Hi, We're looking at a JCW kitted car in Indigo Blue with a white top with chrome mirrors . Body skirts, bonnet stripes and bumper fogs. All packages (Nav etc) with 44000 miles.I think it came out of Chicago,a dealer bought it off a wholesale BMW lot and ended up here in Iowa. Patrick Mini has serviced it ,but they ar'nt talking.The dealer cannot tell me much, does anyone recognize the car? Hoping for no problems.

 

Post some pictures and maybe the VIN. I used to have an account with CarFax, but it ran out 5 days ago. Maybe someone else in NAM could run the VIN.

 

If it is sitting at a MINI dealership, they should be able to run the vin number and get the full service history. If the can't (or won't), I would be hesitant to buy it.

The CarFax report that someone will be able to run for you should help too.

 

Heres the VIN, Carfax will only show extensive damage and I think the dealer has done that,they brought it to Patrick to have it serviced and have it checked out. I want to know about the JCW work and the sevice history and that kind of stuff. How did it get here and for what reason?With all the money spent on the car at one time ,I was hoping someone would have recognized it. How many Mini's like this are there in Chicago?
WMWRE334XY3TD60131

 

I live near chicago and I've never seen a indigo blue JCW...I'll copy this post into the Chicago Mini Motoring club forum and see if they recognize it!

 

Thanks, for the help. Did not get photo of the car. It was at Patrick Mini July 24th.

 

Hey, someone ran the VIN in the Chicago Mini Motoring Board and this is what they said

"From what I am able to view pulling the VIN, is that the car has been in a lot for service. That could be from a picky owner, or from a consistent problem. I wouldn't be too concerned. It should still be under warranty."

No one could verify if they have seen it around or not but I hope that helps some

 

Hi,"a lot of service visits??" Now I really need the service records!
thanks again

 

I was wrong, it was at Bill Jacobs.
If I could talk to the previous owner, that could clear up everything. It seems the BMW dealer that has the car is dragging their feet getting any info.Could be a problem with the car and they are waiting for someone else to step up ,just buy it and ask no questions. Not me ,if I spend over 20K on a used three year old hot rod I want to know its history. My wife is just luke warm to the car anyways,(wanted a 2002/2003 Jaguar X-type as they are prettier ,cheaper by about $5000 ,and all wheel drive)and we would have to borrow $10K+ when we have just paid off all the installment loans.
I wanted to make this deal happen soon as the British Car Fest is happening in the Village of East Davenport Iowa this weekend and we have been going to it for years. (Come all , its a good time ,I think they have a autocross setup Sat. ,never did that part,never had a Mini!)
Sooo,, even after the Mini was introduced years ago and I wanted one ,it still will not happen.

 

Hi, I think we'll go look at the Mini again today ,anyway. Is there anything I should look out for? It did have a stumble in its idle once in a while, I wrote it off as a cost of the works package. I was reading the thread on DSC etc, I know this car does not have LS (2003's did not have it ,right?) but as I ran around a corner ,hard I did not get the inner wheel off the ground, maybe on the street its not gonna happen too much. With the DSC off ,boy did it haul! No comments on a Jag X-type comparsion?

 

Hello-

I am picking up my new mini today from Bill Jacobs, I'll ask my MA if she remembers the car you are getting.. I know it's a long shot but i know she's been there for awhile so if anybody would know it would be her.

I wouldn't do anything without those service records honestly. It could have a serious underlying problem that might not come out until after a couple months into ownership. But if it is still under warranty then you are in decent shape.

 

Hi, Thanks, Its got only 6000 miles left on the warranty. Does'nt give me much cushion.

 

Why buy a 3 year old 44K used car for 20K when you could get a 22K New MCS with no add-ons, the JCW package is worth that much to you? Then you can hold the line on add-ons and get 2006 JCW MCS with Sport package (required) for about 30K with a 4 year warranty with the LSD. The 2003 won't have that. I am having to hope they sell the one they have at the Downtown MINI lot so I don't spend the extra 8K for a replacement MINI. The new ones are a very clean factory conversion, nicer than the older ones and 44K miles? I wouldn't do it. IMHO.

 

I just like all the bells and whistles but do'nt like to pay for them, and I don't like new car depreciation :(

 

These don't depreciate much, it's a strange business, I know. The key is to hold the line on add-ons. It worked for me.

 

HI, The car was from Barrington ILL.

 

JCW Number S1338

 

I guess it all depends on your demographics, and if you want it now. Up here (we share time in Alaska and San Fran) there are no dealers, now new ones coming in. All minis are second hand, they are few and far between. We just went to look at a fully loaded 2003 S with 7K miles, it was listed at 29K, sold in 8 hours.

They sell like crazy up here. So when we found our blue/black racing bonet stripes for 19.9 we jumped on it right away.

 

Hi, Nobody recognises this MCS?,I can't figure out why somebody would trade this car ,after they put so much into it.And why was it wholesaled off?

 

My 2003 MCS had tons of repair issues. I would want to know that the previous owner was dilligent about repairs as I was. Otherwise, there could be a lot of hidden problems waiting to rear their ugly heads.

 

See, there are a lot of people who purchase MINIs with a lot of options, drive them for a couple of years and then move on to something else. It happens all the time.

 

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]So far this is what I have on this car. It was maintained at Bill Jacob's. It was brought in quite often, (they would not be specific,privacy issues) Brought in for little squeaks and such.There was no big ticket items done,like engine or trany. #S1338 JCW. Scratch in right side door touched up pretty good, for metallic paint. I can get a decent trade for my Jeep Liberty, try finding that somewhere these days! But I'm worried about the Mini, since it is a 2003 and they have known issues ,is there any way I could be lucky and not have a transmission blow or sparkplugs fly out?(Who knows what else) Is it just a matter of time before big things fail and cost much? Its only 6000 miles left on the warranty.I probably should make up my mind today.[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

Ask for the service printout. There are no privacy issues involved there. The car key syncs to their database in Germany and all the stuff is in the database. I would demand to see it; otherwise no dice!

I don't know anyone who was more **** about demanding service for their MINI than me, and I did compromise on some items. I might have bought a lemony car, but at least I made them rehab it while it was under warranty.

Get the repair history!

 

The MCS's have always had the Getrag tranny, which has (to my knowledge) no across the board issues. It was the Midlands tranny in the Coopers that were giving people grief.

And there are lots of reasons people might have sold the car: perhaps they were of the "have a baby, buy an SUV" school, or they traded up for a cabrio, or their mother-in-law complained too much about the harsh ride, or they had more money than god and tired of their new toy quickly, or they thought that the car had a stupid amount of squeaks and rattles for the price they paid (could have been the service visits), and on and on and on...

The fact is that you are NEVER going to know as much about a used car (unless you know and trust the seller) as you would about a new car. So if it's that much of a concern, perhaps you should either buy a new MINI or listen to the wife and get the used Jag.

 

Boy ,If you are right about the Midlands in the non "S"s only ,thats a big load off! I was hoping to find someone that knew the car ,being it kind of special,but nobody stepped up.