Hey guys! I am looking to buy my wife a used mini.is there anything that i should look out for, or any year i should stay away from? Is high mileage a problem? Sorry about the caps, i'm old , and have always used them.

 

Hi there. Well definitely high mileage is a problem with most cars. If the Mini has close to 200K I would definitely stay away from it. The 1st gen Minis are supercharged while the new 2nd gens are turboed. Now you have plenty of choices. From the hard top to convertible to countryman to the paceman. I suggest watching the reviews on Youtube and then google their actual reviews. Good luck!

 

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum and would also like some info on a used Cooper S.

I got into a car accident earlier this week and am afraid that the car may be a total loss. It was a 2008 Honda Fit, with coilovers, rear sway bar, front and rear strut bars, wheels, tires, your basic bolt-ons, short shifter, and other fun JDM bits and pieces. So it was a fun little car to drive. Not fast, but had lots of fun.

The car had only 47k miles on it and IF it's a total loss I'm expecting to get roughly $8-$9,9XX from insurance. I've looked into the Cooper S' that are available at that price range and have seen 1st and 2nd Gens available with 50-70k+ miles on them.

In your experience, are there any Gen specific issues to look for in the 1st or 2nd Gen Cooper S? Issues with the supercharger, issues with the turbo? What is considered "high mileage" for a Cooper S? IMO, mileage for a Japanese auto compared to a European auto is similar to age comparison between a human and a dog(figuratively speaking). At 47k miles on my Honda, I have not needed to do any major maintenance. Just synthetic oil every 5k miles and had the brake pads replaced once(the car didn't even squeak at that time). Have never had to call road-side assistance or anything like that.

What kind of maintenance have you guys had to do and at what mileage? Any info would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

Hi there. Sorry for the loss of your Honda. I had one I wrecked also back in the day. I just recently bought a gen 1 Mini S back in July with only 44k. I took it in for an oil change because you never know when it had it done last. I brought it in and found out that the oil cooler was leaking so I had that replaced. Roughly $200. Since then nothing out of the ordinary that I had to check. I will probably take it in when it hits 50k just to check all the belts and get some info on when to check the supercharger.
I think Minis with 90-100k should definitely get everything checked, front to back. Just to be safe. Hope this helps a little.

 

Thanks for the info! So would I be dissapointed if I bought a used Cooper S and expected the issue-free-reliability that I was getting from my Honda? I'm definitely trying to pick up a Cooper S that has roughly the same mileage as my Honda. I saw some good deals on Salvage title Cooper S' with 30-44K miles on them. I actually wouldn't mind a salvage as long as its in working order. Just need something that will hold me off for another year or two, until I can buy that BMW. lol. But seriously, my Honda totaled at 47k miles is a real shame.

Hopefully someone else can chime in about any inherent issues to look out for in the 1st and 2nd Gen Minis. Thanks!

 

There are great used MINIs out there of all sub models but there's nothing wrong with considering a supercharged Cooper S at 40 - 50K miles on the odo. Things to consider are the condition of the serpentine belt, belt tensioner, coolant expansion tank (look for leaks) and the condition of the clutch via a test drive if considering a manual.

Mark/Pelican Parts

 

Thanks Mark! That helps a lot. What does the Mini Cooper's maintenance schedule look like? Is there anything the previous owner should have done(in terms of maintenance) at that 40-50k mark?

*edit* Yes, it's gotta be manual. I don't think I could ever go back to an auto. My current rental is an auto. It's just boring and my right leg gets sore since I have to put more pressure on the pedal for more power/down-shift vs. manually down-shifting and maintaining the same pedal pressure.

This is a dumb question but what are the differences between the 06 and 07 models? Can someone go in depth about them? The only differences apparent to me are the SC to turbo(which makes the hood scoop purely cosmetic), side markers, slightly different bumper, steering wheel, and stiffer suspension in the 1st gen(good or bad, depending on how you look at it, good in my case). I think I read somewhere that the 2nd gen is actually larger?

 

The maintenance schedule is fairly light within the 3 yrs/36K, consumables really, brake pads and engine oil probably the most-replaced. Brake fluid is every two yrs, coolant flush every 4 yrs.

Up to you really if you feel the need to change the cabin air filter but may be a good idea. Folks here tend to change oil/filter well-within the recommended intervals. As mentioned earlier, the serpentine belt is important to inspect and there are others who have had water pump issues but both can be DIY projects. We have a host of step-by-step instructions for both the Cooper & S when replacing typical OEM parts you may review here.

Mark/Pelican Parts

 

Thanks again Mark! Insurance called today. The car is totaled . I'm sad to see it go. Only 47k miles, such a shame. It was a fun car to drive too. But that means I'll definitely be looking into some used Minis within a weeks time.

 

Tough to say goodbye to the Fit I'm sure. Nice mods it sounded like too. Good news is that you are ok.