I will start by saying I really love my Mini. It is a black model with a Chili pack and 17" alloys. I bought it brand new earlier this year.

The positives:

- The driving experience. Every once in a while when you take it out on some twisty roads it really is a terrific car. It even makes going around roundabouts a hoot! Also, the ride on 17" alloys isn't as bad as it is made out as long as you don't get sport suspension. It is a little fidgety over low speed bumps but other than that it doesn't bother me at all.
- The engine. It has enough power and is very flexible. If you have it in 2nd or 3rd it has a real kick as well.
- Motorway manners. I have been really pleasantly surprised with the car's ability to cover miles. It does a run from Newcastle to Glasgow regularly and takes it all in its stride.
- The interior. Some say it is plasticky but I really like it. Also, I am 6 ft 3 and I find the driving position superb. It has a cracking stereo too!
- The TLC pack. Complete piece of mind servicing.
- Dealer service. I have dealt with two different dealers. One was better than the other but the standard from both has been good. One dealership may have given me duff advice though (see below).

The Negatives:

- The niggling glitches. Things like the USB port packing up, a faulty brake sensor that made the service indicator go mad, the odd rattle etc. These aren't the end of the world and have all been dealt with under warranty but on a premium product I would have expected better.
- Insuring it. Not as cheap as you'd think. I can insure an Audi A5 2.0TFSI for less.
- Climate control. It is a bit erratic in terms of temperature to say the least.
- The big one.... FUEL ECONOMY. After 12,000 miles it only gets 33.7mpg. If anybody is thinking of buying this car then please bear in mind the figures supplied by Mini are nowhere near what you will get in real life. It is not in my opinion a small, economical car as it is marketed. I was also advised by one dealer to run the car in for 10,000 miles and it shouldn't need that. To put it in perspective I got 37.6mpg out of a 3.0 BMW 325i.

Overall:

I would recommend this car with quite a large caveat.

If you want a small sports car that will deal with your day to day commute and the odd motorway run then you will enjoy a Cooper a lot and it will put a big smile on your face. If you want a commuter car with cheap fuel costs then look elsewhere!