Used Mini Coopers?

Why do I feel the need to go look at this one? http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/2140078007.html

Seriously, what do I need to look for in a 100k + mini? Anything specific?

Are the earlier cars trouble?

Yeah, I almost feel much less safe buying a 120k mile Mini then I do a 120k mile civic.

Here's what to look for in an early 100K MINI: S / 6spd. Even though they are entry-level cars, the usual BMW pre-purchase stuff applies. Buy the cleanest one you can find with the most maintenance records.

The CVTs and Midlands 5spd in justacoopers have less than stellar reputations.

midlands 5-spd is very classic british. 05 and newer manual coopers have getrag trannies. BMW changed suppliers asap.

The cooper S always had the getrag 6-spd.

I see why, that price is inviting. I was talking with my 13 year old daughter a few days ago, and she is already angling for a used MINI. We talked it over, and my biggest worry is the Midlands. Some people get many miles from them, but there are an alarming number of terrible stories about dead Midlands gearboxes. I helped a buddy swap his 2003 MINI over to a 6 speed Getrag after he killed his second Midlands (full disclosure: he autocrosses about 6 times a year, but on the other hand, he's a very smooth driver).

What I can say without reservation is, stay away from the CVT automatics. Those are having a hard time making it to 100K miles.

Aside from the CVT's sucking at reliability, they're terrible transmissions to begin with. I had the "pleasure" of a rental MINI while the wife's was in the shop for some much needed maitenance... and that was the single worst automatic I have ever driven. The 15 year old half dead slushbox in my 100$ Taurus is better than that POS. It like to stay in the equivalent to 3rd unless you'd been at a dead stop for about 5sec. Otherwise, if you did a stop/start, it was like "Oh you wanna go now? Lemme send that gear change to my superiors and I'll get back to you" and then it would decide to move its pig ass off the line.

In reply to mndsm:

I'm getting mixed signals here. Did you like the CVT?

Not so much, no. The slapshift was only slightly better/more bearable than that garbage.

I love our 05 Cooper S. Having made that disclaimer..... I wouldn't reccomend one if you don't like frustrating failures, expensive parts and iffy aftermarket support. So far with 75 k on the clock I have had continuing issues with warped plastic thermostat housings that steadily leak coolant ($75 ea, $42 for thermostat w/ made-on gasket), door handle mechanics that fail repeatedly (finally fixed with JB Weld) , a harmonic balancer that completely separated ($450 for an after market ATI), a passenger airbag light that stays on, a cracked plastic induction pipe between TB and SC (engine codes, $200 to replace from MI state dealer), crunchy throwout bearing (they're PLASTIC), replace sensors and rotors everytime you do the brake pads, it stumbles and dam near dies when ou crank it but that's normal (??!!)....should I keep going? We've only had it 3 years.

Lest I be misunderstood, we bought this car at 45k from friends who bought it new and had every service done at the dealer - I have the records. It's completely stock and I've autocrossed it once. It was never driven in anger previously.

check out northamericanmotoring.com - there's tons of info.

Looking used, watch out for the smell of coolant (warped T-housing) or a dinging metal-metal noise on startup (Harmonic bal going) and check the top of the front strut towers for mushrooming. If it's an S ( I didn't check the link) plan on rebuilding the supercharger before 125k. A rebuilt unit is about $1500 I think....

But like I said, I love the car. And it's damn lucky I do. So am I. If it were any less fun to drive, my wife would have divorced me for selling her car long ago.

I just checked the link... the Harmon Kardon sound system is one of the best I've ever heard.

ultraclyde wrote: I love our 05 Cooper S. Having made that disclaimer..... I wouldn't reccomend one if you don't like frustrating failures, expensive parts and iffy aftermarket support. So far with 75 k on the clock I have had continuing issues with warped plastic thermostat housings that steadily leak coolant ($75 ea, $42 for thermostat w/ made-on gasket), door handle mechanics that fail repeatedly (finally fixed with JB Weld) , a harmonic balancer that completely separated ($450 for an after market ATI), a passenger airbag light that stays on, a cracked plastic induction pipe between TB and SC (engine codes, $200 to replace from MI state dealer), crunchy throwout bearing (they're PLASTIC), replace sensors and rotors everytime you do the brake pads, it stumbles and dam near dies when ou crank it but that's normal (??!!)....should I keep going? We've only had it 3 years. Lest I be misunderstood, we bought this car at 45k from friends who bought it new and had every service done at the dealer - I have the records. It's completely stock and I've autocrossed it once. It was never driven in anger previously. check out northamericanmotoring.com - there's tons of info. Looking used, watch out for the smell of coolant (warped T-housing) or a dinging metal-metal noise on startup (Harmonic bal going) and check the top of the front strut towers for mushrooming. If it's an S ( I didn't check the link) plan on rebuilding the supercharger before 125k. A rebuilt unit is about $1500 I think.... But like I said, I love the car. And it's damn lucky I do. So am I. If it were any less fun to drive, my wife would have divorced me for selling her car long ago.

+1 for extended warranty. Our last trip to the MINI dealer (because quite frankly, I don't feel like spending 2k on tools to fix the damn thing, since no normal tools on earth will fit under it) cost nearly 4k, and that was AFTER the 600+ I spent on getting a new clutch put in since it was shot and the car was already apart. I don't think i'd own another one.

In reply to mndsm:

You guys are killing me. I was hoping a MINI might be a simple reliable replacement for my old E36 convertible that was a total pain in the ass.

Otto-

Don't get me wrong, they're piles of fun. One of the best chassis i've had the priveledge of driving, FWD or not. Decent on miles, the manual (we have the Getrag) is good, even when the clutch was shot it was still like butter, etc etc. But as they get older, they get more difficult/pricy to maintain. And realistically, I probably could have done a good portion of the work that was required, but had no desire to. That engine bay is cramped, and all I can say is good luck getting at anything underneath it. I'll tell you all the good stuff too if you wanna know, but it's not a car for the faint of heart.

Ditto. It is fun like no other car and still occaisionally makes me want to sell my Stang and buy one to mod to non-wife-approved levels. It comes up to redline like an electric motor - zip -zip-zip. It handles like a kart. The heated leather seats are great and the HK radio is unreal.

I do all the work on ours (so far) and while it is wicked tight you get used to it. Patience and a good manual (the Bentley one) make it possibe. And the willingness to remove a LOT of incedental parts. You just need to be prepared for it.

BMW -Bring My Wallet

In reply to ultraclyde:

The leftover 2010 models at $6K off at the local dealer are starting to sound pretty good - you know, with the warranty and all.

^ I'd say go for it, and spring for the extended warranty. That way if it breaks, you bring it to them and go "Fixplz" and they fix it.

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to ultraclyde: The leftover 2010 models at $6K off at the local dealer are starting to sound pretty good - you know, with the warranty and all.

The 2010 is a much different car than the '05's bitched about above, the redesign was in '07. My '07 S had 2 warranty repairs and 1 out of warranty repair over 68K Mi. No complaints here.

Dashpot wrote:

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to ultraclyde: The leftover 2010 models at $6K off at the local dealer are starting to sound pretty good - you know, with the warranty and all.

The 2010 is a much different car than the '05's bitched about above, the redesign was in '07.

07 and newer are even more fuel efficient due to a new engine design. Buddy of mine drives a 2007 justaCooper with a getrag 6 spd. Shifting like grandma and lots o highway, he can average 47 mpg!

BTW, opt for the JCW suspension if you would like a ride closer to the previous gen. But it's easy and fun to spend your money!

And a canoe ruins my thread.

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'm going to pass on the mini.

How many mini asian escorts will fit in a canoe? Buy a clubman canoe for double the fun!

Oh wow, is it new york asian escort all hollow's eve already? How could I forget such a lovely holiday like NYAEAHE?

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to mndsm: You guys are killing me. I was hoping a MINI might be a simple reliable replacement for my old E36 convertible that was a total pain in the ass.

Having spent a fair amount of time working on both (R50/53 and an E36), I'll take the MINI any day. Now that I own an E30, I want another MINI even more. There is a weird logic to how a MINI is assembled and once you figure it out they're pretty easy to work on. I've yet to figure out the logic of an E30 and it's doubtful I'll have the car long enough to.

Driving both in anger, I like the MINI's more - and I did not expect that. That said, both of our MINI's have decent to great tires (GSD3's on the MCS, *Specs on the MCc) whereas the E30 as rock-hard ES100's. The crappy shifter also really caught me off as well, even after I replaced everything. The shifter in the E30 feels like an approximate guess compared to a MINI (or my VW or even the freakin' 5 spd in my Dodge Cummins).

I have invested in some of the special tools for working on the car: LCA bushing tool, transmission R&R related tools... and I bought a scissor lift. I have helped a number of MINI friends with their cars over the years and have developed a pretty decent resume of supercharger replacement, clutch and transmission replacement and a half-dozen LCA bushings.

Our '03 R53 was purchased new and now has about 90K on it. Much of that with a 15% pulley along with various other bolt-on mods. It's 'her' car and she loves it, so my complaints about it are my own: I dislike the 'sport' seats. I detest the sunroof with a passion. The H-K stereo sounds like crap compared to the Monsoon system in my TDI (which itself isn't the greatest out there). I'm not fond of the auto-HVAC system either that is both of our cars (give me 3 knobs, please...)

As previously posted, I have pipe-dreams of getting another non-sunroof car and going nuts with mods over time.

The electronics in a MINI are a bit of concern, but that is going to be an issue with any modern car, regardless of the make. All of them have tons of nanny-features and things to go wrong over time. Right now, the auto-leveling system on the Xenon-equiped MCS is giving us grief. We have already been stunned by the replacement cost of headlight (sold only as a single piece) after a retread incident, so when we ordered the MCc in '07, spec'ing the std halogens was a conscious choice.

These are things to look at when buying a MINI as an enthusiast. These cars could be ordered with a wide variety of options so there are cars out there that are somewhat less complicated than average. Hell, it was only in 2010 that the multi-function steering wheel (required if you wanted crusie control) was made standard equipment.

What is it that you hate about the sunroof?

I expect to own one someday, but it will likely have to be a replacement for my wife's Miata. The sunroof is as close as it gets in a MINI going topless.

Would aggressive tinting solve your issues, or are they really to be avoided for other reasons?

SVreX wrote: What is it that you hate about the sunroof? I expect to own one someday, but it will likely have to be a replacement for my wife's Miata. The sunroof is as close as it gets in a MINI going topless. Would aggressive tinting solve your issues, or are they really to be avoided for other reasons?

I thought I wanted one and drove a friends 08 Mini Cooper Werkes edition car for a week. Great driving car, mileage was only fair, and the sunroof was brutal in the GA/SC sun.

I passed on my friends car - if I got one it would be 6 spd, NA and no sunroof.

SVreX wrote: What is it that you hate about the sunroof?

It rattles like mad when closed and it's as noisy as hell when open. How noisy? We also have a Cooper convertible. It's easier to have a conversation in the convertible with the top down that it is in the hardtop with the sun roof open. A text-book example of form preceding function.

Tinting helps some with letting in excessive amounts of sun - there are a number of aftermarket companies that sell custom decals as well.

If you really want a open air car, look for a convertible. It does give up some stiffness and weight to the hardtop but it's still a surprisingly stiff car. The one downside is a somewhat enclosed feeling with the top up and piss-poor rear visability.

Another downside of R50/53 MINI's is the gas mileage. You would expect a car with such a relatively low weight and small engine to be great on gas... and maybe compared to some cars they are, but in the MCS we rarely get over 30 mpg and the MCc (NA car with a 5 spd) averages in the mid 30's. When I was driving the MCc for awhile, the mileage was a tough one for me coming from a TDI that gets in the upper 40's. The R56 models have much more efficient engines (NA and FI).