2007 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
I bought my 2007 MC used with 24,000 miles. It was the perfect first car for me -- small, easy to park, fun to drive. However, around 50,000 miles the car's reliability took a turn. This year it was in for service 7 times, towed twice. Everything from steering wheel locks to o2 sensors has needed to be replaced. It has started to overheat, and make discontenting sounds. Alignment pins have started rattling (not covered in warranty - $700 to fix). After a recent service trip the service light was at 10,000 miles and two weeks later its at 7,000 - no possible way I drove 3k in two weeks. My mom and sister both have brand new minis and love them, so perhaps this is a car not to be bought used.
Fun to drive, aesthetically appealing, stereo is decent, comfortable interior (although I'm 5'2). Mini Roadside assistance is extremely handy and simple to use.
As said in other reviews, mini needs to recall certain problems that have been seen in their cars. Customer service is extremely poor - every time I take it in, I'm treated like an idiot and these are just common problems every car has. Sadly, I will not be buying another vehicle from Mini. Also, there is no temperature gauge, so the only possible way to tell if the car is overheating is if the area around your feet/pedals gets abnormally warm. There's also a surprising kick that lunges the car forward upon breaking at red lights, stop signs, etc. It's sporadic, but it has almost lunged me into a few cars.