[kjs]

Sorry if this is a bit long, but I felt I'd better get this off my chest!!

quote:
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Originally posted by Silver and Black
Thanks very much for the reply guys.
I am waiting on a late march / early april delivery and it gets a bit worrying reading about all the problems some people are having. It is so difficult to tell how many cars are affected, so to speak, with problems.
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Probably fewer than you think! but (before I'm flamed ).....

I think it depends on the problem, some things like the fuel gauge are probably quite common (judging from my local dealer's reaction to me mentioning it this may well be almost universal at the moment). Other problems (e.g. the pull to left and the "Christine" cars) are probably fairly rare in the grand scheme of things. As for the bonnet that doesn't open, so far this seems to be an isolated case.

I've been following this site for a couple of months and I'm almost certain that there's a "statistical" bias relating to the reporting of problems on this site... partly due to the relatively small number of owners who post (compared to the total number of new MINI owners) and also to do with the fact that threads about problems are generally the longest running and most viewed threads..... So, the upshot of this is that problems *appear* to be more common than they (ok, covering my ass slightly here) probably are in reality

*Generally* I think the new MINI is an excellent car as do the motoring press, all my friends who've been in one and (probably) the vast majority of people on MINI2.
Obviously there are some problems with it - e.g. the utter lemons Apial has been stuck with!!!!

*Personally*, I think my Cooper is a brilliant car, and right now I wouldn't change it for any other car (well, except a Cooper S). It handles like a dream, turns heads, is very well built and is, in short, the most fun car I've ever driven. Silver and Black - you'll love it when you get it!!! But for my peace of mind, I'm really glad that I 've got the backup of an excellent dealer!

sermon over!!!

kjs

 

[Dogger]

I think very few people will argue with what you're saying there, a lot of this was touched on in a 'trouble with the internet' thread a while back.

In the great scheme of things the list of problems I've had with my car ammount to nothing but the odd bit of inconvenience - damned annoying at the time though..

There is an old adage that 'a problem shared is a problem halved', but when you post problems on the net, suddenly everyone else adds their problem to yours and initially gives the impression that the car on the whole is falling apart..

I guess we'll never know the true scale of the problems that are 'out there' unless all 10,000 current owners get on here and post them, but until that happens it's comforting to know that we're not alone.. (ok, pass the sick bag)..

 

[Apial]

Other problems (e.g. the pull to left and the "Christine" cars) are probably fairly rare in the grand scheme of things.




kjs

The left pull is almost a universal problem. My dealer says that all cars that he has sold pull to the left to one degree or other. One dealer says that only the SS+ models are not affected. In addition MINI Customer Services admit that they are still working on a cure. They have never attempted to deny the problem to me, but they always ask for the reg when responding. New suspension is no longer being suggested as a fix. You will be amazed to hear that I've never had any electrical problems. A second MINI that we have purchased also suffers the left pull plus it baulks at going into reverse gear.

But even after all that we still bought a second ONE.

 

[Rob.]

Thanks kjs and apial ,
I get my cooper in late march / early april and hopefully will have no problems with it. I can't see why MINI would not be working like mad to eradicate any problems the car has. My dealer told me that they have to fax off a list of any problems they have dealt with in that week to a development team at Oxford, so things are getting changed as the production line develops. The way I am going to find out is by getting one and seeing what happens. Fingers crossed

Apial, I have only driven two MINI's but neither had any pull to the left, not even a slight pull. I even took my hands off the wheel and it didn't drift. So hopefully not all cars are affected.

 

[kjs]

. One dealer says that only the SS+ models are not affected. In addition MINI Customer Services admit that they are still working on a cure.

If that is the case, then I am genuinely quite surprised! However, as you say, the pull varies from car to car - one driver's pull is one driver's drift! (which could open up an interesting philosophical debate!!)

But even after all that we still bought a second ONE.

I think this says it all for anyone in any doubt about what a a great car to drive the new MINI is!!!! Never have I grinned in a car like I do when I'm in my Cooper!


kjs