Don’t let the image to the left fool you, this is a write-up of my first quarter owning my 2010 Mini Cooper S! I used it for commuting, golf outings, and even Home Depot runs. It was mostly grins, filling up less and driving longer distances between those fill-ups. Read on for more details
Stats:
Time Period: 2/1/2014 – 4/30/2014
Miles Driven: 1,685 / 28,690 (this update / total)
Average MPG: 26.2 mpg (reported by on-board computer)
Avg MPG for Year: 26.2 (hand-calculated)
Costs:
Maintenance Costs: $0
Repairs: $234.51
Total Cost (non-fuel): $234.51
Services Performed:
- 4/11/2014 – Recharged air conditioning system with R134a refrigerant.
Summary:
So many smiles per mile! This car is truly fun to drive, especially in city streets and around corners. The car just seems glued to the road, and the manual transmission makes it a lot of fun. I’ve often said that new drivers should be required to drive smaller cars with manual transmissions, and my experience with the Mini backs that up. A small car with better handling allows for more new-driver mistakes, keeping the penalties minimal. A manual transmission cuts down on distracted driving, because the driver just can’t text and drive when both hands are needed to control the vehicle and which gear it’s in. Plus, the driver must think about what they’re doing, and you end up with a better overall driver after the experience.
Sit that new driver in a Mini Cooper, whether it be a turbocharged S model or not, and he or she will be given a lot of leeway by accident-saving handling. More than once I went into a corner a bit hot, and the front tires squealed and the electronic stability control stepped in to keep the car pointed where I wanted it.
It was not all smiles though, since once the outside air temperatures rose, I noticed that the four-year-old car was putting out warm air through its HVAC vents. The Mini dealer diagnosed a low charge of refrigerant, albeit no leak, so the system was charged and a dye added to aid in finding a leak, should one appear. No more warm air blows out of those vents, and the automatic climate control keeps the cabin chilly, even on 95+ degree days.
Dated Notes:
- none
General Observations:
- Mini build quality is good, even if there are a few squeaks and rattles. Maintenance is going to be expensive though, so keep that in mind!
by John Suit