Hi, i am still looking to buy a MINI and i came across this one that is only a couple of miles from me. I know its a model year that i read to stay away from but the milage on it is great and i could pay cash for it. What do you guys think? stay away or go for it? does anyone have this year that they could give me input on how its been for you? Here is the link:
http://www.cleonausedcars.com/vehicl...leona-pa.shtml
Thanks, im new here and you guys have been great so far!

 

Looks clean and I dont see any rust under the rear taillights or above the trunk grip, from a car up north, may be southern car as it has no heated seat option. Stink it does not have the original stereo, but that can be changed back. Also the body looks good and the interior. It is a 2002 Cooper S so I would go through it front to back and have it inspected and put up on the rack and gone through. Also get a carfax or similar and see what the MINI dealership can pull up on service and what was done with the VIN.

Good luck.

 

You are correct that the 2002 model year had some issues that were addressed in later years. In addition the 2005 and 2006 model year for the Cooper S (through 2008 for the convertible) had an improved supercharger, slightly more power and a different gear ratio that improved performance.

Consider the MINI 1st generation buyers' guide at the link:
http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

The car has had four owners according to the AutoCheck vehicle history. It has been owned mostly in MD and PA where it is likely it would have been exposed to salt on the roads in the winter. The most recent owner apparently purchased the car in March 2014, drove it about 8000 miles and then sold or traded it in after little more than 1 year.

I agree with ECS Tuning that a thorough inspection before purchasing the car would be prudent. In addition to rust, I would look closely at whether the strut towers are deformed, the general condition of the suspension, the power steering unit and fan, engine coolant system, supercharger, brakes, serpentine belt, AC unit and tires. You should also check for fluid leaks, as with a car this old seals and gaskets are more prone to failure.

While the miles are relatively low for a 2002, you might do better if you are patient and shop around. For example, I recently purchased a 2005 Cooper S convertible with 47,000 miles for $8500 from a dealer here in Michigan. Follow the for sale ads in NAM and you may find a better value.

On the other hand there are owners of 2002 Cooper S that love their cars. Only you can decide if this is the car for you.

 

Thanks for the input so far! im trying to take everything into consideration, i think if i go in with cash maybe i can get him down to about $6,000..
I would think by 72,000 the power steering pump would have been at least changed? Also do you think the clutch has much life left in it?

 

The state of the clutch will depend upon the driving style as well as the miles. A car with four owners in my opinion is more likely to have had one or more drivers that were not skilled with a manual transmission or drove it like they stole it. There is good reason for a prospective buyer to beware.

How was the car maintained? You may get some information on the early years from a MINI dealer, but it may be difficult to determine if fluids were changed regularly and what other maintenance has been done over the past decade. Without proper maintenance problems are likely to develop earlier than otherwise.

I believe in the 2002 model, the same fuse is used for the power steering fan and the engine cooling fan. So if the PS fan fails, which is a common problem, the fuse may blow and the engine cooling fan also does not work. This can lead to engine overheating which is compounded by the fact the temperature gauge is designed to stay centered except under extreme conditions. I purchased an OBDII bluetooth unit and linked it to an application on my cell phone so I can monitor the actual coolant temperature.

I would not speculate on whether and when the PS unit may have been changed, but it is something you may want to investigate. MINI extended the warranty on the power steering pump and fan to the earlier of 13 years or 150,000 miles for 2002 to 2005 models, but this warranty has or will soon expire for a 2002 MINI.
http://www.motoringfile.com/2013/06/...on/#more-29538

 

The car is a May 2002 build so this extended warranty has run out

 

Dang it!!! would a carfax show it has been replaced?

 

In my experience, Carfax does not show that level of detail. You might check with a MINI dealer that can pull up service history performed by a MINI dealer from the VIN.

Fiveostang is a member of this NAM forum who works at a MINI dealer. In the past he has offered to assist other members with vehicle information on their MINIs. You might send a PM to him and see if he can provide information regarding the service history from the VIN listed by the dealer.

 

+1

It does look to have been well maintained, which is nice, but never judge a book by its cover. A good PPI done by a MINI specialist will be your golden ticket. That way they know what to look for and know common failures. If there are any issues, you at least know what you're getting into before you purchase. Good luck!

 

Well i called the dealer and talked to him about the MINI. Of course he said you will not be disappointed in the car./yada, yada, yada. He told me his daughter drove it for a year when he bought it and didn't have any issues with it, she has now moved into a BMW 3 series. He did replace both window regulators and he told me the airbag light is on because of a front seat tensioner? He also said the strut mounts are not mushroomed and its good to go... i think i will take it to my friends shop and let him look it over. Thanks guys.

 

Let us know what happens and if you end up picking it up!

 

That's good. If its the tensioner/ Seat belt lock mounted to the side of the seat, You can get that at MINI dealership. If someone remove the seat plugs or seat with the battery still connected it will through the airbag light. That's what happens most of the time. I would have the codes read for the airbag light/.


I would get that looked over at a shop.


let me know what happens. Good luck.

 

I will let you guys know, im going to go talk to the dealer today and drive it. Thanks!!

 

Ok, thanks for the update.

 

Well went to the dealer and they were closed, got there to late, so i am going to go and try to drive it tonight after work. I looked under it last night and did not see any drips on the ground. Would there be any wet spots under the car on the frame if any seal was leaking?
Also i found a nice 2005 MCS with a automatic and 85,000 miles. Hows the automatic in the 2005 s? I know the CVTS were junk. Damn this searching for a mini within my budget is starting to give me a headache!!!

 

There's a good chance that it's still the original power steering pump. Some fail before that mileage but many last well beyond it.

The MINI clutch is less durable than the VW and Honda clutches I've had in the past. At 72K, the clutch might have already been changed before, but it depends on driving conditions. I have the worst possible conditions in San Francisco (lots of stop and go in city traffic and hills), and at 72K I had already replaced my clutch twice. Under more average conditions, it might still be the original clutch but difficult to say how much life is remaining.

 

Thanks for the reply, i definitely do not want to get it if the clutch is on the way out. I need to stay off craigs list!!! now i just saw a 2004 JUSTA with only 40,000 miles 5 speed for 6995. Is the Justa boring compared to the S ?

 

Prices vary lots....
IMO the first car you looked at is priced VERY hi...$6900 for a 2002 is borderline crazy IMO, it is a 14 year old car, first year of production....

As far as the auto goes on an S, they are ASIN units (very similar units are on VW, Honda, and Toyota)...kinda slow..but OK...some folks have had valve body issues on them, and like any auto tranny on a small car with a decent amount of HP, they do fail...especially if the fluid has not been changed and it has been driven hard (MINI originally said it was sealed for life)
Since all the cars you are looking at are 10+ years old, condition rules...
everything is suspect till proven OK...
so go drive it..decide if you like it...look at the car listen for odd noises.
Getting repairs done on a MINI can be $$$, so be ready for it....
the clutch on a MINI is about $2000 on a stick, and other seemingly simple jobs can cost a bit more too, so just be ready for it!
The first car might be a good car...but think the seller is very "proud" of it...MIGHT IMO be more like a $4000 car if everything is in decent shape...
Basically do what you would do for any used car...but 100% get it inspected with a PREBUY by a shop the knows MINI's!!

 

Thanks for the advise, you guys are great! One thing i do have going for me is a friend of mine services and restores Porches, he also works on alot of MINIs and has the factory computer to hook them up too. So that makes me feel a little better, also i will see if he can go with me to check out any i am ready to lay down some greenbacks on!

 

Hello, sorry guys i haven't updated this thread in a few days. Well none of the MINIs worked out so far, i am still searching!! What do you guys think of this one?? http://lancaster.craigslist.org/cto/5206199307.html
The miles are crazy high, but the price seems to be good. I stopped and looked at it on the way home and its in very nice condition! Also nothing was mentioned about the supercharger, there is no way it could still be original could it?? Thanks as always for the input!!

 

Most here change the oil about 2x as often...I did 7500 miles or 6 months...but some have done 15,000 and done OK...but with very high miles, makes me wonder..
With so many parts replaced...makes me wonder if the engine is nearly done...some items are unusual..like the 6 speed tranny..they tend to last for life on a S....
to be honest, it close to the time when the motor is "done", even if it was a Asian car....are you ok spending $$ on a car that is not known for lasting like a honda?
With that many miles...a CIVIC MIGHT get that kind of money...
sounds kinda odd...AC systems are not complex...
it is always possible the car is VERY nice and well cared for....might be a great weekend runabout as a 3rd car...might be leary if i needed a car to commute to a job...
My gut says $2000 should get you a car around 120,000 miles with a fairly fresh clutch.

 

Thanks Zippy, yeah thats what i thought, any car with almost 200,000 miles could let go at anytime, i think i will pass although the car looks excellent in person...the search continues! Man its hard to fine a 2005-2006 Justa or S around here for $6,000!!

 

If you see one in the Philly region that interests you, you could bring it to us for a pre-purchase inspection. It would arm you with a lot of information to make your decision/negotiate a price.

 

Thanks Helix! appreciate it!

 

Oh, and I wouldn't necessarily be scared of the high mileage MCS. The body looks good and for that price, you could budget for some mechanical work going forward.