Overview & Reviews
For their second season in the U.S. market, the 2003 Mini Cooper and Cooper S will now come with a second remote key and pre-wiring for a dealer-installed alarm system. Anthracite (smoke gray, that is) interior trim is available as a no-cost option for both cars, and the Cooper S is eligible for the high-gloss silver interior treatment found in the base Cooper. Sound systems will be satellite radio-ready this year, and the rear cargo area now has a power point.
- The thrill of owning a piece of history with modern underpinnings, BMW-engineered suspension and steering, chock full of comfort and safety features, hatchback utility, scheduled maintenance on-the-house for 3 years/36,000 miles.
- Not enough horsepower in base model, questionable seat comfort, not much room for passengers and cargo, price goes up quickly with options, limited supply encourages dealer mark-up.
User Reviews:
Showing 231 through 240 of 330.00-
fun little car - 2003 Mini Cooper
By JasonZ - January 16 - 2:00 amA real pleasure to drive. It would be nice to have a little more torque between 2500-3000 RPMs, but take it on a windy road for some 2nd gear driving and youll forget all about it. More usable cupholders would be a welcome improvement. 2000 miles so far and I love the car.
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its a Mini thing - 2003 Mini Cooper
By luna9 - January 6 - 10:00 amIm completely satisfied with my Mini- no mechanical issues, sporty, reliable, blah blah blah. But, putting the practical stuff aside, the real reason why I love my Mini is... its a Mini. Ever since I first laid eyes on a classic Mini with the Union Jack on the roof, I knew I wanted one. Theres something about the hum of the engine, the distinctive silhouette, the pop-art meets old-school rally racing coolness of that big speedometer in the middle of the dash, and being greeted every morning by a smiling, happy little Mini. Yes, Mini owners are a little nuts about their cars. We cant help it- you just have to love the Mini.
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female point of view - 2003 Mini Cooper
By Debbie Daniel - January 6 - 10:00 ameasy handeling and manoverability, has saved me a close call or two. The breaks dont lock up and you do not flat spin. A great safe car.
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Love It - 2003 Mini Cooper
By MikesMini - January 6 - 10:00 amAll I had hoped for. My CVT works great at 14 thousand miles. I believe the cars stalled once since I bought it, and that was moving from reverse to drive in my driveway. One oil change and tires rotated. Drove over the Blue Ridge Mountains with it; what a blast!! Any gripes I have are minor (below). In two more years Ill be ready for my second!
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Its a Lemon - 2003 Mini Cooper
By Not2Mini - December 30 - 10:00 amI waited three months for this car and its a complete lemon. Its spent more time in the shop than any other car I have owned, taking it in two and three times to solve the same problems.
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Cons outweigh the Pros - 2003 Mini Cooper
By MIssMyVW - December 28 - 10:00 amI purchased this car used in 2007 and I didnt even get 5000 miles on it before the clutch went out on it the first time. Six months after that replacement, I had to have it back in the shop because the clutch pedal had a master/slave issue and I had to have the cylinders replaced. Then, just this past week, after approximately 21 months and 9,000 more miles on the car, I had to have the clutch replaced again. Seriously, while the car looks really cool and is sometimes fun to drive, it is *not* worth all the extra money it will cost you for ownership. I cant wait to pay this thing off and go back to driving a VW again.
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Cutting your MCS teeth in Germany - 2003 Mini Cooper
By proformasignal - December 19 - 2:00 amI bought my Cooper-S (loaded) as serviceman returning from Germany with a desire to come back with something different. I got it. For the money, this machine performance is worth every penny. Eking 163hp out of a 1.6l engine and weighing a stout 2700lbs this bad boy strutslittle competition. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), 17" tires, and "hand of demi-god" braking kept me from "balling-it-up" in a few corners at Nurburgring. If youre single (or a duo) and like to drive like theres no such thing as inertia, then this car is for you. Warning: DONT turn off the DSC.
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Worst car ever built - 2003 Mini Cooper
By notaminifan - December 2 - 2:30 amI see them everywhere,so you estimate reliability as possibly "how bad could it be". I didnt do my research. 58,000 miles- almost no bearings left around the input shaft of the transmission- I only got 8000 miles out of it since I bought it used. It is a manual. Found it cause bleeding oil into the clutch and slipping. After reading about the problems, I want to drive it thru the showroom glass at the Mini dealership just to help the people with these problems with a national news story. This car is disgrace to BMW and to all German cars. Think they improved? Research "death knock". I would trade it for a Ford Pinto. A bicycle is worth more.
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Worth the wait - 2003 Mini Cooper
By Minius - November 18 - 10:00 amThis car is the most fun to drive of nay car Ive ever owned. After waiting in great anticipation for 10 months for production and delivery, it hasnt been a disappointment. Although, it does seem to have a lot of little noises that come and go. Hopefully, this will be worked out. Gas mileage would be great, exept for the added cost of premium gas.
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I love Minis - 2003 Mini Cooper
By coryelli23 - October 18 - 11:53 pmThis is honestly the best car I have ever driven or ridden in. It is very fun to drive and has amazing handling. Also, the turning radius is very tight. The only bad thing about it is when you have to replace the tires. They are very expensive and hard to find. Honestly, I cannot see myself wanting another car.
