Help a soon to be Mini owner!
 

Hey there! So Straight to the point...I want a mini!! BAD!! My plan is to get one in the next couple months but not without some research!

What I want:
Manual gear box
Less then 100k miles (I hope)
Supercharger or turbo charger
$10k or under. I know that's not much but that's what I'm going to have...can't change it. Not a choice.

What I'm writing about is if anyone has ANY suggestions on what I should look for in a mini. I consider myself sort of kind of car savvy but I wanted to talk to some people who KNOW minis for any tips or suggestions about what to look for in them when buying! anything thrown out here would be so appreciated!!! Thanks guys and I hope soon I can start writing on this forum as an actual Mini owner!!! :)

What years were you looking at? R##??

See I don't really know. I know I want the first edition with runs from like 01-06 (I think). But other then that I don't really have a preference. Are there any I should avoid?

See that's why I decided to hop on here just in case some tells me that the air conditioner in a 02 model will start releasing poisonous gas if driven about 70mph or something. :)

Look at the 03-05 models, avoid the early years - Try and shoot for an S if it's within your budget - common pitfall areas include replacement of the oil pan gasket, sometimes a valve cover gasket, water pump (depending on the mileage), thermostat going bad...

Check this page out to familiarize yourself more with MC issues: Pelican Parts - MINI Cooper Technical Articles

Nice!!! Thanks for the info! And I'm totally getting the S version. I will be patient til I find one.

Check MotoringFile.com. There's a first gen buyer's guide linked on the home page which is a great resource when shopping for the pre-owned MINI.

I agree with PelicanParts - avoid the first year of any new build. First gen cars (R53 for the S variant) ran from 2002 - 2006. '05 - '06 is widely accepted as the sweet spot. Second gen cars (R56 for the S) started in '07.

My best advice is to have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by an experienced MINI mechanic or dealer before you sign on the dotted line. The PPI may run you $150 or so but it's worth it to find out what might be in need of replacing soon.

Good luck!

Nice!! Thank you guys so much! These little things are going to help me buy with more confidence. The nice thing is that there are a few BMW/mini service specialists here in Phoenix? Now is every PPI going to inspect what's important or should I request that they look at anything specifically? Like is everything PelicanParts mentioned as a possibility of going bad something they inspect?

I personally wouldn't request anything and have them go over the car thoroughly, if it's a competent shop with plenty of MINI experience, they should not have any trouble picking up on car's weak points.

Best bet would be to call around and ask a TON of questions as to what does a PPI include, how thorough is it, their experience in servicing, maintaining and/or updating MINIs, so on and so forth...

Good luck and happy hunting!

Great advice here. A well-sorted, experienced shop will know what to look for in advance. If you need help finding a shop, check here: Mini Cooper Repair Shops - Find a Mini Mechanic | MiniRepairShops.com

You might also Google for MINI clubs in your local area, and post a similar query on the local message boards. Odds are that you'll get some good advice on local service there as well. Plus, you can become familiar with the other enthusiast owners in your area so you can join them once you find the right car. :)

This thread helps me as well as I'll be a soon to be Mini owner. Thanks.