Rover Mini
Registered from 1990 to 2001.
About this model
The Mini is a two-door, four-seat small car produced for four decades over a single generation, with many names and variants, by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors British Leyland and the Rover Group, and finally (briefly) under BMW ownership. Minis were built as saloons, estates, convertibles, and various other body styles. Minus a brief 1990s hiatus, from 1959 into 2000, an estimated 5.38 million of all variations combined were built.
From the Wikipedia article Mini, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2000 1.3 petrol. 289 of 1,388 tests failed, 21%.
Better than 85% of 2000 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 390 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 38% | 109 |
| Brakes | 37% | 107 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 30% | 88 |
| Suspension | 30% | 86 |
| Steering | 27% | 79 |
| Body and structure | 22% | 65 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Where it stands out against its peers
- Steering: failed more often than 95% of 2000 cars — 27% of its 289 failed tests, where an ordinary 2000 car has 6%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 37% of its failures
- Exhaust and emissions — 30% of its failures
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
- Suspension — 30% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- Steering — 27% of its failures
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Lights and electrics — 38% of its failures
- Body and structure — 22% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
When it starts failing
At 80–100k miles this one fails 24% of its inspections, against the 27% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 20% | — | 241 | |
| 20–40k miles | 20% | 17% | 345 | |
| 40–60k miles | 19% | 23% | 401 | |
| 60–80k miles | 24% | 26% | 275 | |
| 80–100k miles | 24% | 27% | 123 |
1,385 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 40k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.