Hey guys,

This is my first post here, so sorry if this is posted in the wrong section.

First, I really love Mini Cooper's. I like the styling, and unique feel that makes them different from any other car.

Now, within the next month, I will be getting my very first car. I have been driving for a little over a year. I will have a budget of about $6-7k, and have found a couple of used MINIs on craigslist.

I am currently working two jobs, however, repair costs are my biggest concern with the MINI. Being owned by BMW, should I expect BMW repair costs? My uncle is a Mercedes mechanic and has warned me to stay far away from BMWs for your first car. Most people I talk to about which first car to get suggest a Honda Civic or Accord, but everyone has one of those.

I have also heard that the years 05+ and non-S versions are the most reliable? Also, how can I get my MINI serviced? I can't really afford to get it worked on at a dealership, and I don't know of any MINI mechanics in my area (I don't know how to look for one either).

Has anyone here ever regretted getting their MINI? How many problems do you have on average with it? Is it safe to get one with 100k+ miles on it?

Lol, I feel like I have so many questions , but in general, my concern is how expensive is the maintenance/repair of a used MINI?

Thanks guys for the help, I really appreciate it !

 

I'm new to the MINI crowd and just bought my first one less than two weeks ago. I love it. I do have to add that I bought it new and I'm comforted by the fact it has a four year 40,000 mile new car warranty. If I were just starting out, was overly concerned by maintenance costs and not knowing where to have it serviced I would not consider buying an older used MINI. I might get blasted for thinking that way but that's me. The reason 'everyone has a Civic' is because of their dependability. However, finding a good used Civic can be a challenge because of all the Honda Fan Boyz that like to trash their cars. With your concerns I'd look for something else; perhaps a clean Civic or a Corolla.

 

Ahhh… the first car… and the tight budget that comes with it.

In your situation I would agree with your uncle and recommend something other than a MINI - or any other European car. They are typically wonderful driving machines. But they are also typically expensive to repair. And I suspect a MINI in your budget range will have some repair requirements during your ownership.

If you do go for a MINI avoid the pre-07 CVT transmission. In all years the non-S does have better reliability.

Give your location and I suspect the forum members can offer info on MINI mechanics in your area.

I also think you can get better bang for your buck in a used car other than buying a Honda Civic, Accord or Toyota. Don't misunderstand - they are usually excellent, reliable cars. But you also pay for that reputation because they don't depreciate as fast. What you want is a reliable used car that has above average depreciation with a relatively wide dealer network.

Go to your library and look at the Consumer 2014 Buying Guide or the 2013 April edition of their magazine (or wait for the 2014 issue on the news stand). They have extensive reliability information on used cars.

My suggestion, considering you budget and needs, is to look at newer, lower mileage cars in your budget range like a Ford Focus, Hyundia Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Mazda 3. They will be less expensive to repair. Plus they will likely run on regular unleaded instead of premium fuel.

Focus on getting a MINI as a future goal when you have more secure financial base.

Exercise your family connection and take your uncle with you help pick out a good used car!!!!! :-) And give him a hug for helping you!

And no - I do not regret buying my MINI. I love it.

 

Thanks guys for the quick responses !

I kind of figured that a MINI would cost about the same as a BMW. However, I will definitely own one at some point in my life !

Also, from my understanding, Honda and Toyota are the two best cars to buy used. But, I will reconsider other options.

I have looked at a Mazda 3 before, and I really like that car. I think it has a little more character than a Civic or Accord. One thing's for sure though, I will be getting a car with a manual transmission.

The Ford Focus is okay, but from my understanding, a stick is not very common (I believe this is the same for the Elantra, but correct me if I'm wrong).

I have not yet considered a Nissan. I will consider those as well.

Sadly, my uncle lives more than a day's travel away from me and will not be able to come with me when I go shopping :(.

I will definitely take a look at Consumer Reports, and also, do you guys have any general recommendations for finding a trustworthy mechanic? My parents have always gotten their cars worked on at dealerships, and because I can't afford that, I need somewhere else to go.

Thanks again for the help!

 

With your budget it is unlikely you will get a warranty with your purchase. So it is likely there will a be some additional costs early in ownership. Set aside some cash to cover this. Hopefully you've done your research and they will be relatively inexpensive.

In your purchase budget don't forget TTL (tax, title & license) and Insurance.

Your location would help IRT a mechanic search. Most car makes have forum sites like this one that can give you some leads. Maybe there's a car club where you live? Is there a trade school that teaches automotive mechanics? Do you have a neighbor that's always tinkering with cars?

Assuming you get a relatively simple car most routine maintenance repairs, like brakes can be done by places like WalMart, Midas, Firestone Service, etc. You probably get junk mail fliers every week from them that include discount coupons.

Consider learning about your car. Get a Chilton's Repair Manual for whatever you buy. Get your hands dirty and save yourself $60+ an hour in mechanic labor costs.

Another idea, for a first car, is to just get a "beater" that runs. Look for one that's being used as a daily driver. That's a reasonably good indicator that the mechanicals are decent. Maybe a car with cosmetic damage (hail damage, dents) that doesn't have safety issues. Make any purchase offer contingent on it passing your state's safety and emissions requirements before handing over any money. Look out for flood damaged cars though.

Then you can save most of your current purchase budget for that upgrade to a newer, lower mileage MINI.

Plan an inspection process before you go car shopping. Do you have a knowledgable friend that can go with you? Two sets of eyes are better than one.

Keep in touch with your uncle. Mechanics have connections. He just might know someone with a family member that passed away and has a really cherry Jeep Wrangler in his garage looking for a home. All auto technicians and backyard home mechanics can work on a Jeep Wrangler. And they have character.

You're welcome to PM me if you just want someone to run ideas by.

 

Definitely learn to do as much maintenance/repairs yourself. You'll save a ton in the long run over any tool costs. (this applies to life in general, not just cars.)

 

One thing's for sure, I'll definitely learn how to do oil changes myself. But I don't really have the skill/tools/time to do any major repairs.

@bedeejay, thanks for the advice. I have put aside a couple hundred bucks for title, registration, and pre-inspections/carfax reports. My dad, who isn't a mechanic, still is pretty knowledgeable and has years of experience and will be coming with me every time (heh, I couldn't handle this by myself).

I have considered getting an old beater, but my parents want me to get a newer, lower mileage, safer car with the money I have.

I live in the Boston, Massachusetts area if that helps anybody (prefer not to give my exact location).

I will definitely get in contact with my uncle within the next couple of weeks, and see if he has any options.

Jeep's, I haven't really considered, because their fuel economy isn't that great. I'd prefer something with at least 25MPG, preferably 30MPG.

Right now, sadly I am looking at getting a MINI for my second car in the future. The cars I like the most are the Honda Civic, Accord, Nissan Sentra, Mazda 3.

Getting something with a lot of character isn't a huge concern, even something like having a rear spoiler would help .

I will keep you guys updated within the next month, and let you know when I make my final decision!

Thanks again !

 

I think if you found the right Mini, you could make it work. But definitely learn to do the basic maintenance or you will be poor quick. Most parts are special order from autozone, advance, etc, but not more expensive than any other car. Amazon even carries the oil and air filters. A service manual is worth it's weight in gold. Good luck.

 

Down near the bottom of this website forum is a section called Club and Regional Forums. There are several MINI related clubs in your general area. Contact some of them about your MINI interest. State you can't swing one just yet but would be interested in being contacted about future purchase possibilities. Maybe you will luck out when your finances are a bit stronger IRT to a well maintained MINI. And when you do get your MINI join a local MINI club! Part of owning, and thoroughly enjoying, a MINI is being a part of the overall MINI community! We try to help and advise those who share our interest

 

I am going to agree with those who said that, given your budget, you should not set your sights on a MINI. MINIs hold their value pretty well, and anything in your price range is probably going to need some work.

I don't want to talk you out of a MINI, but you should be in the market for a really nice Focus, or Corolla, or something along those lines. You'll.be getting more for your money. First cars should be safe, reliable, and inexpensive to maintain.

DO learn to do your own maintenance and repair work. You can find how-to articles and videos online for just about any work you might have to do on a vehicle. The shop hours you don't pay for will quickly cover the cost of a basic set of tools, and over your lifetime will probably pay for another car. If you need specialty tools, many auto parts stores have "loaners" you can use.

 

Might I suggest a gen 2 (94-01) Acura Integra? I think that may have been the best used car I ever bought. They are very easy to find in a manual, extremely reliable, and very fun drive (just like a MINI!). You could find a nice GS-R for a good price. Those have 170hp, 4 wheel disk brakes, and independent rear suspension, not a dead axle like a lot of cheap FWD cars. They also get 30+ mpg and parts (OEM and aftermarket) are super easy to find. And depending on your budget you could look a Integra Type-R's, but those run $10k+...

As an example here is a stock GS-R manual near me for $1800!

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb...270488288.html

 

Do you guys have any places you'd recommend for getting repair manuals, and car parts/accessories?

@two250, thanks for the suggestion, in fact, I really like the Integra. My dad also owed one of that generation a while back and said it was the best car he's owned.

However, while that looks like a great deal you posted, I haven't been able to find anything like that around my area. The best deal I've found so far is this (which seems like a good deal, besides the fact that it's a 4-door):

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ctd/4296720121.html

Pretty much all the other deals have either too high mileage, or are all riced out :(. There's also the fact that with the money I have maybe I should be getting a newer car.

 

The Integra is one of the most costly cars I know of to insure, relative to its current value. One reason is because it is stolen so frequently, evidently to provide hop-up parts for Civics or other Honda autos.

My 1990 CRX was also relatively high on that list, and on the CRX forums we didn't go a week without someone posting about their car being stolen. It doesn't help that it takes approximately zero point two seconds to break into the car using a license plate (not kidding--well, it took the guy all of 10 seconds to break into mine with his license plate when I locked myself out of it).

Worth finding out what a specific model costs to insure when you start considering it. It can vary a good bit, and usually for reasons like the above.

 

Ah yes that is a great point. I totally forgot about that. I was in the market for a 01 Type-R but got the MINI instead because I couldn't get a loan on it due to the # of them stolen. Still may be worth a look at though, if your in a good area. My old 95 never got hit, but my neighbors 96 was stolen 3 times down in L.A.

 

I might add that if you're wanting something that is a little off-beat, fun to drive, reliable and easy to work on don't overlook a Mazda Miata. They are incredible handling little roadsters. I've owned two of them and were it not for the MINI I'd probably be driving one now.

 

I totally agree with the advice of your uncle, but if you can find a Mini non S adult driven with full service records and no damage history you may be OK.


Whapp makes a great suggestion, I know a lot of people who buy older Mazda Miata's and turn them into weekend track cars because they are so much fun to drive. They are very reliable as a daily driver, parts are reasonable and the sky is the limit on tricking them out if you decide to.


A lot of people don't realize the Mazda (MX5) is ranked as the number one selling roadster in the UK and the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car. It should not be hard to find a very nice low mileage car in your price range.


http://www.gizmag.com/mazda-mx-5-bes...ll-time/17783/

 

I need to get in contact with my insurance company, Liberty Mutual, and find out about insurance costs. My parents will be paying for insurance for the first few years.

As of right now, I'm leaning toward Hondas and Mazdas. I will most likely test drive a Civic, Accord, Mazda 3, and, possibly, a Miata , although those are pretty small.

You guys have been a great help so far, I will keep you updated within the next 5 weeks !

Thanks again for the help!

 

Hey guys, got a couple of questions.

First is, what do you guys know about the 06+ generation of the Volkswagen Jetta? I really like the design of that car, and my neighbors have a grey one with a 5-speed. They really enjoy their car. What do you guys know about the reliability of this car? I have found a couple of deals for $6-7k for this model. My understanding is that Volkswagen has greatly improved in reliability in this year but I have no evidence really.

Second, my cousin was talking to his mechanic about a new car (he was in the market for one), and his mechanic said to stay away from the Mazda 3. They said that the car had a common problem of the computer getting damaged from rain weather. They said it's an inexpensive fix but may happen a lot if you live somewhere where it rains a lot. Do you guys know anything about this? I've done a little research and couldn't really find anything. It'd be a shame because I really like that car :(.

And finally, what do you guys know about remote starters? It gets really cold where I live and it would be very nice to be able to start my car 5 or so min early for warm up . However, I will be getting a standard transmission. Is it possible to install one for a standard transmission? And is it really worth the price? My friend got one for $180.

Thanks again guys for the help !

 

Regarding your first two questions I would suggest looking at the various VW and Mazda forums. They have enthusiast forums similar to this one and a wider audience to answer those inquiries. PM me if you want me to send you some links.

Regarding remote starters. I would recommend against them. My single experience with an aftermarket remote starter, albeit 10 years ago, was not good. Maybe they are better now but it just adds electronic complexity to any older car you are considering buying. My suggestion is keep your first car simple. The fewer electronics the better. Besides, you're young (I think) and need to experience all wonderful aspects of car ownership - including freezing you &$# off - it will toughen you up for when you have to change your first flat tire in a blizzard

Other cars commonly available with manual transmission you might want to look at, with good reliability records, include Toyota Corolla's, all Scion models and Hyundai Accent's. The Scion's even have "character".

Also, it is quite common that many of the cars you will be in the market for have a belt driven overhead camshaft. These typically have to be replaced in the 50-60K mile range and can be somewhat expensive (shop labor) to do. So ask the question if that maintenance has been performed. You do NOT want to have that belt break.

 

It's not uncommon for VW TDI's (turbo diesels) to run reliably in excess of 350,000 miles with proper maintenance.

 

Yeah that's what I thought about remote starters. Oh well, maybe another car.

I will definitely take a look at Scion's. However, maybe I'm too sensitive lol, but I always found the older Toyota's to be a little bland as far as styling goes. The Accent's not too bad but a little cheap IMO.

And I thought that timing belts needed to be replaced every 100k miles? That is definitely something I will look out for.