I'm looking to buy a mini cooper, but unsure whether to go with the cooperS or JCW and year I should get. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on specific models to look at, or the S vs. JCW?

 

I would imagine the most helpful answer would depend upon knowing your budget and driving style.

Motoringfile has a great 1st gen buyers' guide, tho:
http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

 

Ditto. It all depends on how much power you want. My '05 S is a dream for me... for others a Cooper suits them fine. A friend of mine has the JCW and he cmes from M5 BMW land... he LOVES his JCW.

 

If your sticking with gen1, you probably want at least an '05, better an '06. Reg S or JCW it depends on how much power you want and how deep your pocketbook is. Or go for gen2 2010 JCW, spend it you can't take it with you!

 

An S or JCW with 6 speed manual are both very fun cars.

Get an '06 if at all possible that is still under warranty. Then take it to the nearest MINI dealer and have them check the clutch for chewbacca type noises that occur when the temps are cool, and the thermostat housing for leaks, and that the radiator cooling fan works properly on low speed and that the oil pan is not leaking.

Then, IMO, you'll have the best.

 

In the next coming months i'm hoping to be able to buy a used mini cooper. I don't care if it is an S or not but i need it to be reliable. I want to get a manual. I don't want to spend more than $12. Can someone give me some ideas on what to look for? Is generation 2 much better than the first? I'm wondering if i should wait a year or so before buying. I've been reading a lot of horror stories about people spending thousans of dollars on repair for transmisions,cooling etc. I'm not used to doing that. I haven't spent more than 1 thousand in total on my $4,000 (1995 altima) car in 7 years...

 

I'm looking at some mini cooper that are damaged and have a salvage title. There are some mini coopers with low miles that have low flood damage and are selling for about $7000. They say that the cars run and drive. Any ideas?thanks.

 

Get the best you can afford. It is always a trade off in years/mileage/features. You have to find a combination that works for you.



These two statements don't really go together. Flood damage can mean odd electrical issues, from annoying things to total failure of major things. There may be corrosion issues on just about anything to name a few things. It also could be a non-issue. I once got a flood car for free after is sat for months. I replaced battery, rotors and calipers (junk yard parts) and just drove it for a couple years with no problems. Sold if to a buddy for my parts cost $300 bucks.

It doesn't sound like you will be comfortable in a situation troubleshooting and doing whatever it takes to fix all the problems that may (or may not) show up.

Get a budget, keep reading up and looking and you will slowly get a good feel for what is a value and what isn't. I would consider a private seller with lots of reciepts for the repairs you find most common.

 

HRM I don't mind fixing minor things like breaks,alternators etc but if it is a major issue than i wouldn't be able to fix. thanks for the reply.