OTH, the AR-15 is not hard to maintain, so IMHO, it’s a wash (no pun intended) in that regard. I have never owned a Mini-14, and to the best of my recollection, have never fired one. I have owned a M1A (similar action, just a lot bigger), and I found the takedown procedure for a thorough cleaning to be more complicated and jiggery finicky than taking down/reassembling an AR-15. Just trying to remove the bolt from the receiver, or (in the case of the M1A) getting the op-rod properly lined up on the receiver during reassembly is much more complicated than removing the bolt or inserting/removing the charging handle on an AR-15.
I have nothing really against the Mini-14 other than maybe magazine cost and availability, and I’d actually like to add one to my collection someday. But if I could only own one or the other, it would be the AR-15 hands down, and not for just the above mentioned reasons. It’s more modular. It’s more consistently accurate. Replacement parts and upgrades are easy to procure. Etc.
Depending on where you live, maybe having a Mini-14 instead of an AR-15 as a vehicle long gun might be advantageous in the eyes of the local constabulary. But the AR-15 is entirely legal throughout Texas no matter where you live, and I ceased caring a long time ago what law enforcement thinks of my personal choices as long as they’re legal.