Hi all,

Long time lurker of information, thought I'd put my situation out there for some feedback. I commute 70km a day, and currently drive a BEV as my daily, but I do miss the thrill of driving a car that requires dedicated driver inputs and is fun to drive. Hence, I'm entertaining the idea of picking up a used mini to act as a weekender of sorts, limited to 5k kms or less annually. Here's where I'm leaning, two options/examples:

2005 R53 Cooper S(110,xxx km)
or
2010 R55 Clubman S JCW (82,xxx km)

Both are in great shape, and yes there's a little bit of a price difference. I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty and wrenching, but I guess my questions are: which would be easier to wrench on? Is there any PM that one can undertake to strictly avoid the timing chain issues on the N14? I'd definitely pursue a PPI prior to purchase, but are there any other issues to note/look for?

Appreciate any input or feedback, thanks!