I've found an 06 Cooper S Convertible at dealer and while the car drives pretty well it has a few rough spots that need attention.

1) The rear molding that covers edge between the soft top and trunk is in bad shape. I found the chrome covering to the molding on minimania but not the acutal molding. Have no idea how this got messed up.

2) The passender side interior door handle / tweeter cover is missing.

3) The front arch covers have some light areas but I think I can clean this up with plastic cleaner from TAP.

Any ideas where I would find these parts and what they will run me? I haven't negotiated a price on the car but want to take the cost of these parts into account if we come to a deal.

I expect that part of the reason the car hasn't sold is because these missing parts are off putting. The car seemed to drive well and the miles are fairly low. Everything else is in good shape.

 

If the arch covers have that white "mist" over them, this is caused by excessive use of polish wax. It is not a problem, just doesn't look proper. It is easy to clean this if you use the right cleaning aid for it. There are various suppliers that can provide this, MINI also has it.
This should probably not be a deduction to the purchase price.


The tweeter cover is probably missing because passengers always have difficulty opening the door after arriving. I have never seen anything like this being sold by the "aftermarket" suppliers, but suspect it won't be very expensive to buy at your MINI dealer.


The messed-up molding is something i've never seen before being a problem. Maybe the owner changed his soft top earlier?
Such moldings probably are only for sale at the MINI dealer.


So my point would be, if you want to replace parts that are not often changed, and nobody usually replaces for upgrades in other colours or varieties, there's little chance of finding those at the regular "aftermarket parts" resellers like minimania, newministuff etc, but you get those at the MINI dealer.
If you want to change other parts, like a license plate frame, like a sticker, you best check with the other resellers.

 

Are there any Mini dealers who sell parts online for a discount? My experience is going into a parts department at your local dealer is about the most expensive way possible to buy a part.

 

Check the vendor and dealer lists for this site. Links are in the main menu section on the top left sode of the page. Also, some aftermarket vendors do sell OEM parts.

Good luck on your search!

 

You can check realoem.com for the part number and pricing.

 

Double check to see if it's' still under warranty. An 06 might have a little bit of time left, depending on when it was sold. Mine was still when I bought it and they replaced the molding all the way around.

 

My rear trim part is in shambles as well. Going through my local dealer, they're looking for about $300, so I'm looking for alternatives as well. It's an easy install, but the piece (actually two pieces) is pricey!

 

We sell ALL the OEM parts for the MINI. I just don't have them listed on the site. Just call the shop and we'll get you a price and shipping quote. And sometimes we have good used parts to even save you more.

 

Try Penskeparts.com.

I bought some interior bits for my R50. Found their prices to be better than my local dealer.

 

If the black plastic wheel arches indeed have paste wax on them, you can remove it using peanut butter. I am not joking, it works. Spread the peanut butter into the area that has the wax and let it sit for a few minutes. Wash everything off and apply something like Mother's Back to Black.

Do this in the shade and do not use super crunch. Good luck.

 

Did you find a part number for the rubber trim pieces for the top? Mine needs replacing, but I haven't quite found it on realoem.com...

 

Replaced mine last November. Got the parts from Classic Mini using their contact info here on NAM: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/classicauto

(1) 51137123437 Convertible Top Moulding Rear Left retail $149.77 / nam price $119.82
(1) 51137123438 Convertible Top Moulding Rear Right retail $149.77 / nam price $119.82
Also picked up a 51200556769 Passenger Door Lock Actuator for $95.85. Shipping for all three pieces was a very reasonable $12 and the parts arrived quickly. Helpful folks made sure I got the right parts. Highly recommended.

The rubber on my rear trim pieces was severely deteriorated and cracked. All other trim and gaskets on the car are fine. Easy to remove/replace with exposed screws once you raise the back of the top for rear compartment access. Only gotcha is wire for the center brake light, which was a bit tough to access for disconnect/reconnect.