Hey there my fellow fanatics, I haven't been on the forum for a while since I returned my leased r56 JAC and bought a 2001 325ci which i just sold! I have been looking for a new car for 2 weeks now and I cant keep my mind of getting a MINI.

I am in between leasing a 2010 JAC for 39 months spending about 9k all in all OR getting a super clean 2002 COOPER S with 77k miles. Im leaning towards the S more because obviously its an S, and for big savings.

Since I never read about r53's I dont know how reliable they are and what problems to look for before buying. What i can tell you about the S i found is that its a first owner car with 77k miles,i don't think its been abused since it is an older male owner, who doesn't drive it much. Paint is in mint condition, no visible problems t all!

I was hoping you all could tell me if an S with this many miles is reliable. Are there any common problems with these earlier models i should look for? What would be considered a good price for a car like this? Also is this a good fist manual car to learn on ?

BTW, there was a weird rubbing sound coming from the dash area when turning the steering wheel. Any info on that ?
Another thing the drivers seat's back rest moves back and forth a bit is that a fixable problem ?

Sorry im rushing through this i just need the info ASAP so i can know if i should buy it.

Thanks You
-Vic

 

Is all this happening as the car body flexes during turns or braking ? Check to be sure the seats are locked back. Also make sure the dash is installed properly. Could just be the previous owner had some mods including a back seat delete and they were just re-installed improperly.

Carfax....and have someone examine the car on a lift before purchasing. May be a few bucks but better off down the road.....

I know by the time 77K miles came for my 03' MCS, tons of parts were replaced. So you may not be looking at as much repairs say if it had 40K miles....

I even had concerns with respect to my Supercharger. Found a JCW version new. Upon examining the old one, it was found to be in pristine condtion, gears were perfect, and plenty of lube.

Good luck.

 

n o the movement is always there in the seats.
But im just worried if im getting a good deal for the mileage.... what is a good asking price for a MINI like this ?

 

i just got an 03 cooper s with 76k miles for $10,000 and it was in pretty good shape, good luck