Hi folks

Need your input. I have never bought a used car, always new and then kept it forever.... so I have fears of 'used'.... In Rhode Island, and the Mini is North @ 1 hour away...

I have not seen the vehicle yet, only had a few email exchanges with the dealer. ( Euro-ENG.com).
http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-...sting=89245881

It's a 2007 Mini 'S' hatchback, 6 speed manual, two owners. It's listed as having @ 22,468 miles. ( I'm very skeptical of that... should I be?). Listing says he's had it for only @ 14 days or so. Their warranty is 90 days/3,750 miles. Two door hatchback, and listed as 'engine 14'...?

Listed as asking $13,900. This morning a lady at a local credit union said the blue or red book (? duh...) listed it as value @ $10,900.

I bought a VIN report on it a few minutes ago...
* original title form CA, issued 8/3/2007, 14 miles
* second... Washington, issued 6/7/2008 with 3,915 miles
* and now in Massachusetts.........
* no brand, junk, or salvage records

What are your initial thoughts?

Thanks for input...

 

There is a chance it could be good, but based on the history of the N14, the fact of how many times it's moved and the low mileage, it does seem suspicious. Blue book should be higher than 10k though, my 08 blue books around 13.5k with 55k miles. Just look at it very carefully an check for oil leaks. You are taking a risk buying it, but if it was me I would chance it. However I'm not afraid of doing to little fixing myself...

Now "engine 14" could just be a reference to it being an N14 engine, or possibly the engine was replaced this year.

 

Here's the car fax from the dealer website......
http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...MF73547TL84919

edit... Dang it.... the 2007 and before had the older engine.... the change was in 2008, correct? DAMN...........

 

It looks very clean. I think I would do it. Like I said check for oil leaks and listen for timing chain noise. The engine will be a little noisy because of the direct injection but if it sounds way too loud it may be a timing chain issue.

 

Agree the value is low for some reason. I'm selling my 2007 with 86k miles and NADA gave me a higher value than that. I'm advising anyone interested in buying mine to test drive it and when serious about buying, we can visit a mechanic to confirm its a STUD!

 

2007 S is probably the most problematic model there is. It's the first year of the Turbo N14 and has timing chain, thermostat housing, valves that get gummed up.

2006 S was the last super charged model, then 2011 came the N18 which so far has not had as many issues.

 

Thanks for that info.... crucial...

I guess I'll continue looking.

 

True on the '07 being the first year of R56 (2nd gen MCS) with N14 engine.
However, timing chain, thermostat, carbon build-up on the valves, leaking water pump, leaking oil filter housing, leaking oil turbo line - all are ongoing problems with all R56 cars, not just '07.

There is a hope that '11+ R56 cars with N18 engine will have less egregious carbon build-up (due to redesigned PCV valves), but by all accounts, other issues are starting to creep up on N18 engines as mileage adds up above 56K.

To OP - I would make an effort to search for an N18-engined car if I were you. They may cost more, but N14s have far too many issues and are all out of warranty by this time

a

'08 MCS with N14 engine. Replaced at 56K miles due to blown exhaust valves.

 

If you can do your own maintenance then this is a good car for you. Buy it and don't read the rest of what I wrote.

Just realize if you plan on going to the dealer to have maintenance performed it will co$t you a lot of money. If you have a thick wallet, then this is not a problem. For most owners, once they get burned at the dealer, they never go back (except for goodwill or warranty work).

Perhaps there is an independent mechanic or small shop that works on MINI in your area...I would research this before I buy.

 

Why did you replace an entire engine for a valve problem? Wouldn't it be much cheaper to replace the valves and fix the seats?

 

Great post... thx so much for info.............

 

I am the OPPOSITE of handy. I have chatted a few times w/ a guy I see at the local Panera Bread who has an older Mini and works on it himself... I will chat him up to at least come w/ me when I see a Mini, and maybe after to be my mechanic... that would be great...

 

Cool...I hope it works out for you, he would be exactly what you need if you buy an 07 S model - a mechanic. Plus, he could be your second set of eyes when you look at it at the dealer.

Also, the CarFax looks good. A lot of people buy these things for weekend cars and this could be the case here. And be advised that even though there are Bluetooth buttons (as depicted in the photo) on the steering wheel, they may not work. The buttons were standard; Bluetooth was an option.
Good luck to you.

...and MINIs are a blast to drive!

 

7 years old, 22468 miles and third title? Nobody intentionally gets rid of a car with 3915 miles, unless the move or it was a repo. Get the CarFax.

 

SOMEONE is not reading every post in this thread.... J/K... It's listed above....

 

Appearently not.

 

I'm email exchanging w/ a guy selling his 2008... does that mean it has the newer N18 engine? He doesn't know, but gave me this "MA060 ENG" info... does that help identify it?

Cooper S, hatch, 6 speed, 38,500 miles, asking $13,500, new timing chain in '13 per recall.... has red interior though.... :(

 

I'm literally just pasting this response I posted in another thread ..

I always love seeing people cry, "stay away from 07-08 MCS!"

Well .. my 07 MCS is approacing 63k miles and the only major mechanical issue I have had to date is replacement of the mechanical water pump. However, this was covered under my extended warranty. Other than that, the only thing I have spent out of pocket for (other than regular maintenance) is the dreaded $450 carbon-cleaning.

Just do your research, and make sure you get an extended warranty .. just in case. To me, it sounds like a clean vehicle. BUT .. then the other part of me wonders why it has such low mileage for being a 7 year old car. In hindsight, I live in FL and a lot of older folks drive MINI's .. so maybe they were retired and just didn't drive it much?

Test drive it. Everyone says pull CarFax, but carfax only shows the stuff that was reported, not the stuff that possibly wasn't.

I know some people have crappy luck with their cars, but if you're buying used, that's at your discretion. You don't know how it was maintained or driven prior to your ownership and that is a chance anyone takes with any used vehicle. I took the chance and I don't regret it at all.

I too, would've loved a newer MINI, but for the price I paid and the options my MINI came with, it was a price I couldn't be and I didn't waste time signing papers. To each their own.

 

Okay here is what we know about the 2007 Mini Cooper S - VIN: WMWMF73547TL84919

February 2007 - The car is at a dealer in The Woodlands, TX.

June 2007 - The car is now at a dealer in San Francisco, CA.

Owner #1 - Bought it new and might have had it shipped from The Woodlands, TX to San Francisco, CA. This owner broke the sunroof and we think he/she had the repo man visit when the car had 3,894 miles on it.

Owner #2 - We assume the owner was an old geezer who lived in the Seattle, WA area and didn't drive the car very much. This is plausible because I've got a neighbor who fits into this category...an old fart who only drives his MINI when the weather is good, and I live in Wisconsin.

June 2014 - The car ends up in Massachusetts with 22,350 on the odometer.

Owner #3. (possibly dfwallace48)

He realizes that it's a ticking time-bomb, but he has a buddy that he met at Panera Bread and he will do the repairs for him.

We all know that the 2007 - 2010 MINI Cooper S is problematic, but dfwallace48 feels the need for speed.

Hey when I bought my 2008 MINI Cooper S -- new from the dealer, I was warned by several people beforehand to avoid MINI, because of all the problems with the 2001 to 2006 R50 Mini Cooper CVT. I bought one anyway, and yes I had some problems and on one occasion I told a MINI service adviser where to go, and never returned to the dealer again. But, I had a lot of fun and the incident at the dealer forced me to find alternative repair shops that work on MINI.

Like Mr. T would say: I pity the fool...

To dfwallace48: The car has low miles and you know what you're getting yourself into...buy the damn thing and enjoy life!

 

I guess I called this one. Who has their car repossessed at 3,894 miles? I pity the fool.

 

Not all gen 2 cars are bad. It all depends.

So what if it was repo'd. What does that matter? Could have been a deadbeat, could have been a owner that had a tragedy in their life (national financial crisis began in 2008) and lost the car.

In my opinion the correct response for a first time buyer is to advise that MINIs are not appliances. They are not like Toyotas or Hondas. They take care and feeding and an owner that is engaged. Being able to work on your own car can save you some money but at some point you may need to have the car at a dealership which is not cheap out of warranty or at an independant MINI repair shop which is cheaper but not free.

I've owned both a Gen 1 and a Gen 2 car and I would not advise anyone to make the purchase without getting a purchase inspection done at a MINI dealer or MINI shop. Its worth the price before you invest $10k or more on a car to know what problems you may be facing.

 

Could have been they didn't pay their car payment.

 

Dfwallace48,

What is up?

 

Profound!

 

This is the one I'm currently considering...
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...0527/overview/

2008 'S', 38k miles, asking $13,500.

This is not easy, as I've never bought a used car, always new and kept forever....