Hello all, my name is Kyle and ive been lurking for a while. Right now i have an r53 near me in my price range. They want 10k for a 1 owner, 50,000 mile cooper s with a manual trans, heated seats, and harmon/kardon sound. Ive heard people say that the best years of the r53 are the 05/06, but with a deal like this i feel obligated to think about it. I want to know what mechanical aspects of the car i should be scrutinizing. Anything prone to failure that i should inspect? And also, how difficult is it to have the roof repainted? Currently the car is grey with body color roof, and if i had it id want to have a contrasting black or white roof/mirror/stripe combo.
Thanks for the help!

 

What year is the car of interest?

 

Hey Kyle, check this out. It's a first gen buyer's guide from Motoring File, and a great resource for those looking at 02-06 MINIs.

I'd also recommend that you have a pre-purchase inspection done at a MINI dealer or independent MINI shop. Might run you $120 or so but it's money well-spent for your peace of mind.

Good luck!

 

This link may answer some used MINI purchase questions. Good luck.

 

I spent $13,000 on an 06 MCS with 72,000 miles a year ago. I absolutely love my car. Make sure there are no leaks. Have someone check the clutch, supercharger, shocks, tires etc. Everything cost a lot on a MINI. Expect to pay attention to the MINI more than say a Honda. I have had numerous small issues repaired. Like Thermostat housing, Glove box latch, rear door props. etc... The MINI's are excellent driving cars, however they are not Hondas/Toyotas. I also wanted to paint my roof initially. My roof matches the body. However, I will probably never have this done. You can always put on a black or white vinly graphic. The cars are supposedly worth more with original paint!

 

If it checks out buy it the price sounds OK.