MINI COOPER S Hatchback 2006 on

I have owned a number of cars over the past 10 years or so from Fiat's to Ford, BMW to VW but the MINI Cooper S has to be the most unreliable and fragile car of them all.

It is a real shame that BMW have failed to address what are seemingly common faults with the engine and drive train. My car needed a new high pressure fuel pump after 30,000 miles and now it is making a noise when pulling away that indicates the clutch is on the way out.

Every time I drive the car I am on edge, waiting for a new noise or warning light to come on. My experience with MINI dealers has not been great either.

If you want my advice, avoid this car at all costs, unless you are using as a second car and dont mind forking out for it to be fixed regularly when out of warranty. Also, dont use cheap supermarket petrol in these cars - carbon build up is another known issue and using Shell V Power or BP Ultimate is supposed to help prevent this. A de-coke with Seafoam treatment through the PCV hose also helps clear the crap out.

Now for the good stuff. In sport mode the car is a joy to drive with sharp throttle response and eager exhaust note. Body roll is minimal and it can corner at ridiculous speeds. Its not the fastest car in a straight line, but the handling is second to none. MPG isn't too bad, even when you push on a bit. I'm regularly seeing 35-40mpg. My car does use a bit of oil (1 litre every 1000 miles) but thats normal for the Cooper S apparently.

I initially bought the Mini Cooper S because I've always fancied one.

The performance was good, the interior build was good, the handling was fun and generally it encouraged you to take it out on a B road.

Unfortunately 1 month out of warranty the engine needed replaced, because of the timing chain tentioner breaking.

The car was in for a service only 2 weeks beforehand.

The bill came to £6,500 and eventually BMW paid for £4000, leaving me with £2,500 to repair.

On going to forums, this problem seems to be HUGE! yet BMW do not acnowledge it. In the 3-4 weeks after, I was contacted by 2 owners that live in my city with the same problem.

A few months after the new engine, the car started stuttering on boost, it was taken back and they "fixed" it, but not under the new engine warranty. They said they kept the sensors from the old engine...what a load of rubbish.

The stutter was not fixed, so I was fed up of the car and bought a Scirocco.

Be warned, this experience has happened to allot of Cooper S' and I was fobbed off with poor excuses.

The experience has turned me off MINI and BMW now.

Shame really, as it was a nice car to drive.

I owned my Mini Cooper S for 9 months now and i have to say i love it. I had a VW Golf beforehand and the mini blows it out of the water. The car is perfectly suited to me, as a Uni Student i can fit all of my belongings in with the seats folded down. It does not have the biggest boot in the world, but it is a flaw i forgive easily. Driving the car is a joy, the engine has all the power you need in the real world, which means you can rev the nuts off it regularly. The ride is harsh and some times crashy, but when your driving it hard it doesn't put a foot wrong. The steering is precise and always lets you know whats going on up front, I genuinely look forward to driving it every time I get in. I have almost every extra fitted to my car. This really brings up the quality of the interior, with the central sat nav and fun speedo that moves round it. The panoramic sunroof is a must in my opinion, it makes the cabin seem much brighter and bigger and passengers always comment saying they love it. The cons of the car would be its thirst at the pumps. I struggle to get 350 miles out of a tank which can be brutal on the wallet, but like i say its so much fun to drive you don't care. The exhaust makes a deep burble at low revs climbing to a scream at 6500rpm. I find myself perfecting my gear shifts to create the best noises. In terms of owner satisfaction it ticks all the boxes, a joy to drive, great to look at (i always find myself looking back at it when i've parked up) and so much fun, all my friends love it. I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves driving and doesn't have to think to much about practicality.

I've had this car now for 2 years with every optional extra you can shake a stick at. The car has loads of character looks and handling wise and is great fun to drive whilst being pretty practical at the same time, the boot isn't amazing but drop the front seat with the flick of one button and you've got loads of room. There is no other car I would want at the moment that matches the Cooper S.

Was looking for a fun, fast car and bought the Mini after giving into pressure from wife & kids (who all loves minis!). Was reluctant at first as I felt the MIni was a bit too common on UK roads and a tad feminine. Then I went for a test drive and those factors were no longer important!

Car handles like nothing else I've owned or driven before. Very planted and the driver aids keep things in check nicely. There's a bit of a cliche about cars with wheels at the corners handling well but this is certainly true of the Cooper. The Cooper S in the new model is turbo charged which means you can pootle about and its all very driveable in traffic but then when you keep the pedal down the turbo kicks in and makes things more interesting. If you really want to exploit this side of the car then press the Sport button which firms up the steering, stiffens the suspension and remaps the engine (well, thats what it feels like anyway!)

Its got a tiny boot but the rear seats go flat if you really need to lug a load.

There are some negatives but while this reads like a long list none of them are significant enough to deter you from getting one. The windscreen on mine whistles, but it only really does this at speeds I shouldn't be driving at so not so much of a problem to warrant doing anything about it. The bonnet catch also gave up on mine which was a £200 fix (thankfully under warranty). The stereo is terrible. No bass whatsoever and not easy to upgrade as you can't simply switch out the head unit and The seat belt has a tendency to catch between the seat and the door when you close it which will damage the door in time. Though this only happens if you have the seat positioned the same as mine so unlikely to be a common fault. If you have the rear window heater on the radio distorts. And the gearbox is a tad heavy, but heavy in a solid way not heavy in an 'on the way out' way if that makes sense.

I get a steady 33mpg out of mine however I drive it and never once not started on me despite driving through two extreme winters.

I have owned this brilliant car for only a few months, but so far it has brought me only magic moments and happiness in the driving seat. It is not used for commuting. All of it feels very high quality. Yes, it can drink the fuel BUT, when it does the treat and fun is worth it!! The hatchback facility is great, works well and is easy to use. Love all the 'bells and whistles' chosen by the original owner, all very useful and aid the driving experience.

This car is really the most amazing mini I have ever driven. I have been driving mini's since 2003 starting wth the mini one all the way up but jumping from the mini cooper to the JCW. It is such fun to drive. You can just poodle around or you can have loads of power for when ever the situations arises when you may need that extra bit. Its handsome looks makes people take that second look .

It may cost a little bit extra to run than the other mini's in the range but it is well worth it.

A car which accelerates like a go kart, has a (pointless) top speed of just shy of 150mph, seats four, can take a few carrier bags, and yet averages nearly 40 mpg? That'll be the Mini Cooper JCW. Beautifully screwed together and clever styling with a wealth of personalising options; each car can be unique. It can look like a pimp my ride special or a low-key hatchback. Whilst the ride can be a little harsh in 'sport' mode, it is otherwise comfortable and superb handling does demand compromises. The options list can make for an eye-watering bill, but the Harmon Kardon sound system and enhanced colour display are definitely worthwhile. My experience of the dealership has been nothing short of marvellous; good communication and a pretty decent cup of coffee (not to mention a free wash and brush-up on a Saturday morning)!

What could be better than a JCW? 2 JCWs!

I have had my Mini for 18 months now and still love it. I did have to replace the timing belt as it was noisy (common problem on first 2007 model I have read before), but apart from this no problems at all.

It is superb and comfortable to drive, returns a steady 34mpg regardless of way of driving and gets over 42mpg on a longer run. Surprisingly functional, I have even taken out my wife and two small children out in it at weekends. Making the trip to the local waste disposal with gardening and a weeks shopping is also fine as the rear seats fold down.

I also found that last winter the road holding in the snow was very good. The heated screen i have was also extremely useful. The run flat tyres are a little bumpy on 17inch rims but I found changing them for Continental soften them slightly. Puts a smile on my face every time i drive it rain or shine..recommended buy if you like the look of them and they seem to hold their price too when you want to sell !

I have owned mini's for the last 6 years. This is my 3rd one. My first was a mini cooper convertible, lovely car, especially in good weather, a little expensive on petrol. My second was a Mini Cooper S, this was the newer shaped mini and considering an S, its petrol didnt cost anymore than the old shaped cooper. There isnt much room for more than 2people when monthly shopping and wouldnt be a good family car but it suits me down to the ground. Be aware after a couple of years you will need to top up oil at least every 2months.