Cute, Fun, but needs improvement.
Written: Jun 09 '05 (Updated Jun 13 '05)
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Pros: Fun and fast to drive, CUTE!
Cons: Reliability disappointing, poor designs at certain spots.
The Bottom Line: Fun, classy and relatively well made for such a cheap price, but you're not getting a BMW or Benz.
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| cshsia's Full Review: 2004 MINI Cooper |
I've had my 2004 Mini Cooper for a year now, and recently surpasses 10k miles. I love this car, it is the perfect vehicle for new york. Parking is a breeze, and cornering and acceleration is a blast.
I got the car with most of the packages, which brought it to 24,000. Most of you know the qualities already from the other reviews, so I'll just point out the negatives. Don't get me wrong, I love my car, it's just some details leave much to be desired.
Xenon headlights come with a spray when you activate the windshield spray, but one was jammed from day one, had to special order the part and make 2 trips to the dealership.
Wheels are NEVER CLEAN. This car has the craziest break-dust build up I've ever seen. 3 days after a car wash I'm seeing a layer of black on the wheels. A cute car needs clean wheels, so prepare for more washes.
ABS and DSC works like a charm in the mini, but after only 10 months of use, both failed. I'm glad it's the summer time and those are not that critical, but again, more trips to the dealership.
Finally, the ride is loud! I know I shouldn't expect much from a 20k car, but the rear design is quite noisy when you hit a slight bump. Perhaps it's the weight distribution, or just poor design and construction in the back.
This has been addressed in the 2005 model, but the cup holder blocks the seat from sliding forward. Whoever designed the cup holder doesn't have a mini.
Finally, side mirror covers snap off too easily, someone knocked mine off while making a grocery stop. $125 dollars to get it replaced.
It's a great car to drive, people smile and stare, but in the end it's still just a cheap european car. Reliability is no where near my past Japanese models. I guess there's a trade-off for everything.
***update***
Although I was disappointed by how often I had to visit the MINI dealership, their service is defiantely first rate. Most of the problems mentioned above has been fixed in a recent visit, without any fees! However, hope I won't have to see them again until my next scheduled maintainence.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 24000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: Cooper, all packages
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Epinions.com ID:
cshsia
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Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 1 member
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