MINI Cooper S (2006 - 2016) 1.6 (Chili Pack) 3d (2007/07) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

This particular car, due to it's alloys and masses of extras, perhaps made me look like a flash git. It attracted a lot of attention which wasn't always desirable.

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

Everyone loved it. Passengers always discussed the interior - especially the huge satnav display. My girlfriend found the performance a bit scary though.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I would only get the hatch again as a second car - it was just a little too small to be practical for my needs.

What are you likely to buy next?

Another MINI. I'm hooked. I have just bought a Cooper 'S' Clubman which hopefully will provide the right blend of fun and space.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£14,500

When did you buy the car?

March 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

I don't think I got an outstanding deal because I didn't haggle very much. I really wanted the car. Trade in on my old car was disappointing but we managed to arrive at figures I was happy with.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Impulse buy - as a '03 Cooper 'S' driver, I wanted to test drive one of the second generation turbo-charged cars. I ended up buying the car I took for a test drive.

What was the dealer like?

The manager remembered me from my previous purchase and this time I had a much more professional and eager salesman.

What's it like to drive?

This car was a completely different animal to my old Cooper S! Acceleration was brutal by comparison and it's quite well known that these turbo engines thump out considerably more than the claimed 175bhp (often nearer 200bhp). I was never as confident chucking this MINI around as my previous car due to the violent torque steer I sometimes experienced. Ride was much better than the old car. While still very firm, it managed to be less uncomfortable over bumps and potholes - even if there was a little bit of body roll. Steering felt quite a bit different to the old car and I much preferred to drive with the 'Sport' button engaged. It was quite a relaxed motorway cruiser as you could easily overtake in 6th gear riding on a great wave of turbo-charged torque. Loved the exhaust note too. Brilli

What's it like to park?

Really easy as the parking sensors linked into the satnav giving you a cool overhead graphic.

Have you had any problems with the car?

I had the well-documented timing chain "death rattle" fixed under warranty and I had the entire sunroof assembly replaced under warranty due to a loud clattering noise coming from inside the roof. The flimsy sliding cover on my armrest was replaced as it was broken when the car was handed over. The dealer cured some annoying squeaks from front side windows by applying silicon to the door seals.

What's most practical about your car?

This is not a practical car, it's just too small in the back and the boot is tiny. The new turbo engine is much more economical than the supercharged one though.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

My car was a "launch car" and so was loaded with extras like satnav, parking sensors, panoramic sunroof, multi-function steering wheel, climate control, 17" webspoke alloys, red wood leather interior, etc... As with my previous MINI, I loved the sunroof.