... to be an Eastern Iowa MINI owner. I'm debating buying a 2004 black MCS with 77K miles from a friend of a friend in North Carolina so I know its been treated right. But will we be able to get around in the snow? Will I be able to get it repaired locally? (I'm in Cedar Rapids.) How much should I have in the emergency fund for these catastrophic repairs I'm reading about?

I've had a little import experience -- a 1975 MG Midget that would break on the way home from the mechanic's. I once pushed it on to the median on Lincolnway in Ames and half-hoped someone would take it before I came back for it. But I loved it to bits anyway.

I know I have the MINI spirit -- how do I figure out if I have the MINI patience and cash?

Sandy

 

One of the problems with MINIs in the snow is the low front end. I cringe each time I drive through crusty snow but so far I haven't seen any damage under there. Also, many MINIs have some type of handling performance tires which don't normally handle snow well. The right tires for your application will fix that. Here is a link for repair and service: http://www.europeanmotorslimited.com/about_us.php Also, I'm sure your best bet is to have a fund for repair after reading many stories about 1st gen MINIs at or around the mileage of that '04 MCS.

 

I say go for it! But Consider this... How much are you looking to spend? Probably for a couple grand more you could buy new and get a warranty.

 

I daily drive mine & while we do not get as much snow as you folks in Iowa can we do get our fair share. Buy a set of wheels & real snow tires & you should have no problems. I'd advise keeping $2,000 in the bank as a sort of hedge fun for possible repairs.

Enjoy your new MINI....

 

I drove the CR IC 380 run every day for the last 3 winters.

I would say you need to do a couple things to ensure winter bliss
1.) Winter tires
2.) Drive to avoid deep slush and piles of snow.
3.) Optional buy a cover for the power steering fan
4.) dont lower your MINI in the snow belt

There are a few good shops in the are that can do repairs but from what I now understand there will be 2 Iowa dealerships within a year of so (QC and Des-moines)? for more problematic issues.

I have been driving a 03 for now 105k miles with the dreaded CVT with 0 issues.

 

European motors does a good job but there service seems to be spendy, I tend to use Simpson Motorsports in IC he will only work on BMW and MINI right now...

 

I live in Des Moines, so I know the snow you are talking about. I drove my MCS daily for 2 years, 100 + miles a day and never had any problems with snow and at that point I still had the run flats on it. If you are overly concerned about the snow I know some owners here in DSM who have bought a cheap set of 15" rims and mounted winter tires on them. But yes you should become part of the club!

 

YES YES YES YES!!!

Go for it! And make sure he gives you a great price! It'd be great to meet more people from the EIM clan.

 

Thanks guys! I was starting to think this was a really bad idea but now I'm back leaning over the MINI side of the fence. I defnitely will factor in the snow tires and rims.

Smokin' Joe, I actually gave that lecture to a local car dealer today -- they got in a 2008 MCS with 25K and listed it at $22,988. Um, $22 more will get you a 2011 MCS with warranty. No brainer, no thanks.

This one is pretty mint, black over black, loaded (nav, hk), asking $12,500. I could afford that AND repairs. I could afford new (my heart actually wants a Horizon Blue Clubman) but I'm not so psyched about driving 4 hours for warranty work and then still be paying it off when it starts to break.

So tell me here so I don't have to go out there to ask -- these mushrooming struts, are they what the $2,000 emergency fund is for or would that just be a downpayment? Or is the fund really for the cracked oil O rings, or something else I haven't heard about yet? And will the EIM clan show me how to change the oil and put on a fan cover? And tell me if graphics will hurt the paint? (Yes, I'm already thinking about mods. I'm in trouble, aren't I.)

Sandy

 

Sandy My MINI has just shy of 80,000 on it & the most I have paid for a repair is $350. I do most all repairs myself & it saves me a lot over the cost of dealership work. My dealer does good work, they just charge a lot for it. My MINI has been rock solid & yours will be too. Having some money in the bank just in case is only a suggestion.

 

Yes, and honestly if you are willing to drive a bit, I could help you on a lot of things. If you go to the Swamp Fox Festival, myself or a lot of the others could show you how to change your oil. Yours is a year newer than ours, but very similar.

You can correct mushroomed towers yourself for under $50 and then either get a strut tower bar (brace) or put Strut Tower Defenders on it. Either way, you are out maybe $250 total.

I haven't done the fan cover, but think I should. Maybe when the EIM all get together, I can bring a change of clothes and do mine and help on someone elses.

Vinyl won't hurt your paint at all, unless your paint is already in trouble. And they are pretty simple to apply. Another thing that can be done almost anywhere....

We're from NW Illinois, but we are Honorary EIM Members.

And we do ALL the work on our Mini as long as it isn't associated with a dummy light.

 

Regarding servicing tips: D3m0N always gives sound advice, so you are safe to go with his recommendations, but please add Performance Concepts in Cedar Rapids to your list of recommended MINI service locations.

Hope to see you at one of our events, SOON!

 

Okay, it's settled, I'm replacing my trusty Accord with a MINI. Not sure I'm going to commit to this one because it isn't exactly what I want, but I'll definitely find one. (In fact, I found a green one last night that is beautimous.)

I'm going to look you guys up at Swamp Fox even if I don't have one by then. Thanks for all the help and I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference.

: - )

Sandy

 

Hey Sandy, I work at Pat McGraths Chevyland up in C.R. and live in North Liberty. Regarding the service issues, the MINI is not that hard to work on, both D3mon and I can agree on that, but for some of the "harder repairs" European motors in C.R does a good job, Mike over there is very helpful. I have had mine for 3 years now as well and it is my daily driver. I live in (and have lived in iowa city) a condo/apartment building and have always been able to get out and around in my 2002 MCS with little to no issue, and have not missed a day of work yet, knock on wood, due to snow. If you are like the color pepper white and the '08 MINI's, Chevyland just got in an '08 MCS pepper white with around 25k on it. It maybe worth checking out. I love my MINI and wouldn't replace it, unless i found an '06 JCW (thats another story). Good luck and hope to see you in a MINI at a meet soon!! Oh, I almost forgot. If you are posting on here, you defiantly have what it takes to be part of the EIM.

 

Thanks! I called on that one at McGrath's before they priced it but it's still a little too rich for my blood right now (and too close to new price.) I've been logging serious time on the configurator and now I'm leaning towards trying to save up enough to order next year (Smokin' Joe is a bad influence.) Today's quandry -- Sparkling Silver or Horizon Blue?

If I don't have to work on the 19th I'll come sigh as the MINIs go by at Swamp Fox. : - )

 

I would say wait for the new colors in the 2011's. I want to see what the Eclipse Grey is going to look like. There are a few colors that they are going to be taking away, and adding new ones. Dark Silver (my personal favorite flavor) is leaving that this Eclipse Grey is what is replacing it. The next question would be have you logged any time behind the wheel of an R53 and R56. My car is an R53, I was thinking about going to the R56 so when we (Chevyland) got this R56 I took it home for the weekend. I personaly think they are COMPLETELY different cars. There are things I like about both and dislike about both, and after driving for the weekend decieded that an R56 just doesn't "feel" right for me. just a little food for thought.

 

Gee, I never thought of the R56 being different, I've only driven the R53. Just read up on the differences and from the sound of it I'd prefer the R53 as well. Too bad I already told McGrath's I wasn't interested in that one! I definitely will find a way to comparison drive though, thank you VERY much for the tip. (The R53 I drove was DS, I agree with you, nice color.)

So I just checked the UK site -- the Eclipse Gray is VERY nice. The Spice Orange is not for me though -- probably would have been if it wasn't the only non-boring color offered by US makers lately. Don't care for the BRG II, but I think the HC would be a striking car (I imagine it would make me hungry every time I saw it though.)

If the colors on the UK lineup are the same as what are offered over here then my Sparkling Silver is gone but my Horizon Blue remains. In the R56 realm, anyway.
; - )
Sandy

 

I hope that was meant in a good way.

This little guy needs a home. Nice price!
http://www.automotive.com/2002/65/mi...c=True&index=6

Gosh, I don't know if i can wait for you to wait until next year.

 

Sandy,
I would recommend purchasing a Haynes service manual for your MINI. I think they are a necessary tool for DIY work. So far I've only needed to do some simple things myself but the book has great step by step instructions.

And Kruse Auto in Dubuque has a couple of used MINIs on their lot.
http://dubuqueautoplaza.com/Inventor...r=-1&Make=MINI

 

There's a Pepper Whilte (one of the best colors ) for sale in Center Point. It's parked near the Casey's store on the main road into town. I don't know the particulars, but it might be fun to check out.

 

Too funny -- I just got an e-mail about that white car! I've called, waiting for a call back. 2005, 19,500 miles, $15,000, that's all I know so far. May have to check on that yellow one too.

All you guys are a bad influence! How's that popcorn, SM?

; - )

Sandy

 

Be a bit careful about purchasing something that is almost 6 years old with less than 20K miles. They tend to have "lot rot".

Simply meaning....Something that rarely gets driven doesn't make the owner think..."Hmm...I haven't changed the oil in 2 years."

They think "Hmmm...The dealer said 15K between oil changes. So, I've got another 5K miles before I need to change the oil." (and another year on oil that should have been changed 2 years ago)

Common routine maintenance tends to go to the wayside in a car that is rarely driven. Just an observation I have made over the years, influenced A LOT by the fact that my Wife used to sell cars.

 

"Lot rot" eh, that's a new one on me, thanks. So much to learn! So, does my "buy from a private owner only" theory have holes in it too?

 

Well, private owners know a lot about cars, but the bad thing is that most times, you have to take their word on the car. You can take it to a mechanic or a body shop to see if it needs work or if it has had body work done to it.

A lot of times, repairs will show up on Carfax or AutoCheck. Both of which a dealer will normally gladly give you. Of course, if a dealer won't let you see a Carfax or AutoCheck report, go somewhere else.

I prefer to deal with dealerships, but between my Wife and I, we've got it down to a science. We set a price we are going to pay for a car and don't pay any more for it.

If you need any help dealing with a dealership, let me know and I'll be more than happy to help you out.

http://www.edmunds.com/

is YOUR BEST FRIEND!

Trust me.....

And typically if a dealer has an 06 Mini Cooper S for $17K or more, they have about $2K in markup. They rob people on trade-ins.

 

On that Mini Cooper S in Dubuque, if you put the stats into Edmunds.com for True Market Value, it comes up with:

2006 MINI Cooper S 2dr Hatchback Trade-In Private Party Dealer Retail National Base Price $10,933 $12,884 $14,355 Optional Equipment $1,789 $2,103 $2,602 Front Fog/Driving Lights $62 $73 $90 Extended Sunroof $352 $414 $512 Cruise Control $62 $73 $90 Automatic Climate Control $124 $146 $181 Stability Control $207 $243 $301 Leather/Cloth Seating $704 $829 $1,025 Heated Passenger Seat $56 $65 $81 Heated Driver's Seat $56 $65 $81 Power Glass Sunroof $166 $195 $241 Color Adjustment
Silver $44 $52 $57 Regional Adjustment
for Zip Code 52001 $-2 $-2 $-2 Mileage Adjustment
89,496 miles $-1,789 $-1,789 $-1,789 Condition Adjustment
Clean $0 $0 $0 Total $10,975 $13,248 $15,223

I may have missed a couple of small things it came with, but not much. Look it over, plug in everything it has, print this and take it to them. They will hate you for it, but it is one of your best bargaining tools. This works especially well if you are paying cash. It's an easy way to get them to come down $2-3K on their asking price.






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