Hey all,

I'm looking to buy a used MINI soon, and I have some questions.

About how many miles are MINI engines good for, if they were well maintained?

Is it suggested that all MINIs are fueled with 90 octane fuel, or just the S?
Do most people know that MINIs need premium?
If buying a used from a dealer, would they know if the previous owners used premium, and how much damage would the car have already incurred if the previous owner used standard fuel?

I'm just worried that I will get a MINI that looks like it was well maintained, but that was fueled with regular fuel it whole life.

Thanks for any help.

 

You are over thinking this a bit. I can't believe any owner would not know what fuel to put in the tank. It is clearly marked in all the literature. These cars are not seen in rental fleets so there is little to worry about that. Ownership can be investigated in Carfax reports.

Having said the above, these cars also have knock sensors that will alter the timing to adjust for octane differences. Lower octane will only reduce the performance, not cause damage.

There are always additional financial risks with used cars so be sure to buy right.

 

As previously mentioned, I wouldn't worry too much about what gas the previous owner had put in it. I would want to know that it was properly serviced per MINI factory recommendations, however. To help narrow down my search, I tried to focus on 1- or 2-owner cars only, and definitely those sold new in CA (where I live). The car I ended up buying was sold new at the MINI dealer closest to my house and was a 1-owner car. I called the dealer, politely explained to them that I was looking at a pre-owned car that was originally sold & serviced at their dealership, and that I would be continuing the relationship (with respect to service). In exchange, I asked for any details they could provide about the vehicle. I gave them the VIN, and I was told everything about the car - what options it was originally spec'd with, when it's original in-service date was, how many times it had been in for unscheduled maintenance, etc., etc. They were very helpful, and in exchange, I got piece of mind.

 

As far as the mileage they're good for, I'm aware of 2 MINIs at or very close too 300k miles.

Pre-05 transmissions on the non-S are pretty much garbage tho so be aware of that. They wont survive anywhere near as long as the engine.

 

Try this thread?

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...h-mileage.html

Cheers,

Charlie

 

probably like most cars, higher miles means more likely maintenance.
So I don't know if it's a question of how long the engine last, it's how much you willing to put into it.

Yeah, it true you hear of cars running to 200k-300k, all original! But the frequency of major expenses goes up, too. e.g. the clutch is not cheap.

IMO, whatever your budget, get as low miles as you can afford. Even for my last BMW, I decided to get out at 120k - yeah, the engine is good for much more, but personally (and I know others have different opinions) that is past the prime ownership years.