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[Doctor Gollum]

Well, the low speed fan kicks in on demand and runs when the relay is bypassed, so that's all dandy.

Nothing happens when you bypass the high speed fan at the engine fuse box, so I guess that's toast.

[Marks DTM Calib]

The early Chrysler engine is utter junk and drinks fuel so much, when a friend replaced his with a v8 Cayenne, he noticed no change in fuel bills.

Best avoided, the later French engine is better

[JasonH]

Well, the low speed fan kicks in on demand and runs when the relay is bypassed, so that's all dandy.

Nothing happens when you bypass the high speed fan at the engine fuse box, so I guess that's toast.

There is just one fan, low speed is achieved by using a huge resistor (which often burns out). If the low speed works then high should unless you have a wiring problem.

There's a hidden menu (like on BMW's) accessed via the odometer trip reset. Item 7 is the coolant temp in C. The low speed fan cuts in at 105C and brings the temp down. Only if you are really working the engine hard will you hit the 111C needed for the high speed fan.

In normal driving the fan often doesn't even come on at all, only when sitting in traffic.

If you use the hidden menu and you're not getting above 100C then there's a leak in the cooling system that's losing pressure, what happens then is the coolant boils and boils out of the reservoir. First thing to do here is replace the coolant pressure cap for about £13.

[Doctor Gollum]

The early Chrysler engine is utter junk and drinks fuel so much, when a friend replaced his with a v8 Cayenne, he noticed no change in fuel bills.

Best avoided, the later French engine is better

I'll bear that in mind if I buy another, but this one seems to be around 40mpg on my commute... Which is about 21mpg better than the S Class. Although I did know that when I bought it, so that's not a slur on the Merc.

[TheBoy]

Obviously round these parts they are common, probably because all used car places are full of them, given the proximity to Oxford, and the number of employees buying them as 2nd cars on the factory schemes.

They seem to suffer quite badly from niggly engine faults that can get expensive to fix - on the later ones, the EML often signifies a very expensive engine rebuild - gearbox failures on early ones, and power steering problems across the board.  In fact I know of several people who bought brand new ones and due to issues, were given another brand new one several months later due to constant recurring issues with the steering.

Corrosion is high on older ones, though suspect more due to lack of owner care rather than the car.

[TheBoy]

Should add, quite fun to drive.  Although the seats are incompatible with my poor back.

[JasonH]

They're definitely not suitable for most people - you have to be able to fix cars yourself. Parts are plentiful and cheap, working on them is pretty decent. If someone else is fixing it the labour will add up and in no time be more than the value of the vehicle. They're a bit like a little tiny Omega!

[countrywoman]

Had a few with the French engine fail emissions due to burning oil

[Doctor Gollum]

Should add, quite fun to drive.  Although the seats are incompatible with my poor back.

That was a concern, but it's actually pretty reasonable in that respect. Obviously nowhere near as comfortable/adjustable as what we're used to, but it's a very different car.

[Nick W]

They're definitely not suitable for most people - you have to be able to fix cars yourself. Parts are plentiful and cheap, working on them is pretty decent. If someone else is fixing it the labour will add up and in no time be more than the value of the vehicle. They're a bit like a little tiny Omega!

You're the only person I've come across who thinks working on them is pretty decent   The usual reaction to suggesting any job on a Mini is either a firm no, or enhanced with workshop Anglo-Saxon.

[YZ250]

Should add, quite fun to drive. ……

My Mrs must have had every derivative going of the R50/R56 Bini, from the Cooper S to the diesel. I’d defy anything to go around a corner or roundabout as quick as a Mini, they are like a go kart.    I had immense fun in hers when she wasn’t in it. 
The only issue was steep hill starts. Too little revs and it would nearly stall and too many revs resulted in a fifty yard wheel spin like a boy racer.    Very difficult to catch it just right and this is where the diesel was the much better choice, as it just plodded away at hill starts with no drama. 

[TheBoy]

Should add, quite fun to drive.  Although the seats are incompatible with my poor back.

That was a concern, but it's actually pretty reasonable in that respect. Obviously nowhere near as comfortable/adjustable as what we're used to, but it's a very different car.

It's defo an issue for me - 10 miles in a ONE will set my back off for a week, but I know I have long standing issues with my poor back.  My colleague's old Cooper coupe thing was better, but still unsuited - shame, it was a hoot.

[TheBoy]

Should add, quite fun to drive. ……

My Mrs must have had every derivative going of the R50/R56 Bini, from the Cooper S to the diesel. I’d defy anything to go around a corner or roundabout as quick as a Mini, they are like a go kart.    I had immense fun in hers when she wasn’t in it. 
The only issue was steep hill starts. Too little revs and it would nearly stall and too many revs resulted in a fifty yard wheel spin like a boy racer.    Very difficult to catch it just right and this is where the diesel was the much better choice, as it just plodded away at hill starts with no drama. 

Our old Rover 25 was like that, but only on Pirelli P6000 tyres, which went out of production.  Next best of all the ones I tried on it were one of the Kuhmos, but they had no feedback, so never sure when its gonna put you in a ditch

Me and said colleague with the Cooper Coupe never, ever raced home from work. Nope, never. Honest guv.  They weren't far off each other really, his just had the edge on acceleration (certainly initial acceleration), I seemed to be a bit more stable hard braking into corners

[YZ250]

......
Our old Rover 25 was like that, .....

As I've posted before, the Rover 25 was the test body when the company were doing high mileage trials on the Cooper S engine, so if you ever saw a Rover 25 with twin centre zorsts that was one of them fitted with a Cooper S engine.     

[Andy B]

.....
 I’d defy anything to go around a corner or roundabout as quick as a Mini, they are like a go kart.    .....

My Smart Roadster would keep up  It just grips & grips around corners