend getting rid of the RFTs and carrying a can of tyre foam and a pump, it has worked for me on the one occasion that I got a flat. The RFTs are not repairable and make the ride rough, apparently. The suspension is stiff enough as is, without having nearly solid side-walls on the tyres. OK Downsides! The car is really a two-seater, unless the people in the back seat have no legs, or the driver has short legs. For me, at 183cm, the seat is almost all the way back, leaving no legroom for anyone in the back. The stiffness of the suspension means that the dash assembly squeaks and groans, noticable at low speed. Reliability of the N-14 Princess turbo motor is somewhat compromised by a few known problems, Hgh pressure fuel pump failure, Water pump housing failure, carbon build-up in the intake manifold (causes pinging and rough running) and the dreaded timing-chain death-rattle- curable by fitting a new timing chain, chain guides and chain tensioner.. Services are expensive, but you are driving (essentially) a BMW. There are non-"Mini Garage" services available at significantly cheaper rates, often run by ex-MiniGarage mechanics, so just as good. It uses 98 RON petrol, gets on average 7.9l/100km around town and about 6.5 at 110kph (one of the features is instant fuel consumption and average fuel consumption read-outs). At 200 kph fuel consumption is about 25 litres per 100km, to give a range of 200km from the fuel tank, or about 600km at normal (legal) speeds. Overall, this is a car that I would like to keep for many years as a daily driver, especially now that the kids have grown up (but I haven't). It handles sharply on the winding roads, has good acceleration and braking and has a fun factor way above just about any other car i have driven (except for my Moke).Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
LeroyUnderdale
Buzz to drive but oh so expensive to maintain.
Was excited when I bought this car new in 2011 and for the first 3 years I had a virtually trouble free run other than a recall for the turbo and annual servicing costs which appeared excessively high. Being tall I was amazed at the legroom and surprised by the amount of cabin space for the front seat passengers. Interior finish is beautiful and comfort levels high if you ignore the back seat which is only suitable for smaller kids. Other than the servicing costs the main bugbear for me was the hard ride compounded by the run flat tyres and ave...Read more
rage road surfaces throughout Adelaide. Tyre wear initially was very good as they lasted close to 40k before I converted to standard which improved the ride but at the expense of tyre wear. Things started to go awry around the time of the warranty running out with cooling system issues emerging followed by coolant leaks and degradation of cheap plastic parts such as an obscure air conditioner bracket which snapped and damaged an alloy component (power steering I think) within the chassis. The plastic front grill surround has also cracked. The dealer costs to repair the leaks, replace front and rear brake pads, rotors etc were astronomical and well outside of my budget leaving me no choice but to have repairs carried outside of the dealership for about 50% less a no brainer. yes it is a great little car to drive but be sure you have the budget to cover maintenance/running costs as these are way too expensive.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
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John PSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 9 reviews
Cooper S - Great car but expensive to run
I have a 2008 Mini Cooper S with Auto. I am the second owner and I have owned it for four years. It is a great car to drive, but it is expensive to own. Brake rotors and pads had to be replaced at 60,000 klms, which apparently is a common issue with many European cars (sacrificial rotors) - BMW cost is $1800, although I did it cheaper by buying after market parts from the UK. BMW also use a plastic component in the circulating cooling water system - this failed at around 65,000 kms (around $500 to replace)- the plastic eventually fails from the...Read more
heat in the engine bay - a crazy design! An oil leak developed at 70,000 klms, which cost $1000 to fix. Timing chain now needs replacement at 80,000 klms, at $2000 - this is a design issue that BMW USA fixed under warranty, but BMW Australia is not admitting fault for. I love my Mini, but the mechanical components have been poorly designed - it really is a luxury purchase. If you buy one, go in with your eyes open and don't buy one if you are after a cheap runaround.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Never buy a cooper s with auto
My wife has a 2006 Mini cooper s with automatic gearbox. It has only 77000 kilometers and has just been quoted $11000 by gold coast Mini to replace the gearbox.
If you look all over the web its a major issue, started jumping gears, then shunted to the next gear then failed completely and went into limp home mode.
Mini (BMW) charged $450 just to put it on the diagnostics and then confirmed the $11000 replacement which is ridiculous.
No explanation as to why, what other alternatives their would be, etc, etc.
I would never buy another Mini if they only last less than 80000ks.
Just a joke.
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I love my Mini Cooper S
So sad about the bad reviews for my car! I've had mine for 5 years now, bought from the dealer ex demo with 1000k on it. It hasn't missed a beat. Apart from a recall for the turbo, which was replaced free, it hasn't had one single problem, not even a blown fuse! It's fun to drive, corners like a go cart, has fantastic power and grunt. The Mini's computer tells you when to service it and I only have to about once a year. I'm not a conservative driver, I push my Mini hard as I love to feel the turbo kick in. Compared to the Toyota Tarago I had pr...Read more
eviously, servicing is cheap! One service, always at BMW dealership, cost me $143 AND they gave me a brand new BMW courtesy car for the day, I couldn't have hired one for that price. I love the style, the power and the absolute driving pleasure of owning a Mini Cooper S. It's just plain fun, oh and I'm female and 47, mid life crisis I guess.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
SeanMelbourne
- 2 reviews
Fun Factor
I don't understand why all the bad reviews of this fun little pocket rocket. A wolf in a sheep's clothing. I love the drive, performance, handling, comfort, features and interior volume. I've owned 911 Porsche and VW Scirocco and they're amazing cars too. But the Cooper S fun factor is dialled in at under 80k p/hr whereas the others are way way above speed limits to max out their best. Fuel economy is great as is the reliability. Mine is serviced at Doncaster BMW for the next 5 years at a total fixed sum of $1080 parts and labour - can't beat t...Read more
hat for a BMW...?? And, tho Mini is iconic ... I wasn't too impressed with the standard model Mini loan-car they gave me while mine was being serviced / so if you want one of the all-time go-Kart classics then go for the 2015 onwards Cooper S or John Cooper Works models with manual transmission and with as many feature options as you can afford.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Maximum smiles per gallon
I bought my '02 Cooper 5 speed manual used about a year ago & I completely love it! It's incredibly fun to drive, looks fantastic & returns good fuel consumption. The gear shift is a delight, as is the direct steering, excellent brakes & ridiculous levels of grip! Surprisingly roomy inside - I'm 6'1" & have plenty of leg & head room - it's a surprisingly capable load lugger when you need it.
A word of caution to those who are especially financially sensitive: don't expect this car to have Japanese levels of reliability & cost efficiency. While...Read more
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Questions & Answers
Ecaasked
Are these models in “s” series a better buy than the later R56 with known Timing Belt issues.? What known problems emerge in the R53 versions after 100k kilometres?
No answers
Raquel J.asked
I’m looking at buying a Mini Cooper S 2004 model for my daughter with 85,000km on clock I have read some good and bad reviews this will be her first car are these a good car? Are they expensive to service?
Does this model have many issues?
2 answers
A pretty risky gamble buying a 2004 model with 85K on the clock. In my opinion, it's not worth the gamble and would be akin to throwing away good money after a bad investment. These cars are expensive to maintain and the older they get the more expensive the maintenance, due to the number of issues that increase as they get older.
Again, this is just my opinion...
For a first car I would look at a Honda Jazz, they are cheap, hellishly reliable and a great car. My wife has had one for 5 years and it has not had one single problem. Mini's of that era are unreliable at best and were frought with problems.
Bill with a Basked
Is it good for first time drivers?
2 answers
It would be perfect. Ticks all the boxes... cheap to run, great handling, good safety record etc
European car for a first car, nope. Expensive insurance due to expensive parts and repair costs, go asian for your first car, Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, Mazda 3 etc.
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