Since buying a new car recently I searched for forums devoted to the particular car. There is a very active community at http://www.mini2.com. The problem with these websites however are the horror stories that people post. If your car explodes or if the steering and brakes fail simultaneously you are going to tell people about it. Reading the forums you start to feel like all minis are falling to bits and start to question your sanity in ever buying one in the first place.
The forum regulars swap stories about the smallest of details, squeaks from the dashboard or minis pulling slightly to the left etc. They trade tales and then bring their cars back to their dealers and demand that these things are fixed on warranty. I am not surprised that extended warranties cost so much, most of the dealers seem to spend time fixing imaginary faults.
I recently posted about my experience with a noise going over bumps, I am not sure why, I think I was hoping that someone would say oh yes that's fine it's a known issue just live with it. One of the replies cracked me up and I could live to regret posting this in a mocking fashion but here was the reply:

" hi there, I had exactly the same strange sound (Mini Cooper, Oct 2001, 55.000 km), coming from the right front while driving over bumps or tracks. Get it fixed quickly, I am still waiting on news from my garage why my car went on fire several days ago, flames crawling from below the motor after I had parked it. Now I'm thinking, perhaps I should have gone to the garage earlier with that sound? Probably the fire was caused by something else but you are warned now. "