Just picked up a one-owner, HIGHLY maintained 2013 Cooper S 6-speed manual, factory nav, Harman Kardon.

All maintenance done at the original-purchase BMW/Mini dealership. Here are some things I've noted about prior maintenance and repairs done in the last 9 years:
-New clutch at 53k miles (car has 71k miles on it now, do these normally wear that fast?)
-Front oil seal replaced (is this common?)
-New front/rear brakes, brake fluid bled multiple times over the years (are brake fluid changes necessary this often?)
-Regular dealership oil changes (do dealerships use only synthetic?)
-NEW run-flat Bridgestone tires (hard as a rock, but no choice, there's no spare, at least they're new....)
-Owner even replaced all the windshield/rear wipers at the dealership about once a year

Immediate plans:
-Post-purchase inspection with a friendly Euro car specialist (I've known personally for more than 20 years)... Just to check it out thoroughly.
-Android Auto/Apple Carplay retrofit (using factory nav color screen and iDrive controls) AND a back-up camera
-Window tint and windshield "brow"...
-POSSIBLY some kind of security/alarm system.... I dislike that when you lock the doors there's no honk/beep to indicate this. Is there any Mini add-on alarm system for it that's still available now (for an R56)?

 

Any help with the items above that have ? marks ?

 

Your maintenance item concerns are relatively minor, except for the clutch replacement. Not sure why it would have been done at that mileage, unless the previous owner was rough with it. The original clutch should have lasted at least 100k miles.

The brake fluid should be changed every 2 years, regardless of the mileage. Brake fluid absorbs water, which reduces its ability to resist boiling from brake heat.

Sounds like you bought a gem! Post some pictures when you get a chance!

 

I know literally nothing about the first owner other than that he is male (just because dealer referred to him as such), and owned the car 9 years. So my guess on the clutch is maybe he had a rough commute to work w/ a lot of stop and go traffic, which is HELL on a clutch... This is the Houston area, after all.... The other option is that when he first got it ,he didn't know how to drive a stick, so he slipped the clutch too much and cause premature wear. The final option is that the R56 factory clutch is just a weak point of wear, and I've seen this posted elsewhere... So I mean, if it were a Toyota, I'd expect the clutch to last 175-200k, but not sure about a Mini or BMW.

The car really is pristine. When I'm showing it to people, they think it's new (of course they don't know Mini generations, so don't recognize that it's not the latest one, but honestly, I have a hard time telling the difference, too, especially from the front or side). I need to get more pics after a car wash, which unfortunately won't be until next week. But more to come. Here's what I have

Here's the Mini (which my wife has named "Sully") with our other cars.. yes, all BLUE...

 

Too bad your pictures are not showing... I like blue!

My clutch needed to be replaced at 130k miles, but not due to the friction plate. I had the release lever bend and contact the bellhousing, which was causing slippage when shifting. When I pulled the clutch out, the friction plate still had plenty of meat left to it.

 

Welcome! I am from Houston as well.

Sounds like the previous owner took very good care of it.

 

Hello, Pics are not loading for me . If you call the dealer they can sometimes print of what's been done at the dealer, they will cut out the old owner info.

If it went only to the MINI dealer, thats a good thing.