2015 MINI Cooper Convertible

I love my mini baby!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This is a funny little car. It has a lot of pep. It's so fun to drive! And it has a distinct, cute style. So I can forgive many other things that aren't perfect, such as a tight fit getting in and out of the car. You learn "how" to get in and out of the car, so it works. My husband is 6'2" and weighs 270lb. He has learned how to get in and says it is comfortable for him to drive and be a front passenger, but he can't sit in the back seat. My adult child is not small and she can sit in the back seat comfortably. The back cargo area has enough space for me to get a weeks worth of groceries in to. If we have other larger things we need to haul, we can put the seats down and it usually works. It's not an SUV, so doesn't have the room that an SUV has. My other choice of car was a Subaru Forester XT touring, but it was too expensive to get what I wanted and the navigation and bluetooth on it weren't nearly as good as my mini. The dealership I bought my mini at only sold their cars with summer tires. I would have liked all season tires which would be better in the snow. I love the navigation system, I will upgrade it every other year or so. I like the bluetooth, the streaming music, the folding mirrors, the acceleration, the handling, The bottom line...When you step on the gas, it goes...fast. And,....I get better gas mileage than was stated on the window sticker.

MINI Cooper S Hardtop Coupe

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

If you're looking for an economical version of the Porsche Boxster or Cayman, this is the car for you. It's very practical, but in an extremely fun way. The ride, handling, performance, gas mileage, acceleration, and storage capability (with the rear seats down) are superb for a car of this class. Fit and finishes are great on the newer models, especially, with improved ride (sporty, yet forgiving) and the Harman Kardon sound system, which will blow you away. This car is built to last. And, the 4-cylinder turbocharged engine is definitely the only way to go. It provides plenty of get-up-and-go...especially on the highway and for longer trips. Of course, parking in the city is a breeze...

You really need one

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 4

My second Mini. They're a lot of fun to drive with great cornering and acceleration. Perfect convertible for Florida.

BMW doesn't honor its warranty

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 3

Mini Cooper provides a 3 year warranty on the car, but BMW refuses to honor it. BMW makes the engine, clutch, and transmission for Mini Cooper. To simplify logistics, they use the same clutch on all their Mini drive chains. As an engineer, I know that the first rule for choosing a clutch for a car is that it should be able to handle the torque produced by the engine. The Mini clutch was designed for the standard 140 HP Mini engine. The JCW comes with 208 HP. To make matters worse, the Mini clutch is backwards from standard clutches. During shifting, the clutch disengages the transmission and not the engine. That means that the thrust bearing continues to rotate while handling a lot of load. The standard half inch steel bearing cannot hold up to the 208 HP engine. There is an easy fix to this problem which engineers know about. You replace the half inch steel bearing with a three quarter inch ceramic bearing made to handle the horsepower. To save less that $10 per car, BMW decided not to do this. Therefore their clutches wear out. The last time my clutch failed, about 2 years after purchase with a three year warranty, BMW refused to pay for my warranty repair, and I am out about $2000. I asked my dealer to use a heavy duty clutch which I would buy during this last repair. But their contract with Mini Cooper doesn't allow them to use any parts but BMW parts. BMW tells me that I do not know how to drive a clutched car. I have driven Saabs with standard transmissions and clutches for over 20 years and have never had a clutch failure. I currently drive a 1999 Saab 9-3 convertible with 150,000 miles on it, with the original clutch still working fine.

Love/Hate Relationship

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating:

So far most of what I have to say is positive...and I do love my new Mini 4 Door Hardtop...But I have been having repeated problems getting the Apple IPhone Siri to work through my speakers. I have contacted Mini...they say it's Apple...Apple says it's Mini...Meanwhile dealerships don't seem to have the answers either...not enough training at some of the high tech levels at some of the dealerships...I found a round about way to do so by connecting Pandora...but then I was using data...Upon further research of this problem, it appears there have been others with similar problems which still have not been addressed by Mini. I did get Mini Corp and Apple on the phone together today. Mini says they are looking into it and will get back to me...so I can't judge or say for certain what the outcome will be...but it is frustrating not to be able to get my navigation through the speakers. Other than that the car drives great. Amazing amount of power in this little guy. Seats are extremely comfortable. I love the heated seats during the cold winter days. Like the added side visor on the driver's side of the car...perfect to keep that sun out of your eyes. Sound system of Harman Kardon is great! More room than you think in the 4 door once seats are down. Nice area to hide valuables in the back storage area as well. Wish the keyless entry was just a simple touch with a finger instead of a push...but not I'm getting picky. Also wish the fob created a sound from the car when you pressed it...that always helped me find my car. Not as stiff a ride as I though it would be...big improvements from previous models. Also, it's getting just ok gas mileage...I was spoiled by a Prius C before though. This one eats Premium. But all in all, I think it's a very attractive vehicle and once I get this nagging navigation situation resolved will like it even better! PS Did not like the "S" seats...I found them not so great for short people...However, I have heard that taller people really like them. Glad I had a choice.

MINI Owner

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This is my first car. I bought the 2015 MINI S 4 door with 17in wheels and it is AWESOME. I really enjoy this car, its gets be from point A to point B in a fun, quick and safe. When looking for my first car, I wanted something that was safe, reliable, great on gas, great resale value(even now I wonder why I would ever sale this car). The first time I test drove this car I was hooked, because it is so much fun to drive, I look for curves in the road and hills and valleys, its just fun and even though it is a MINI it has more space then you would think and more room then one would expect. One of my favorite things is that MINI gave creative thought to the small things like where the gas tank is located, the way your MINI will wink at you when you get in, the heartbeat of the car, mood lighting etc. Even though it has all these fun things the car is crazy safe, like the gas tank cut off if you are in an accident to keep from fire, the 8 air bags and so many other things. I would highly recommend this car to anyone because it's more than just cute and fun but safe and reliable.

Enjoying my wife's MINI - 2door hardtop

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Not If You Owned & Liked Previous BMW MINI's

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 4

The point of view of this review is from a long time BMW MINI owner who, up until now, loved them. It probably isn't relevant to those who haven't previously had a MINI. Back in the '60, Ford had a great, innovative car that was very popular. Each new version of it became bigger and bigger and sought to reach a wider market. Eventually, it became a parody of itself, becoming virtually a 2 door family sedan. Fortunately, Ford saw the light and the car has returned (sort of) to its roots. I am referring to the Mustang. Well, it seems BMW is following that same sorry route with the MINI. What was the attraction of the BWM MINI? It's SMALL size, its uniqueness, its fun to drive-ness. As one local reviewer (in Maryland) wrote, driving a MINI was therapy. So, what has happened. To address the "negatives" appearing in professional reviews, which value every car against some homogeneous (with the exception, perhaps, of exotics and rockets), BMW is turning the MINI into just another compact car. They have tried to make up for this by adding high-tech gimmickry, like color-changing LEDs and artificial sound effects, which serve only to make a cartoon out of the car. The car has gotten huge compared to the previous MINIs. If you are buying this car for rear seat room and a living room on wheels ride, you are in the wrong place. The 2015/2016 MINI hardtops are almost indistinguishable from the Countryman, both viewed from the outside and when sitting inside. This isn't because the Countryman is tiny. On the technical side, one could say everything is "improved" except for the 3 cylinder engine in the base model. While it is surprisingly peppy, it is noisy and rough-idling. Yes, there are now many MINIs on the road. So, from BMW's perspective, they are on the right path. But, if you are a Miniac for the initial BMW MINI offerings, you will most likely not be happy driving this one. Let's hope BMW, like Ford, will come to its senses. Eventually, Mr./Ms. average driver will tire of the cramped size, the "hard" ride and the "weird" stuff that might still remain and those who remember what a MINI was will return. In the meantime, I'll probably be in a Miata or a GTI.

BMW does not honor warranty on clutch

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 3

The clutch is backwards from most cars. When you step on the clutch of most cars, the clutch separates from the engine. In a Mini, it remains attached to the engine, and the thrust bearing rotates with the engine with a lot of force on this half inch steel bearing. The flywheel is a dual mass, suitable for today's drivers who do not know how to let out a clutch. Finally, clutches are supposed to match the horsepower of the engine. The clutch is sized for the standard 124 HP engine. The JCW has the same engine, but with tuning and turbo puts out 208 HP. The clutch in my Mini has now been replaced 4 times in 36000 miles of driving. BMW which owns Mini runs it's warranty program. 95% of their calls involve BMWs. BMW uses a traditional clutch and its clutches are matched to the engine. So they do not understand the problems faced by Mini JCW owners. I have a 4 year 50,000 warranty on my car, purchased in June 2012. Yet BMW refuses to pay the $1700 bill to replace my clutch. Heavy duty clutches are available for the Mini because the clutch fails so often. They cost $1300. They have a ceramic bearing that won't burn out. Mini dealers have special equipment to replace clutches because they break so often. It costs about $5000. So chances are that your mechanic does not have this equipment. My Mini dealer refuses to even touch a heavy duty clutch since their agreement with Mini USA requires them to only use Mini parts, which are unreliable. If you buy a Mini JCW, you can expect the clutch to fail about once a year. It takes 3 days to get a clutch installed.

Some changes: #1 Rule: It's a MINI. Get Over It

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This is an update to my initial review. I've got some 6,000 miles on it now. Combined mileage is 34 mpg. Freeway driving is a breeze, as long as you, the driver, realized your MINI Cooper (non-turbo) is no race or fast car. It's a very simple 1600 cc's of raw BMW power. They should use that line in their advertisements. The car and its payment went to my ex-husband when I left him. He wanted it. He loves it. At 74" he is very comfortable in the car with top up or down. So, the rest of this review is his. Toby, that is her name, performs exactly the way I had hoped she would perform. Whether in the city (stop or go traffic) or on the highway, she does an excellent job. I do not drive her fast. She simply isn't fast. I didn't want "fast" so, she is perfect. For me. At my age. I got this car because it was a convertible, leather interior, a wonderful color combination for the exterior with a very comfortable ride and superior sound system. Toby is a Highgate package with the Harmon-Kardon sound system (a 'must-have' in my mind). I truly cannot think of anything else to say about the car, as it is just a superb automobile in spite of its price tag. I got what I wanted: A well thought-out, high mileage, comfortable drop-top. When I'm 80, please stay off the sidewalks. I'll be driving on them!

pleased

Performance: 4 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: Technology Rating: Value Rating: 4

I am very pleased so far. Build quality and design make it a great deal to own. It came with 16 inches runflat tires so the ride is on the firm side but more compliant than the previous model I had. I must admit that on deteriorated pavements at low speed it is not where it shines, otherwise the drive is rewarding. The options include most packages except HK radio, connectivity and gps, the leather seats are really nice and comfortable. I used to drive in a more spirited way, the green setting made me zen to some point so I get an average of 35 mpg in mix driving so far. After one year and 10000 miles, I got a real average of 33.6 mpg on a mostly city driving which is impressive, the computer indicates around 35. The sports seats with leather option are comfortable but non tilt adjustable which is a major issue, since leather and sport seats are a 2000$ option. Technology is very basic, there is no back up camera etc, I would have expected more on a car with that price tag. Keep on driving, at the wheel you are in another world.

Love My MINI

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

This car was originally not my first choice. I took one test drive and from that point I was hooked. I was looking for an every day driver that was also fun and I found it in the MINI. It really does have go-kart like handling. The interior is well built with quality materials. The performance is outstanding (I have the S model with the 2.0 twinpower turbo engine). What really sold me was the no cost maintenance.

2015 Mini Cooper S

Performance: 4 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

I have 2015 Mini Cooper S 2 door with the 6 speed step-tronic Automatic. For getting around town the Mini is tough to beat. The car is equipped with an engine shut off when you come to a complete stop (you can disable this if you want) its a great fuel saver. The three modes you can part the car into actually have charter in each mode. In sport mode the comes alive and you can hear the waste gate working and the blow off valve chirping. Also the exhaust has a back fire rumble to it. In a few round about circles I had an issue with "flying objects"... this car handles like a go kart and anything not secured or in the glove box can go flying and hit the door/window!!!

DON'T BUY

Performance: 1 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

My 2015 s hardtop with 500 miles needed a new trans because it kept popping out of first gear, i complained and they gave me a new car now the new one is doing the same thing! I it unsafe and not drivable. I almost got into an accident trying to make a left hand turn! MINI has no idea why it failed and just replaced it with the same part number and have no better solution i wish i never bout this car! Don't waste you money save it for something safer that will STAY IN GEAR!!