Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 8 | 22% |
| Air bags | 4 | 11% |
| Power train | 4 | 11% |
| Steering | 3 | 8% |
| Air bags | 3 | 8% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Seats | 2 | 6% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME. MINI OF ST. LOUIS (40 SUNNEN DR, MAPLEWOOD,
NHTSA complaint: Steering
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR (RECALL 15V-205, OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT) IN MY 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE HAS FAILED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH AND OVERHEAD STAY LIT AT ALL TIMES. RECALL ISSUED BY MIN
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I BOUGHT MY 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE FOR $9,393 IN NOVEMBER 2016 . WHEN DRIVING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP I HEARD SOME NOISE, SO I STOPPED AT A FOREIGN AUTO SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION WAS GO
NHTSA complaint: Engine
6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER 82,000 MILES. THIS IN SPITE OF PROPER DEALER RECOMMENDED MAINAINANCE. COST TO REPAIR WAS THE SAME AS THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I PUT THE HEATED SEAT ON WHILE DRIVING, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. THIS WITH LESS THEN 50,000 MILES AND A COST OF ALMOST $1000. I HAD TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION AND PUT OUT THE SMOKING SEAT WITH WATER. I'VE COMPL
NHTSA complaint: Seats
WHILE DRIVING WITH THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER ON A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CAR. ADDITIONALLY, BEGAN FEELING EXTREME HEAT ON MY BACK. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND FOUND A SMALL FIRE ON THE SEAT BACK WHICH I
NHTSA complaint: Seats
THE POWER STEERING IN THE CAR HAS STOPPED WORKING, VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. I JUST REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DUE TO THE BATTERY NOT CHARGING CORRECTLY, NOW THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED AND T
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NH
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturin
Risk: An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's ris
Fix: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1
| Reliability raw | 82 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 61 | average |
| Depreciation | 57 | average |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 42 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 8 of them (22%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.