MINI Cooper S (2002 - 2006) 1.6 3d (02) (2002/52) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Not afraid of having a small car, its sport, upmarket (Hey its built by BMW), yet its practical (In size) around town.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Everyone LOVES it. They think its an extremely well finished small car, is funky and a bit different compared to all the Fiestas, Corsas, Aygos of this world.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I'm afraid not. I'm a HUGE Mini fan owned the classics for years but I'm afraid for a modern car it just doesn't have the practicality..... but unfortunately apart from amazing handling doesn't offer the benefits of a sports car either. Its sadly caught in the middle of not being a sports car nor having any practicality...... I do LOVE it but I also dislike it :(

What are you likely to buy next?

Probably something with 5 doors, that has a boot you can fit a full sized suit case in, with excellent reliability/build quality) but also sporty and performance (So maybe an Audi A3, Golf GT etc)

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£7,000

When did you buy the car?

November 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

N/A

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Owned an old classic Mini that had loads of problems. Wanted a reliable car and didn't want to let go of having something with a Mini logo on the bonnet!

What was the dealer like?

Very good. No hassle, provided a personal pick up service from the train station on a number of occassions, opened the office late at night (9pm) etc. The transaction was swift and smooth

What's it like to drive?

On the motorway, very good, very smooth and lots of power for a small car. Unfortunately with the supercharger it also means its not great on fuel (24mpg around town and 38mpg on full motorway cycle), combined about 30mpg. Its ROUGH.... REALLY rough around town on London streets. The backseats won't fit anyone above 5'10, the boot space I knew was going to be limited but its RUDELY limited. You can't even fit two overnight bags or more than two rucksacks! Crazy ... The old Classic mini fits nearly as much.

What's it like to park?

An absolute joy to park. Because its still a square box in shape, each corner you can see from the drivers seat is the absolute corner of the car so its really easy to parallel park in London, or scoot into a tight space in a multi-storey car park.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Recurring overheating problem, still not resolved but seems to be an ECU problem. Run flat tyre has needed replacing and not cheap. Left front seat no longer slides forward when tilted to allow passengers into back.

What's most practical about your car?

The mini wasn't purchased to be practical but the driving experience in the front is very comfortable.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The front sport leather seats, so comfortable. Xenon headlights are also a great feature.