So the wife’s decided to buy herself a car, she’s narrowed it down to either of the above.
Any owners out there with opinions of cars? Major faults etc
Going to look at these two tomorrow:

http://www.a690specialistcars.co.uk/used-cars/mini-one-1-6-one-3dr-carrville-201234482619720

http://www.a690specialistcars.co.uk/used-cars/audi-tt-1-8-t-quattro-2dr-180-6-carrville-201249494974232

Garage just up the road from us.

Just for the wife to use, occasionally with the two boys (12 & 5), so practicallity not really an issue.
Can get insurance for TT @ £420.

Anyone rcommended one or the other?

Cheers 🙂

Used to own a TT – loved it. The 180-6 is 2wd if you didn’t know, arguably better. The 12yo will be too big for the back seats already!
They have their share of faults but a healthy forum scene always sorted me out.

Have you sat your kids in the TT, the back is quite shelf like.

Edit: beaten to it.

My wife has a Mini Cooper S and I’m not that impressed. Direct injection engine so coke up if tootled around town. Build quality is poor too. Plenty of reported problems with them and little done by BMW to sort them such 1 litre of oil per 1000 miles is apparently acceptable. This means at average mileage you could replace the engines oil capacity twice over. I was going to get a 5 series next but this car has put me off the brand now.
Driving it they are fun but not very refined and lots wind noise. Toys are limited and controls for cruise control and stereo are a bit play station controller style.

Got a nissan ‘Joke’ as a family car, It wouldn’t be very often that the kids would be in it and only for short journeys!

We’ll see if we can squeeze him in tomorrow!

She likes the ‘funky’ interior of mini but the looks of the TT and she’s a secret boy racer!

They are 8-9 year old cars, so will have issues – and £6k is a lot to put into a car this old. As in you’ll need to fix it.

What kinda service history/receipts do they have and what is coming up in the next 10-20k?

Christ theres some sh*t spouted on this forum…

DaveyBoyWonder – Member
Christ theres some sh*t spouted on this forum…

Posted 7 minutes ago # Report-Post

Care to expand?

Think it is 4wd, certainly according to badge on back!

Isn’t ‘Quattro’ the clue 😉

The original Mini engine isn’t great, and the original TT is not a good sports car, although very capable ordinary car.

I had that model of TT from new in 2000; maybe I was just unlucky, but I got rid of it before it ran out of warranty, scared of the cost of coil packs, haldex sensors, abs sensor, dashpod etc., etc. that failed whilst I had it. In all, back to main dealer about 8 times in 3 years.
As I say, maybe I was just unlucky??

^ If she goes for the TT i hope so!

Having had a TT and now have a JCW R53 mini, for 2 boys and wife in it, I would have neither. Mini back seats are pointless. My lad is a stick insect and 9yrs old and lucky the current wife is vertically challenged as her seat goes forward to reach the pedals, otherwise he would have to have his legs removed. The TT was worse. Luckily it was the brother in laws who worked away, so we used it for free. Glad when it went, didnt gel with it.
The mini is used mainly for the front seats, so any more than 2 occupants, means we use our Focus for duties.Was thinking of selling and getting a boxster, as it has just as many useable seats. Later minis have more legroom, but that doesnt mean its comfortable . VOE.

quattro (haldex diff) was an option with 180bhp output.

150bhp only front wheel drive
both handle ok, traction good with quattro.

Engine & drivetrain robust although clutch and flywheel costly to replace.

dealer servicing now reasonable http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/servicing-with-audi/affordable-servicing.html

mini will be a good drive, nice direct steering etc although performance from the 1.6 not near the tt.Better mpg from the mini,lower cost tyres and cartax 🙂

a suggestion,this looks good if has been looked after http://www.a690specialistcars.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen-golf-2-0-gt-tdi-5dr-carrville-201241488025989

I would say neither. That mini is bland spec.

The TT impractical. Can you get a Swift sport?

Just going to that garage as it’s local and they’ve got one of each so she can compare the two.

I know she can get a better/practical car but she has decided on either the audi or mini. It’s her money and she’s treating herself!

(of course i’ll be the one fixing it if it goes wrong!)

Edit: Will state our intentions at garage. I’m not a tease 😉

If it one of those two cars that she wants,then I’d for a mini,but get one for the price you’re prepared to spend on the TT…

FWIW,my missus recently changed to a mini cooper 1.6D…I’ve drove it & it’s ok to play in,sticks to the road & is pretty quick for what it is,but would never think about buying one for myself…..But she bleeding loves the thing,as do all her mates who see it !

1.8 t 20v Audi engines can destroy oil pump which is a rather pain in te ass to change
Top end oil leaks are also common and only really worth fixing at the same time as the cam belt

But I’ve had 1.8t and would soon have another

If you go for the mini the sump gasket goes at 70k miles . Clutches last between 60k and 75 k miles. The power steering pumps fail and is expensive as it melts the engine loom if not caught in time. Discs and pads are very regular. If thats got the 5 speed box ( which it has), its the midland, they are crap. It will drop a bearing and need a rebuild. They built the bearings in plastic races and the heat cycles kills them. Bear all this in mind. Remember that although minis are good at not rusting, they are starting to show issues underneath at that age. Dipstick is a glass rod, which cracks. Change every 2 years as if you dont, it will snap off and fall in the sump, requiring the sump to be removed to retrieve it. Check that any of these issues have been resolved before parting with money. My wife loves hers, but partly because its 200 bhp I guess. Minis are expensive to repair at times and most of the access is underneath.Other than that, they are a solid car to buy and some things are reasonable at BMW. Dipstick was £15 etc

Tbh for £5400 on the TT, take a look at Nissan 350Z if there is any local enough, 280bhp 3.5l v6, knocks the TT straight out the water… My mum and dad just bought a JCW Mini cooper S (210bhp for £6000 2002 reg) and I’ve had a quick drive, it’s fun, the brakes are so underpowered for the 210bhp version that it’s somewhat scary, the run flats are far too hard and do not install me with any faith in the tyre. Gearbox is very stiff, somewhat difficult to put into reverse and first.

I haven’t driven a TT or a 350Z so can’t comment on those but the 350Z is a stunner (better than TT in the same age range imo) and is faster, but I think mum would’ve preferred a TT now instead of the Mini, she’s not 100% with it even yet after driving it for 2 months now…

For my sins I picked up a 52 plate Cooper brand new many moons ago, and despite it being crap in plenty of ways I still haven’t felt the need to get rid. Not just yet anyway…

Things to be aware of:

1st generation BMW Mini’s give very poor MPG for a 1.6 (32MPG average is good out of town in my experience).

The pre-facelift 1st gen (which that is) have a Rover baser gearbox which sometimes fails with bearing or diff issues at lower mileages than that even if driven carefully.

The 1st gen engine consumes oil. Mine doesn’t leak or smoke but I still put in at least a litre every 5000 miles or so. Owners often neglect this and let them run almost dry.

The electric power steering pump can also cause problems.

If the front seat passengers have long legs, then it helps if the rear passengers have none.

Good fun to drive though!

^my gaff up there! Know the 180 can behad in 2wd, typed without properly reading 🙂

In true stw style go for an Arbarth 500- great cars and a fair bit cheaper

Where ate you going to get an abarth for under 6k

More to the point where can you get an Abarth for less than £8.5k?

In a similar boat. MrsBS wants a small nippy fun car for under £5k to replace the ageing Mk4 Golf GT tdi. doesn’t do many miles at all (under 5k a year), commutes to work by bike so fuel costs not that important. She’s 40 with full NCD so insurance not that bad whatever we go for.

We looked at a Swift Sport ’09 plate yesterday, not that impressed tbh, looked tired already after 25k miles. Thought about MX5 but she doesn’t like them much, thought about TT but too big for our drive really so looking currently at Mini Cooper S. seem plenty around to choose from.

Quick search on autotrader will get one at £7.8k

I suppose I should have read the op 😳

The later turbo cooper s’s suffer from the head getting severely coaked up and needing decoking
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-faults-fixes/178524-missfire-carbon-build-up-around-valves-pictures.html

Just be aware of this. Guess its down to bad head design. The JCW has a different design of engine and allegedly doesnt suffer this.

Get the TT it’s better’er

Another +1 for the Abarth – comments on cost / budget acknowledged though….

Mrs rkk01 looked at the mini and it was just too small. 18 months into Abarth 500 ownership and still love it to bits.

Both are bent.

Get an integra type r

Well went to garage this afternoon, we were upfront with salesman telling him we we’re there to compare the two with no real intention of buying 😳

Don’t know wether it was because it was quiet but he was very accomadating! Even let us take both cars out for a test drive!

So it’s been decided she want’s a………..TT 😆

It just felt more fun and that little bit more special.

She will have the money by end of January so the hunt is on!

Thanks for all the info above.

Mmmmm they let you drive it. Wonder just how much of a deal they might be willing to cut you if its still there when you get the money.

It was nice but wrong colour and the blue leather wasn’t to the wife taste!

Got to be silver or red with black leather.

Silver with red leather is nice, or the baseball mitt seat stitching

bought an Audi A2 from a local reputable garage 6weeks ago which is a good car so it can be done.. there are quite a few TT’s out there be fussy and check the history thoroughly see whether common faults have been attended to: ie dashpod,cambelt(due 75k/5yrs) with coolant pump etc etc.. The seller shouldn’t be cagey, take on a long roadtest (5miles plus) with differing surfaces and speeds checking for vibrations,pulling through steering and braking,noise on over-run etc. Not as many red TTs as silver, even less yellow 8)

quattro will be useful for northeast

Loads of silver about red less common, always had a fear of red cars ever since owning a red vauxhall years ago which turned pink!

modern vehicle paint won’t oxidise like letter & phone boxes 🙂

Being a woman she’s completely gone off track and bought a yellow beetle!