2006 Mini Cooper S Tight Spot in Steering

This is not a pump problem. A weak pump would cause hard steering all the time.

To have tight spots in multiple points in the steering range, the most common cause is a tight universal joint in the steering shaft under the dash. The clue is you'll feel the tightness once or twice per steering wheel revolution, and always when it's in the same position.

A problem inside the rack and pinion steering gear can cause tight spots too, but that rarely happens unless it received an impact from a crash. Binding upper strut mounts can make the steering hard to turn in various places, but that is almost always accompanied by a banging sound when a mounts binds, the coil spring winds up and builds tension, then suddenly snaps free and turns. A tight lower ball joint can bind too, but that is not very common on small cars.