Used 2008 MINI Cooper Hatchback Consumer Reviews
Used Cooper for sale
300,000 miles and counting!
Mini Man, 02/11/2021
2008 MINI Cooper S 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
So...you have read about the dreaded R56 engine and you have read about the oil burning and no doubt, you have also read about the incredible amount of pure joy you get from driving a Mini. The 2008 Mini Cooper S turbo is my car and yes, I go under the hood a lot. So, if you are not mechanically inclined, DON'T BUY THIS CAR! If you are going to take it to a dealership every time a check engine light comes on, DON'T BUY THIS CAR! But...if you aren't afraid of learning how to service and replace things, and if you are willing to buy an OBD2 scanner (cheap), and willing to research what is truly wrong when you get a code... this is an amazing little car. I love it and in fact, is my favorite car that I have ever owned (I'm 62 and owned Triumphs, Mustangs, T-birds, and many more. This car is quick, easy to handle, rides like a go-kart on steroids, and nobody but an exotic will beat you off the line at a stop line if you have the good fortune to find a six speed turbo and keep her in top condition. You will change the oil a lot, but if you find yourself adding oil a lot, its because you are not changing it enough. This is a SPORTS CAR, so change the oil and filter every 4000 miles. It is easy to do, but buy the proper tools. You will have a blast in these cars and they are reliable but require high maintenance, as any sports car does. And...my Mini at 300,000 miles is still getting 34 miles to a gallon, AND ripping down the highway!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Wild Maus (mouse)
JimH, 06/29/2009
2008 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
This is my second burgundy Mini. My first was a 1967 that I brought back from Europe. Both cars were/are go- carts. The '67 cornered better, but was underpowered. The '08 has the power but it overpowers the steering. No complaints, mine you! Lord, what a fun car to drive. By the way, the title refers to a carnival ride, "The Wild Maus." It would snap your head off your shoulders, if you weren't careful. Read the complaints: Bumpy ride: It is a sports car - dodge them. Limited space: drop the back seats and think again. Odd radio controls: It has a radio? - who knew! I love to hear it purr!
2008 MINI Cooper for sale near you
Showing 3 of 68 listings
- Base 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $5,99510 mi away
- S 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $5,42523 mi away
- Base ConvertibleMSRP: $3,900110 mi away
See all 68 listings
Fun to Drive, lots of limitations
jasonbum, 08/16/2012
2008 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
37 of 42 people found this review helpful
I bought this car used and I am perhaps the wrong demographic to own such a car. If it wasn't so fun to drive, I would hate it- if that makes any sense at all! Noisy on highway, base engine strains when pushed. Automatic trans is clunky on downshifts and has trouble making decisions. This car had some type of solenoid problem before I bought it and found that out later. Very finicky about fuel- Mini will almost spit out anything less than 93 octane. Carbon buildup problems exist and on such a tightly built engine, that becomes worrisome. The Mini, for me, is like someone that you just date but wouldn't marry.
a blissful honeymoon led to a nasty divorce
stanley m heath, 06/12/2016
2008 MINI Cooper S 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
BMW seems determined to make Mini owners tethered to their Mini dealership service departments. There are no instructions for owner maintainence and the instructions for resetting the stupid computer for things as simple as inflating the tires are either incomplete or unintelligible. Oil change intervals of 15,000 miles are too long and only contribute to more trips to the dealer in the long run as the engine wears out. Every Mini owner can attest to the utter worthlessness of the run flat tires. Harsh ride and expensive to replace I put conventional radials on and it made big improvement. For a "sports" car with all the electronics I"d expect and oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge at the minimum, but apparently BMW engineers knew better. I bought my Cooper S with 13,000 miles and never got the Email regarding the recall for timing belt tensioner replacement until mine imploded at 30,000 miles. The local dealer was willing to replace mine, but up until that moment I'd never had oil consumption problems. Since then it burned through 2 qts. in 5000 miles. Coincidence? I think the fragments from the tensioner ruined the internal parts of the engine. The driving experience is indeed exhilarating, but beware the dealer cost for service can offset the fun factor real quick. I will not buy another Mini or any other BMW product or recommend them to anyone else. Run the other way
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great car if you’re financially comfortable enough
CourtneyEC, 10/09/2018
2008 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This is a really fun car, deceptively comfortable for one so small, great for collecting speeding tickets. Has great field of vision around it. Plenty of storage space if you put the back seats down, I’ve moved with it a few times. Back seats are cramped and the seats themselves are uncomfortable, front are just fine. The seats are pretty durable and clean up nicely after minor spills. Has a lot of customization you can do with the read outs though they are often obscured by warning lights. You get used to the big odometer in the middle of the car. The front end of the car is very low and prone to getting torn off if you park too close to a concrete curb, you learn to park far back in a space. I hate the sunroof Which takes up the front and back area of the ceiling and comes with a purposeless mesh cover, but that’s just because it’s impractical in Vegas and only serves to expose the top of your head to the sun while you drive. If you like sunroofs it’s a pretty big one. It has stopped working though recently, which most I ever did with was crack it for ventilation while parked. The gas indicator is different from most cars, visualized in pie slices. Once it gets down to three the car may run empty at any moment. The downside is that the car is expensive to maintain. My dad bought this used in 2011 as a midlife crisis mobile and I ended up with it in 2013. In that time the timing chain snapped, requiring the whole engine be replaced. Then a few months later some plastic part in the engine deformed from heat (I live in Las Vegas, I think it’d been 115 that day) and had to be replaced. Oil changes are $60 to $100, though supposedly only needed once a year. Currently at 122000 some miles it’s just had to have completely new brake pads, replaced water pump, Persistent antifreeze leak that the mechanic is currently trying to fix, all of which has cost more than a third of the car’s worth at this point. That’s not to mention the several sensors that have gone bad so constantly say something is wrong with the tires, seatbelts, and brakes even though they’re fine. I don’t bother fixing those. This model (or all Minis?) have a lot of plastic parts inside that I don’t think hold up well to the dry heat in Vegas. The check engine light has been on for most of the life of the car, with one thing or another wrong with it at any given time. It’s been a good car, comparatively good on gas mileage, but the upkeep is a bit beyond what is practical On a student’s limited funds. Would make a great passion car though, something fun and comfortable for someone that can afford the repairs and has a garage to shield it from the sun. Not sad I’ve had it, just sad it hasn’t been more durable. Then again, 7 years in the family putting up with longer commutes, a climate I don’t think it was designed for, and persistent minimal maintenance (getting it fixed when we can afford or when absolutely urgent) I’d still says it’s been a good car for the price. This round of repairs may hold it for another 60 or 80000 miles, but planning to sell it and go electric when I get the money saved up.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value