Updated at: 01-07-2022 - By: Lucas

Fans of the Mini Cooper have stuck with it since the 1960s.

Many people love how it looks and how it drives.

But you might be wondering if investing in one of them would be a good idea.

A well-kept Mini Cooper can last up to 200,000 miles, which is just a little bit longer than the average subcompact SUV. But the year your Mini Cooper was made has a big impact on how many miles you can expect it to go. Some years are much more reliable than others.

In the end, the most important thing is how well you take care of your Mini Cooper.

The life of a Mini Cooper is always lengthened by regular maintenance, but there are some other things to think about besides just maintenance and model year.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about how long a Mini Cooper will last.

Are Mini Coopers Long Lasting Cars?

How Long Do Mini Coopers Last

The Mini Cooper might last longer than average compared to other cars. If you drive it 15,000 miles a year, a Mini Cooper could last for 15 years or more.

Most other cars only last between 100,000 and 150,000 miles.

So, in that way, the Mini Cooper might do better than them.

How long yours lasts will, of course, depend on how well you take care of it.

If you want yours to last as long as possible, you need to take care of it well.

Mini Coopers with more than 150,000 miles on the odometer are in high demand.

If you look at online car shops, you’ll see that there are a lot of them for sale. Most of the time, they don’t stay on the market for very long.

Since BMW makes the Mini Cooper, you can be sure that it is made well.

But you might have to pay a little more for maintenance than you would with another car.

Still, they can last for a long time if you take care of them.

What Is High Mileage for a Mini Cooper?

Most people who know about cars agree that a Mini Cooper with more than 100,000 miles on it has a high mileage.

After that, you have to treat them with a lot more care. Unless you do, you might break something important.

But that doesn’t mean you should stay away from them if they have more than that.

If you take care of your Mini, it should last longer than 100,000 miles without major problems.

Set aside money for repairs if you buy one that has more than 100,000 miles on it. You might have to replace some of its parts.

But once they’re that old, it’s often cheaper to buy a new one.

In fact, you might get a better deal if you buy a used Mini Cooper instead of something new.

Overall, you’ll spend much less on the car, and you might not have to fix it as often.

So, you might still be better off.

If you want to buy an older Mini Cooper, look at who has owned it in the past.

People who rent cars tend to have a lot more problems than people who own their own cars.

That’s because most people who rent cars drive them too fast. And rental companies don’t always do a good job of taking care of their fleets.

If that one has a history of accidents, you might want to stay away from it. Accidents can cause problems for a long time after they occur.

So, look for something that has been well taken care of in the past.

Then, your new Mini Cooper is likely to be a good car for you.

Will a Mini Cooper Last 200,000 Miles?

Many Mini Coopers that have driven more than 200,000 miles are still on the road.

It’s not unusual for them to last more than 250,000 miles.

As we’ve already said, most of it comes down to how well it’s been taken care of.

When one person takes care of a Mini Cooper, it tends to last longer.

It seems like single owners are a lot more careful when they drive them. And they are much more likely to take good care of them.

In the end, this means that their Mini Coopers tend to have fewer problems.

Don’t be surprised, though, if there are a few problems once they’ve gone that far.

Most of the time, BMW covers them for about 100,000 miles. After that, small problems shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Most of the time, fixing them won’t cost a lot of money, which is good.

Kelly Blue Book gives the Mini Cooper 4.4 out of 5 stars for reliability. That means they’re about as reliable as a Fiat 500.

Similar things have been said in other reviews.

It looks like the Fiat 500 might be a little more reliable than the Mini Cooper because of this.

What Problems Do Mini Coopers Have?

How Long Do Mini Coopers Last-3

There aren’t a lot of problems with most model years. But, depending on how many miles you’ve driven, you might run into a few problems.

After 70,000 miles, you might need to replace things like the brake pads.

The transmission in a Mini Cooper usually lasts for up to 250,000 miles. Assuming it has been well taken care of.

About the same amount of time should pass for the engine as well.

After more than 60,000 miles, you might have trouble with the spark plugs, though.

So keep that in mind if you want to buy one with more than that many miles.

Some models seem to have problems with how much oil they use. After a certain point, they might use it up faster than other cars.

So, you should often check the oil level. If you don’t, the engine could get too hot.

Some people have also had trouble with the chain tensioner. Once every 50,000 miles, have a mechanic look at yours.

They’ll help make sure that the timing is right.

Lastly, some people have had problems with the water pump in their Mini Cooper. This could make the thermostat in the car act up.

Keep an eye on this part because you’re getting close to the end of the miles.

Also, Mini Coopers that have a turbo may have problems with the lines that go to the turbo.

Every 30,000 miles, these should be cleaned to make sure they are in good shape.

If the turbo lines on your Mini Cooper are clogged, the engine could have more trouble.

Most likely, the alternator will break down between 100,000 and 150,000 miles. About $1,200 is usually how much it costs to replace one of them.

So, once you’ve gone over 100,000 miles, plan for that cost.

Mini Coopers Years To Avoid

CarComplaints says that 2006 was the worst year for cars. Most complaints have been about that year’s Mini Coopers.

Overall, 56 complaints were made about models from 2006.

2005 is the next year you should avoid. In total, 35 complaints were made about this model year.

The 2006 and 2005 Mini Coopers are both part of the first generation.

It seems like the first generation has more problems in general.

Models from the first generation have a transmission that changes all the time. This is likely to break down after 100,000 miles.

So, you may want to stay away from them.

The transmission seems to break down most often in the 2005 model.

It often costs more to replace the transmission than to buy a whole new car.

Less people complain about newer models. It seems like BMW fixed most of the problems from the first generation.

So, if you want a reliable car, get a Mini Cooper from the third generation. The first ones of these were made in 2011.

So, what comes after that should be a little more trustworthy.

Tips for Making Your Mini Coopers Last Longer

First of all, make sure you’re doing what the manufacturer tells you to do.

You can find out when to replace different parts by looking at your owner’s manual.

In the back, there should be a list of things that need to be fixed.

Aside from that, don’t drive wildly. Smoothly driving your Mini Cooper should make it last longer.

And when you keep them running, use good parts.

The longer your Mini Cooper should last, the better parts you use.

When it’s not being used, try putting it in a garage. Keeping them out of the weather seems to also help them last a little longer.

Also, don’t forget to check how much fluid you have. Some model years use up their oil more quickly than others. So, fill them whenever you need to.

Fix everything that breaks as soon as it happens. When left alone, small problems can sometimes grow into bigger ones.

So, putting a little money into a small fix could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Everything You Need to Know About Mini Coopers

Mini Coopers are known for how trustworthy they are. In general, though, the third-generation models seem to be the most reliable.

If you take good care of them, they can last up to 250,000 miles. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to keep up with maintenance.

Yours should last longer if you do that.