Ask an expert

Hi there, i am currently looking to buy a Countryman Cooper S 2012 model, i been searching for forums and reviews in AUS/NZ region but with no luck, on the consumer report based in USA, the Countryman is deemed as unreliable and costly to repair outside warranty. I have seen many Countryman on NZ road and wonder if the consumer report is accurate at all. Hope to receive some advise. Thanks.

Hi there,
The Coutryman would mostly be here as a NZ new at this stage and not in a huge capacity, compared to other countries. We've not received may complaints through this channel about Mini in general. Overseas information is rarely applicable to NZ as the location of manufacture and specs can vary greatly. However, longevity can depend on how the vehicle has been serviced, and as with most European vehicles they can often be a bit more expensive to maintain as they age. However the trade-off is usually a vehicle that is more comfortable and out performs that of similar size non-Euros.

Hi Cade, thanks for the information. is good to know the Mini isn't known for notoriously unreliable in New Zealand. The car i am viewing is a dealer import car, from Japan. There are a lot of them listed on Trademe, hence my confusion, if they are unreliable as what the report claims, why are these dealer still bringing them in?

Imported vehicles can vary in specs too as they may have originally been intended as Japanese domestics exports, created with the Japanese domestic market in mind. The specs for these may be harder to come by and they could also differ from what we received here new. Maintenance will also play a bit part in these vehicles as to how long they last and what money will you need to spend shortly after purchase to keep the car being reliable. A pre-purchase inspection is highly recommended and a mechanical warranty may be something to consider?