So, I joined this forum yesterday thinking that I was going to buy a 2006 R53 with British racing green and a white top with only 54,000 miles. One owner, maintained its whole life at a local MINI dealership. However, I took it to my local mechanic today to have them do an inspection. He thinks they only changed the oil every 13,000 since I guess MINI suggests that. However, no oil registered on the dipstick. My guess is that somewhere in that 13,000 mile range it developed a leak / burn and they couldn't be bothered to check the dipstick. I ran away from that sale quite bummed.

I guess I had no idea how much I'd love driving the car. I've been considering other cars for a very long time, including a Saab 9-2x aero, RX8, MR2, etc. etc. The supercharger whine and the exhaust noise were intoxicating. I already started to plan out what kind of modifications I was going to do. Big brake kit and coilovers were going on right after it got a more gnarly exhaust.

I currently drive a rusty old '99 Protege that I deliberately purchased about three years ago to force myself to learn how to fix cars. It has taught me a lot in that timespan, and I have had the car towed out of my driveway multiple times from mistakes I've made. Better the old Protege than a nice car, right?

So, here is my dilemma. Maybe I shouldn't be asking this at a MINI enthusiast community I am hearing a lot about how expensive MINIs are to maintain. Now, I fully understand that a British (or is it German since it's owned by BMW?) super-charged vehicle is definitely going to cost more than my Mazda to maintain. But, I did look at rockauto.com for some parts that I've replaced on the Mazda. Everything seemed to be right around the same price. I guess my question is to anyone that's listening. How bad is it, really? I would love to know honest answers from people that love (or hate) their cars. I don't have a ton of disposable income to be throwing at it, and I want to keep it properly maintained with the right parts.

The MINI community looks awesome, and thanks for listening!

 

Also, I'm currently watching this

 

Welcome to NAM! It all depends on the car. It is just like any other vehicle. Some have great luck with them and others get a lemon. I have had what I consider great luck with mine. I have had to replace the A/C dryer and a supercharger. Actually the supercharger was my choice. It was fine but the water pump was going out. I told my mechanic to just put a whole new supercharger and water pump on it so I would not have to worry about it for years to come. 87,586 miles on the car when I had it done.
Best bet is to read the Forums section on these cars so you get a good idea of what has gone on with them.
If you want a supercharged car then it is best to look for a low mileage 05 or 06 since they got the most recent updated equipment.
Good luck and let us know what you do.

 

Welcome to NAM! it's great that you've forced yourself to learn to work on your own car. That will come in handy when you purchase a MINI. Doing DIY work on them will help save you money. Just do your research and read around. There is a lot of great information on this forum. If you have any questions or need any help, be sure to ask!

 

Welcome to NAM!

 

Welcome!

 

...all I can say is walk away from the 2006 if the dipstick was truly that low.

I would also tell you to avoid these:

2007 – 2010 R56 S model (N14 engine)
2009 – 2010 R57 S model convertible (N14 engine)
2008 – 2010 R55S Clubman S (N14 engine)
Also - the JCW used the N14 thru 2012

Good luck to you!

 

Welcome!!
Guess buying a car that is so low on oil is a HUGE risk...
low oil...did they really care? How much else is a LIE, or stretching the truth...maybe they are selling cause they don't know where the oil is going..leak, burning it, etc...

As for repair costs...
if you DIY stuff...not bad...
but many shops charge $$$$ to learn on your car...but things DO TAKE MORE TIME...
many items require "service mode" in which the from bumper is removed, and the radiator is pulled forward....adds about an hour to MANY jobs.....
Many folks do CRAZY EXTRA repairs cause they think throwing $$$ at a car will make it last longer, be more reliable, or be faster, etc...or just for fun...
Many folks don't troubleshoot...the just "read: that X can be an issue, and change it...
happens all the time...oil pan gaskets get changed..but the issue is a 10 CENT crank position gasket....folks who do 8 hour SC lube jobs yearly with $100 in gaskets, when a rebuilt unit making full PSI with new gaskets cost $900...and often vacuum leaks, etc result from folks getting in over their heads...
so with forums..watch out...many folks are just learning...and MINI's are less $$ cars when used, that many wannabe Boy racers or first time buyers like.....

My MINI, a 2005 NEVER spent the night away from me...and never had any repairs that required me to spend $$$....but I drove it nice, did SCHEDULED Maintenance (NOT JUST OIL CHANGES or random 'I've got 100k, what do i do?').....

do be careful...many cars HAVE been mistreated, poorly maintained....others run on the track...

Prices VARY HUGELY based on regions...
the gen1 cars were sold mainly on the coasts....and most were sold after LONG WAITING LISTS...I waited 6 MONTHS for delivery of mine...
I kinda wish I had not sold it, but I needed space for the family, and a 3rd car (was one for several years) was not an option at the moment...
I would suggest a one or 2 owner car...maybe the car you found is a good deal if you calculate in the cost of a motor swap....
IMO 7500 mile oil changes are about right if the car is not tracked....the 15,000 mile suggestion from MINI is too long IMO if you want a long life (adequate for the warranty period)...BUT HOW MANY owners keep a car beyond 5 years?! So the original buyer is just spending $$ to make the car better for THE NEXT BUYER...

 

Another good option is to buy a MINI NEXT Certified Pre-Owned MINI. Again, good luck to you in your search for the perfect MINI.

 

Thank you all for the advice! I actually wound up buying the car shortly before a lot of you replied. Before you call me a big idiot, let me explain. Long story short, a mechanic I trust who worked on our old Volvo said that it was just fine (he's steered me away from other cars in the past). The oil needed to be changed, but it wasn't bad. After lunch with my wife, we decided to jump on it. It has around 54,000 miles, and came with a second set of almost new Blizzak tires. With the other maintenance items coming up, I was able to settle at $8500 for the car. Only time will tell if this was a wise decision or not. In the owner's defense, the lady didn't know much about cars. I think they just got lucky, and had the salesman suggest the Mini Cooper to them.

So, on to the positives. I spent the day washing it, waxing, removing bumper stickers, and taking off the cup holder. It's an absolute honey of car. The attention to detail is crazy, and driving it just is constantly putting a giant smile on my face. I've also been watching some of MOD MINI's youtube channel to get a sense of what normal repairs involve.









This was taken right when I got home





Can't even see the MINI from the other side!

 

congrats!!
I had the same rims on mine...the lightest of the 16 rims...
liked the car so much on 16's with light rims, i got 15's for my winters (work on a gen1 no-BBK).
you will find light rims keep the car "playful" for lack of a better term...
heavy rims, like the 17; S-lites (actually about 2x the weight of a 16!!) makes the car harder to turn!!
Like the color...low miles...
hopefully it works out well for you!!

 

Nice. You will enjoy it. I also like the color.

And thanks for the update.

 

Congratulations! Seems like you're enjoying it so far.

 

Thanks! Didn't think I'd like the green until I saw it in person. I had no idea those were the lightest 16" rims; that is awesome. What I have noticed is that there doesn't seem to be enough tire for the HP / corning the car has. Seems like I'll have to upgrade the tires at some point.