Mini Cooper 2000 – 08 Child Safety, Parts & Repair Review

Mini Cooper

is a comfortable car that’s also a lot of fun to drive. The two-door four-seat hatchback design features sporty handling and a distinct style.

Impressively, the Cooper has more interior space than previous versions, while still keeping the small exterior dimensions.

This high style, high performance combo is all packaged into the Mini Cooper.

It combines excellent handling and charming looks, making it a unique option that any driver can tailor to match their taste.

To test its durability, Euro NCAP ran a frontal Offset Crash test on MINI Cooper (2007) and received a 5-star rating based on its performance and protection in high-speed front and side crash tests.

Watch the Crash test video here.  

 

Child Safety

The Euro NCAP recommends that children less than 3 years of age should be facing the rear. After the age of three years, it is advised that children be forward-facing. This is to avoid the impact on the chest.  

POOR WEAK MARGINAL ADEQUATE GOOD

 

The MINI Cooper is a marginally safe vehicle. In a frontal impact crash, the driver’s head and feet are the only parts of his/her body that is well protected. As a result, the lower legs and chest receive adequate protection and the upper legs receive marginal protection. Passengers deal with a similar scenario, with the only exception being that the chest is well protected as well.

Additionally, in a side impact crash, protection is all around good except for the upper chest, which is marginally protected. Pedestrian protection, however, is weak.

 

Maintenance & Repair Costs     

Repairs made to the MINI may requires high quality parts.

The great news is that these parts can be found at many dealers within the same price range and time commitment of any normal car.

 

Service parts:                     £80 – £140             (MANN, German)

Oil filter, Oil, Air filter, Fuel filter, Pollen filter

We recommend Genuine or similar, such as Mann filters & Ford Genuine oil, for Ford.

Cam. Chain change:        £400 – £750   every 45,000mi recommended

Cam belt kit:                      £150 – £190

Br. Disc & Pads ch.:         £150 – £230    (FRONT, Pagid, German)

Diagnostic:                         £40 – £120

Labour rates:

  • Independent:             £45 – £125 / hour
  • Main dealer:              £175 – £215 / hour

The Service & Repair process, however, can be more time consuming and will require an experienced mechanic and occasionally special tools.  

 

Safety Features:

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES

Anti-lock brakes, or ABS brakes, will automatically sense when a tire has abruptly stopped rotating and modulate the brake’s pressure to allow the tire to continue rotating safely. With ABS brakes, the vehicle is capable of turning while in brake mode.
STABILITY CONTROL
Stability control will sense when the vehicle has reached or exceeded its limit. It will reduce the engine power and/or apply the appropriate brakes. This feature helps prevent the driver from losing control of his or her vehicle.

FRONT, SIDE, AND OVERHEAD AIRBAGS

The vehicle is loaded with airbags for protection of its driver and passengers. Front airbags protect the head in a frontal crash. If the vehicle experiences a side collision or rollover, the side airbags protect the torso and the overhead airbags protect their heads.

PRETENSIONERS

Pre-tensioners on the seatbelt automatically tighten the seatbelt to secure the occupant and ensure minimal injury.

SEATBELT REMINDER

Pre-tensioners on the seatbelt automatically tighten the seatbelt to The seatbelt reminder monitors whether there is an occupant in the seat and communicates this information to the seat restraint system in the vehicle. If the seat belt is not buckled, it sends a reminder to remind the occupant to put the seatbelt on.

ANTI-WHIPLASH

In the event of a rear collision, anti-whiplash head restraints in the vehicle cradle the occupants head to minimize any whiplash injury.

SECURITY SYSTEM

The ignition disable device prevents the engine from starting without the original manufacturer’s key.