Mini Cooper S or Ford Fiesta ST
Discussion
Fiesta is likely to be cheaper to run.
Checking Warranty Direct's reliability index has the Fiesta at 24th place and the Mini JCW at 190th with average repair costs at more than double the Fiesta's. Not exact matches on model and year, but a good indicator.
Insurance groups and MPG are very similar.
Checking Warranty Direct's reliability index has the Fiesta at 24th place and the Mini JCW at 190th with average repair costs at more than double the Fiesta's. Not exact matches on model and year, but a good indicator.
Insurance groups and MPG are very similar.
t, that could unfairly skew any reliability index that did not accurately account for model changes.Ahbefive said:
johnoz said:
The Mini will be more fun to drive,
And may hold its value better!!
No and no.And may hold its value better!!
After driving my son's 2015 Fiesta ST for a few days all I can say is that the car is an absolute hoot to drive and although his is tweaked there isn't much that can be as exiting to drive for the money. His car is running around 240bhp and around 280lb/ft torque and it is quick.
Can you find an ST for 9k ?
I had the same decision 3 1/2 years ago and went for the mini. It's better built, sounds better, feels quicker. I couldn't live with the suspension on a day to day basis and didn't find it that fast.
I've covered 25k and occasionally it goes into low power mode it's either the fuel pump on its way out or it's because mine runs a sports cat and the lambda sensor doesn't like it.
It returns 38mpg and is cheap to tax. I paid £13300 for it from a mini dealer when it was 3 years old and I could possibly sell it privately for 8-9k, nearer to 9 I guess.
I had the same decision 3 1/2 years ago and went for the mini. It's better built, sounds better, feels quicker. I couldn't live with the suspension on a day to day basis and didn't find it that fast.
I've covered 25k and occasionally it goes into low power mode it's either the fuel pump on its way out or it's because mine runs a sports cat and the lambda sensor doesn't like it.
It returns 38mpg and is cheap to tax. I paid £13300 for it from a mini dealer when it was 3 years old and I could possibly sell it privately for 8-9k, nearer to 9 I guess.
Thanks so far.
Reliability is my issue. Repair and servicing costs also of interest.
"Fun to drive" is always very subjective.
The later Cooper S (from 2011) with the N16/18 engine and 184bhp, seemed to address the earlier cam chain tensioner demon and is clearly a better engine.
A few Fiesta STs (from 2013)can be found for close to £9k. That will also secure a 2011 Cooper S.
Any more comments regarding reliability of those 2 specific models would be very helpful.
Reliability is my issue. Repair and servicing costs also of interest.
"Fun to drive" is always very subjective.
The later Cooper S (from 2011) with the N16/18 engine and 184bhp, seemed to address the earlier cam chain tensioner demon and is clearly a better engine.
A few Fiesta STs (from 2013)can be found for close to £9k. That will also secure a 2011 Cooper S.
Any more comments regarding reliability of those 2 specific models would be very helpful.
There's more than tensioner issues on Minis. I must stress this is supercharged models, but they had issues with electrics, interior, build quality, rotten exhausts (£££ for OEM), headlamps which would fail and need readjusting by BMW (£££), and power steering pumps (£££ + ball ache to fit) that would drain your battery until it was knackered and then catch fire. Most smaller parts would mean you're off to BMW with a fresh bottle of lube as well.
Perhaps BMW after they dumped the supercharged Brazilian made engine, they decided to turn everything else around as well. I find it very hard to believe a Fiesta ST isn't an easier car to live with.
Perhaps BMW after they dumped the supercharged Brazilian made engine, they decided to turn everything else around as well. I find it very hard to believe a Fiesta ST isn't an easier car to live with.
I have no experience with the mini but my 15 plate ST has been nothing short of superb in the two years I've had it. Even though it's a lease car which goes back next month it's been treated like my own car and hasn't even used a drop of oil between services. I do very short stop/start journeys and even these haven't caused any issues .. even when using some power when the car isn't up to optimal temperature.
I would recommend getting an extended test drive though as the ride is very stiff around town and on poorly surfaced roads. Owners try and defend the ride but it is probably one of the worst around .. I'm in my early twenties and came from an R26 Megane but even I find the ride stiffness at low speed just about tolerable (Nearly all my driving is inner city though on mainly poorly surfaced roads).
I would recommend getting an extended test drive though as the ride is very stiff around town and on poorly surfaced roads. Owners try and defend the ride but it is probably one of the worst around .. I'm in my early twenties and came from an R26 Megane but even I find the ride stiffness at low speed just about tolerable (Nearly all my driving is inner city though on mainly poorly surfaced roads).
Ahbefive said:
£9k for something that goes into limp home mode? Good luck with that.
If that's in response to my comment then my limp mode is self inflicted, I run a sports cat and the sensor doesn't like it. Other than that - mines the N18 its cost me nothing after 6 1/2 years and 55k.steve-5snwi said:
Other than that - mines the N18 its cost me nothing after 6 1/2 years and 55k.
3 1/2 years/31k miles with our N18 LCI Cooper S and the only additional cost to servicing has been the High Pressure Fuel Pump. Cost £300 all in at at Main Dealer for replacement. Now on 59k.Different cars for different people. From a looks point of view the ST is more of a lad car, alott of the drivers of them I come across drive like total sausages, with some little twerp at the wheel who's probably got the thing on finance. Personally I think the Mini is better looking and its looks won't really age either, take an R53 Cooper S and an ST150 from the same period for example. Reliability point of view I don't have any experience with the ST but I can't imagine there being any big issues, my other halfs mk7.5 ZS is solid and if you want boot space you'll be more than happy with what the Fiesta offers. Very spacious inside too and easy to do lots of miles in, not so sure with ST suspension though. Feels to be a lot more quality in the build of the Mini, remember we're taking BMW vs Ford here. Granted there's been some big issues with the Mini's since their 2002 release, first the Midland boxes (Rovers fault by the way, BMW wanted Getrags in them from day one) rattly dashboards and mushrooming shock towers in the earlier ones, A lot of issues ironed out in later models though, R56 was abit of a problem child from what I've heard though and the N14 engine was awful. When it boils down to it just weigh up your options and what you want from the car, find a clean and well looked after example and do your research when it comes to known problems so you can prepare for them
Wish I had seen this earlier. I have just had literally the exact choice! Same exact budget 9k. Wanted a megane 250 but it was out of budget, You will struggle to get a good MK7 ST for that. But the mini is a much much better buy.
- It's lovely inside, proper Quality and really special if specced right
- It's fast, quite suprised at just how quick it is and how tight it feels. Used to have a 208 GTi and that was all loose in the drivetrain (same engine)
- Sport button, crackles pops and bangs, standard on all of them
- Most have TLC packages with at least 1 service FOC left on them
Make sure it is an LCI model (facelift) I'm sure you know this but, black buttons on dash, newer N18 engine, newer bumpers.
I'm so pleased with mine, ST's are cracking (swapped a mk6 for this but driven a few MK7's) but they do look a bit plain compared.
If you're worried about residuals, get a JCW, but be warned the newer engine didn't change on the JCW till 2012, so you're looking at 13500 onwards, but you would stand to keep alot of that
Jonny
- It's lovely inside, proper Quality and really special if specced right
- It's fast, quite suprised at just how quick it is and how tight it feels. Used to have a 208 GTi and that was all loose in the drivetrain (same engine)
- Sport button, crackles pops and bangs, standard on all of them
- Most have TLC packages with at least 1 service FOC left on them
Make sure it is an LCI model (facelift) I'm sure you know this but, black buttons on dash, newer N18 engine, newer bumpers.
I'm so pleased with mine, ST's are cracking (swapped a mk6 for this but driven a few MK7's) but they do look a bit plain compared.
If you're worried about residuals, get a JCW, but be warned the newer engine didn't change on the JCW till 2012, so you're looking at 13500 onwards, but you would stand to keep alot of that
Jonny
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