Hey everyone!

I purchased a new 2006 MC this past March. Since the moment we drove it, she wanted one for herself. Well, we decided that it might be best to look for a used MC or MCS to add to the "family".

My question is...Which model year had the "least" amount of problems? I'm assuming the 2006 model year was pretty good, since it was the last of the 'original' models, but yea.

Has anyone had any problems with a particular build? Or any other advice?

Thanks much everyone!

 

I wouldn't go lower than an 05. The 05-06 has lower gears, projector lights, tail lights, and tons of other small stuff. When I bought mine I had no idea there was a difference between 02 to 06

 

Agreed.

 

I agree with everything stated above. Plus the 05's will have plenty of warranty left on the clock, if not on the odometer.

 

Abosolutely LOVE my '05 MCS... but my warranty is GONE. 55,000 miles as of yesterday's commute to work. I ended up putting $1,972.00 into my motoring love for:

* Right outer tie rod play (probably a pot hole) - found during my safety inspection here in NY (replaced)
* Alignment after tie rod replacement
* Leaking oil pan gasket (replaced)
* Right side motor mount leaking (replaced)
* Power steering fan seized up (replaced)
* 55,000 mile service

They gave me a 2007 MC loaner and I wasn't impressed... but it WAS a MINI. :-)

At least my MINI's motoring well now.

 

I'd get an 03 cause that's what I have and I love it.

 

Heck, until I bought mine a while back, I thought a Cooper was a Cooper. I knew the difference between an MCS and MC, but didn't know there was a lot of difference in model years, until buying one.

If you can find one, I'd recommend a late production year 2006 MCS (built in the last 1/3 of 2006). I have one and really like it. There are differences between the MCS cars built in the first 2/3 of 06, and the last few months of production. I know that mine has the 07 brake system which is suppose to be better (larger rotors, calipers, etc). There are some other differences, but due to CRS I can't remember what they all are at this time.

Maybe someone who is up on the differences can chime in.

The only thing I would be aware of and avoid is the problematic CVT transmissions in the MC models.

 

As always I think a big part of it is sheer luck, some people have cars with issues and others not so much even if off same production line. That said I would avoid the CVT as mentioned already, and the earlier MC manual tranny that proved to have quite a few problems. I prefer the post Jan 05 R53s as they did make some changes then (like the advanced airbags, blk headliner, a variety of things).

(I vaguely recall a mention of a change in the paint in late production to current perhaps, I think for the worse - couldn't hurt to look into..)

Cheers

 

03 MCS FTW!

 

I agree, but i also wonder if the problem may be severely overstated. I was taking about this with my SA today and he said he actually has seen few tranny problems. I also know folks who went through several Getrags. Point is, I'm not sure we have all the facts, especially on the Midlands.

 

I quite enjoy having an early build '03 MCS. No problems that weren't caused by, uh, me I guess.

 

If you can afford it, I'd go 05 or 06.

 

i think for mcs, '03+ are all good. i'm not aware of any huge issues even w/ '02's in the mcs. '05+ are good 'cuz you can get lsd on them but they're somewhat rare. the exhaust pops more on the '05s and they feel faster 'cuz of the gearing change

for the mc i think the pre-'05 cars w/ the midland manual tranny are problematic and need to be avoided. some o-ring or gasket or seal can't stand cold weather and like to leak out all the fluids. the later cars (or earlier cars w/ failed tranny replaced) w/ getrag tranny are good. so if you pick up an mc, probably should get an '05+, altho something about that complicated pre-'05 mc bumper really catches my fancy

 

Strange, nobody recommends an '07?

 

We're not in that forum??

 

05-06. BUT! If you want to gat a Cabriolet, they're actually still the same up through 07 so far.

 

MC 04 +. I have a January 2003 build MC. While I love her, I have had quite a few problems....still you could not pay me enough to trade her in.

 

Thanks for all the great info so far! We will probably start looking for our 'second' MINI in about 6 months...But I will start to check pricing here shortly!

Glad to see that even with some 'problems' no one seems too eager to trade 'em in !

 

I've always leaned toward the last year of stuff like cars and trucks because the engineers have had a chance to work out the bugs. So far it's worked well with 2 cars lasting over 300K and one making it past 200. Turned over 30K on the 2006 MCS last month....tick...tick...tick...