New to Mini's! I Need Your Opinion!
 

Hi guys! im currently looking to buy my first mini. so far ive only looked at 2. i have been in the mercedes community all my life so im clueless what to look out for in mini's. with the mercedes there are specific years and engine types that you should look out for, those are the defective ones. like the 2003 c230k sedan is a very defective MB it has the most Recalls.

ok here is were you guys come in. im sick of MB! :lol: im getting rid of all them. i need your opnions. is there a certain year i should look out for? theres only 2 bodies right just the hatchback and the cabrio? and 2 engine types? manual or automatic? and what accessories? and what are the good prices and mileage.

ill start by saying, i prefer getting a cabrio. the engine i have no idea which is most reliable. manual or automatic, i prefer manual, which is easier to maintain? Clutch, tranny flush intervals, which one breaks down faster or alot? accessories dont really matter so much i guess coz those are optional stuff. :confused:

thanks for reading. and thanks for your replies. im going to look at more minis today ill let you know more also.:thumbsup:

Well, if you're looking at both used an new MINIs, there are actually five different bodies to consider. (two generations of the coupe and convertible, plus the Clubman wagon).

The reliability is pretty much the same across the models - they each have their quirks. I'd personally avoid the 2002-2004 models unless there's a particular reason you want one, since MINI made some significant improvements for the 2005 model year, especially in the 'S' version.

Options are a very personal choice - for every person that likes a particular option, there will be someone else that doesn't.

Based on your preferences, you can certainly get a manual-transmission convertible, but the new version of the convertible was just released last month, so there's not a big used market for them yet.

Hatch and cabrio...correct ,but there are 2 generations

there are the hatchs up to 2006(gen1) then 07-09 (gen2)
cabrios are up to 08 (gen1) and then 09+

new ones are turbo while the old are supercharged (talking about the S and JCW models here). There are also many design changes between the generations, so i guess thats one of the first things to decide... but if your looking at a used cabrio, then its going to be the 1st gen styling

edit: beat me to the post lol

looking at used 2005 cabriolet for 14,500 with 50k+miles. if links are allowed here's a link to the actual car, http://www.jlr-mv.com/vehicle-details/WMWRF33445TF62267 let me know what you think.

not bad looking at all. make sure you drive an S though if you havent yet

ok. is there a specific reason why aside from power? like maintenance?

no. it makes a cool sound too. Honestly there is obviously more maintanance possibilities with an S, because they are more complex... I was just suggesting trying one because they really are lot of fun with the boost

They also have a diff transmission (from my understanding), but i dont know what the differences are... 5/6 speed, gear ratios, ect.. so itll be a whole different ride

One side note... since you're joining our beloved community, please do not "forum spam". I note at least three separate threads of the same title in different forums. This is really frowned upon. Stick with one area (the General MINI Talk forum is probably your best bet to cover all the models) and just be patient, replies will come in.

Thanks! :grin: :thumbsup:

ok. sounds good. hard to find a cabrio S though.. i havent seen one. is there a specific year with the coupes?

sorry. are you admin/moderator? if so please delete the other threads. thank you!

Hah, not even close. :lol: I just wanted to give you a heads up so you didn't accidentally ruffle any feathers. :nod: Good luck on your hunt! (I wanted a cabrio too, but I couldn't get over the poor rear view in the first gens)

I believe the consensus is 2005+ is good, just stay away from the 05-06 non-S automatic. It's a Continuously Variable Transmission that has been known to give some issues.

As far as Cooper vs Cooper S, the power difference is indeed noticeable. That said, if you are mainly going to just be cruising around and don't really care about the extra oomph, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a Cooper. It's all preference. :nod:

BTW, I love the hot orange color. If they still have some type of warranty on the one you listed (Standard MINI warranty is 4 years 50,000 miles, so that's out) then I'd consider it. The price seems a bit low for what it is though, so I'd at least run a CarFax on it, just in case anything jumps out like being in a wreck.

thanks wbarnhill! i saw an 02 cooper for $8,000 with 105k miles manual trans. do i avoid? are you saying i should stick to 2005 above only?

If your budget can afford it, I'd really recommend 2005 and up.

ok. but since you guys said the S has a big diff now i want a cabrio S and theres none in my 100 miles from my area... :( if i get lets say the 8k 105k miles. what should i look out for?

what should i look out for if i get a 2002 to 2004?

Not for nuthin', but I bought Emily, an'02 S with 18,600 miles in July of 2006.
The car has been nothing but a pleasure since. With the exception of slight strut-tower mushrooming, I've had ZERO problems.
I'm just sayin', don't rule out the early models.
If you're careful, and patient, you should be able to find what you want.
Rotsa ruck!

thanks hegira. thats good to hear. but im wondering.. im looking at 2002 and 2003 minis and most have 100,000 ++ is it safe to buy these or not?

Although there were improvements in the 05, they replaced the rubber engine mount (in 02-04s) with a fluid-filled engine mount that apparently has a propensity to leak.

Example.

ok.. still doesnt answer my question though...

Well, at 100k+ miles, it really depends more on the exact car you're looking at than anything else. The engines will easily do much more than 100k, (although an 'S' of that vintage may be needing a supercharger rebuild in the next few years).

It's much more likely that any problems in a MINI that old will come in the form of worn/torn suspension bushings, worn shocks, and things like that. But those parts can be replaced without too great an expense.

If you're looking at a manual-transmission Cooper from those years, I'd be very thorough during your test drive. The Midlands five-speed transmissions in the earlier cars were problematic. There were fewer problems with the Getrag six-speeds in the 'S' models.

Consumer Reports (April '09) lists the following used MINIs to avoid because of below average reliability:

Cooper Convertible '05
Cooper Convertible S '06
Cooper Hatchback '02-'03, '05
Cooper Hatchback S '03, '05-'06

If you are used to Mercedes, however, these "below average reliability" models might be a step up for you! :lol:

Good luck.

I think those years/models may represent all of the 1st-gen MINIs that CR has ever tested. In other words, the entire MINI line may be "below average" compared to all of the other cars on the road, but I don't think that the years/models you listed are any better or worse *than other MINIs".

I don't think so... After enough data on the '04 was obtained, to the best of my recollection (I can try pulling out the old issue), the MINI became 'recommended.' They have data for all the years. It appears that the models/years they listed in that April issue were indeed below average. Models and years not listed were not below average. I think!

... yeah, under the other brands, they are just listing specific years and models that were below average. So, for example, under Honda (which as a whole is very reliable), there is one model listed---the Passport '99-00 and '02.