We bought MINI COOPER brand new in August, 2005. The first month, it was in the shop for a whole week with emission system failure. In the following year, we lost a battery, the fuel pump and both sensors (has a 'saddle' gas tank with two), the passenger power window motor failed, the front end was leaking fluid and would not pass the first official state inspection and had to be totally replaced. Every time I took the car in for routine service, they found something major wrong. Two weeks ago, I took it in to have brakes checked, and they found that the top valve cover was leaking oil, AND the oil pan beneath was also leaking oil. The car was once again in the shop for another whole day. We calculate that if we had to pay for all the repairs done under warranty, it would have been more than 1/3 the cost of the car. I wrote a letter to the president of MINI in NJ, who had an 'underling' VP call me... only to say 'sorry' and that was all they would do. The oil leaks were the final straw and last week we got rid of it. Since then, I have had three calls from mini 'people' wanting to know why I was unhappy... one local call, two from their HQ... I simply told them it was too little too late and since they never offered any assistance (like extending the warranty at N/c), I would be sure to tell anyone who asked that this car-- and probably minis in general are a mechanical nightmare to avoid. We got rid of it just before the warranty expired.

BUYER BEWARE!!!!