Kinda rather vague question I have but here it is.

I'm looking at our second MINI. Can't buy new and basically giving up my A4 which seems to not like to go over 22mpg anymore

Currently have a R55 which we absolutely love but we had to fight over who gets to use it

So, to get better mpg than my A4, am thinking of switching to either of the 2 cars:

R53 with 76k for $10k - xenon, navi, white wheels, hk, cold weather, pano
R56 with 70k for $13k - xenon, cold weather, pano
*** Both are manual transmission

Leaving finances aside .....
Would the R53 still be a good buy?
Or is the R56 a better choice due to being a newer model?

Thanks in advance.

 

What are you looking for in a car?

 

Read this
http://www.motoringfile.com/2007/11/...-s-r53-vs-r56/

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

 

Good rule of thumb for me: buy the "most"/newest car you can afford. With that said, it seems that you have already answered your question

 

That first article is very interesting!!! I'm a R53 Owner, so I understand pretty much every comment about the R53 made. I've never actually been in an R56 much less an R56 JCW. After reading this I'd say that makes this purchase close.... The one or two things to keep in mind, is the R56 tested in this was the JCW edition, You can take your car to a dealer and have them install all the upgrades to make that happen for you. However for 3k price difference just to get to the stock R56, If you're looking for a car that's going to be every bit of a drivers car you have in mind. I'd suggest putting that 3K into the R53, For that you can get quite the remake Some simple Mods, Catback exhaust, Cold Air Intake, Reduction pulley (and if you're wanting more lower end pull you can go up to a 17%), The Aero body kit to get more down force on the front at highway speeds, and suspension... springs, swaybar, etc. All for under 3K. You'll have more guts and fun in it than the stock R56. However, if money isn't an issue at all for you, taking the time to Mod the R56 will produce the results talked about in that article.

 

Newer does not always mean better, or longer lasting. You might want to revise your rule of thumb. Service history, condition and even model year are variables that need consideration. I've driven both, seen the myriad list of issues with both models, weighed the pros and cons, and there is no way I would ever consider purchasing an R56.

 

Thanks for the responses/links. Guess I'll need to do more reading.

Forgot to mention that the R56 is the "S" model as well, sorry about that. Oooops.
That's my main criteria, an "S" and 6-speed. Especially with the R50 where the 5-speed is reportedly not as reliable as the 6-speed.

I'm used to the ergonomics of the R55 which I presume is similar to the R56 in most, if not all, ways.

When I test drove an '06 R53, the thing has a very nice, sporty, punchy and feels more rugged. While the R56 is more refined. Maybe it's just me, that felt that the turbo is spread out more throughout the entire powerband.

Edit:
Didn't see Spooled response right away.

Yeah, basically that's the other important thing. Service history. Somehow that could predict the future reliability of the specific vehicle.

 

your gonna haveta drive both and decide!
its 2 versions of the same animal.
IMO, the R56 is a little "softer" all around.

 

Would you do any Mods or just leave them as is?

 

If you want to make it your own, you have to do mods. LOL. This is totally upto you. Mods can make them more fun in the twisties.

 

Point well taken. The other half of my recommendation usually is....tada: get a good PPI (PrePurchase Inspection) done by a qualified mechanic. If/when available, a verifiable service/maintenace history is a plus.
P.S. Good to know you will never buy an R56

 

If mileage is your main goal get the R56, if you want a little more feel or fun factor get the R53.
Just my opinion

 

53

 

R53 all the way.

 

Just a note, the 05/06 R50's have the improved Getrag 5spd, which doesn't have the problems the earlier Midlands box had.

If you want a project to build up, I'd get the R53. I'm just not as keen on the R56 and they do seem to have more issues.

 

Wow! Looks like the R50/R53 still has lots of respect, eh?
I'm going to check them out this week.

This is the 05 R53 -> http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ctd/3556769738.html

And this is the 07 R56 -> http://www.hamptonford.com/certified...6495cc52b3.htm

 

I have both a R53 JCW and a R56 JCW.

Keep in mind I had both cars stock and they're now both completely built.

They're two totally different cars IMO, the R56 is a car that's refined and quick. The R53 is a car that's raw driver's car feel.

Both cars are great, lots of fun. They both have their moments.

Keep in mind as the miles climb up the R56 tend to be a bit problematic while the R53 just has the typical issues (motor mounts, bushings, etc)

Like others have said, R56 definitely gets better mileage.

 

I'm a R56 guy, but if I had a choice to buy another car right now, I'd get the R53 because of the sweet cool things I could mod on it. Good luck!

 

R50 with Getrag transmission is a good model, skip the early years and CVT.
The R50 does not offer much to be gained in power but suspension and exterior can be upgraded. If limited power is not an issue you get better mpg.

R53 with supercharger offers better immediate power and is fun to drive. If you have the JCW version that's good but a base later year R53 with low miles is a good value.
You choose the mods to suit your needs.

I drove a stock R56 and felt like it had more torque steer and was certainly different from the R53.

It's a good idea to test drive any of these models but note the wheels and tires on the test car as this will affect ride quality and performance. 16" wheels and tires tend to do pretty good on the street, 18" wheels and runflats are heavy and firmer riding.

 

Make sure to respond what you think after the test drives

 

If you want more than 22mpg, the R56 might be a better choice. I couldn't average even 21mpg in an R53, but almost 26mpg in an R56. The R56 is also faster and more comfortable. Its a matter of taste which you like more.

 

Really? Can we say leadfoot. I average 25 with my foot in it and upwards of 28 around town. My trip to Florida on the highwat I was getting 33.1mpg.

 

The R53 has better record on long term reliability now as you see the increasing problems of the 2nd gens. The 05-06 R50 even better w/o the supercharger worry. 1st gens are a lot easier to maintain yourself after you've eliminated the known issues w/ upgraded & improved parts. Way too many un-DIYable issues for the 56. This is where extended warranty really helps.

 

after looking at those 2 links, id say R53!!!!
way nicer with all the red and the nav and the chrome package. Plus, you get the Hardmon Kardmon sound system, major upgrade $$ there. i also just like the dash on the R53 more; seems more classy to me, like the cockpit of an airplane that turns into a spaceship at night

also, for a few hundred bucks, you can just add a pulley to the R53 for an extra 20 or so HP; as far as i understand with the turbos, you really can only computer tune them, to the price of around $600 (someone correct me if im wrong).

 

DUde! bid on this one!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mini-...c3c8d939#v4-43