Reliability of Diesel V Petrol

[woodgnome]

I am almost ready to buy my first mini one D. However as a BMW owner I expect good reliability. My current car after 72000 miles hasn't even had new brake pads / disks. Apart from servicing costs and a spot of rust caused by vandels trying to prise off the boot badge it's been a dream.

I notice though that lots of people seem to have recurring reliability issues. I am wondering if in your experiences are the 2005 face-lifted models more reliable and if the Diesels reliabiliy is different generally to the petrols?

Obviously the rattling boot lids and leaking A pillars, cracking windscreens under stress won't be much different between variants (well would they?); what about the power steering pump which is a different system between the different fueled vehicles? I've read a post where 25% of mini drivers have had one or more faults with the power steering? It did not specify which variant though.

I've also read plenty of gearboxes and clutches failing - and BMW charge replacement after just 14000 miles. Well - BMW could have the keys back permanently if they tried any sharp practices like that on me. They wouldn't get away with that on 3 series - which are not <much> more expensive that a fully loaded mini anyway!!!

Any comments generally about creaks? Chinese torture comes to mnd - it's my biggest bug bear but I've never had any in the 3 3series I've all owned from new.

I must admit people seem to love the brand so much they are 'putting up' with faults that after 10 years of BMW ownership would just not be acceptable to me - however cute the car looks.

I'm thinking I should wait for the Mini Two (2007) and hopefully the issues will be addressed. What do you think?

[Yellow/Black OneD]

Rattles, you will almost defenitely get one, on my latest it is the speaker grille that rattles, they are not built to E46 3-Series standard - but then neither are the new E90's built to E46 standard..........

Not heared of any issued with engine or gear-box problems. The engine is a Toyota unit so will last forever, and the gear-box the 'tougher' 6-speed unit, also used in the CooperS, to cope with the extra Torque. There are OneD's on MINIcherished with 70K miles on them, take a look! I've never had any issues.
The gear-boxes on the Petrols tend to be weak, I know of someones gearbox on a One going at 50K miles. they have a 'new' Getrag 5-speed now, I think all of the failures were when they used the 'old' Midland (British Layland, ha, ha) 5-speed box. MINI switched to the 5-speed getrag at approx. April '04 I think, or it could have been September.

Not heared of any problems with the power steering, it is a hydraulic system on the OneD, whereas the Petrols used some whiney (I think it sounds good) electro system - don't ask me to explain the systems, I wouldn't be able to. I've never had any steering issues and i'm on my 3rd OneD.


Overall, keep your current BM till '07 and 100K miles, and get the Cooper diesel - however this will have the new jointly developed by PSA&BMW engine in it & who knows if it will be better built or worse than the current model - only time will tell!

[ASTON]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yellow/Black OneD

Rattles, you will almost defenitely get one, on my latest it is the speaker grille that rattles, they are not built to E46 3-Series standard - but then neither are the new E90's built to E46 standard..........

Not heared of any issued with engine or gear-box problems. The engine is a Toyota unit so will last forever, and the gear-box the 'tougher' 6-speed unit, also used in the CooperS, to cope with the extra Torque. There are OneD's on MINIcherished with 70K miles on them, take a look! I've never had any issues.
The gear-boxes on the Petrols tend to be weak, I know of someones gearbox on a One going at 50K miles. they have a 'new' Getrag 5-speed now, I think all of the failures were when they used the 'old' Midland (British Layland, ha, ha) 5-speed box. MINI switched to the 5-speed getrag at approx. April '04 I think, or it could have been September.

Not heared of any problems with the power steering, it is a hydraulic system on the OneD, whereas the Petrols used some whiney (I think it sounds good) electro system - don't ask me to explain the systems, I wouldn't be able to. I've never had any steering issues and i'm on my 3rd OneD.


Overall, keep your current BM till '07 and 100K miles, and get the Cooper diesel - however this will have the new jointly developed by PSA&BMW engine in it & who knows if it will be better built or worse than the current model - only time will tell!

Top review you should change your name to Clarkson

[Yellow/Black OneD]

Oh to have Clarkson's job............................. Thrashing round tracks & the World in fast/slow/big/small cars , or sitting at a desk doing design drawings on CAD . What a hard decision that would be - Would take me less time to decide that than it takes for an air-bag to be deployed!

Right back on topic now please........