Hello everyone!

After being away from the NAM forums for a VERY long time, I come back hoping for some advice from my fellow motorers.

A little background:
In 2005, I ordered my first MCS(pics still in gallery), and waited 8 weeks from order to delivery: Dark Silver, Black Roof, cloth, cold weather, F&R fogs, solid roof, auto climate, and LSD. It was an affordable, fun, stripped down MINI with all the essentials. I traded it two fun and trouble free years later, and regretted it. I recently did a search, and found it at a nearby dealer! I went to check it out and possibly strike a deal to get it back in my hands.....I was disappointed to find that not only had the car been hit at some point and repaired poorly, but the dealer had bought it and is offering it way higher than it should be, because they thought(assumed) it had HK audio, leather, cruise, and sunroof, and they wouldn't budge on their $1500-above-value price......so I said goodbye and walked away.

So now I'm shopping R56s......I've driven a couple, and I like the evolution of this generation. I have researched the N14 vs N18 stuff, cam chain, etc., and here's where I'm a little stuck:

I have found a 2011 fJCW S, with 77k miles, one owner/clean history, and in great condition, and fair price. This car would have the N14 JCW engine.

I have also found several 2011 and 2012 Non-JCW S models, with the N18, and between 20k and 45k miles, at a similar price and features/options, and also single owner/clean history.

I ran the VIN on the fJCW, and it said no outstanding TSBs for this car. Could I assume that the cam tensioner repair has already been done?

Should I take a gamble on a hard to find fJCW, with nearly 80k on an N14, or get a lower mileage N18 car? I plan to keep this vehicle much longer than the R53, and want something that will last. I only plan to do a handful of small mods, mostly suspension.

Thanks everyone, and I hope to be hanging around more in the near future, with an R56!

 

Best advice is to befriend an SA at your closest Mini dealer and get him to pull the maintenance history by vin #. That will tell you a lot about how it was previously maintained.

 

Good advice, stay away from the N14 engines period! There have been many member's with an N14 timing chain failure return between 2- 4 times, you feel comfortable about that? How about burnt, broken valves, piston rings broken and piston failures at the wrist pin and ring landings. Go N18 S!

 

That's kinda where I'm at in general, plus knowing that I'm getting a lower mileage model helps. The JCW was just one that I came across and really always liked, but that N14 really makes me nervous. I'm fully capable of doing the repair myself, but when you're financing a car, you kinda want it to just 'work'.

 

When you say you're capable of repairing it yourself, do you mean after the timing chain failure causes the valves to crash into the pistons because the timing chain hopped over a few cam teeth?

 

@gstockmini

Your little background story sounds familiar when I had a 06 MCS with same color scheme-CAI, Alta exhaust, 18s/HR springs...dope! Traded my 00' Jeep TJ and the R53 in for a brand new badass 2012 jeep JK-8 and then got a new job that required me to drive more!!!! Ugh!!

2014 -looked at a used 07' R56 with 108K miles, bunch of performance mods, Alta hoses, CAI, and Exhaust in Astro black with white top, well maintained just needed new wheels tires. good price and I really needed a gas saving car and wanted that MINI feeling back. @115K miles I had a turbo oil leak fixed and @119k I fell subject to the infamous "off the chain" lost compression in 2 valves.- sucked! I believe there is a chain campaign on this thread. Let it sit for 8 months at my guys shop while I saved up $$$$ for a new engine.

2015 -last month Im' back in the R56 with a new N14 engine, new seals,new WP, new thermostat. with 2year warranty from Sewell Mini who offer a good price for NAM members local shop labor is 1yr.

Summary- I could of scrapped the R56 but with no engine means I would have to shell out more $$$ for another gas saving car that did not give me that MINI feeling. Now it feels brand new../paid off! And yes I still have the jeep... and keeping both for a long time.

Good luck with your decision

 

If it absolutely came to it, yes, as I have other project cars and am comfortable doing engine work/repair, but I mainly meant that I could handle the chain/guide/tensioner replacement. I really don't WANT to have to do this on a car I just bought lol

I have pretty well decided on a 2012 MCS......I can find them with low enough mileage that I'll still have a little manufacturer's warranty, it'll have the N18, and the price isn't too bad......now to decide which one out of all that I saved!

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

I just picked up a 2012 S Hatchback with 27,000 km on it last week & totally love the car. It is a Mini Next with warranty until June 2018, which makes me more comfortable seeing as 6 days in to ownership I've had an electrical issue where the parking brake is no longer recognized. Car has a good service history & with advice from an auto engineer friend & SA at the dealer (not too mention everyone here) to change the oil every 8,000 km I think I've got a winner. I would say if you can find a Mini Next vehicle with the extended factory warranty you will have piece of mind that the car is covered for catastrophic failure a bit longer, at least until it's paid off. GL with your search.

 

Well, I got in contact with an adviser at my nearest dealer, which is where I bought my old MCS. The fJCW in question from the OP has a good service history with all oil changes and a brake fluid flush, and lists an open campaign for the turbo heat shield, but says nothing else. The price on this car is REALLY right, so I'm going to go see it in person, and I also have a lead on a 2012 N18 car, which is quite a bit more.

To be continued.....

 

The best advise I can give you would be to look for a nice CPO Mini Next warrantied car which will give you an extra two years/50K mile warranty on it.
If purchasing from a Mini dealership you can negotiate this CPO coverage into the purchase price if not originally a CPO car.

 

[B]Just for the record, N14 timing chain "failure" mode is that the tensioner fails over time, and the chain gets loose, starts slapping around making diesel rattle sounds, and eventually, starts braking up the plastic chain guides. It takes a while to get to the last point, but which most people notice and replace it.

While enough slack to jump gears and introduce valves to pistons is theoretically possible, it's an extreme corner case that can only be achieved by ignoring diesel rattle in your N14 engine for a considerable amount of time.

Fair enough.
Then the safest course of action is to avoid N14s, and possibly, N18 altogether, and jump straight into an F56 car !

Good luck hunting!

a

 

Much thanks to afadeev! He's the one who steered me to Brandon @Sewell Mini on the new short block back in May 2014.

 

Well, I found a car, made a deal, and will be making a 500 mile road trip tomorrow to bring home my 2012 MCS hatch! Thanks for everyone's help, and pictures will come tomorrow. ☺

 

Congrats!! Looking forward to the pictures.

 

Congrats! We have a '12 MCS hatch, been very happy with it.

 

to the OP, you didn't mention what transmission the car had. if it's an auto, be sure to do at least 1-2 drain fills of the trans fluid right away. engine oil too, while you're at it. full synthetic is highly recommended in both cases. congrats!

edit: make sure the coolant temp sensor recall has been performed, if applicable. and also be sure the oil wicking issue has been checked and resolved, if applicable.

 

Well, after a 1100+ mile round-trip from Anna, IL to Wichita, KS, here she is!

2012 MCS, 6MT, picked up with 42k miles

White Silver Metallic
Cold Weather Package
Premium Package
Sport Package
Sport Suspension
Garage door opener/compass mirror
Sunroof
Anthracite Headliner
HK Audio
BT/USB

I have a few plans for it in the future, but for now I'm thrilled to be back in a MINI

 

Loving that blacked out scoop, highly considering plasti dipping mine to see if I like it enough to commit.

Is that a white stripe down the middle or a reflection?

Congrats on the purchase

 

Congrats, it's a nice looking car! For those who read this thread with similar questions to the OP, IMO, the most important thing is a service history. If you find a N14 motor that has been over-maintained (oil changes every 3k miles), You're probably safe. If the car in question has been lax with routine maintenance or has no records, don't walk, RUN from it.

 

Thanks!

I'm really loving it! Makes me wonder why I ever got rid of my R53, but I know it was necessary at the time.

The white stripes are vinyl, and they are peeling a bit, so I'll be removing them altogether this weekend, and might replace them with black since I have the material and plotter to do so.

The hood scoop and grille surround are painted black, but the front and rear light rings are wrapped in a matte black vinyl, so I'll either rewrap them in gloss vinyl or buy painted rings. Headlights are OEM black option. I also plan to add the rear fogs.

Having a blast!

 

That's funny you're moving away from the matte black to glossy. I actually prefer the matte look as it kind of matches the grey plastic from the wheel arch. I've only plasti dipped mine and would only buy the rings if they were matte black

 

So the N18 motors are in the S models from 2011 and forward? Is the N14 motor really to be avoided at all costs? What motor do the 2008 to 2010 Coopers use? Do they have timing chain issues?

Thanks

 

Yes,my previous MCS was a 2010 and had chain issues..
MCS 2007 - 2010 N14
MCS 2011 - 2013 N18
FJCW 2009 - July 2012? N14
FJCW / GP2 2013 N18

 

I wouldn't say avoid the N14 at all costs. While it's certainly had its fair share of teething problems. It was not the only one subject to the timing chain problem. The first N18 engine in my car was replaced at 21,000 miles. BMW went through three iterations of the timing chain before they came up with one that was semi reliable. The N14 also has the advantage of being able to block off or add a catch can to the primary PCV path very easily to reduce carbon buildup. And finally, due to the design of the valvetrain it's possible to reach a higher RPM limit than the N18 can currently. Pistons across all the S models are a weak link, but unlike the timing chain, they can be upgraded to far superior parts. Not cheaply, but it can be done.

 

In order for Mini to increase MPG and reduce reciprocating mass they came up with a lightweight piston, it's very well near its limits not including the occasional piston failure do to a defect in the casting. Just look at the difference in pistons between the Triton and Prince engines, big difference especially around the wrist pins right underneath the ring landings .