My daughter has her mind made up to buy a Mini. She can't afford anything very new. She has found an '03MCS with 144,000 miles and an '05 MCS with 97,000 miles. They both have apparently been well maintained. The 03 has a new water pump. They are asking $7900 for the '03 and $8775 for the '05. I am very skeptical about both of them due to the high mileage. I'm trying to discourage her from buying either one. Am I right in thinking these high mileage Minis should be avoided at all costs?

 

A Justa should be cheaper - and more reliable

 

How much does your daughter have around for a budget? Does she have the ability to handle a larger repair that may come with these European cars that typically have higher part costs and can have higher labor costs to repair?

How many miles a year will your daughter put on the car?

As with most any vehicle, you can keep anything running almost indefinitely with a big enough check book.

The forced induction Mini will cost more to maintain than a naturally aspirated car just due to greater complexity of the MCS.

There is almost a 50,000 mile spread between the two cars for about $900 (I'm sure you've done this math). Is that two year newer and 50,000 miles of less wear and tear worth the $900 more? It may pay off in the long run to pick up the 97,000 mile car for more money.

These are robust, well built, small cars that are designed for a long service life. Miles wouldn't scare me so much if the cars are in very nice condition with verifiable service records with regular oil changes done at sooner than factory recommended intervals. Also, there are enough of these cars around that you can be choosy on which one she picks up.

Good luck!

 

If they are automatics, avoid the early one with the CVT transmission. Not sure if the 95 has it also, but the 03 definitely does.

 

Yeah...if her budget is that limited, can she 100% promise she WILL ALWAYS put Premium fuel into the tank...repairs get to be very expensive.
If my budget was very limited, and i was worried about relilibility, I would buy a "just-a", which is slang for a non-s....less likely to have been abused, and cheaper to own...if I had to have a MINI, but with higher miles, if you do not want repair bills, get a Toyota or a Honda, honest.

 

I am a bit biased, but I have no problem with the "higher milage" MINIs, with mine currently just over 302,000. However I am comfortable working on vehicles, and don't mind doing maintenance. The milage of both of these is about when we see super chargers fail. They can be expensive to replace. The 03 with the new water pump may have had the super charger already replaced. I pulled my first one at 191,000 miles, and the oil levels were still fine, but it appears no two are the same.

Either one will require repairs no matter how well it was maintained, as would any other brand.

Good luck,

Nik

 

I bought my '06 MCS a year ago with 96.5k miles and it's currently around 125.6K with only minor repairs. The mileage may not be an issue if the car was well taken care of. You should definitely get them inspected since proper preventative maintenance is the key to a problem-free Mini. I'd much rather have a well-maintained, older, high-mileage Mini than a newer low mileage one that was neglected.

 

Some US drivers have become accustomed to driving their vehicle with a disregard for basic fluid and maintnenace checks which can bite them later. No matter which MINI one purchases, a close attention to those details can greatly reduce the heartbreak of an empty wallet.

 

She's now looking at an '06 Justa with 66,000 miles. Extensive maintenance records at a reputable shop. The car is in excellent condition inside and the exterior is very clean considering the age. It appears to be in above average shape for an '06. The color is Purple Haze...not her favorite. Thanks for all your comments. They have been most helpful. Any particular things I should be on the lookout for with the 66,000 mile range? Going to test drive it tomorrow.

 

If it has the same motor mount as the MCS...check the passenger side upper motor mount for leaking fluid. Mine died before that mileage. Also, check the shock towers for any signs of mushrooming and look at the rubber strut top mounts for any signs of cracking (less likely either of these would happen on a "justa" due to smaller wheel size).

 

very good year...
Generally look around at the bushings, tierods, etc.,
Good thing about the 05 and 06 Coopers are they have a more reliable tranny than the earlier ones (if it is a stick..5 speed)
If it is a CVT, IMO RUN. when they go (and I DO say WHEN not IF), it is a 6500$ fix.

 

It's a five speed. I wouldn't go anywhere near a cvt. They are asking $10,490 for it. Any thoughts about the price?

 

Condition rules.....
and prices for MINI's vary greatly based upon geography....
Lets face it, till just a few years ago, most mini's were sold on the coasts generally....it has only been recently that more dealers have opening up.
But condition rules like I said...look closely for signs of either neglect or abuse (failure to check the oil at a regular basis) can cause issues....so look for leaks....engine oilpan and cranks sensor o-ring are very common...fact of life, as is the fact some burn a bit, even new. So my advise if you do consider it good and buy it, Get your daughter to check the OIL weekly/when she adds gas.
The MINI does need a bit of care....it is NOT carefree, but it is a blast to drive, and ownership CAN be pretty trouble free if the basics are done......
You might want to check to see if there are any MX records...
Plus if they have some, but IMO, not a biggy if they do not...heck my car has only been to the dealer 3 times....and a few minior things not done by me was done at a local shop that does 50% of their work on MINI's...and I'm sure they are not tied into ant databases...

 

From re-reading your posts it sounds pretty good. PurpleHaze might kinda grow on you! A few folks love it...it is the the most common!
As for $$, only you can decide if the premiuim is worth it to drive a MINI for school VS more basic transportation. Just remember, the mini is a premium small car...parts and repairs DO reflect this! But a NON-S is IMO a great daily driver...fun, reasonable MPG, good looks, and all the NON-S cars have been pretty good relibibilty wise...they tend to be driven more nicely, not abused as much, and thus tend to last longer!

 

A straight Cooper is an excellent choice, it eliminates a lot of the problems that the supercharged or turbo cars have. Purple Haze is a rare color, an gorgeous in the sunlight! Hope it works out well for her.

 

The '06 model year seems to have been a good one in the opinion of many. If she gets it she will call it "Hendrix." I will definitely have it checked out by the local mechanic who works on BMWs and MINIs. She was interested in a Fiat 500 Sport at one time, but decided against it. So we'll see how the test drive goes tomorrow with the Purple Haze.

 

Make sure to test it on a road with some corners

 

The road test went very well...highway, twisty back roads, city driving. It shifts very smoothly, runs very well. There were no unusual sounds from under the hood. The car handles well. I checked for leaks as best as I could and didn't see evidence of any. The passenger side motor mount was fine...no leaking. The automatic climate control worked well, the heated seats worked as well. All switches were in tact and worked like they are supposed to. The interior looks pretty much new. The leather is perfect. The paint is very good with only a few shallow scratches. The sunroof works easily. The Purple Haze metallic is really pretty in the sunshine. The only annoyance was a rattle from the glove box area. I couldn't seem to locate the rattle. The tires have a lot of wear left in them. It was very fun to drive this MINI! Now to have it checked by an independent mechanic. They aren't wiling to negotiate on their price much, but they said they would extend the warranty beyond their normal 30 days or 1250 miles, 100% on the entire car to 60 days, or 2500 miles, 100% coverage. So we'll see.

John

 

Thats surprising you only had one rattle in a MINI

 

There was another squeak with the driver side window...but overall pretty quiet. This one doesn't have the center speedometer. It has fuel gauge, temp gauge, and oil pressure. The speedometer is beside the tachometer...a different set-up than I have seen before, but I liked it.

 

Sounds like the "chrono" option....well liked because it has REAL functioning gauges, but was not ordered by many (who at the time opted to get the GPS or the big center speedo)...I have it, and like it...many have tried to find ways to retrofit others cars, like ones with old obsolete or broken OEM GPS in the center to it, with little success.


here is a chro center display...
Sounds like the drive went well, but only you can determine if the value is there..it does sound like $$ wise it is more than you started out looking to spend.
I will say the best thing you can do is buy a good MINI, and IMO, the WORST thing is buy a "cheap" MINI....cause there is a reason it is cheap...they can get $$ to repair. Start with a good. well matained car, and life will be good. Start with a cheaper fix-er-upper, and things tend to go down hill.

 

Actually it's about in the middle of what we were planning to spend. This car felt much more solid than the '03 MCS. It does have the "chrono" option.

 

My 06 MCS JCW has the chrono pack. One of the options I had to have on the car and I bought it used. I want gauges that actually accurately read what is going on. Plus the oil temp is cool. And the previous owner added a voltmeter and boost gauge.

 

That's a nice MINI for that price. Rare color, chrono pack, well maintained, straight Cooper engine. Sounds like a good deal. At least it would be in our area.

 

I think it is a good deal assuming the independent mechanic verifies it's good condition. One thing is certain; it was blast to drive!