A MCS wasn't even on the radar of cars I might buy until I drove one entirely by accident. I was out helping a friend shop for a new car (she's getting a Mazda Speed 6 after she gets back from Iraq) and there was a red 2002 Cooper S at one of the dealerships we were at. The salesman was particularly friendly, and made the mistake of giving me the key and letting us go drive it alone. I found a twisty bit of suburbia to drive through and got to know the car.

I'm a big fan of Top Gear, so it certainly wasn't lost on me what a Mini Cooper is all about. I love small cars that handle well, in fact I used to own a highly modified Toyota Tercel and driving the MCS reminded me of that car, except that it was even better to drive. Not something you understand by reading figures or watching a video, you just have to experience the car.

Anyway, I'm coming from this:



The RX-8 is a great driver's car, and nothing FWD can really replace RWD power sliding shenanigans. But it's also unreliable, which is why I got rid of it:



I've driven lots of fast cars, I even co-own a purpose-built racer:



I've been thinking about what car to buy to replace the Mazda, and I keep coming back to the MCS. It's not a car I'm going to drive daily (the RX-8 certainly wasn't that) and it'll get waxed often, maintained correctly, and thrashed constantly.

I loved the supercharger whine in the 02 I drove, and also an 04 with the JCW upgrades. I think I want to get an 05-07 MCS, but only because there's a bit more power and it's "revision b" as opposed to my "revision a" RX-8 that gave me trouble. Also, JCW's seem to be impossible to find around here, so I think I'll find an S and have the JCW engine upgrades done. Or are there better options to get a bit more power?

Also, when looking at cars what questions should I be asking dealers? What options should I be looking for? What should I examine on the car before making a decision? Am I daft to not even consider a turbo model?

 

First, congrats on deciding on a MINI. Most owners came from the same story; test driving the car and falling in love with it. Now to answer your questions...

As you know the JCW comes preloaded with more power due to the smaller super charger pulley, the exhaust, JCW tune, bigger injectors and etc. etc. These same options can be done using aftermarket parts to achieve the same power and more. The JCW parts were sought after by owners because they don't void warranty and they are covered by warranty. Aftermarket parts could potentially void the warranty. However, if your getting a supercharged MINI, chances are it'll be used and there may not be a warranty left. JCW parts vs aftermarket parts will depend on your cup of tea. Some owners love to stick with OEM only products, while others are loyal to aftermarket vendors. My personal opinion is that the same amount of HP from a JCW MINI can be gained through aftermarket parts for the same price if not lower or sometimes higher. How much power you want will depend on your budget. But most people start with a smaller pulley for power, intake and exhaust for sound. The best way to squeeze out power would be a pulley, head, header, cam and a tune. And if you have loads of money, you can have the engine rebuilt to a 1.8L with a custom supercharger. The possibilities are endless.

In terms of what to look out for and questions to ask when looking for a MINI - check out this guide. It is a very complete guide and addresses any issues that may come up in a MINI.

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

If your lazy and don't feel like reading the article, things to look out for on a older MINI:
-Dying Window motors
-Overheated Steering pump
-Failing Crank pulley
-Noisy/Glazed Clutch & Flywheel
-Leaking Engine mount
-Worn out Front bushings
-Supercharger rattle

I would also like to take this time to remind you, you will see a lot of users post problems with their MINI on this forum. This is not to say the MINI is unreliable, it's just NAM is a great place for owners to come and seek for help. There is of course also a high number of owners who are problem free. With that said, enjoy your stay and we hope that you become a potential MINI owner one day. Happy motoring!

 

By the way, I totally agree with you on the RX8. My friend has one and I've driven it several times. The RX8 is a great car, fits like a glove and handles like a dream. The perfect 50/50 distribution makes it a great car. But besides that, it drinks gas like no other, it burns up oil and it's hard to squeeze more power out of it.

 

They're certainly lots of fun but don't expect them to be trouble-free. It would be wise to buy one with some warranty left assuming you have a dealer nearby.

The supercharged version (aka R53) has a different driving feel than the turbo version (aka R56) so you should definitely drive them both.

Enjoy the hunt!

 

"CapeCodMINI" had an '02 MCS that he loved, and over-modified(!); he went to an RX8 but was not completely happy. He switched back to a MINI, but made the "mistake" of getting the re-engineering '07+ model (with turbocharger instead of super, and a lot less "connection") - I think he's happy in a MINI again, but wishes it was the original supercharged version.

Do you know about the rare GP?
http://gpmini.net/wp/introduction/

 

I was going to suggest the GP as well but you beat me to it, GB. Another great resource is the buyer's guide on www.motoringfile.com

 

I knew of the GP, but my experience in hunting for a rare car tells me to just find regular ol' MCS. The GP is probably a nice car, but I'm sure I could modify a MCS to make the same power, and keep the more forgiving suspension.

Also, I happened to find a GP for sale north of me in Minnesota. The asking price is around 25k and deservedly so! It's outside of what I'm trying to spend (I want to buy the car outright without a loan.)

One of the options I keep finding on Mini's that I like is the dual sunroof. Does anyone know the weight penalty of this? Is it prone to leakage?

What are the ways to tell if the car is equipped with a LSD?

Going off the link you posted, I think I want to find an 05-06 MCS. What are the best ways to check for the oil leaks? The sensor they mentioned, any pics of it's location on the engine? Also, how should I examine the radiator overflow tank?

I'm sure I'll come back with even more questions, thanks in advance for your answers!

 

Haven't had any leakage problems with the sunroofs (two MCSs). They do, however, rattle at times. There was a lot of discussion about the weight penalty so if you do a search you should find plenty of threads on this topic.

I think all 05-06 vehicles have the upgraded overflow tank. BTW, in this case the "overflow" tank is actually an integral part of the pressurized cooling system.

 

The page mentions that even the new tanks are prone to failure. I'll try to find some of the threads regarding the weight penalties when I get home, I'm posting from my cell phone right now.

As an aside, my RX-8 had the moon roof and I always struggled to find a good seating position, otherwise my head brushed the headliner. I haven't had that problem in any of the MCS's I've sat in with the seat adjusted properly. What's the effect on headroom in the MCS?

 

Depends on how tall you are . It might be an issue if you're taller and are intending to track it with a helmet on. Also, the Mini seats have an independent height adjustment (pump lever on the side), just in case you're not aware of it yet.

 

The first one I sat in must have been adjusted for a small driver, I could barely fit! Then I figured out the manual controls on the side. There's more room than you would think, I've just never had the opportunity to sit in one with the sunroof.

 

The sunroof steals an inch, maybe less, headroom; I did prefer when I switched from sunroof to no sunroof - but I sit pretty straight backed in my cars

 

I've have an 05's with a sunroof.....the negative about the sunroof is it is only covered by a semi-transparent fabric....so on a sunny day...the sun comes in, and is always in the wrong spot...even closed. I now use a "Zippie shade". If I had to order my car again....I would skip the sunroof, and have a light, lower center-gravity car....maybe stiffer too!!
I agree that an 05 or 06 is best....and the oly real way to findout if the coolant tank is leaking is to drive it over a period of time, and see if the coolant level is dropping....sometimes it does leave some stains....but I would not even bother looking....it is a $30 part, that takes 5 Minutes to swap out, and does not fail suddenly, but very gradualy ....Gen1 cars....the pre 07' S's(supercharged) are definitely a different beast than the newer Gen2 (turbo) cars. They look similar externally....but drive so differently, it is amazing hey came from the same company IMO. I would strongly recomend you get a pre-buy inspection from a dealer or another MINI specalist....there a quite a few things that a regular shop may miss that could come back to haunt you. Some are simple...worn bushings, seized power-steering cooling fans, etc....but things you could get fixed before you buy it, or use to get a better price.
Good Luck and have fun!!

 

My helmet just clears the headliner in my 02 MCS with sunroof, and I'm just over 6 feet. I like the open feeling the sunroof gives to the car, even though it does add some weight. Mine has never rattled or leaked.

 

1" might be enough to be annoying, I don't know. From searching the forum, it adds around 40 pounds. That's like strapping a car battery to the roof. Also, the moon roof in the RX-8 at least had a sliding cover that would completely block the sun, Iowa summers routinely see high 90s and sometimes triple digits, aside from the high humidity. Given that I'm only going to drive this car when it's warm, I think the sunroof is probably a no-go.

I've looked around for info on determining if the MCS has a LSD, and I haven't found much aside from calling a dealership and asking for a list of options that corresponds to the VIN. Is there a sticker anywhere on the car that lists options?

 

No.

I've only seen option stickers on Porsches. Do Mazdas have them too?

 

Couldn't tell you actually, I never looked!

 

I don't know if there are enough Minis in your area, but it might be worth trying to buy one from a private party -- preferably from an original owner who's carefully kept all of the records. That way you can gain some level of confidence in exactly what you're buying and how well it's been taken care of.

Buy the seller and all that...

 

It's hard to decide on that...given the narrow range of cars I fancy it's a bit hard to find a car in the first place, much less get to choose what dealer or seller I'm working with.

If I get a car from a dealer, I'm going to make them put the car up on the lift first so I can examine everything. Oil leaks seem to be the biggest issue.

Anyone have any advice on what to look for in terms of oil leaks? The MotoringFile buyer's guide mentions that the crank seal and crank sensor are trouble spots with leaking oil, does anyone have any pictures of what I should be looking for? The MCS engine compartment is alien to me.

 

The LSD can be added when you do the clutch...pretty easily from what I understand.....so that shoul widen the possible cars for you, since so few cars were equiped with LSD from the factory. IMO, if you find a car with DSC, as opposed to the ASC+t, it would be a better choice too. DSC is directional skid control...a more high tech version of the antilock. Skid control, with traction control.

 

My RX-8 had DSC and it was just a nanny system that kept any of the wheels from spinning. The one time it was useful was the one time I had to move the car on some snow, and it kept the engine bogged down enough to let the rear tires get some traction after awhile. Otherwise, rubbish!

Traction control isn't a big deal to me...

 

You can disable the traction control in the MINI....mostly....so on the track, or during having fun it does not intrude!! In general, it is pretty transparent...and not too much of an issue getting in the way of fun. Also from what I hear...if you get a custom tune, they can adjust when it kicks in too if you want.

 

The traction control doesn't turn off fully?

The 02 Mini I drove didn't have traction control (the only one I've driven 'round corners fast.) I drove a JCW that probably had it, but the salesman didn't let me corner any harder than an old lady.

It's good to know that it can be changed with a tune.

Does anyone have any pictures of oil leaks? I'm having trouble finding any.

I found this picture which illustrates a failed passenger side engine mount pretty well:



The front crank seal seems like it would be pretty easy to spot from under the car. What about the crank sensor leak? I don't know where it's at on the car so I'd have no idea where to look for it...

 

Anyone have any advice on how to discover the source of the many leaks when looking at cars to buy?

 

Still looking for some advice on this!