It fun but be prepared for the headaches of Keeping it Running.
A well designed fun car to drive. Unfortunately what it has in the looks and driving department are balanced by flawed execution and a high cost of ownership. If you have anything else then the base Cooper with the 15 in tires you will be paying an arm and a leg for BMW run-flat tires. If you see a good deal on one don't be fooled. There is a reason why it is such a good deal. This is a premium car and it cost premium upkeep. Don't be fooled by the low purchase price. They make up for it in life-cycle costs.
I bought mine new in 2005 and I'm the single owner. I have 100,000 miles on it which averages out to 10,000 miles per year. I've had to replace the Fuel Pump, The Power Steering Hydraulic Fluid Line, The Airbox, The Radiator Fan, The boot lid pistons, the windshield, and the radiator reservoir apart from the standard maintenance. I'm going to get the passenger Airbag sensor replaced as soon as they have the parts to fix it under the recent recall.
