Used 2012 MINI Cooper Consumer Reviews
Used Cooper for sale
2...
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2012 Cooper, so we've included reviews for other years of the Cooper since its last redesign.
Pure Fun!
Bill, 12/29/2017
2011 MINI Cooper S 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
We have owned this car for 7 years and it is still more fun to drive than any other car I have owned. It has the poee to make it feel like a muscle car and the handling of a sports car. Despite it's small size, it has plenty of leg room and headroom (at 6'-3" I actually move the seat forward to comfortably reach the pedals!). On a beautiful day you can ride with the top down and still carry in a conversation with your passenger. I highly recommend this car.
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Wish I had read up more on the common problems....
Indy Musician, 04/03/2016
2011 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
31 of 36 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2011 manual base Cooper with 35,000 miles on it....now, at 54,000 miles, it has had a failure of two coils. This turns out to be VERY common with Minis when you go to the various forums. The car will sputter on acceleration, take up to 10 seconds to turn over in the morning, etc. and the problem only worsens unless tended to. Cost at an independent mechanic to fix? $650. Another common problem is dirty injectors at this point. Oh, and it needs a full synthetic oil....so, when you were hoping to get the $19.99 oil change at Car-X, it quickly triples that cost. :/ And the brakes are about gone now, too, despite mostly highway driving. And the worst part? Don't get a flat tire. There is NO SPARE. NONE. The only good part of this car is the gas mileage, but even then, it's not as good as other manuals out there. I get about 33 mpg with, as I said, mostly highway driving.
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Small package - Great reward
Bruce, 08/31/2017
2011 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Having owned several lower-end sports cars in my life (Fiat 124 and X-19, a 1972 Mini, and a Matra-Simca Bagherra), I can happily say that this car has been more fun to drive than anything before. I am a bit of a stickler for traffic laws, but there's a large playground between zero and whatever. Even on highways with higher speed limits, the turbo-charged engine has sufficient zip to give the driver an adrenaline rush and cause a passenger to grab for the panic handle. Having said all of that, the potential cost to replace the high pressure fuel pump (MINI has extended the warranty for this to 100,000 miles.) or the turbo charger gives me chills, but not the good kind. When it came time to replace the tires, I got rid of the run-flats and added a spare to the already small trunk. Big increase in handling and ride comfort, with great savings to the pocketbook. Overall rating for me is AWESOME!
- Performance
New Mini Owner 2012
marymouse, 06/17/2012
2012 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
29 of 34 people found this review helpful
I just purchased a 2012 mini hardtop bayswater package. love the vehicles looks in and out, quite roomy for a little car, the back seat is a joke. think of this as a 2 seater, we keep the seat folded and just use the back for transporting goods for the store or the dogs.
2012 Base Mini, Manual Trans, Lemon
Kevin, 03/09/2016
2012 MINI Cooper 2dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
32 of 38 people found this review helpful
I traded in my trouble plagued 2002 Mini, for what I thought was a major upgrade. I purchased my 2012 Base Model Mini with manual transmission last Aug. with 31,000 miles. While driving down to my favorite eatery, shifting from 1st to 2nd shifter know came off in my hand. I managed to replace it and continued on. A couple of days later a aprox. 32,000 miles I began to notice a clatter from the engine at first start up in the morning, during the next few weeks it became progressively worse. I took it to the local Mini dealer and was informed the clatter was the clutch failing. Being a mechanic for 40 plus years I called BS, told them to keep the car for a cold start test the next day. Low and behold it was determined the timing chain was at fault, these engines apparently have chain tensioners prone to failure. The timing chain was replaced along with tensioners and gears. The dealer Seattle Mini stuck by their story that my clutch was failing and would be 2400.00 to replace, but offered me an extended warranty that would cover the clutch for 1895.00. What a way to cover the cost of the warranty work. About 2 weeks after having the work down, the engine began to misfire badly, had it towed to the dealer, they replaced the coil packs for the ignition, and spark plugs and wires. So here we are today, 41,102 miles, the engine is beginning to clatter again from the exact same location. Under warranty to 50,000 miles. Soon as it gets worse to justify the warranty work and before 50,000 miles back in again for another timing chain, followed by a quick trade in for another car, not MINI. Oh and did I mention that Seattle Mini tried the whole your clutch is failing routine on me a 2nd time with offer of the extended warranty when I took it in for the Misfire problem I mentioned earlier. By the way the clutch still works perfect, however the manual transmission has always been clunky when shifting, the transition from 1st to 2nd requires a firm pull, it also has no reverse lock out, on 2 separate occasions I have been at a light and forgot to downshift into first, while quickly doing so as to not block traffic, it went into reverse. Luckily caught it before I hit someone behind me. Been driving manual for years.
- Performance
2...