MINI
COOPER
Watchdog 29.01.02
The Mini first launched in 1959
at £479. It has become one of the nation's favourite
cars.
However, there is a new Mini on the scene. It is a
bit plusher than the older version with modern gizmos
– power steering, electric windows and even a sunroof
if you want one.
Perfect – well almost...
Jenny Bridgeman from Southampton loves her Mini. She paid
£11,250 for it in October last year. In fact, she loves
it so much that she has given it a name – Molly! Recently,
Molly has begun to get out of control. Jenny told the
programme:
"She started to lock and unlock when I came back from
a shopping trip. I thought it was a glitch, but the very
next morning when she was being washed she started to
do this again. Locking. Unlocking. A neighbour from over
the way said she'd noticed the car had done this the evening
before. And then again a few days later when she was supposedly
repaired. She locked me in."
Molly went back to the garage for a make-over and Jennifer
was given a temporary replacement Mini – Dolly, but
Dolly had problems too.
During the night Dolly developed a mind of its own.
It began a fight for freedom. First it unlocked its
doors, the lights flashed, then the windows wound down
and the sunroof opened. Dolly went back and Molly returned.
Jenny wary of the supernatural activities took to looking
out of her window at night just to check if Molly was
alright.
Jenny added:
"I have checked with my insurance company and they have
told me that if I can't guarantee that the car is secured,
then they'll nullify my insurance policy. So, my biggest
worry is that the car is not secure. I still want a Mini.
But I want a Mini that works and that I feel secure with.
And I don't feel secure with Molly."
| " I
still want a Mini. But I want a Mini that works
and that I feel secure with. "
|
Sue Latchford from
Essex bought her Mini in September last year. She paid
£12,700 for it – but soon the troubles started. She told
us:
"Nine days after I bought the new mini I took the vehicle
out onto the road. Half way to the school run, I could
smell a bonfire. I got out of the car and I thought there's
no smell of a bonfire outside of the car. I was just beside
myself. I got the kids out very quickly. Lifted the bonnet
to be greeted with plumes of smoke. I then got on the
mobile and dialled 999."
Sue was told that grass was the cause of her problems.
She lives in the country – apparently, grass was clinging
to the bottom of the car and causing the smoke.
Jenny Bridgeman told Watchdog:
"They said that the drive was causing the grass to stick
to the catalytic converter which I found very bizarre,
because I'm sure a lot of people have grass in their driveway.
And I've never heard of a car actually smouldering because
of it."
There are some places, it might be advisable for Mini
owners, to give a miss the summer – no pop festivals,
car boot sales or even a picnic if it means parking
on the grass. Sue has decided there is only one thing
for it – she's putting the car up for sale.
Mini have offered Jenny Bridgeman a brand-new mini
– Jenny is delighted. With regard to Sue Latchford,
Mini say that this is a unique case. There is no problem
with the design of the car and they believe any car
with a similarly low suspension would suffer the same
problems.
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