Most of the horror stories on the Mini-14 are from the haters. Haters are going to hate regardless. I have 3 mini's, A 181 series I bought back in 1979, a 183 series GB folder and a recent production Mini-30 tactical. Never had any issues with any of them. They are essentially very reliable and rugged, an American AK-47 if you will. Ruger has some of the best customer support in the industry.
If you are looking for a Mini-14, just avoid the 180 series because Ruger no longer has any parts for them and any aftermarket accessories support only the 181 series and later models.
The thinner barreled older models did have some issues with accuracy due to barrel whip. There are products on the market that will stiffen the barrel and improve accuracy like the Accu-Strut.
www.accu-strut.com. Also there has been noted improvement using the Ultimak as well
www.ultimak.com .
Right now as most are aware, pricing on Mini's have skyrocketed due to the scares of mag bans and banning of assault weapons. There are still some good deals out there, you just need to look for them.