New guy here. Currently Mini-less.

I was wondering if I could get your thoughts on this guy:

https://usedcars.truecar.com/car/Min...SV3C51BTY23778

Solid deal? It's low mileage and still under warranty...

Are there any known issues with the model/year? I'm reading that 2011+ Minis have better engines? Anything I should keep in mind or look for?

Thanks for helping me out.

Motor on?

 

And here is the Carfax:

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...SV3C51BTY23778

 

Something I find a little odd is that it was sold at an auction, from what I can tell, on Hawaii and it was transported to California? I would think that shipping charges would be a little spendy. Just my thoughts, but I've never shipped a car before.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of the auction situation. Say it wasn't sold at an auction...what would be your thoughts then?

Thanks for the reply.

 

Cars go to auctions because the dealer that originally offered it for sale wasn't able to sell it.

It's a Cooper S with few options and cloth seats... Not surprised someone didn't want it (I would, though). I scored a great deal on my fiancee's Justa because it didn't have heated seats and it was being sold in New England. She hates heated seats.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...vindecoder.php

Put the vin in here and it will tell you all about it.

Low miles which is a huge plus!

Don't sweat the auction too much, it could have been someone who had it repo'd

 

The original owner leased the car apparently and returned it to the dealer. Apparently the dealer put it to auction. Carfax looks good, the car looks good, it's well equipped. Were I interested it that particular motor, I'd jump on it. Just be sure to be proactive in checking the fluid levels regularly, change the oil and filter and rotate the tires every 5K (regardless of factory suggestions) and change the coolant, brake and gear box fluid about every 30K - and ditch the runflats for 'real' tires, you'll enjoy the ride that much more.

 

So you're saying the few options and cloth seats are a 'turn-off'? What do you think about the price? Thanks for the reply!


Cool. I'll check out the vin tool. Thank you for the reply!!

Would you mind elaborating on the engine? Yes, different tires for sure. Thank you for the detailed response

 

To some, they would be.

I prefer fewer options myself, though. The price looks good!

 

'Motor': Brit speak for 'automobile'.

 

The low miles along with that price is fantastic.

The fact you still have at least 25,000 miles on your factory warranty is even more fantastic!

The fact that is is cloth seats and doesn't have a lot of add-ons isn't a bad thing, more or less that coopers that have more add-ons have more demand/easier to sell. It is not a bad thing though, if you like the options it has.

Engine wise, it has the better/less problematic engine, N18. 2006-2010 has a N14 engine that, after reading many posts on here, has a lot of problems. 2011-2014 they fixed a few of the issues, but do your research on here as too what to look for as for N18 common problems. Every model engine seems to have the same common problems.

I would snag this cooper up in a heartbeat! Its good bang for your buck. And then I would take it to my personal mini mechanic for them to go through it thoroughly. and anything they find I would then take it to mini and put a work order in for it since it is under warranty. use that warranty before it expires, repair costs on a mini are a good amount more than any other vehicle, but WELL worth it!

 

It has Xenon's and H/K Sound. Those two options are my must have minimums.

 

Agreed. And a manual transmission.

 

Cool. Thanks!

Ahhh. That makes sense. Thanks for the tip

Fantastic advice, Rckstrgrl21! Thank you!

Cool. Happy it has them.

Of course. No autos for me


Well, I think you guys convinced me to at least give it a look. Funny thing is, I watched it drop to its current price. I think it was $17,XXX originally. Maybe I can talk the dealer down even more if I put X amount down?

I guess the one thing that bums me out is that it looks like it doesn't have a moonroof :(

 

Price is always negotiable

If you're really set on the sunroof. You will regret not getting one with it. There's always going to be the "one". Patience is key!

 

But will "the one" have such low miles with factory warranty at this same price? :P

 

Probably not lol

Does it have auto ac?

 

ac meaning Air Conditioning? I am not sure, but will try to find out.

 

Yep!

In one of the pictures, you can see a red MINI in the background. Can't tell if it's a MCS or clubman. Maybe it's also for sale?

Sent from cellular device.

 

A whole day has gone by. Why are you still talking about it. 'Proud new owner' announcement tomorrow morning?

 

Haha, not quite But I did just get back from checking it out.

So the car dealer was a pretty small place. Seemed pretty laid back. The 'salesman' was in his 20s wearing street clothes. Kinda odd, but I don't think it's a representation of the cars they sell.

Anyway, here goes...

PROS

- Cosmetically, the mini seems perfect inside and out. What a nice car! I kinda dig the corny multicolored accent lights. Didn't mind the cloth seats.

- Sounds mean, but I guess stock S minis have aggressive sounding exhausts?

- Price was listed at 17,XXX and was recently dropped.


CONS

While I have more cons, it doesn't necessarily discourage me.

- They are firm on the price (of course they are) and wouldn't change whether I fiance or put X amount down.

- The engine had a ticking. I know this is really vague and could be benign, but could be serious too? Do stock minis have a stock ticking? What is it?

- Apparently the factory warranty expires in May. I guess it's a "whatever comes first warranty"? Date or Mileage. Does this sound right? Big bummer if true.

- No moon roof, but I knew this going in.

- No auto AC, but I don't really mind.

What do you guys think? Maybe I do have negotiating room? Maybe I try an out-the-door approach and get them to bundle in taxes/licensing fees in the current price? Maybe I consider a extended warranty and get the price lowered? Maybe I just give them a bottom line take it or leave it?

I didn't test drive and obviously I'll do so before purchase. It's down the street from work so maybe I'll stop by again tomorrow when I have more time.

I'm going to sleep on it...thoughts?

THANKS!

 

Have you tried Cars.com?

http://www.cars.com/for-sale/searchr...=50&slrTypeId=

 

After a quick search, this is the best I could do:

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...9079/overview/

Doesn't even come close :\

 

- Accent lights can be changed - I have mine set to red in the GP, and I love them. One of those nice little touches.

- These cars are intended to put a smile on your face... therefore, they don't sound like a Toyota Camry.

- That price is solid. I'll elaborate on this in a bit.

- I'd say that price is good. Really good. According to that handy-dandy TrueCar price chart, it's $4200 below market value, and you yourself have said that it's been difficult to find anything comparable priced in that ballpark. The Carfax report states the vehicle was made available for sale in September... FYI, most dealerships don't hang onto used cars beyond 60-90 days, so I'd say the price this car is at, is a last ditch effort by the dealership to sell the car before they send it back to auction. If you want it, I'd start making a move to buy it now!

When I helped my fiancee buy her R56 - I was about to e-mail the dealer to make an offer on the car, and found that the dealer dropped the asking price below what my offer was going to be. Instead of haggling further, since I already knew it was a great deal, I drove up that weekend and signed the papers at the lowered price. I had been keeping my eye on the car, and had noted that it sat in their inventory for a while. I knew that if I didn't buy it, either someone else would have, or it would've gone to the auction and I would've missed out on the deal either way.

FWIW, I work in automotive sales, and I've bought, sold, and traded cars of my own... so I see a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff.

- The ticking is most likely the high-pressure fuel injectors. These engines sound like sewing machines when idling.

- MINI's new car warranty is 4 years/50k from date of original purchase. The Carfax indicates this vehicle was first purchased in May of 2011, which means the new car warranty will expire in May of 2015, aka, this year.

- No moon roof? No problem. Moonroofs are fun, but they aren't known for being free of issues, rattles, squeaks, and they do contribute to a warmer cabin than usual. Also, the moonroof is heavy... and all that weight is in the wrong area (read: above your head).

- I'd rather the standard A/C. Less to go wrong.

I'd go take it for a test drive. Make sure it starts, stops without vibration, drives without vibration, and accelerates without any hesitation. Don't let the dealer sign you up for any kind of fabric/paint/theft protection, ask them what their best price is for a warranty to 75k, and see what they say.

I'd also shop around for prices on MINI's Extended Motorer Protection plans (more info, HERE).

Best of luck!

 

Wow, Zillon! Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response! I'm going back to the dealership in just a second. We'll see what happens!!!