Hoping to join the MINI family soon, begin the official hunt for a used convertible today. This is a want not a needed car, so not in too much of a hurry, but the weather is finally turning nice. Wisconsin doesn't get enough sun, so I have to take advantage of what we get with a convertible, at least that's the story I'm giving my husband. I've found lots of useful posts scouring here the past few months, so while nervous about buying used (usually buy new reliable cars and drive forever) at least I have a little better knowledge of what to avoid.

 

Good luck with your search. Hopefully you find a good one that is reliable and gives you years of enjoyment. Post some pics when you finally get one.

 

Good luck with your search.

Be aware that most of the bad press relates to the Gen 1 MINIs with the CVT...I seriously doubt that there are many of them are still on the road. The other problem child was the N14 engine used in the S model, primarily from 2007 - 2010.

If you're shopping the used market, you can always use the VIN Decoder to determine the car's options and engine type. http://bimmer.work/

If you're buying new there are plenty of options available to you. The dealer will treat you like a queen as long as you’re under warranty…this inculdes free loaner cars (from the dealer in Milwaukee), free brake pads, oil changes…etc.

I love my 2015 MINI for the following reasons:
1). No run flat tires and I have a spare tire!
2). I purchased it as a MINI Next CPO with 5,000 miles on it and the dealer extended the warranty until Oct 2019 or 75,000 miles.
3). I love the ride…in fact I took it to Madison, WI today…I even took the back roads on the ride home, just for fun.
4). The sunroof is awesome!

Be aware that the run flat tires on the S models give a poor ride and are very expensive to replace. Furthermore, a lot of shops do not want to deal with them. The dealer will not plug a run flat...they only replace them. As a result, a lot of owners ditch their run flat tires immediately. The dealer charges astronomical rates for run flat tires...

It's important to note that I have a really bad opinion about run flat tires becuase of my experience with my 2008 MINI Cooper S...please make your own decision.

 

Because you're looking for a used convertible...my advice is to avoid these:

MINI Convertible (R52), model years 2005 - 2008 (CVT)
MINI S Convertible (R57), model years 2009 – 2010 (N14 engine)

...I hope this helps.

 

Welcome to NAM and good luck with the search! Be sure to post up some prospects for us so that we can give you our feedback on them.

 

Is this one to avoid- 2006 mini cooper s convertible, automatic 46,346 miles? I guess I'm getting a little confused between automatic and cvt and what to avoid. First choice is a manual, which I drove today, a 2013 manual, and plan to test drive the automatic later this week. Automatic is cheaper since it is much older, the manual is a CPO, both are being sold by local mini dealer.


http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...ink=true&Log=0

 

The CVT was only in the non S model...the 2006 MINI Cooper S with 46,346 miles does not have a CVT.

The CPO is a good thing on the 2013...but I understand it will cost a lot more.

 

Those are some low miles. That's a plus! I'd ask them to see the maintenance records to see what has been done. i.e. fluid, filters, etc.

 

Anything specific to look for on the records? Dealer thought all the maintenance had been done at the dealership, but I didn't press him on it. There is an accident on the Carfax, actually a previous purchase fell through due to that. It was a side swipe a few years ago.

 

I've been to International Autos many times and I've always been treated well, with the exception of the visit when they wanted $2,000 to replace the timing chain on my 2008 MINI Cooper S (with an N14 engine)...I walked!

As I said previously, International Autos gave me an awesome warranty on my 2015 MINI as a MINI NEXT CPO!

As for the 2006 MINI S Convertible, a lot of cars have had accidents...to me it's not a showstopper, provided you like the car. Looking at the CARFAX...the car had regular oil changes at the dealer, which is good thing. I haven't looked at KBB, but the price seems fair.

My advice: I would not buy a car (either the 2006 or 2013) from the dealer unless it had good tires...the dealer has lots of run flat tires on-hand.

Also, when the warranty ends on my 2015 MINI I will not go back to the dealer...there are other options available in the area.

 

More Info:

The 2006 MINI S is Supercharged.
The 2013 MINI S is Turbocharged.

 

The '06 R52 does have low miles and looks well maintained by the CarFax. The sideswiping isn't necessarily a bad thing if the repair looks solid. Frankly, if you do need tranny repair or replacement in the future, you should save with a manual over an automatic. Nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt to have an independent inspection by someone familiar with MINIs, even though you'll likely need to pay a fee. Most dealers won't object if they are straight shooters.

From an historical perspective, you may find this article interesting:

http://new.minimania.com/Mini_Cooper_S_Convertible__