Author Topic: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?  (Read 19680 times)

ETBen

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Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« on: March 26, 2016, 06:29:08 AM »
My beloved Prius with 150k+ miles is probably going to be replaced. The center display died and both headlight ballasts are intermittently working. (Which really goes along with my week in general). I had planned to drive it for a lot longer but the display is pretty expensive. You can drive without it but I prefer to have it. It's too expensive given the age and value of the car.

I'm looking at a used Mini Cooper clubman or a Mazda 3 hatchback. Manual trans possibly, although it's been about 15 yrs since I drove one.

I know people say Mini maintenance is more Bc it's BMW made. Other advice between the two?  Or another suggestion?

Maintenance: my Prius never needs maintenance beyond oil changes. So my perspective is off there.

Gas: the mini takes premium. I currently get about 50mpg on regular. I drive for work but am reimbursed.

*** I like smaller cars, hatchbacks. I want a little zip. I always hated the handling of the Prius.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2016, 07:02:47 AM »
Isn't there a fairly big size difference?  I have a 2010 Mazda3Sport hatchback and it carries a lot.  Would a Mazda2 be closer in size?

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2016, 07:21:39 AM »
Isn't there a fairly big size difference?  I have a 2010 Mazda3Sport hatchback and it carries a lot.  Would a Mazda2 be closer in size?


Probably. I haven't looked in person yet. This all happened the day before I go on vacation, of course. Both sizes are fine. Although I prefer the look of te last Mazda 3 like yours, not the really rounded new ones. So you like yours?  Any problems they tend to have?

BeardedLady

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2016, 09:44:34 AM »
If you are going to get a MINI Cooper, get a MINI Cooper. If you get a large MINI, you are driving an oxymoron. :-P

I like the handling of my '09 MINI Cooper, and it gets decent mileage. I have an automatic and get a little over 32mpg with a combo of city and highway driving, 36-37mpg highway only, nothing close to a Prius though.

My husband just sold his '08 Mazda3. Gas mileage was slightly worse than the MINI, about 29-30mpg (combo of city and highway), but it did take regular fuel instead of premium.

I would be less concerned with repair costs since both are fairly reliable cars. Cars tend to have fewer repairs in the 50k to 150k range than before or after those marks (for reliable makes/models like the ones you are looking at). I am assuming you are buying used since you are on this site, so any initial repairs will be out of the way and you can check the CarFax to see how much was done to make sure that particular car isn't a lemon. Check everything you can before you buy or have a mechanic do so if that is not your forte.

One last note on the MINI. Be sure to get a 2009 or newer. That is when BMW started making their engines, and they became much more reliable.

tobitonic

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2016, 09:55:46 AM »
You're definitely going to spend more maintaining the Mini (any Mini) than the Prius, and you're going to spend more on gas with either.

To be frank, the only thing in your post that suggests you shouldn't just get another Prius is your "zip" comment.

In your shoes, I'd get my zip from riding a bicycle and stick to a car that works like an appliance - the Prius.

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2016, 10:15:17 AM »
If you are going to get a MINI Cooper, get a MINI Cooper. If you get a large MINI, you are driving an oxymoron. :-P

I like the handling of my '09 MINI Cooper, and it gets decent mileage. I have an automatic and get a little over 32mpg with a combo of city and highway driving, 36-37mpg highway only, nothing close to a Prius though.

My husband just sold his '08 Mazda3. Gas mileage was slightly worse than the MINI, about 29-30mpg (combo of city and highway), but it did take regular fuel instead of premium.

I would be less concerned with repair costs since both are fairly reliable cars. Cars tend to have fewer repairs in the 50k to 150k range than before or after those marks (for reliable makes/models like the ones you are looking at). I am assuming you are buying used since you are on this site, so any initial repairs will be out of the way and you can check the CarFax to see how much was done to make sure that particular car isn't a lemon. Check everything you can before you buy or have a mechanic do so if that is not your forte.

One last note on the MINI. Be sure to get a 2009 or newer. That is when BMW started making their engines, and they became much more reliable.


Thanks for all the info!  I appreciate it!  Yes definitely used. I'm wondering how many miles I should expect to get out of a car. Before my Prius I drove a beat up ooooold Mazda 323.

I don't live in a bikable place or I would. Also I drive to clients many days for work, so can't really bike there.

I love my Prius. But I also knew I probably wouldn't get another one.  Not sure why.

MMMdude

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2016, 10:22:05 AM »
My next car will be a mazda 3. Pretty much checks all the boxes....funner to drive, excellent gas mileage with skyactiv engines, decent amount of room and the current gen looks awesome.

mwulff

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2016, 11:19:51 AM »
How about just getting a replacement display from a junkyard? There must be plenty of scrapped priuses out there.

If this is a general problem there will be a video of how to do it. Plus fix it yourself is very mustachian.

Cwadda

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2016, 11:33:04 AM »
Hi,

I'm an '07 Mazda3 sedan owner. I paid $6600 for it a few years ago and it had 86k miles.

I can't speak much about a Mini Cooper, but the Mazda3 has everything on your checklist. It's reliable, affordable, sporty, has tight steering, and definitely has some zip. Really fun to drive, especially with manual transmission.

My Mazda's gas mileage is 27 MPG combined, which is decent for a 2007 non-hybrid car. The later models (2012+ I think) have something called SkyActiv technology which basically improves the gas mileage significantly.

I love my car! I think that every time I drive it. Let me know if you have any questions!

jeninco

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2016, 02:00:59 PM »
Follow-on question for the owners of the Mazda 3: how's the view? We test drove a last-year's model (both sedan and hatchback) and discovered that the reason they have back-up cameras is because otherwise you're trying to back up the car whilst looking out a porthole... there's really poor visibility out the rear window. Even without a learner's-permit-holding teen in the house this seems like a poor idea, and with one ...

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2016, 03:08:19 PM »
The Prius has a tiny back window. Well, the angle doesn't make for much vertical space. But I found that the back up camera was great and better than having a bigger window.  (As long as the driver also turns and looks)

Pebs

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2016, 04:18:42 PM »
I have a '09 Mazda3 sedan, manual transmission.  I'm surprised by some of these reports of gas mileage.  I easily get over 30 mpg, usually in the range of 33-35 mpg, and do even better on long interstate trips.

Mine is the stripped down model, manual windows/locks, etc. I love it and plan to keep it until it just won't drive anymore.

The ONE thing that I've encountered is that the back wheels wear unevenly.  The factory spec has the camber such that the inner part of the wheel wears faster than the outer part.  We were told that this is for "performance" reasons.  We tried to get a garage to correct this but they insisted they had to follow the manufacturer's specifications.  So, now we just be sure to rotate the tires more often.

Edited to add:  I'm short and do not have cameras on this car. I have no issues with backing up.  I can see out the back window and make heavy use of the side mirrors.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2016, 04:20:38 PM by Pebs »

RetiredAt63

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2016, 04:38:25 PM »
My 2010 Mazda hatchback does not have a backup camera.  My rental this winter had one and I didn't find it very helpful.  I do find the pillars on the driver's side are thicker than I would like but that seems to be true of all the cars these days.  I get decent mileage at 100 kpm, not so great at 120 which is also speeding ticket territory, so I don't do it much.  My car is over 200 km (not sure how much more) and my 2006 Mazda 3 was well past that.  I only traded it in because I wanted the hatchback instead of the sedan.

I have it serviced at the local dealer, but small-town dealer rates are = big city Canadian Tire rates, so not horribly expensive.  They know what they are doing, any odd little problems get identified and fixed.

I am meticulous about following recommended service schedules, and find that if there is a problem the service department is really good about it, because they know the car has been looked after. 

One warning, there were problems with the older Mazda 3s, with the suspension/frame.  My DD had one, I will check with her re year.  But 2010 is old enough to be a good buy and new enough to still be in good shape.

I am not exactly a zoom-zoom driver, apparently lots of teachers and professionals also  buy Mazdas.  But it is nice having the acceleration when I need it, and given some of the twisty roads I end up on, I do appreciate the handling.  I am at the point where most rentals get nick-named "slug".


Frs1661

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2016, 05:12:08 PM »
We own an 06 mazda 3i sedan and sold my wife's 09 mini copper s about a year ago. The mini was a maintenance nightmare. It went through 2 timing chain idler pullies in about 110k miles. This is supposed to be a 'lifetime' part that never wears out. These would have been ~$4k repairs if my wife hadn't gotten an extended warranty. It is a known issue with some model years, so stay away form those. It leaked oil. The sporty low profile tires it required were ungodly expensive. It took premium fuel, which always annoyed me, and got worse milage than my 3. It was fun to drive, but I'm glad it's someone else's problem now.

The 3 has been a great workhorse. It's fun to drive in a manual transmission; I used to auto cross it even! It's got 130k miles on it. The only non wear repair it had was a cooling fan and AC compressor, which died after the cooling fan failed. I get 30 city 35 highway on 87 octane. Tires are dirt cheap for my 15 in steel wheels. I wish I had sprung for the hatch back in 06 as it's much more practical for hauling stuff.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Tjat

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2016, 05:26:08 PM »
I have a manual 07 Mazda 3 with 65K miles. Maintainance has been moderate, but mostly because of my younger self's driving habits - replaced clutch, rotors, left strut mounts (lot of potholes up here!)

Visibility is fine. I'm tall and the car isn't the most comfortable on long drives, but is fine.

daverobev

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2016, 05:45:32 PM »
Be aware that the Mazda 3s rust (big problem up here in the great white north).

Check carcomplaints.com - How much are you talking for the repairs?

Thinkum

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #16 on: March 26, 2016, 06:29:57 PM »
Are you just tired of the Prius and looking for a reason to get a newer car? While the dealer will tell you it will cost you $$$$, you can actually get it fixed with a used unit for a lot less. Check Google search or this link I found: http://priuschat.com/threads/dead-touch-screen-on-multi-function-display.118321/.

Over the long term the Prius is by far the best financial choice, perhaps though, not the funnest.

I own an 06 Prius and got a nice surprise yesterday that had me pretty upset. However, I found a way to get it fixed for a LOT cheaper and it will keep my car going for a LONG time still.

If you are looking for an opinion about a Mini vs a MZ3, I'd go MZ3. I would NEVER own a German car again. Everything is a way more expensive and at least for VW, much more difficult to fix than on a domestic or Asian car.

JLee

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #17 on: March 26, 2016, 07:09:57 PM »
A Mini basically has BMW maintenance -- based on that alone, I'd lean towards a Mazda3 (unless you do your own work).

RWD

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #18 on: March 26, 2016, 07:16:47 PM »
I would be less concerned with repair costs since both are fairly reliable cars.

Uhh..... The Minis are well known to be very unreliable. A couple sources:
http://www.truedelta.com/Mini-Clubman/reliability-1101
http://longtermqualityindex.com/reports/MINI.html


A Mini basically has BMW maintenance -- based on that alone, I'd lean towards a Mazda3 (unless you do your own work).

Agreed.

retiringearly

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #19 on: March 26, 2016, 10:03:40 PM »
Mazda will be much higher quality

obstinate

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2016, 12:32:15 AM »
Worth noting that MINI makes the least reliable car in America. They are fun, but not Mustachian, IMO. They are semi-luxury cars.

aspiringnomad

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #21 on: March 28, 2016, 09:34:12 PM »
This post is very timely. I've been thinking about getting a Mazda3 hatchback myself. Am 33 years old but have never owned a car except for a hand-me-down I used during two years of undergrad. Was initially looking at the Honda Fit, but the Mazda3 seems like a much more quality drive. Have been wavering between paying ~$5k for a 2006ish vintage with ~120k miles or paying ~$12k for something much newer and with fewer miles on it. Plan to keep at about 5-7 years (at which point I'll likely FIRE and travel slowly for awhile) and trying to decide which would be smarter from a financial perspective.

Tetsuya Hondo

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #22 on: March 29, 2016, 08:44:00 AM »
We own a Mini Cooper S that's now around 8 years old. It's a blast to drive, but it's not a Mustachian car for all the reasons mentioned above. After all, it's a German engineered car that was built in England, which is a recipe for unreliability. We keep ours because it's paid for and we're strangely emotionally attached to it. As a bonus, every trip somewhere feels like a rally car stage.

If you get a Mini, put aside money for repairs. The Mazda will be far cheaper to own.

Spork

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #23 on: March 29, 2016, 09:17:20 AM »
When I replaced my gargantuan SUV 4 years ago... I desperately wanted a Mini... and just couldn't do it from a Mustacian point of view.  Again, when my wife's 20 year old car needed replacing a couple of years later the idea of a Mini came up.  Again practicality won out.

I think they are absolutely fun to drive and fun to look at.  But not a mustacian purchase in any way, shape or form.  Too unreliable.  Too pricey to drive with premium gas.  Too pricey to buy parts for.   ...and we're 100 miles from the nearest authorized dealer.

We both went with non-exciting used Toyotas.  In the OPs shoes, I'd probably to with the Mazda.

Jeremy E.

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #24 on: March 29, 2016, 09:18:28 AM »
Mazda 3 over mini cooper everytime.
Mazda 3 is mustachian, mini cooper is not
2012 and newer Mazda 3 has skyactiv technology, some of the coolest technology for cars out there.

BeHere

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #25 on: March 29, 2016, 08:22:51 PM »
Be aware that the Mazda 3s rust (big problem up here in the great white north).

Check carcomplaints.com - How much are you talking for the repairs?

Dealing with that on my 2005 Mazda3, not happy...

Paul | pdgessler

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #26 on: March 29, 2016, 08:41:15 PM »
Another Mazda3 owner here. I have a 2008 GT Hatchback with a 5-speed manual, purchased about two years ago with 97k miles. Now it has 107k miles and the only work I've needed to do was a battery replacement, brakes, and oil changes. I've been very pleased.

It's the first car that I've owned, but as a mechanical engineer and a bit of a "car buff" I've driven quite a few. Mazda handling is quite good. I average around 29 mpg. I wish the gearing was a bit taller: I could improve the average mileage significantly if I could cruise on the freeway at lower rpm. Mine has the larger 2.3 L engine; you can get better gas mileage out of the 2.0 L engine from that generation. As others have mentioned, the new SkyActiv engines are even better.

I've not had any body rust issues yet, but I know this is an issue with this model and I'm watching for it.

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #27 on: April 01, 2016, 06:45:07 AM »
I'm leaning heavily towards the Mazda. The reliability issue of the Minis is also an issue to me Bc of the hassle. I don't have time for more unexpected problems. There is a private service place here that specializes in them (along with other types of cars). Even they have an 8 point blog post about how to keep everything running smoothly for a long time. And none of it was what I would consider routine.

May consider the Fit too. But I don't love them.

Any other hatchback considerations?  I'm looking around 2011 and newer. Most of everything else I've read online is pointing me towards the Mazda3.

acroy

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #28 on: April 01, 2016, 07:04:55 AM »
We own a Mini Cooper S........... it's a German engineered car that was built in England, which is a recipe for unreliability.
If you get a Mini, put aside money for repairs. The Mazda will be far cheaper to own.

Hahaha!
All true. Mini - fun, but unreliable.
I LOVE Mazda. They prove a car can be reliable, efficient, cheap and still FUN .

miked

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #29 on: April 01, 2016, 07:05:06 AM »
We have a 2005 Mazda 3, 5-speed, 2.3L. I think it has about 125,000 miles on it. This model year has bad rust over the rear wheels (and I'm thinking about replacing those portions of the panels this summer, but I need a welder for that).

The car has been good, but I would avoid the larger engine if I had to do it again. And avoid this model year because of the rust. We routinely fit 2 bikes in the back, and 3 will squeeze with a third passenger, but it's tight.

We've had the car since 2012 and I have replaced: front struts/springs, starter motor, one front wheel bearing, wheels. I'm about to do the rear struts once it warms up a bit.

Ceridwen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #30 on: April 01, 2016, 07:11:11 AM »
We have a 2010 Mazda 3.  I am not a car person at all, so this will probably not be very useful feedback, but for what it's worth both my husband and I really like it.  It does indeed have "zip", and even without a hatchback, we find the trunk space is quite good.  Our only complaint with it is that it is tight for rear-facing car seats for the kids.  We bought the most compact (affordable) car seat on the market, and it still leaves the front seat passenger with hardly any leg room.

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #31 on: April 01, 2016, 07:25:36 AM »
Any other hatchback considerations?  I'm looking around 2011 and newer. Most of everything else I've read online is pointing me towards the Mazda3.

You may also be interested in looking at the Ford Fiesta/Focus, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa Note, Subaru Impreza, and Chevrolet Sonic. Most of these should get better fuel economy than the pre-2014 Mazda 3 as well.

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #32 on: April 05, 2016, 07:23:06 PM »
Looks like I'll be going with a used 2015 Mazda3 hatchback manual!  It was roughly 7k cheaper than the new one,  in case there's anyone reading who isn't sure about the value of used cars.  I definitely could've found reasonable cars under 10,000. But I really love the car  and I can afford it.  However when you really look at what's out there, you see how much people spend on cars that they actually cannot afford when there are perfectly reasonable options out there

I also test drove a used Jetta. I love the way it felt, the price was good, but was concerned about repair costs over the long term.

Cwadda

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #33 on: April 05, 2016, 08:51:07 PM »
Looks like I'll be going with a used 2015 Mazda3 hatchback manual!  It was roughly 7k cheaper than the new one,  in case there's anyone reading who isn't sure about the value of used cars.  I definitely could've found reasonable cars under 10,000. But I really love the car  and I can afford it.  However when you really look at what's out there, you see how much people spend on cars that they actually cannot afford when there are perfectly reasonable options out there

I also test drove a used Jetta. I love the way it felt, the price was good, but was concerned about repair costs over the long term.

I think you've made a good choice. You should get nice gas mileage out of it too. One complaint one of my buddy has about his 2014/2015 Mazda3 is that he finds it annoying how the cars tells him when to shift gears.

NorCal

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #34 on: April 05, 2016, 10:27:16 PM »
Go for the Mazda, hands down.  Run from the Mini if maintenance costs are a consideration.

I've had a Miata and currently drive a Mazda6.  I've been incredibly happy with both.   They're well built and part failures are extremely rare.  With 12 years of combined ownership, I had an alternator go out on the Miata, and a problem with the nav unit on the Mazda6 (covered by warranty).  My only complaint with the Mazda6 is that you store the jumper cables in the trunk, and there is no way to open the trunk with a dead battery.

My wife had a Mini when we met.  It was a fun car to drive.  We even managed to pack for a week long camping trip in it.  It was somewhat comical, but one of our better trips.

Maintenance on a Mini is a ridiculously more expensive.  Here's an abbreviated list of maintenance challenges we had over ~3 years with it.  We spent more on Mini maintenance in three years than I've spent in 12 years owning Mazda's combined.

-You need $100+ specialty tools just to change the brake-pads.  It's ridiculous.

-The nearly vertical windshield is very vulnerable to rock and debris strikes.  We averaged a new windshield every year we owned it.  I'll refrain from specific comments on my wife's driving, but regardless of circumstances, that was a lot of windshields.

-Run-flat tires are the stupidest invention ever.  They are non-repairable (well, I did it myself once or twice) and are somehow magnets for anything sharp.  We went through two or three from random sharp objects.  Of the 4-6 tire punctures I've had in my life, only one didn't happen in that Mini.  Also, never, never, ever buy the less expensive mini run-flats.  The rear suspension in a mini in non-adjustable and will wear through the cheap tires in under 15K miles.  Guess how I know that.

-Random coolant leaks that it takes professional technicians 3 visits to find.

-Jack points are sub-standard compared to all other brands of cars I've worked on.  Every other model of car I've worked on allows you to use jack stands under the suspension to keep the suspension loaded.  Try that with a Mini, and you'll do $400 in damage to the suspension.  Again, guess how I know that.

NoStacheOhio

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #35 on: April 06, 2016, 06:01:21 AM »
My only complaint with the Mazda6 is that you store the jumper cables in the trunk, and there is no way to open the trunk with a dead battery.

Crawl through the back seat passthrough, unless the release is also in the trunk. On the 5-doors it's next to the shoulder belt. :)

Dee18

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #36 on: April 06, 2016, 06:08:05 AM »
 Do rotate the tires often if you get the Mazda.  My SO has a 3 year old Mazda 3 that has developed horrible road noise on highways due to the uneven tire wear from the camber issue.  He swears he'll never get another one because of that ( he thinks it's crazy they designed the car like that) and because the car is developing a lot of squeaks at 3 yrs/ 36,000 miles.  Latest one is insulation around the back stereo speakers.  But the mileage is great. My car is an 11 year old Honda Accord and every time he rides in it he comments on how it is so well made.

Freedom2016

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #37 on: April 06, 2016, 07:41:43 AM »
Worth noting that MINI makes the least reliable car in America. They are fun, but not Mustachian, IMO. They are semi-luxury cars.

I had a MINI Cooper. Agree with the above. Mine had wacky issues in the 5 years I owned it, among them an engine fire and the hatchback hinge broke off on one side. Was not a kid friendly car, so we sold it when our firstborn was 8 months old.

NorCal

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #38 on: April 06, 2016, 10:33:55 AM »
My only complaint with the Mazda6 is that you store the jumper cables in the trunk, and there is no way to open the trunk with a dead battery.

Crawl through the back seat passthrough, unless the release is also in the trunk. On the 5-doors it's next to the shoulder belt. :)

It's unfortunately in the trunk on the Mazda6.  Putting it in the passenger cabin would make too much sense.

lightning hippo

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #39 on: April 06, 2016, 11:11:16 AM »
What year is your Prius? 
The Combination Meter (center display below the windshield) failure is pretty common on the 2nd gen (2004-2009) Prius.
The good news is that Toyota offers an extended warranty to replace the part for free (Warranty Enhancement ZTV), but there is a time limit (9 years from the first day in service).
The meter on my 2007 was replaced by the dealer a few years ago and has been working great ever since.
Details here.  http://priuschat.com/threads/combination-meter-warranty-enhancement.117154/
There's also someone on the Prius forum who can fix it for a reasonable price if your car is too old to qualify for the warranty fix.

Intermittent headlight issue is probably just a failing HID bulb, not the ballast. 
A replacement bulb only costs $50 (get a genuine Philips D4R bulb).

While Prius may not be the most exciting car on the road, it is hard to beat when you look at the total cost of ownership and the space/utility.

NoStacheOhio

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #40 on: April 06, 2016, 01:19:53 PM »

It's unfortunately in the trunk on the Mazda6.  Putting it in the passenger cabin would make too much sense.

My Civic was like that, although I think you could still key open the trunk on a dead battery.

Scandium

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #41 on: April 06, 2016, 03:01:07 PM »
The Mini is one of the most unreliable cars know to man, barely have room for a purse, has terrible milage for it's size and is a deathtrap in any collision with anything larger than a squirrel. I don't understand why anyone would buy one. Because of Mr Bean?
« Last Edit: April 06, 2016, 09:13:39 PM by Scandium »

ETBen

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Re: Mini Cooper or Mazda 3 or other?
« Reply #42 on: April 06, 2016, 09:03:39 PM »
What year is your Prius? 
The Combination Meter (center display below the windshield) failure is pretty common on the 2nd gen (2004-2009) Prius.
The good news is that Toyota offers an extended warranty to replace the part for free (Warranty Enhancement ZTV), but there is a time limit (9 years from the first day in service).
The meter on my 2007 was replaced by the dealer a few years ago and has been working great ever since.
Details here.  http://priuschat.com/threads/combination-meter-warranty-enhancement.117154/
There's also someone on the Prius forum who can fix it for a reasonable price if your car is too old to qualify for the warranty fix.

Intermittent headlight issue is probably just a failing HID bulb, not the ballast. 
A replacement bulb only costs $50 (get a genuine Philips D4R bulb).

While Prius may not be the most exciting car on the road, it is hard to beat when you look at the total cost of ownership and the space/utility.


Its not the bulb bc I changed them both and I do have basic common sense.  They intermittently work, which isn't very convenient.



I got the Mazda today. Love it. Awesome car.