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What to check: MINI Clubman

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Ranked across all years of the MINI Clubman, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 7.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 3.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

WheelsRuns high on this modelLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 3.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Coil springsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 2.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.4%

DampersLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 1.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Brake pipes underneathFollow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 1.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.9%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 21.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 9.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 3.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start the engine stone cold and listen for a minute before touching the throttle.A metallic rattle from the front of the engine, loudest at idle, points to the timing chain fault on early turbo petrol cars.

Ask for the service history and check whether the auxiliary water pump recall (18V-248 / 17 01 18) was carried out.No record of it on an early turbo car is a reason to get the pump checked before buying.

Drive over a speed bump or rough patch of road at low speed with the radio off.A knock or clunk from the rear is the suspension complaint that also shows up in the MOT data for this model.

On an automatic, pull away from a stop a few times and shift between drive and reverse.Any hesitation, jolt or harsh first-gear engagement suggests the gearbox issue some F54 owners report.

On a diesel, check the dash for a DPF or EGR warning light and ask when it last had a motorway run.A car that's only done short trips is more likely to have a clogged filter or a sticking EGR valve.

Poke around the touchscreen menus and leave it running for ten minutes.Freezing or an unprompted reboot is the infotainment glitch reported on F54 cars.

Check the MOT history for repeated suspension advisories.The same advisory two or three years running means the knock has been heard and ignored, not fixed.

Full MINI Clubman reliability report