I found a nice Mini for sale at a dealership that I'm interested in, but after looking at the pictures.....it looks like something is wrong with the front end. The front passenger fender looks like it's got a big gap where it meets the bumper, and the other side panel.

The salesman said that it hasn't been in a wreck...it's just because the "fit and finish" on the mini's isn't that good. I'm calling BS...something doesn't look right. I checked the Carfax and it doesn't show any crashes...but I don't trust carfax.

http://images.dealercarsearch.com/Me.../N29434_20.jpg

http://images.dealercarsearch.com/Me.../N29434_18.jpg

 

That doesn't look right to me. I'd walk. Lots of MINIs out there.

 

I'm not saying it's been wrecked, but that's slightly outside the normal range of hood-to-bumper gaps I see. At the very least, the latches under the hood might need adjusted.

 

Stay away, I know when I had to drop my bumper to install my halo's it is tough to get the bumper to align and yes finish is a little off but not like those pic's

 

If you want to know if it's been wrecked, have the dealer supply you with a CarFax report, it will tell you the history of the car from fender benders to major wrecks. It will also tell you how many owners the car has passed though and if there are any title issues. If they won't supply you with a CarFax report I would walk away - QUICKLY! If the report comes back clean and you want to purchase the car I would make one of the contingencies of the sale be that a body shop adjust all the alignment issues.

 

Potential red flag...snow on the ground??? Has it been on the lot that long? If so, something is seriously wrong or it's been sold before and returned (maybe more than once). As suggested before, get the Carfax. If it's had many owners or someone who owned it for a very short period of time I'd stay away.

 

Matt, makes a good point. To me it just looks like the passanger side hood latch is not latched, the whole hood is up on that side if you look at the gaps in both pic's.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I did look at the Carfax, and it doesn't show any wrecks or crashes.

It's a 2006 S-model with 90,000 miles...and they have it marked at $11,000. Is that a good deal for that car?

Here is the actual "for sale" link that the dealer has for it. It sure looks like it's in good shape...

http://www.wildwoodmotors.com/newand...-MO-63038.aspx

 

Mine looks like that when one side of the hood doesn't latch.

Just open and close the hood and see if it latches.

Dave

 

CarFax isn't a magic solution, not everything will be reported and listed on a CarFax.

 

Examine in the engine compartment, door well, trunk area, the under carriage. Check for new or different shades of paint, filler (bondo) in un common areas, welded seams where there shouldn't be. Any buckling of sheet metal, compare with other other coopers. Check that all the interior panels fit perfectly and no missing parts. Misalign or missing mounting hardware. These are all tell tales signs of body work.

 

That is exactly right. Had a friend with one of those little budget Chevy commuter cars. He spun out and ran into a guardrail, nobody else involved in the accident, real early in the morning, no witnesses. He took the car in and had the bodywork done on his dime, no report to the insurance company, and the bodyshop reported nothing.

Later he traded that car in at a dealership, and they did not ask about any accidents, the car looked perfect. I am sure when that dealer resold it, the carfax was clean!

EXACTLY what he said!

 

As a previous poster noted, these cars are prone to poor hood latches. I have 2 minis and both have one side that does not close due to the latches. You have to replace the hood cables. It's just finicky more than anything.
I have seen way too many minis sitting parked with the exact same problem so it is fairly common.

 

"fit and finish isn't that good on the Mini's".

LOL. WALK.


Carfax will not show you what isn't reported - which is typically 50%+ of minor accidents.

 

Thanks for the info guys, I'll just have to go and check it out myself I guess.

That being said....is that car (2006 R53 w/90,000 miles, $11,000), and better deal than an 03' R53 with the same miles, and in the same condition...but for $9500? Is the extra $1500 for the 06' worth it?

I want to so some suspension and breaking mods...and that extra $1500 sure would come in handy.....just trying to figure out if the 06' is worth the extra money.