Hi, I am looking at buying a 2008 Mini with this in the description. Any ideas what it might mean or be?
" Sometimes has a CEL that comes on with a rough idle, but goes away after a while. We're not sure what it is, mechanic says an exhaust valve leak or something? Most of the time it'll run fine, but other times it'll idle roughly and throw the light on and after a while settle down again and the light will go away."
Thanks.

 

Ask seller what the CEL code is as it could be 100 diff things depending the year of the car, and if the "mechanic" has no experience with the brand add another 50...

 

Thanks. I edited to show the year; 2008. The person selling it is selling it for his girlfriend and has no idea about codes I think.
Warren

 

With the abysmal track record of the N14 engine, I'd walk away and keep looking for a '05 or '06 or a much later model. The '07, '08 are notorious, there has been a successful lawsuit regarding those year model engines.
There have even been a couple of recent posts on this forum about folks buying one and shortly after, experiencing catastrophic engine failure.

 

Good advice. Even if I buy it for resale, I don't want to have this happening to a car I sell.
Thanks, Warren