[drbsheffield]

This is my 3rd MINI, had a MINI 1 in 2004 and then after many cars in between a Cooper S checkmate last year followed by my new MCS, had it 3 weeks but been on holiday for one week of that, just turned 500 miles.

My thoughts - As some of you might have read, I had a 'MINI meltdown' when I collected it with the problems on delivery, still havent had the chance to sort it out yet what with being away and new year (final year medicine now! Scary!).
I am MINI and car mad and here are my thoughts.

Good: Looks - really grown on me, I have Chili red with white roof and white bonnet stripes looks superb! I am a compulsive cleaner and polisher and is looking fantastic.
Performance - running in by the book but I can tell it is quick, yes it is more civilised than the old MCS and some of the character has gone but it is still a fast, fun and characterful little car.
ride quality is much improved and much more liveable.
Love the interior it is fantastic looks great.
The overall engineering of the car feels of a very high standard from a design point of view.
Fuel economy is great, averaging almost 40mpg!
Sport button brings the car alive.

Bad

Faults on delivery - dent in the drivers door, marks on the plastic trim, marks on the piano black trim, - ok some not the car problems but not a good start!

I am sorry to say overall that the car is a bit of a let down.

rattles!!!!!!! I have so many rattles now, 500 miles on the clock, it was rattling on day one, the windows rattle, the dashboard has several rattles, the doors rattle the whole thing is a bit of a nightmare!

Petrol smell. - if I restart the car get a smell of petrol through the vents, rang the dealer today.

Hifi upgrade - had the HK upgrade in the previous MINI and dont think that this is nearly in the same league

Overall the car is great in many ways but I have the feeling that, I am sorry to say, that the design is good but it is let down by the people bolting them together, maybe it is the pressure of increasing numbers.

I have had 3 BMW 1 series before this and they are so beautifully built, no problems with any of them. I know that I do have very high standards but the BMW's were great, I had 3 skoda fabias too over the years and to be honest they are in a different league when it comes to build quality.

Don't get me wrong, I love the car but it is someway from great. It is a really expensive car, my 1st Fabia was a bottom of the range 1.4 classic and was one of the 1st off the production line but never a creak or rattle or a fault - a great little car! I am a little frustrated by the MINI!

I know that people will say if you want quality buy a Skoda then or buy Japanese and all of us who own MINI's know that this is not a solution, it is just a bit frustrating that they have great basics but it is a bit let down by the final execution.

[djtex]

I have the petrol smell also when restarting, a BMW technician told me that it is not really safe for the car or yourself sitting in the cabin. Mine is off the road to get it sorted out at the moment. Good luck with your problems. I love the car, just a shame about the teething problems.

My electric mirrors are broken also.

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by drbsheffield (original)

This is my 3rd MINI, had a MINI 1 in 2004 and then after many cars in between a Cooper S checkmate last year followed by my new MCS, had it 3 weeks but been on holiday for one week of that, just turned 500 miles.

I am sorry to say overall that the car is a bit of a let down.

rattles!!!!!!! I have so many rattles now, 500 miles on the clock, it was rattling on day one, the windows rattle, the dashboard has several rattles, the doors rattle the whole thing is a bit of a nightmare!

Petrol smell. - if I restart the car get a smell of petrol through the vents, rang the dealer today.

Hifi upgrade - had the HK upgrade in the previous MINI and dont think that this is nearly in the same league

Don't get me wrong, I love the car but it is someway from great. It is a really expensive car, my 1st Fabia was a bottom of the range 1.4 classic and was one of the 1st off the production line but never a creak or rattle or a fault - a great little car! I am a little frustrated by the MINI!

My car was allegedly built this week for delivery March 1st and it will be my 3rd MCS. No.1 was an original rattle box MCS replaced by a much better example which sadly turned into a rattle box 18 months into 3 year ownership. Both cars managed to go through 2 sunroofs each So reading your comments along with many others sounds like my 3rd time lucky MCS maybe just as bad as my original

I don't think it has much to do with the Oxford factory builders but more to do with ify design and price cutting penny saving etc on the quality of the parts used.

Not expected in this day and age from any manufacturer and definitley not expect by one with BMW's reputation to protect

My last MCS went back to leasing company last July and I have been in a £10 per day long term daily rental Astra 1.8SRi which gets changed every 6/8 weeks for another brand new one. So far I have had 3 examples and each one has been 100% rattle and squeak free and all have had zero faults on delivery and stayed that way during my short time with them. If Vauxhall can do this with a seriously mass produced car what the feck are BMW playing at

Hope your car settles down sooner rather than later in it's stay with you ... Good Luck

[Fin]

Most new products have teething problems, although when your spending so much cash for something you expect it to be perfect. I hope your able to get everything sorted.

[ru81]

[quote=drbsheffield;2869459]
rattles!!!!!!! I have so many rattles now, 500 miles on the clock, it was rattling on day one, the windows rattle, the dashboard has several rattles, the doors rattle the whole thing is a bit of a nightmare!


Oh no!! The main thing I dislike about my current R53 MCS is the rattles!! I was hoping they would have been sorted in the new model!!

Please can you put up some pics of your Chili red/white car as that's what I have on order!

[CC07ERS]

now iam getting worried all these rattles petrol smells 22k there better be probs or they will be sick of the site of me

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by djtex (original)

Good luck with your problems. I love the car, just a shame about the teething problems

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

Most new products have teething problems, although when your spending so much cash for something you expect it to be perfect. I hope your able to get everything sorted.

Thats exactly what it sounds like - teething problems, every new car has them, no matter how long they test it for.
Letting it loose on the public is the best test

It is a shame, especially when you are spending so much money, but im sure the dealers (and factory) will work to get the problems sorted, and try to prevent it in the 'next batch' of cars.

But, the first gen MINI had its problems when it was first released didnt it? A new design, new parts, new set up, its bound to have its problems....



P.S - Any pics of your little MINI, not seen a CR/W MCS with stripes yet

[m1m0]

Surely it can't be that hard to incorporate "rattle testing" into the other tests they do before letting the cars loose on the public? Rattles do slightly spoil the otherwise joyous experience of owning a new car. Let's hope the dealers are all ready and prepared to go rattle hunting!

[3rdpillar]

What in your opinion is the period when MCS were built to their finest?

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by 3rdpillar (original)

What in your opinion is the period when MCS were built to their finest?

September 2005 MCS hers in doors 11K trouble and rattle free miles to date Unlike my previous personal 2 and sounds like unlike my next one at dealer in next 2 weeks from now

[AMT]

Quote: Originally Posted by 3rdpillar (original)

What in your opinion is the period when MCS were built to their finest?

I think after the mid-life facelift on the old car (Mid-2005), when MINI tweaked a number of bits inside (3 piece instead of 5-piece dash for example). For me, this is when quality took a leap up.

R56 wise, I hope the quality control department are addressing the rattle issues NOW and make necessary changes ASAP. I would love a new R56, but the thought of spending £20k on a brand new car with rattles makes me sick! My decision to wait for a year (or two) seems like it could be the right one

[chipcooper]

My Mini is rattle free.Built Jan 07!!! I work in the motor trade and go to many of diffrent dealership
and all makes and models have faults.If they didn't they would be a lot of technicians out of work