Secondhand automatic car - help! 2013 Mini Countryman or something else?

[EmeraldDreams73]

If you drive a 5-10 year old automatic car and are glad you chose it, please tell me what it is!

My old faithful Skoda Octavia estate was written off last week (rear ended by a lorry, his fault, won't get much ££ for mine but was ultra reliable. Local garages have seen photos and confirmed write off). Currently in a hire car and awaiting insurance, will only have 7 days to find new car once figures agreed, so looking now.

Budget: £5-7k
Wish list: Reliable, nice to drive, 1.4l or more.

Semi rural here, quite a lot of lanes (Devon), short journeys most of the time. Hatchback/small SUV/ petrol.
Probably 8-10 years old given our budget.

So should I be prioritising low mileage? Something else? My car was on 146k and still fine, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree using mileage as main yardstick?

I've always wanted a Mini. Test drove a 2013 Mini Countryman today (70k miles) from a Mini specialist dealer and we all loved it. Full service history, warranty etc. Not committed to it yet. My dad (retired engineer, utterly risk averse, usually bloody right) is being the Voice of Doom about expense/reliability. He's urging me to go for something like a Kia or Honda and forget the gorgeousness of the Mini. Of course I don't have to take his word as gospel but he's trying to be helpful, I just love the Mini and don't want to believe him!

Really don't want to buy something purely to be Sensible, but would I regret the Mini? There's so much conflicting stuff online about them, and we don't have much spare money for emergency repairs. Would obvs look after it properly/regular service etc though.

Any recommendations/horror stories welcome to help with heart versus head...

There are many independent garages who won't repair a mini. They won't touch them. Mitsubishi don't have any dealerships in the UK anymore. There are two I would def avoid.

I've got a Mini and it's great to drive. However, the maintenance is expensive - all the parts are costly and have to be ordered for repairs. The tyres are also a less common size so therefore almost double what I was paying for the Fiesta I owned previously.

Mini servicing and parts are expensive, as PP said. I’ve had a Cooper S convertible and a Countryman and I wouldn’t buy another Mini. Your dad is right.

I swear by our elderly Focus automatic. I think that you might end up regretting following your heart if you're on a tight budget.

A friend used to work for an independent garage a few years back. The mini's of that generation (along with the BMW's they shared bits with) had real issues with the engines- as in catastrophic failures. I posed the same question as you back then, wanted a countryman, and the answer was unexpectedly damning!

I've always been fond of a honda Civic, the last one i had (a 2013 plate) i sold at 145k miles, and believe it's still going today. From a quick look at autotrader, there's a good few in your price braket.

Thanks so much everyone. I spoke to our local garage this morning who also said to avoid it, so I've accepted it. Have now put a deposit down on a Kia Ceed of the same age and mileage and thrown a tantrum 😆I know I need to be grateful we've (hopefully...) dodged a bullet but atm I'm still in a strop!

My Mini was the most uncomfortable car ever. I’d always wanted one too, but had to change the tyres immediately, things regularly went wrong and were expensive to put right.

The best I could say is that the garage that serviced the car provided a decent cup of coffee.

Does that make you feel better OP?

By the way, I had a Kia Cee’d and enjoyed driving it.

Thank you! That definitely helps :)

I was thinking of getting a Countryman, asked a mechanic and he pulled a face. He said Kias are very good, in that they hardly ever came in with issues. Sao you've probably made the right choice!

I have a 2014 Mini Cooper (auto) never had a part fail and it's always sailed through its MOT (bar the usual break pad renewal ) but I don't do a great deal
of mileage.
I love mine-it's so easy to drive. I've had it about 5 years.

I had an Audi A3 a couple years back which was fantastic to drive also.reliable unlike exh mini countryman which had turbo issues and had to be scrapped (also was considerably newer than my Audi)

I don't know what auto minis are like, but do not get an automatic fiat 500 . The gearbox is shit. I love mine, but it's a money pit.

Came here to say Audi A3 / A4

I have a 2018 Automatic Mini Countryman and I love it. I just love the 'Mini-ness' of it, and even though it's the big Countryman, I don't feel that you lose the 'go cart' feeling. It's very reliable, I've had it a little over 2 years and have had no issues with it whatsoever. I work for another car manufacturer and see the other side of this daily..

It's not the most economical fuel-wise, but that's a small sacrifice for everything else that's good about it. It's roomy (can comfortably get my 4 Labs in it) practical and fun. I've personalised it with bonnet stripes etc, and I just love it!