Are Minis unreliable and expensive to repair?

[JacobReesMogadishu]

Dd has passed her test and we’re car hunting. I keep seeing sensible micros, etc which apparently are all very boring. She’s seen a 2002 Mini with about 100,000 miles on the clock which she likes. I’m put off as I’m sure I’ve read about expensive repair bills for minis?

Oh no, did you go back to the garage OP?

You are legally entitled to reject the car within 30 days of purchase if you've got problems.

Car problems are ongoing. It keeps losing power, going into limp mode and stopping. Once when Dd was overtaking and another time in the middle of a roundabout. So dangerous.

An EPC light keeps coming on, then a check engine light but both go off before I can get it to my local mechanic for a code check to see what the fault is. Google says it’s Likely an issue with a throttle sensor.

It’s going back to the garage for the throttle body to be cleaned out....I suspect it needs a new sensor but guess he wants to do the cheapest option first.

I’ve insured it and taxed it so am reluctant now to ask for my money back as it would be such an arse to cancel all of that and I’d be out of pocket. I may as well pay my local mechanic money to fix it if necessary.

Car seller person did say in a message it was sold as seen but out of the goodness of his heart he’d be prepared to sort it. Which is bollocks because as a trade seller it has a 3 month warranty against major defects and it even says that on the paperwork he gave me! He must think I’m stupid.

I bought a cheapo older Peugeot a few years ago after passing my test (also from a local garage). A few weeks later it kept losing power, finally stopping dead at a roundabout and it wouldn’t start again. The place I bought it from completely washed their hands of me and when I took it to a local automatic specialist they said it needed the transmission replaced, which would have been £1500 so I scrapped it.

The experience put me off so much I didn’t drive for four years. When I finally got my current car (automatic Polo - I have an auto licence) I got a much newer car on HP and it has sailed through its MOTs. My experience of autos cars has been totally different to yours in that there has been plenty of choice and I managed to get the exact make/model/trim of car I set out for.

Would you be able to take the car back and use the budget as a down payment for a slightly more expensive one from a larger dealer?

Would you be able to take the car back and use the budget as a down payment for a slightly more expensive one from a larger dealer?

Not really, I’m already paying £200 a month for my car on credit, can’t really be paying for two cars on credit. I also wanted a cheap one for her for a year or two incase she crashes it. Something which doesn’t matter if it gets a big scrape, etc.

You have 30 days to reject the car, and it's up to the garage to prove it doesn't have a serious fault - not yours to prove it has.
It's a minefield though because despite your rights, if the garage are difficult then you have a legal battle on your hands. I had the same thing a couple of years ago, I rejected a car that had major problems but the garage wouldn't accept the rejection.
Don't let them fob you off, the problem it's got is dangerous and what they've sold you isn't fit for purpose.