MINI Cooper S (2006 - 2016) 2.0 D Cooper S Countryman ALL4 (Chili Pack) 5d Auto (2012/62) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

For me, it says I have compromised and for that I am not happy. For others I think they assume I have far more money than I really have.

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

They love it, until they have a ride in it and the awful road manners and banging and crashing. Even my partner does not like driving it.

Would you buy this car again and why?

God no, its dreadful road manners and equally dreadful fuel consumption mean there is no way on this earth you will catch me in a MINI again.

What are you likely to buy next?

It will most probably be a Qashqai, Yeti, Captur or 2008, unless something equally good comes along, but it will not be a MINI.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£28,000

When did you buy the car?

August 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

There was a little discount but not a lot, and a few options I chose they also gave me a discount on which was good, I have not had any discount on options before.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I needed a car that was higher off the ground and automatic. I chose the MINI after a successful test drive, shame the rest of the experience was not as good.

What was the dealer like?

The dealer was great initially, couldn't do enough for me, kept in contact throughout the order process with updates on where the car was. I even got a call to say it had left the factory and was half-way here. On collection again everything was great, very pleasant hand-over experience.

What's it like to drive?

Awful. The test car I had did not have run-flat tyres and I was not told of this until we noticed it on collection. It bangs and crashes over the smallest bumps or potholes. Also in hindsight, the rear view is totally poor and not really acceptable, but that seems to be the way cars are going these days.

What's it like to park?

It has rear parking aid, so reversing into a parking space is ok, the light power steering is also good, I have had no issues with parking.

Have you had any problems with the car?

No, not really, however, when it goes in for service I will get them to check out the fuel consumption as it is very heavy on fuel usage to the point I won't use the car for long distances as it costs so much money.

What's most practical about your car?

For me, getting in and out of a slightly higher car is the most practical thing along with the auto box, which is smooth. However it's change-up is around 2,000 revs which is roughly at town speed limits, so the gears going up and down frequently can be a bit monotonous.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

I chose the new option of dark headlights, that along with black roof, wheels, stripes and wing mirrors on a white body make the car stand out.