x

 

Depends a lot on your tolerance on repair costs. If low, I would avoid an S.

 

I have an email into my mechanic who works on my BMW. He works quick for $25hr cash and does a good job. Depending on what he says will help on my decision. I did however regret not holding out for an M3 for the last decade though......

 

This weeks search.

2003 S 53000mi $9500----beat to hell car, round shock towers, needed new bumpers, cracked apiller plastic...did not even test drive

2004 S-----pretty rough, not info I could find

2010 S Convert---$15,800, 35k.....nice car until I found out it was not a mini...but an auto trans

2006 S 95,000 $10k-- One owner northeast car with a lot of rust and corrosion on the fasteners and equipment. Ran beautifully with no issues, no noises and would have been a candidate if it had not been rusted to hell......

Did learn one thing.....2005/2006 vs 2007+ are like comparing a Goldwing to a Ducati. The later cars are nice but grandparents can have them. The earlier versions are more a real drivers car IMHO and where I am focusing my search now....even if there are no low milage cars

 

Are you in a hurry to buy a car? I waited until the right one came along. I had seen several that were so beat up I couldn't bear to buy them. Then out of nowhere, the perfect one appeared not too far away. Still in heaven!

 

Unfortunately time is pressing.

My 328i is unsafe. It needs a new driveshaft, tires, suspension, and the body is rusted through in several places. It is unsafe and will not pass inspection next month. Damn not knowing how to protect a car in the NE 10 years ago......

In two months I will need a decent car to commute 120 mi several times per week for a few months

In one month my preferred 2006 Mini will jump significantly in financing rate and
I will have to settle for a car I am not thrilled about. 2007+

I am in a bit of a time crunch.

and no I'm not buying a mazda 3.....to counter that unusual suggestion that I see too often on NAM

 

I found one.

It's a Purple Haze 2005 MCS with 24k on the clock for $11K. Only options are the sport package and the cold weather package. Got it at the dealer and they are replacing the control arm bushings, tires, ebrake cables, and one other thing for me.

Will probably add the cruise control at some point as well as the OBC.

So looking forward to it in any case.

 

If auto trans is what you're not looking for I would stay away from the 07-11 MCS, because the clutch isn't good and you'll be replacing it too soon before you could even press on the clutch.

I know the '12 or '13 has a better clutch from what a few NAM members posted.

I would search for an R53, those are my favorite and I wish I could go back in time to look for more R53's. Good luck on your search

 

This car belonged to a 60yr old man single owner so imagine the guy knew how to treat a clutch.

One of the big reasons I stayed away from the later models was due to Maine's excise tax...
2013-$650
2012-$590
2011-$450
And so on till 2008 where it hits $140 and stays there.

Right off the top I saved a grand.

 

That's awesome, hey if you can save money more power to you. Looking forward to seeing pics of your MINI.

 

 

Low miles, one owner, good looking mini.. WIN

 

Yeah.....most boring carfax.....EVER!!!!

 

Me likey a lot!

 

Yay!! Congrats! Beautiful car! Awesome mileage and owner history!

 

Dealer fixing things, boring carfax.... just keeps getting better. You'll have to post back your experience after you've driven it a while..

 

Dealer asked me what type of tires I wanted on it, runflats, all seasons or performance. Told em all seasons....hated to do it...but up here I need to be safe. Besides I would cry if I lost traction and ran into a ditch.
On top of that...will probably baby this car...too nice to beat and drive aggressively.

 

Good call on the tires. As I recall, you're somewhere in the NE? RFT's are a royal pain, I'm going to ditch them as soon as I wear mine out..

 

In the reading I've done it seems that a major contributor to shock tower deformation is the combination of the RFT on 17s and sport suspension. Too harsh a ride.

 

Grats, you'll be glad you went 1st gen. Strut tower is a known weakness. Slap on some Cravenspeed Strut tower defenders or VIP.
Things to swap or look out for: don't worry, all are easy fixes:
-swap your stock crank pulley w/ ATI
-check your low speed rad fan, just a blown resistor, usually
-powerflex control arm & other bushes better than OE
-check belt tensioner damper, buy the $70 Gates from Amazon.
-change your power steering hose clamps
-change your coolant reservoir to Canton or RMW.

Then, mod the heck out of it!!!!!:D
Hint: 15% supercharger pulley & coilovers!!!!!

 

with the low miles, aging rubber will be more of a nemesis than worn out parts, but the list above is good. Also keep an eye on the timing chain tensioner; as the chain stretches with age/use, it can overpower the tensioner; locking it compressed into it's shipping mode and rendering it useless.

Purple Haze is the best mini color of all, btw, nice looking car!

 

Great choice, both for the mileage/maint history, helpful dealer, and color. Echo what minsanity said, plus:

- tensioner limiter strap, $20 or so from Detroit Tuned, prevents pulley damage if the belt blows
- crank pulleys go about 80-100k, then replacing with ATI or OE is recommended. When they go it's almost literally lights out, though you can usually feel some changes in performance until they actually let go
- Alternative if this one somehow doesn't work out: The non-S cars 2005-2006 are sturdy as hell and drive great, very responsive to a CAI and exhaust and sound fantastic, as are the non-S cars 2008-on (I'd avoid 2007's just because of the first-year issues any car has).

Where are you that the selection is so limited?

 

Hey folks,
Thanks for all the help. Being in maine I was surprised to find as many Mini's as I have. Even of this one was 3.5 hours away. In any case went down yesterday and did the buying ritual. The color is beautiful. Though the car does have some issues that will have to be addressed before I am happy.

Due to a 7 mile commute and living next to the ocean

-Rear track arms are heavily rusted and I want to replace.
-a number of fasteners are rusted...not all...just about 10%
-faded Drivers side taillight
-red squirrel ate some of the hood insulation and used the engine bay as a acorn storage facility.
-engine feels a little tight, probably due to never being driven hard, car is stiff all over p
Probably for the same reason. Just afraid of 24k of unburnt carbon.

Good;

That is the bad, the good is that the probably the same as the last statement. I don't think the car is even broken in.

Dealer put Michelin pilot A/S plus tires on it, changed the ebrake and the control arm bushings.

Interior is spotless, exterior has a few marks where yard debris must have hit it. Though no road debris damage and why I am putting 3m film on it...NOW

Underside looks clean and rust free with the exception of the parts mentioned above.

Starts, runs, drives beautiful.

Will probably get it detailed properly when. I get it home.