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Mini

  • 14-05-2011 1:56pm
    #1
    OwaynOTT
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,591 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi looking to buy a mini.

    Don't know wether to go for a mini one or mini cooper. Is there much in the difference between the two.

    Also heard about some problems with the gearbox and steering pump. Are these common problems and how would you tell?

    Also whats the fuel economy like?

    Diesel or petrol?


Comments

  • #2
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    OwaynOTT wrote: »
    Hi looking to buy a mini.

    Don't know wether to go for a mini one or mini cooper. Is there much in the difference between the two.

    Also heard about some problems with the gearbox and steering pump. Are these common problems and how would you tell?

    Also whats the fuel economy like?

    Diesel or petrol?

    I think you need to visit a MINI dealer to be honest.

    There are significant differences between a MINI One and Cooper, Cooper comes in petrol only.

    You need to drive them both and look at trim levels etc.


  • #3
    langdang
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,857 ✭✭✭langdang


    Chris, there is diesel Coopers too depending on the year, (aka Doopers).
    But I'm guessing the OP is looking at the earliest BMW Minis(given the concerns about gearbox), and in that case yes - petrol only for the Cooper.

    Fuel economy - I suppose you'd be looking at approx 35mpg. Maybe more for the One, but they'd be very similar if you keep the revs below 3500rpm. IE the power (and fuel consumption) would be similar for both to that point, but above that the Cooper is more powerful and thirsty. The 1.6 One can be reprogrammed to be the same power as the Cooper anyway, if that's what you want. They are pretty short geared, which is grand on the twisty stuff but annoying on the Motorway.
    Mechanically, the brakes may be bit smaller on the One than the Cooper(?) or maybe just not vented?

    PaintDoctor would be the expert on what spec options were available. It was possible to spec a One to be superior to a standard Cooper, to be honest there was so many options it's confusing.

    Even buying a One now you could get a roof painted or vinyl'ed if you really wanted, stripes etc.
    The big difference in my opinion is the interior - most of the One's tend to have mank looking seats, and sometimes the plastic parts in the back can be equally nasty (grey rather than black etc)

    Gearboxes fine from some stage in 04. (never a problem with the Cooper S)
    80k miles on the Cooper we have, might need a refurb before we hit 100k (or maybe I'm just paranoid).
    Power steering - if you are looking at early models it has most likely been replaced by now. Don't know if they uprated the design of the replacement parts to be more durable. No issues for us, but a previous owner had it replaced alright.


    If you're thinking of a Mini from 07 on then ignore all the above! Different altogether!


  • #4
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    langdang wrote: »
    Chris, there is diesel Coopers too depending on the year, (aka Doopers).

    I hadn't been keeping an eye on it. Diesel Coopers, that's just wrong somehow :(.

    You learn something new everyday!! :D


  • #5
    Owen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    There were only 3 differences between the one and the cooper at the time. The cooper had 115bhp as opposed to 90, came with 15" alloys as standard, and had the option to have the roof in black, White, or body colour.


  • #6
    Dardania
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,612 ✭✭✭Dardania


    langdang wrote: »
    Fuel economy - I suppose you'd be looking at approx 35mpg. Maybe more for the One, but they'd be very similar if you keep the revs below 3500rpm. IE the power (and fuel consumption) would be similar for both to that point, but above that the Cooper is more powerful and thirsty. The 1.6 One can be reprogrammed to be the same power as the Cooper anyway, if that's what you want. They are pretty short geared, which is grand on the twisty stuff but annoying on the Motorway.

    Rats - so what you're saying is that at motorway speeds the cMini will be high revving (and therefore inefficient) because of the gearing?

    I was also thinking of getting a mini, but one of the reasons I want to get away from the Rnault Clio at the moment is because in 5th it's running at 3200RPM and economy drops - my hope was that the 1600 engine in a Mini would have sufficient torque an could be longer geared,,,


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