Hello!

To give a "brief" background I have been driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for the past 5+ years. I got into off-roading some and did that whole scene. When the Jeep reached 200,000 miles I started looking for a new car.

I wanted something that was fun to drive(manual trans), had personality, could get great gas mileage, and was reliable. I looked at Audi A4's.. but the reliability killed it for me. I looked at Subaru WRX's.. but they're pricey with low mileage. I looked at older BMW 530's (e39).. but they all have at least 100,000 or were wrecked. I even looked at Miata's some.. but ya.

When I started to look for a Mini Cooper S I came here to find the answers. I found that (for my price range) the 2005 and 2006 R53's were the most reliable and well rounded cars. I also had a large list of what to look out for. So that's where I started my hunt. Not a whole lot came up at first. All the R53's in my area had at least 85,000 miles and still wanted $11,000 and up. Some deals did come up.. but they didn't feel right. And then, I found my car on Craigslist!











It's a 2006 Mini Cooper S
-North Carolina car (no rust! )
-Pure silver with body colored roof (is this common?)
-Only 33,000 miles! It was someone's additional fun car
-16% pulley and belt with cooler spark plugs (Way Motor Works Kit)
-Brand new non-run flat tires
-Aftermarket Kenwood headunit with Bluetooth (for calls and music steaming)
-Tinted windows
-17" rims from another MCS plasti dipped black (with original 16" rims and tires)
-Seat warmers... mmm

So needless to say, it's perfect. The one thing is does not have is a sunroof.. but for the low miles and the price I paid I couldn't be happier.

Future mods?
-Euro plate (car's name is Hilde.. German for battle woman. Haha)
-Cold air intake
-Subwoofer... If I can find a place to conceal a box.
-Anti rolls bars/sway bars.. etc.
-Exhaust eventually..

Thanks for reading! Didn't mean to write a book. Haha. Let me know what you think!

 

Very nice! Congrats!

And I like the name too.

 

Very nice R53.. The last of the best! ha ha.. Nice low miles too... Good choice!

 

Nice work, man!

LOVE the fact that it doesn't have the front plate drilled.....that's a deal breaker for me.

Enjoy

 

Congrats!! Agree with above, DON'T make holes for the front plate! If you must have a front plate get a bracket that plugs into the tow-hook port.

 

Welcome to NAM, and Congrats! '06s are frackin' great cars, though I could be a bit biased

The current mods + your future plans will take this from a great car to something even better. Enjoy the ride - it only gets better from here.

Enjoy her in good health!

 

Welcome to NAM, Smittyman and congrats on eventually finding the perfect MINI for you. I am partial to silver and yours looks fantastic. Thanks for all the great pics right up front. We just love pics here at NAM, so keep them coming when all the those mods start. Happy motoring and please don't forget to promote the MINI wave.

 

Congrats on brand new looking car... Sweet deal, love the color it goes well with dark windows and wheels.
For a subwoofer idea look at some pics online :-) there are some really cool designs out there

 

Congratulations! Definitely last of the best.. I absolutley love my 06 MCS, similar to you i spent time searching and waited for the right one.. and im sure glad i did

 

I'm currently driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0L with automatic. I'm half-seriously looking for a MINI.

Going from a Jeep to the MINI, is the MINI more comfortable and quieter? What has happened to your gas bill? I'm hoping mine will drop close to half.

 

Very nice find, welcome & enjoy NAM!...

 

Thanks! I am a fan of the dark wheels as well. One thing I forgot to ask the previous owner is the % of tint..

For the subwoofer.. I love the first picture. Right now I just have my jack and tool bag/first aid kit in that space. Is there a write-up or info on that setup? Thank you!

 

Sounds like the exact same Jeep. The Mini is much more comfortable and quiet. One complaint I hear a lot about Mini's is that they have a harsh ride and have lots of road noise. It may be that way compared to a Cadillac.. but compared to a 14 year old Jeep it is a major upgrade. Potholes can be daunting.. but there's no wheel wobble or shake that you would get from having the live axle in the front.

I calculated my gas pretty extensively..
I drive roughly 40 miles a day. The Jeep would get 17mpg, 18mpg at best. That's mainly highway driving too. So at $3.15 a gallon of gas I'm spending $196 a month. For the Mini I did 40 miles per day and 30mpg. For $3.45 a gallon (premium) I'm spending $128. So I'm saving $68 a month on gas. Plus, I can now take road trips farther and cheaper.

 

I'm not sure if there are any write ups but I think that first pic is made by Integral audio they are pricey but worth it, check the Audio section for any tips. Enjoy the car.

 

Thank you! I'm sure there will be more pictures coming.
And I've already got the MINI wave from two other drivers in town. Feels good. Haha.

 

If you consider yourself a true MINIac, and you're devoted to saving the MINI wave, please consider joining The League of Extraordinary MINIacs.

You can become a member here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...y-miniacs.html

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404114396479123/

No big commitment, except your oath to help us in our endeavor to save the wave!