I haven’t written much about our MINI Cooper 5-Door over the past year. This week is the 2nd anniversary of us picking up the car. I’m very glad to have leased a MINI, more so because we will always wonder what it would have been liked.
It’s not been terrible, but I will say it hasn’t been as smooth as I would have expected from a subsidiary of BMW.
We replaced a rattle which had to do with the timing belt – The guide that holds it on was loose.
We then replaced a part that was causing a rattle of sorts. That part was replaced but then another sound was heard which resulted in getting the Transmission replaced.
Some other noises fixed with a software update (which I do have to say is kind of cool).
Despite all this, MINI has been fantastic at the level of service they provide, although the three years/50,000km of oil changes has flown by. Special thanks to driving back and forth to Kitchener-Waterloo although I also got mileage for that, so I shouldn’t complain. 🙂
That said, I would be concerned with all the work that was done on my car. Is it going to be stable for another two years? Am I going to have to sink a bunch of money into a car that shouldn’t have had the transmission replaced? Honestly, it seems pretty ridiculous.
I wouldn’t say the MINI is a lemon – far from it, but I am concerned about the longevity of the car.
Beyond that, it’s pretty clear that while Scott and I love it, and it is funny to see two big guys getting out of a MINI and we’re kind of squished in it. Betty, Scott’s Mum has a hard time getting in the back, our friends chuckle and have a mix of excitement and dread when getting in the car.
Taking Betty and Bev back to the airport when they left after their vacation in October, they both sat in the back and their bags spread between the boot and the front seat.
I concede, the car is too small.
That said, I would totally buy a MINI as a second car for Scott and I to drive, if we needed a second car.
In March of this year, Scott and I did test drives of a BMW 5-Series and an X1. We loved the 5, enjoyed the X! and we sat in an X3. Scott had his eyes on the X3, I had my eyes on the 5.
We also looked at the Clubman and the Countryman – The Clubman is really just an extended 5-Door and while it has much better room in the back, it’s cramped. The Countryman is pretty fantastic but doesn’t leave much room for cargo.
Fast forward to this past week. I had no idea I was going to jump at switching our car, yet I did exactly that. It’s dangerous for me to walk into a dealership, see the launch of a new vehicle and fall in love with it.
That’s exactly what happened. The 2018 X3 now has all the gizmos and gadgets I want (not necessarily need – no one NEEDS a BMW or a higher end car) from the 5 and 7.
We test drove it, and it was awesome. There’s not much more to say.
We’re switching from the smallest car we’ve owned to the largest car we’ve ever owned. The X3 is longer and taller than the last Prius we owned, although the Prius was wider.
This is, also, going to be the first vehicle we’ve ever owned. Staying true to my word, I said we were going to own our next vehicle, and hopefully we can keep this going for 8-10 years. The longer, the better.
This is also going to be the first American-made vehicle. Yes, the X-series are not made anywhere other than BMW’s Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. From there, they ship to the rest of the world. Here’s a tour. from BMW. Alternatively, here is another tour with actual guides.
I have an affinity for South Carolina, having been all over the state, having implemented their Campground Reservation System – Which was my first project as a consultant in a Professional Services context.
While Performance Centre Delivery is an option for US customers, it looks like it’s not for Canadian customers. *pout*. We’ll be taking delivery at the dealership. We will, however, take a holiday in South Carolina and we will do a tour of the plant.
I’ve always wanted to own a BMW, and I sure as hell hope the reliability is better the MINI. Please don’t fail me. Otherwise I’m going straight back to Toyota.