I bought a used 2002 mini r50 manual transmission. 2-3 yrs ago. The price was great and i loved the car and still do to this day... but I didn't love replacing the clutch, the radiator or fan, and other things that end up costing thousands. :(

i plan to sell, and don't expect more than $8,000... if that.

what was the best year for the cooper S? by "best" i mean no mechanical or design flaws that lead to expensive repairs. but also best aesthetically, and all around. personally, i think mini's '02 design was best (visually) and dislike the newer subtle changes... but things like better intake are obviously important

so what year should i buy?!

thanks!

 

Sounds like you'd be happiest with the later years' production of the R53, an 05 or 06 model. Check out the buyers guide on www.motoringfile.com

 

Wow. How many times have these things happened?

 

'06!
I'm hoping to buy another '06 S in the future. I only had 1 repair on mine in the 5+ years I had him.
Annette

 

The 06 R53 was one of the best models made.

 

'06 R53 FTW.

 

i asked a random old woman driving a JCW '06 R53 and she said it too... guess it's all about the '06!

in addition to the clutch and radiator, now i'm replacing my front control arm/arms and bushings. not going to the dealership on this one, so $750 out the door with alignment and balancing.

what happens to the '06 S well past 100k? any idea who has the '06 with the highest odometer?

 

Those front end repairs you are talking about are fairly typical for MINIs, not to mention other cars - bushings and such, though not necessarily the radiator. I had that stuff done at about 65k miles and the front end felt like-new tight. Brake pulsing, which I thought was warped rotors, vanished.

Before the fix, the whole front end was moving around. The deterioration is so slow that you dont notice it. Most people nowadays, especially with leased cars, dont even thinkabout this tyoe of stuff because the car has a mileage limit, and its going back in 3 to 5 years, anyway.

Part of the problem is the way that MINI designed the car, frame rails have to come off to do the work.

Look at any '06 you want to buy, especially the mileage, and then ask what the car has had done to it because eventually you're going to need this type of work on any MINI.

I say all this because if you love your '02, and are only selling it because you dont want to put $$ into it, then realize you're going to have to put money into any used car. Its only a matter of when.

On the other hand, up until '05, Coopers had Midlands trannies which are inferior to the '05/'06 Getrags. But thats another matter.

 

As new as you can afford.