Used buyer's guide: MINI clubman

Estate version of MINI Clubman adds practicality to winning retro package

Verdict

We’re big fans of the regular Mini, so anything that boosts its practicality while retaining the cheeky looks and fun drive can only be even more desirable. With its excellent build and reliability, plus comfortable and well designed interior, the Clubman is a great car. Senior road tester Owen Mildenhall ran a Cooper D Clubman for 15,000 miles on our fleet, and he summed it up when he waved goodbye to it. “No other small car I’ve driven feels as grown up, well built or upmarket,” he reported.

Eyebrows were raised when BMW announced the MINI Clubman in 2007. How could the brand launch a car with two side doors on the driver’s side and just one on the passenger side?
At the time the door layout dominated reviews, but there’s much more to the Mini Clubman than that. This is a car that takes the best bits of the regular Mini hatch and adds extra practicality thanks to a bigger, estate-style bodyshell. And now, after six years on sale, you can buy a used Clubman for £6,000.

History

The Mini Clubman arrived in November 2007, with a choice of 118bhp petrol Cooper, 173bhp turbo petrol Cooper S and 108bhp turbodiesel Cooper D models. All engines displaced 1.6 litres, but in spring 2009 a 95bhp 1.4-litre One Clubman was introduced.
This made way for a 1.6-litre in summer 2010, and an all-new 1.6 diesel arrived at the same time, with 90bhp in the One D Clubman or 112bhp in the Cooper D version.
The Cooper SD Clubman from spring 2011 is a true performance diesel, with 143bhp from its 2.0-litre, although the 208bhp petrol John Cooper Works Clubman, from late 2009, is the fastest version.

Alternatives

There aren’t really any other premium compact estates to choose from, so the Clubman is in a class of its own. However, there are alternative premium small hatchbacks such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, which come with three or five doors; both are well built and in plentiful supply used, although they’re costly to buy and run.
An unusual alternative is the Toyota Urban Cruiser. It looks distinctive and is solidly put together, plus is more versatile than the Clubman. But it’s quite rare, and prices can be high.

How much?

The cheapest Mini Clubmans are now £6,000, with the odd high-miler for £500-£1,000 less. Spend £7,000 and you’ll have a better choice – this budget is enough for the most common Cooper. One Clubmans are rare, and start at £8,000 for a petrol or diesel car. The Cooper S starts at £7,000, and if you can find a John Cooper Works model (they’re incredibly rare), you’ll pay at least £12,000 for an 09-plate. Just one in 10 Clubmans is an auto; these carry a £200-£750 premium, depending on age and spec.

All Clubmans have variable servicing, which usually calls for maintenance after 15,000-20,000 miles. Check-ups alternate between minor (£220) and major (£400).
There’s no set schedule for replacing the coolant, but fresh brake fluid (£60) and an air-con regas (£70) are required every two years. All Clubman engines are chain-driven apart from the earlier diesel, which needs a new cambelt every 150,000 miles/10 years, at £600.
Older MINI Clubmans are offered with discount servicing, while menu maintenance is available for all cars. Yet most are sold with the three or five-year tlc servicing package.

Which one?

• Air-con wasn’t standard across range until January 2009. Don’t buy a Clubman without it.
• Boot is small, despite added practicality - it's 260 litres, or 930 with the rear seats folded
• The central join for the two rear doors means visibility isn't as good as it could be
The only engine to avoid is the 1.4-litre petrol, offered for a short time in the One Clubman, but these are very rare anyway. While the Cooper S is great fun, it doesn’t handle as well as the regular MINI Cooper S hatch. The Cooper is quick enough, but the diesels are better overall – they’re punchy, yet easily return 55mpg.
Keep a close eye on the spec of any potential buy; most Minis are personalised with various options. A Cooper D Clubman with the well equipped Chili pack is the one to have.

Recalls

The original Mini got off to a shaky start with five recalls in only 15 months, but by the time the Clubman appeared, build quality had been improved substantially. As a result, it’s only been called back once so far.
This came in January 2012 and affected only Cooper S editions produced up to January 2011. The fault centred on an electrically powered water pump used to cool the turbocharger; it could short out, causing the plug connections to melt and potentially leading to a fire.

Driver power

Our view
No MINI made the top 100 in our Driver Power 2013 satisfaction survey; the Clubman finished 136th. Owners told us they didn’t rate the comfort, ride, build quality, reliability or practicality, although they scored the car’s handling highly.