Cooper D

The worst Mini I’ve ever owned

The worst? Really? Yes. This is my third and is comfortably the least accomplished. However considering the high watermark of the brand a “bad” MINI is sill a decent car and worth considering as a used buy.

So what makes a bad car actually quite good? Well, my brief when purchasing a used vehicle to supplement the family’s main car was for it to be cheap to tax (less than £30pa), cheap to run (good MPG) and a little bit fun. Amongst a sea of dire Suzukis, Diahastus and soulless euro-boxes the MINI quickly became a front runner. If your brief is a little more flexible than mine I would recommend avoiding the diesel. It’s not a bad engine, but the extra weight and resultant compromise in suspension set up robs the MINI of some of the fun factor for which it is rightly famous. It can still put a smile on your face. The steering remains wonderfully weighty and direct and there’s next to no body roll but the front grip is more limited than its petrol cousin. If time allows, I’d also advise being choosy. There are hundreds on the market, so pick one that has the spec you want. Avoid the 17” wheels wherever possible; your spine will thank you.

In two years of ownership the MINI has proven itself reliable, cheap to run and just enough fun to make my daily commute enjoyable.

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