always loved the look of the mini.
and with a recent promotion and having obtained my license i have decided to purchase my first car, and a mini is what i want. i am by no means rich or even remotely well off, but i live cheep and have an excess of $.
I'm just looking for some feedback/support regarding purchasing a used or new mini, or corrections and clarification an some of my observations

::

Dark silver w/black roof and mirrors is sexy(only avail on MCS?).
Pepper white is the next sexiest
a Mini shouldnever have an automatic transmission.

From some moderate research it seems that 2002-2004 MC and MCS have some rather major transmission/clutch issues with fairly low odometer, and that replacement or repair seems to cost between $2000-7000 and will happen more then once in the lifetime of the vehicle.
it seems that i can not be comfortable purchasing anything older then 2005?

I am not a car enthusiast (yet), but can see myself spending alot of time with my vehicle. Eventhough Horsepower, speed and all that junk are not a big deal to me, Would purchasing a 2005+MCS over a 2005+ base model be worth the $ difference, in regards to reliability, looks, and funfactor
I am leaning towards an MCS even though its more expensive( i need justification however)

A small car that is often driven fairly harshly or not cared for properly.
when buying a used Mini(or any vehicle) what kind of things should i look for?
low km's? tire tread? cleanliness in, out, under and all around?
if someone is trying to sell a mini cooper used they have to have some reason that its not worth keeping right? how can you ask the previous owner how they drove the car without them just giving you some BS answer they know you want to hear?

searching used Mini's online seems to always turn up with mini's that are fully loaded with a bunch of extra doodads that no one really needs, and can be found better for a lesser price outside of the dealership..
i don't need extrachrome,fancy leather interior, convertible, fancy stripes, special headlights, heated seats, special radio, or a cd changer and better speakers.

And from a buyers perspective what would be a reasonable price for a used either 2005+MCS or 2005+MC, knowing that the odometer would make a big difference i would not expect a 2005 to have any more then 60,000km's without a significant price reduction.

::

last thing.
anyone on these boards know of or have a mini for sale that you think might fit what i would be looking for?
any and all feedback is greatly apreciated.

crap i always make posts long and formating is always crazy.

 

Yep, long post, I'll try to answer some of your queries in order.
Dark Silver is exclusive to the MCS.
'02 to '04 MC's have the Midlands gearbox which has a somewhat fragile reputation. '05 and '06 MC's have the Getrag, which is reputed to be more reliable, however, a friend had an '05 and it required the gearbox changed, not once, but twice.
My '04 MC has almost 70,000 km so far and the Midlands 5-speed is holding up fine, although it does not like to be rushed, so speed shifters beware.
Is an '05 MCS a better bet than an '05 MC? Maybe. If the MCS had few options, and the MC had many, lessening the value gap, then the MCS may be a better value - depends on how many toys you want.
My Cooper is a Classic model, so the options list is virtually non-existent, but I have never felt the car lacking. You may consider a new Classic if budget permits.
Back to the MCS, the '02 to '06 models are supercharged and have a very nice combination of intake, supercharger whine, and exhaust noise resulting in a very visceral driving experience. The car sounds like it is actually going faster than it really is, they really do sound fantastic. The supercharger is relatively inefficient however, as it is always borrowing power from the engine crank, even when you are not deep in the throttle.
As a result the fuel economy suffers compared to the MC.
My Cooper easily gets 37 mpg in the city, even if some of the driving has been flogging it. (in comparison the '07 MCS is turbocharged and much closer in fuel efficiency to the MC)
MCS's from '05 to '06 had revised gear ratios over previous model years resulting in better performance from a standing start.
When looking at a used MINI, insist on full service records - if the Owner cannot provide, you may be able to find out the service record of the vehicle from the dealer if you have the VIN.
People sell cars for all sorts of reasons, maybe they trade "up" to a larger car, or in my case, I will likely order a new MINI, as my Son wants to buy mine!
Regardless which MINI you end up with, this car will turn you into a driving enthusiast, it's not possible to drive these without smiling.
Good luck in your search.

 

Thank you for the outstanding reply.
Im' just hoping i can find a pepper white MC
or a Darksilver with black roof MCS
for a resonable price, with as few accesorized toys possible.

 

I am selling one in Edmonton Alberta. MCS 6spd. electric blue with black top, it has climate control and heated seats. 28k original Alberta car with warranty remaining. The car is in mint shape with no dings, dents, or ware to the interior. 100% stock, FIRST $21,000.00 takes the car home, need the money and have too many cars. My cell number is 780-709-5060 if anyone has questions or would like to come down and look at it. Or just pm me your e-mail for pictures of the car. At this price i dont think it will last long. THANKS

 

Here is and link for car in alberta..

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/f-mini-coop...ZminiQ20cooper

good luck


MC 2

 

well i looked around a bit at adds, and prices. found out how incredibly stupid insurance is gonna be since I'm under 25. became very put off but the fact that insurance for the next 2 years will cost as much as a third to Half of the cars cost.
then i decided that i want a mini NOW!!.
Needs to be Pepper White
need to be 2005+ if used
or(if one exists)2007+ new
buying used gets me a shorter waranty if any, and Km's on the car. and fewere financing options. but there would be added bonuses of options (Wich i dotn want anyway) at a lower cost.cant ever be shure how the car was driven.
buying new costs quite a bit more, might have to wait for the car. insurance will likely be higher.buying a new mini in canada gets me $1000 rebate from the government( likely that dealership will try and use this to get them more money), newer model has better MPG. exact build/color i want. Full warranty, and all Km's put on car will be mine( aside from the few).will Know exactly how the car is driven cause Ill be the one doing it.

i would like to buy new
So ...
better MPG,
$1000rebate
full warranty
Color
knowing where the car has been
and Minimalist options(yes this is a plus for me)

have to make up for the $4-5000 in negatives
slight increase in insurance
all the extra crap the dealership charges for that they dont advertise
including GST
haggling(if its even possible in a mini dealership in alberta)
a possible wait

will be calling a few Albertans early next week, and have already called Edmonton mini, they have a Pepperwhite cooper on the lot....

my head hurts from thinking :/
but i just may be a mini owner next week.
then i just have to get a license...

 

As you say you don't want a lot of options. The reason most Mini's are options up is once you get a Mini you don't want to see another one just like yours. It's called Modding fever and there is no cure.

 

Well, i adventured into Edmonton yesterday.
~28,000 icluding Gst
For a base 08cooper, no options
this is Msrp price + all teh other crap.

Would i be realistic in thinking i should be able to haggle this down a little
given they did in fact have about 30 Mini's on the lot all 2008's, and 2009 is gonna be coming up fairly soon?
i would also recieve teh $1000 eco-rebate from the gov, after purchase.

Sales guy said Wait list to factory order is aprox 2 months.
two months of added savings would be at least another 2k for a down payment. time to practice manual trans a little more.