n00b buying a 04 mini S... any last minute tips?
 

hey,

i'm about to pull the trigger on a 2004 mini cooper S, 6 sp man, with 64k miles for $12,000. car is one owner, from a japanese dealership :). is that a good price for this year/model? do you recommend the supercharged engine or the 05+ turbos?

i have the option of purchasing a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty for $1800... should i go for it? i only drive 5 miles to work and home but ocassionally go out of town 250 miles away to visit family on the weekends.

is there anything i should look out for before getting this car? are there any common known issues to look out for? i'm lookin to keep this car for two years, so do you think i can encounter issues worth the cost of the warranty over this period..... so i'm getting paranoid... HELP!!!

i'm coming from owning an e46 bmw m3 and an infiniti fx35... just need something more practical now... is this the car to get?

I prefer the supercharger versus the turbo , but thats more a personal thing ...
For $1800 it's cheap insurance ,ESPECIALLY if it covers clutches/brakes (some do /some don't) The electric power steering pump is a common failure item and it can run over the cost of the warranty for a new dealer installed one