If you were wondering where the quarterly updates were on my Mini, wonder no more! With only 2,668 miles put on the Mini last year, I felt it was a little much to give more frequent updates. If you feel otherwise, let me know. Regardless, it was mostly a fun year, so read on to get the details.
Stats:
Time Period: 2/1/2015 – 1/31/2016
Miles Driven: 2,668 / 34,907 (this update / total) (907 previous update)
Average MPG: 27.0 mpg (reported by on-board computer)
Avg MPG for Year: 25.9 (hand-calculated)
Costs:
Maintenance Costs: $0
Repairs: $50.00
Total Cost (non-fuel): $548.78
Services Performed:
- 12/12/15 – Replaced windshield with OEM windshield at Mini of Montgomery County
Summary:
After the service issue I experienced early on in the second year of ownership, the Mini has mostly been doing well. An unfortunate crack in late summer led to an early-winter replacement of the windshield. I opted for an OEM windshield, installed at the dealer by their factory-trained technicians. The cost was close to $1,000, but my insurance policy has a glass policy, so my out of pocket expense was a mere $50.00. My local Mini dealer offers loaner cars, and my insurance was willing to cover the added cost of taking it to the dealer, so it was a no-brainer. I dropped the car off on a Thursday, and got it back Saturday, which allowed the adhesive to cure for a full 24 hours before being driven. Side note: In case you missed it, I did a Quick Drive Review of the loaner car they gave me, so click here to check that out.
I had a lot of fun driving the Mini over the last twelve months, even if I did end up putting more miles on my motorcycle. The weather was just too nice not to ride, so that’s what I did. Blame it on the mild weather for most of last year, with only a few summer days which were too hot to ride.
The highlights of driving were of course the impeccable handling and adequate power, with the aurally-pleasing exhaust note. No road trips were undertaken, but the Mini was more than content tooling around town. Every time I sit behind the compact steering wheel and row through the gears, it reminds me exactly why I bought the car. While gas prices have gotten low lately across the US, the mid-20s for MPGs also helps. The car begs to be driven, and continues to turn relatively sedate commutes and errand-running into fun “hero” moments.
Other than that, the heated seats have come in handy, as we’re still experiencing cold temperatures, and when it does warm up and the sunroof is opened, the digital speedometer stays visible thanks to technology the engineers used to prevent it from being washed out in direct sunlight.
It wasn’t all smiles though, as I noticed increased clutch wear. The clutch in the mini is self-adjusting, which gives the same pedal feel until the end of the clutch’s life. At this point, its engagement point rises on the pedal, so you know it’s time to start saving for a new one. The cost of a new Mini clutch? Anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000, depending on where you take it and whether or not a new flywheel is needed. I had the Mini checked out by both the dealer and an independent shop, and the consensus is that when it starts slipping (or I win the lottery), then I’ll bring it in for replacement.
Dated Notes:
- none
General Observations:
- In a previous update, I mentioned how the side window glass likes to freeze in place. I have begun applying silicone spray to the window tracks, and then running the windows up and down a few times to spread it out. This has worked well to prevent the freeze-up problem, and in fact, I didn’t experience any stuck windows this entire cold season.
by John Suit