Please Talk Me Out of It

"Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection" (itsalwayssteve)
07/09/2015 at 10:15 • Filed to: None

My wife loves European cars. She also loves Sunroofs, wagons, and subdued colors. I’m considering trading the Kia for !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . She said that if she has to drive a car that rides rough and feels like a go-kart, it would be a sporty, European one.

The Kia has never had any issues. Ever. If we were to make it work, I would get a beat up pickup truck for under 2 grand later this year and hope that the Mini was going to be as reliable as it is fun to drive.

Plus, brown, manual, turbo wagon.

DISCUSSION (29)

CKeffer > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:20

I seriously miss my R56S hard top, I say go for it!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:20

It won’t be as reliable as the Kia. If you’re hoping that nothing goes wrong, it sounds like you might just want to stay put, because then things will definitely go wrong.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:22

Things will go wrong. However, Clubmans are very cool. KusabiSensei has one , might be able to give you some pointers.

Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:22

Don’t...just don’t. If you’re hoping for a Mini of that age to be reliable you need A LOT of luck.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:23

If you’ve got the financial ability plus flexibility sure why not. But if you want your wife to have reliable transportation and peace of mind, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:23

I should also note - with the positioning of the rear lights, and reflectors on the ends of the barn doors, and the barn doors held by gas shocks, it’s designed to be drivable with the barn doors open. HAUL ALL THE THINGS

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:27

Oho, it definitely won’t be as reliable as the KIA.

Moves-Like-Senna > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:28

The mini is not going to be even close to as reliable as the KIA. Things will go wrong and remember, it’s a german car, it’s not exactly a cheap fix when they do. Mini ranks near the bottom of the reliability rankings in many cases (e.g. UK warranty ranking at 22 right now for 2015).

Patrick Nichols > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:32

My dad has a ‘12 clubman and it has been less than reliable and none have been all that cheap fixes. I’ll take my ‘08 2 dr golf over it anyday. My car rides better, feels just as quick, has better visibility, have only had one minor electrical issue that was fixed, and is now more practical for me as I added a roof rack yesterday.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
07/09/2015 at 10:35

I’m not hoping that “nothing” goes wrong. Financially we’re able to do it, and worst-case scenario we can use one of the several vehicles on the homestead. The family members living next door and two doors down have five extra cars between them, but we never borrow anything unless it’s a dead necessity.

Also with no children we don’t *need* four doors.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:36

I just saw this, which seems like the wrong approach. Minis aren’t reliable.

If we were to make it work, I would get a beat up pickup truck for under 2 grand later this year and hope that the Mini was going to be as reliable as it is fun to drive.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:38

53,000 miles, $13,000? Yes, I’d buy that all day long and tomorrow as well. What the hell you only live once might as well enjoy it.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/09/2015 at 10:41

I expect things to break. It’s a turbocharged European car and those aren’t exactly known for their durability unless they have the Mars symbol on the front.

However, she wants something fun to drive and it looks very good...

The Real Dacia Sandero > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:51

Minis unfortunately have classic British car reliability with modern German car parts prices. If it wasn’t for that, I would totally own one as I love them. They’re phenomenal in every other way.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 10:51

Hey, are you in Charleston too?! Or did you just pull this from their website’s mass search?

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
07/09/2015 at 10:58

I’m in the Charlotte area. We drove a few Cooper S models and she likes the utility of the Clubman. The interior is also quite pretty...

Tripper > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:01

My fiance has an 05 cooper s. 103k on the clock, no problems. She bought it in 09 with 24k miles, starter just went (last thursday). Other than that it has been a gem. I love driving it.

Tripper > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
07/09/2015 at 11:10

Ours is!

deekster_caddy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:24

Have you considered a Jetta sportwagon? Wagon, manual, diesel, turbo and brown available. Plus more comfortable and generally reliable. I love our Passat Wagon - the comfortable seats and ride is what sold me on it.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > deekster_caddy
07/09/2015 at 11:28

Our 07 Passat was a nightmare. It was, however, from Ohio and poorly maintained when we bought it, and started burning oil through the turbo, and the warranty wouldn’t cover it because it was an existing condition when the car was purchased. Like Lehto’s most recent column....

deekster_caddy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:31

That’s too bad. Our ‘08 we bought new, maintained well, and it’s only had a few issues, almost all of which were covered under warranty or an extended service program. (they replaced the intake manifold at no charge to us at 90,000 miles, well out of warranty!) Now 110,o00 miles on the clock. Was the ‘07 a B6? That’s the first year of the B6 style isn’t it? I heard the engines had a ton of issues in those.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:39

Ah. I was thinking I’d finally found another Opponaut from Charleston, lol. And I’m not a big fan of the Clubman myself, but I do quite like the Cooper S. A buddy of mine has a JCW Cooper S and it’s an absolute blast to drive. But, since you said she’s looking for utility, the Clubman would be the better of the two choices for that. Have you looked at the Countryman at all?

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > deekster_caddy
07/09/2015 at 11:39

06 was the first of the B6. 08 had the next generation of the 2.0.

There were weird electronic issues, too. More than once I put the keys on the top of the fridge and came out to find the rear hatch had opened itself during the night. Also, cooling fan would work intermittently and the head gasket was going at 107k miles. My wife was convinced we needed a second car at the time, decided to buy it without really discussing it with me and I came along for the ride. Its saga is on my older posts. It was nice to drive but it just got bad, quickly.

ihm96 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:40

I like it. My mom had an 06 cooper until last year when she traded it in on a new cooper S and both have been very good. She got the new cooper s right before the new generation came out

Patrick Nichols > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:40

Turbo volvos aren’t very reliable either sadly. Comfortable, yes. Reliable, no.

deekster_caddy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:42

I can’t stand the auto-hatch. I wish they had left that out!

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
07/09/2015 at 11:46

I’ve driven a few Turbo S’s and some older supercharged S’s. Stupidly fun and livable too, even for a big dude like me. My sister had a heavily modded 05 S that unfortunately decided to rattle its engine to death on the lot of the dealer where her boyfriend worked. So she traded it in on a Sonata. Because she was commuting 100 miles a day and needed a reliable car.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 11:50

They really are surprisingly roomy on the inside. I’m 6’2”, 210, and fit just fine. And driving any sort of heavily modified car probably would not be the best idea for having a 100 miles / day commute. That’s just asking for trouble, lol. That’s what project cars are for ;)

RallyWrench > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
07/09/2015 at 12:48

Ok, don’t do it. Here are some key phrases: Catastrophic oil consumption. Leaky plastic parts. Oil sludge. Turbo failure. Timing Chain/guide failure. Playskool intercooler. Really annoying door chime. And so on... Get a 1st-gen supercharged Clubman if you must have one, they’re a much better car. If you/she has to have this one, get an ironclad extended warranty.