Used car guide

2013 MINI Roadster petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol MINI Roadster first registered in 2013 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 914 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

914MOTs of 2013 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
78%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 67%)
5,000typical miles a year
3.4×the usual rate for wheels

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2013 MINI Roadster petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2013 MINI Roadster petrol than on all cars registered in 2013.

  • Wheels3.4× usual
    MINI Roadster
    4.4% All 2013 cars
    1.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.4% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 2.7% here, against 7.7% of all 2013 cars. Engine oil leaks: 2.2% here, against 4.6% of all 2013 cars.

Common 2013 MINI Roadster petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2013 MINI Roadster petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    30% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    21% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    21% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    13% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    3% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for an engine warning light.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2013 MINI Roadster petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the wheels? (Flagged at MOT 3.4× as often on the 2013 MINI Roadster petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a MINI Roadster?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the MINI Roadster compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20153,124Tyres 26%
20143,533Tyres 26%
2012150Tyres 25%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of MINI Roadster cars first registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score