Second-hand Sense: Sitting into the Mini at its re-launch six years ago was an unexpectedly nostalgic experience. I had learned to drive at a very young and illegal age in a Mini Cooper, and the thrill of that early experience had never quite been replicated, no matter what other souped-up cars came along, writes Donal Byrne.
As soon as I set off in the new Mini, however, I knew that BMW had not only managed to capture times past but to improve on them greatly. And I was not alone.
These days the Mini is de rigueur for people who want that little extra in their choice of car, and it is an undeniably smart car.
Oddly, though, most people still think of the Mini as a Mini, not a small BMW, which is exactly what it is. Minis are just coming on to the second-hand market now in decent numbers, but they are not cheap and I doubt they ever will be. They have been bought at a premium and most have very good levels of equipment (there are three equipment level options: "salt", "pepper" and "chilli" and many buyers have tended to opt for at least a sprinkling of pepper.
Where this car is truly a Mini is in its interior dimensions and, in fairness, BMW engineers have been very clever and pragmatic in their use of space. The car is not really a four-seater unless you limit rear use to small children. Anything else is not really going to work, and if you need to move anything more than an overhead locker case then the back seats are likely to come into play. That said, the front is very generous, even for a tall driver and passenger.
The dashboard is a triumph of car styling. The trademark single speedometer dial located midway, with switches below it, not alone recreates the atmosphere of the original - it greatly improves on it. Every detail is just right.
It is a truly fun car to drive. The basic engine is a 1.6 petrol unit that is more than adequate for mixed driving. However, the Mini really is a city car - one does need to maximise its looks in suburban locations such as fashionable hotels and restaurants and down at the hairdressers. The engine has a nice burbling note to it, the handling is really very good and the ride is smooth, as long as you don't have low profile tyres.
The best thing about the Mini is the fact that it has a novelty appeal but at the same time is really well engineered. You just won't get tired of it and neither have the public, it would seem. It is still a head-turner five years on.
The Mini has a four-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests. There was only "modest deformation" of the passenger cell in front and side impacts. However, side impact protection was described only as "reasonable" with high chest loads. Protection from child restraints was described as "not uniformly good" and pedestrian protection poor.
A 2001 model with a 1.6 petrol engine, twin airbags, metallic paint, alloy wheels, electric windows and remote locking and with 39,000 miles on the clock will cost about €14,000. A 2004 model with similar equipment and with 20,000 on the clock will cost about €19,000. Another 2004 model but with extras like a leather steering wheel, metallic paint and a CD player costs about €19,500.
FOR: Pretty much everything
AGAINST: High second-hand prices. Limited rear space