Item: Used Mini Clubman 2007- 2014
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

If you’re a fan of weird door layouts, check out the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/hyundai">Hyundai</a> Veloster coupé. It too had one door on one side and two on the other, except Hyundai had the decency to arrange them so that two of them were on the kerb side. It’s not exciting to drive, though, even in Turbo form.

Perhaps those looking for a more practical<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mini"> Mini</a> would be better suited going for the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/used-review/n770">&nbsp;Countryman</a>&nbsp;SUV. It still has all the styling motifs of a Mini, but it has five doors in the usual places and a big boot.

<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here</a>

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<h3 dir="ltr">Oil starvation</h3>

Early 1.6-litre diesel engines (also used in<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/peugeot"> Peugeot</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/citroen"> Citroën</a> cars) can destroy their turbocharger with oil starvation due to excessive carbon build-up. The fix requires a new oil pump, pick-up pipe and, of course, turbocharger. Cars&nbsp;from 2008 onwards used&nbsp;modified parts that avoid this issue.

<h3 dir="ltr">Timing chain rattle</h3>

On Cooper S models with&nbsp;the turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine, listen for a loud rattle upon start-up from cold. This is due to a weak timing chain tensioner that fails to maintain tension over time leads to the rattle. It could be a case of just performing a service and replacing the tensioner&nbsp;or replacing the entire chain and chain guides.

<h3 dir="ltr">Clutch wear</h3>

Some owners have reported that the clutch can wear out quite quickly on a Clubman, so do some checks before you buy. Make sure it doesn’t slip when you put your foot down in a high gear. Also, try pulling away in a high gear from rest;&nbsp;if it stalls, the clutch is probably fine. &nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Start-stop malfunction</h3>

The stop-start system has also been known to malfunction and stall the car at junctions,&nbsp;and dealers often struggle to diagnose the fault. The system has also been reported to stop working altogether, leaving an error message on the dashboard, which can only be fixed by a dealer.

<h3 dir="ltr">Dashboard rattles</h3>

The interior and dashboard have also suffered from rattles and creaks. Some owners have insisted on having new dashboards fitted, but this doesn't always solve the problem. The speakers can also rattle and distort, and in some cases they can fail completely, so will need replacing.

<h3 dir="ltr">Cracked windscreens</h3>

The Clubman's windscreen is very susceptible to chips and cracks because of its upright position. Check carefully for big chips, because these could develop into a crack that will require you to replace the screen, and if they’re in the immediate area in front of the driver, they can cause an MOT test failure.

<h3 dir="ltr">Air conditioning</h3>

We’ve heard about numerous reports of problems with the air conditioning system. Make sure you test it by first setting it to maximum heat&nbsp;then switching it to cold and note how quickly the temperature drops. If the system is working correctly, it should go from hot to cold in only seconds.

This generation of<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mini"> Mini</a> Clubman was too old to be included in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but Mini as a brand didn’t do particularly well, finishing 22nd&nbsp;out of 31 manufacturers.

Our advice is to make sure you get a car with a full service&nbsp;history so you can guarantee that it’s been looked after according to the service schedule.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798"> What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.

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Estate

Talk about taking an idea and running with it. The big-selling Mini hatchback is still at the core of the firm’s range, but its cute styling and relatively compact dimensions have been spun off into an estate (the Clubman) and an SUV (the Countryman), as well as a convertible.

Despite its small size, the Mini is a firmly premium product, and the three-door hatchback counts the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo among its key rivals.

The fact that Mini is owned by BMW brings some big advantages –&nbsp;not least the fact that its infotainment system is based on BMW’s industry-leading iDrive.

MINI

CLUBMAN

Quirky looks and extra doors make the Clubman estate a more practical Mini, but there are a number of flaws that prevent it from taking class honours

Used Mini Clubman 2007 - 2014

The sole 1.6-litre petrol engine actually has slight variations depending upon which version you go for. In 98bhp One guise, it gets NEDC average fuel economy&nbsp;of 51.4mpg and costs £120 per year to tax. The more powerful 122bhp Cooper actually achieves an identical economy figure but costs slightly more to tax, at £140. The 184bhp Cooper S is a bit thirstier, at 44.8mpg, and costs £155 to tax, while the high-performance (208bhp) JCW gets 39.2mpg and cost £230 per year in tax.

Diesel models are much more frugal, as you’d expect. The 89bhp One achieves the highest economy number of 74.3mpg, while the 109bhp Cooper D is only slightly behind, on 68.9mpg. Both cost £20 per year to tax. Even the larger 2.0-litre Cooper SD model is pretty frugal, at 64.2mpg and £30 in road tax.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mini">Mini</a> main dealer servicing costs should be quite reasonable for the class with a simple oil change service starting from just £80, or £120 if you want the interior pollen filter (called Microfilter) changing at the same time.

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Used Mini Clubman 2007- 2014

Quirky looks and the extra doors do make this a more practical Mini, but there are a number of flaws that prevent it from taking class honours


Early models are really rather cheap these days; they go for as little as £2500. Trouble is, you’ll be getting a car that’s often covered over 100,000 miles and possibly has patchy service history, so instead spend upwards of £5000 to find a tidy One or Cooper model from 2009-2010 that will have covered about 75,000 miles.

Increasing your budget to £7500 will enable you to find a 2011 or 2012 car, while £9000 should get you into a mint 2012 or 2013 Clubman. Spend more than&nbsp;£10,000 for the very last vehicles of this generation from 2014 with below-average mileage.

Check the value of a used Mini Clubman with<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/"> What Car? Valuations</a>

Unless you&nbsp;need cheaper insurance, you’re better off going for the&nbsp;122bhp 1.6-litre petrol Cooper over the&nbsp;98bhp 1.6-litre One. It will give you similar fuel economy, will only cost slightly more for road tax and gives you much better performance. The 184bhp 1.6-litre Cooper S is fun&nbsp;but costs more to run, while the 208bhp JCW cars are very rare.

If you really need the economy of a diesel, look for a more powerful 109bhp 1.6-litre Cooper D from 2008 onwards, because modified parts prevent the turbo problems of earlier examples. The 2.0-litre is stronger still, but the added expense isn’t worth it unless you really want the most powerful version.

The One gets a CD player, electric windows and mirrors&nbsp;and remote central locking, while the Cooper gets alloy wheels and a sportier interior trim. Air conditioning wasn’t standard on early cars&nbsp;but was made standard from 2009.

Clubman buyers&nbsp;were encouraged to specify option packs when the car was new, so it's worth highlighting the content of the more popular choices. Salt is something to look for on the One because it adds front foglights, an onboard computer&nbsp;and extra storage compartments. Pepper is also desirable, because it includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated mirrors and windscreen washer jets (and Bluetooth on later models).

The Chili pack on Cooper models adds a three-spoke steering wheel. While some packs are quite useful, don't feel you need to pay over the odds for a Mini with lots of options, because&nbsp;most would have had a few fitted to them when new.

Our favourite<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mini"> Mini</a> Clubman: 1.6 Cooper manual

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

<h3 dir="ltr">Bodywork</h3>

Not all Clubmans came with parking sensors, and in many cases&nbsp;it was an expensive option, so look out for dents and scratches to the bumpers and bodywork. Also, watch out for poor-quality paint repairs, because these could lead to future rust issues.

<h3 dir="ltr">Alloy wheels</h3>

This is more of an issue for Cooper S and John Cooper Works models, since they have larger alloy wheels that protrude further out&nbsp;and could be susceptible to kerb damage. Not only is repairing excessively damaged alloys expensive, but&nbsp;it could also be a clue to further suspension damage.

<h3 dir="ltr">Interior</h3>

The Clubman was designed to be a more practical version of the Mini hatchback for families, so look out for wear from child seats, scuffed plastics and stains to the interior. Make sure all of the switches work when you go for your test drive, too.

<h3 dir="ltr">Signs it’s been looked after</h3>

Since some versions of the Clubman are 12 years old now, look for clues that indicate the example you’re looking at has been cared for – things like matching tyres on all four corners, stone chip repairs, a tidy interior and a fully stamped up service booklet.

The problem with a used second-generation<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/hatchback/hatchback/used-review/n499"> Mini hatchback</a>&nbsp;is that it’s no good for those who need a car that can carry rear passengers&nbsp;and luggage at the same time.

This was a problem when it was new, too, since there wasn’t a more practical<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mini"> Mini</a>&nbsp;at the time. Or there wasn’t until the Clubman name was dusted off and grafted onto an elongated Mini, creating an estate car. Question is, does this make the used Mini Clubman a better buy than the hatchback?

In terms of usability, the answer is yes, because it actually has a boot, rather than a tiny space behind the rear seats&nbsp;that struggles to beat a small overnight bag for volume.

You also get a couple of extra doors –&nbsp;but not in the places you were expecting. That’s because you get two van-style doors at the rear and one rear-hinged door behind the driver’s one. That’s right, one side has a single door while the other has two.

Is this a good thing? Well, it does allow the driver to more easily hang their jacket up in the back (if that’s still a thing) quite easily, but because it’s not on the kerb side, you can’t drop children off at school without getting out yourself first. The twin doors at the back will also flummox you if the car behind parks too close. Plus, you have to close them in a certain order or they won’t latch correctly.

However, there are still some good things about the Clubman. Firstly, it drives just as well as the Mini hatchback thanks to quick steering, lots of grip and tight body control. The chassis is immensely capable and so can cope with the power of even the most potent John Cooper Works (JCW) version.

The second good point is the engine range, because even the mid-range 1.6-litre diesel and petrol versions offer sprightly performance along with respectable fuel economy. If you fancy something faster, go for either the 173bhp (later upgraded to 184bhp) Cooper S or 208bhp JCW. Both use the same turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, but the JCW has a few performance upgrades.

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Used Mini Clubman 2007- 2014 review

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Looking for alternatives to the used Mini Clubman 2007 - 2014? The expert What Car? review team guide you through some great options.

If you’re a fan of weird door layouts, check out the Hyundai Veloster coupé. It too had one door on one side and two on the other, except Hyundai had the decency to arrange them so that two of them were on the kerb side. It’s not exciting to drive, though, even in Turbo form.,Perhaps those looking for a more practical Mini would be better suited going for the Countryman SUV. It still has all the styling motifs of a Mini, but it has five doors in the usual places and a big boot.,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter herePage 5 of 5

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Used Mini Clubman 2007- 2014 review

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