Hi Everyone,

This is my first post in quite a while, I guess I've been having too much fun motoring . I purchased a new 2006 MCS (R53) for my wife as her daily driver. We both love the car and it has given us 48K trouble-free miles. However the car is now out of warranty and I am concerned about some costly repairs that may be in my future if we keep this car.

We currently are eyeing a 2011 MCS and we test drove one today. I am doing some research on the forums. I have read quite a few of the threads in the R56 forums about owners experiencing problems with the turbocharged engines and it is making me think twice. I am reading about HPFP Issues, engine sludge, cold start problems, recall requests etc. I really don't want to wind up buying a car that will need to be continually be taken to the dealer for repairs (well honestly who does). I guess I am wanting to hear from 2010-2011 MCS owners to get their opinion on their cars and their reliability.

I am wondering if I am better off taking my chances keeping my R53, as I seem to have a good vehicle that has been very reliable. Especially if the prevailing opinion is that the R56 Turbocharged engine is not very reliable.

I am not interested in starting any controversial debates, just want honest opinions so I can make a better decison. Feel free to PM me if you are not comfortable posting. Thanks in advance.

 

I guess you have to weigh the importance of warranty coverage (new car) against possible out-of-pocket repairs (old car). It's a gamble no matter how you look at it. For me, cars are always emotional purchases....maybe "emotional" is a bit dramatic....but I get the itch for a new car and I always seem to end up justifying the purchase.

Anyway, regarding the dependability of the current model...keep in mind that for every complaint or horrible experience you read about here on the forum, there are hundreds or thousands of others that are functioning perfectly. There are some known issues with the turbo engines, but there were known issues with the previous generation cars as well (i.e. power steering pumps, water pump housings, motor mounts, transmissions, etc.)

Personally, I've experienced the cold-start rattle issue with my '08 MCS but had it resolved under warranty successfully last year. Other than that, the car has been great and is a daily driver....just turned over 30K miles (22K of that in the last 11 months!) . Just like this car, my R50 cooper that I drove for a few years had it's share of little quirks that had to be resolved when I first got it, but it was a dependable car as well.

I too have read about the HPFP issues that some are experiencing, but have not personally had any issues in that regard. BMW did extend the warranty coverage for that issue as I recall...I received the notice in the mail, but cannot remember how much longer the coverage was extended....but it is a significant amount of time (years). That should ease your mind on that possible issue.

If you really have the itch for a new car, keep in mind that the R56 has been out for a number of years now....the platform seem to be holding value and appears to be just as dependable as the first gen cars were from what I can tell. There are some things that I miss about my gen1 Cooper, but the performance of my '08 is just fantastic, which makes up for what I miss.

That said, there's something to be said about keeping a car that has served you well and is not all that old....and is paid off (or nearly so). Remember, no car payment = money in your pocket for repairs that may arise. The '06 R53 is a great car....seems like most of the bugs were worked out by the end of the gen1 cars.

I think the same is probably true of the 2011 R56....it's the fifth year of the gen2 platform, so you'd think that most of the bugs would be worked out by now....

See, there I go trying to justify a new car purchase for you now!

Just some food for thought. Good luck on your decision!

 

If the car is paid off, keep it until you start to have issues IMO. I think it would be hard to jump into a car payment if your current paid car is giving you absolutely no trouble. If it does start to give you trouble, then maybe think about trading up. Just my two cents. Good luck with your decision!

 

My 2009 JCW has been flawless for the past 18,000 + miles. I have not spoken to anyone with a newer Mini that has had any problems at all. At 48,000 miles your R53 still has some value. Get 75/80 thousand miles and the car will be not worth trading in.

 

I have little to no problems with my 07 MCS. I did here the death rattle yesterday morning but it cleared right up. Also I have a self induced dash rattle from so modification I did. The r56 is very reliable and a great car and so is the r53. Some people have problems and ***** about it here and over reacting. The known issues have been the cold start, hpfp, clutch, oil consumption and some other verious ones. The r53 as much as people want to say is the best MINI has its list of problems and to me the biggest one is the oil pan gasket crapping out. It is only a $20 part but it is going to cost you $800 in labor because they have toremove half the engine to get to it. But fear not you will be ok just make sure that you are setting aside moneys for repairs becasue eventually it doesn't matter what you own it will need to be repaired.

 

My 2009 Clubby has been bulletproof as well (I had an '03 JCW that was problem free that I sold to get it). I had the tensioner replaced at about 3k and since then have had no issues - I now have close to 30K on it.

That said, I think the best thing you can do is go drive a new one and decide for yourself - they are a little different than the gen 1 cars - you may or may not like the changes that were made. Try to get your dealer to loan you one for the weekend so you have enought time to really evaluate it on the roads you drive - that's the only real way to make a comparison.

As one poster said above, your car will never be worth more in trade than it is right now.

The other side of the coin is that it's far less expensive (even if you have to do major repairs) to keep what you have than to buy a new one.

 

My personal experience was an 06 MCS and now an 11 MCCs. In each case, it's the 5th year of the given generation of car (well, fourth year of Clubmans, but 5th of Gen2) and I do think you benefit from kinks being worked out in previous years. I understand the HPFP and cold start and such to have been resolved in the 10 models, but I say that from owning my 11 for only a few weeks, so really, I can't speak from any expertise, just what I've read. But I CAN say that the 11 model year refresh is VERY nice, and I'm loving the hell out of my Clubman S. I am adapting to two differences between the vehicles vs your one difference, ie. Im comparing first gen to second gen AND coupe to Clubman. But overall, while I miss some aspects of my R53 (ie. I prefer supercharger, 1st gen aero kit and the original suspension) in almost every other aspect, I love the new one more. I'm also one who feels more comfortable when the primary family car is under warranty. If and when I have more than one vehicle, I'd be more than happy to have one be older and the primary, ie. the one my wife and child are in, be newish. I used to drive an old Karmann Ghia and loved it to death, but the reality of the prioritization of having ONE car only, but traveling greater distances on a regular basis with my family relying on it made it unsuitable. As a second car it'd have been perfect.

So I say, go DRIVE that new 11 MCS, and if you gut pushes you one direction or the other, go nuts!

 

When my R50 started making noises at 52K, that was my hint to make a trade. So far it had only cost me $100 from a new battery, but I knew it was coming up on needing brakes, complete fluid changes and a fix for whatever that noise was! At this point, I was still very happy with my trade in value.

Granted, I have only had my R56 for 36 hours, but I love knowing that I have a warranty standing behind me again. (plus that .9% financing was a deal maker)

 

Thanks to everyone for all the replies and advice. We went ahead and traded in our beloved R53 for a 2011 R56. We brought the new one home today (as was mentioned the 0.9% APR was a good deal). I agree with many of the observations posted above and I will miss the R53's suspension, wonderful supercharger whine and cockpit chrono package. I am happy to have my wife driving a new car that is covered by warranty & roadside assistance especially when I am away on business travel. I hope this Mini will prove to be as reliable as the R53. I will post some pics of the new R56 soon. Thanks again!

 

Congrats on the new car! Enjoy!

 

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

I second that! I have'nt heard any complaints yet, and I talk to a lot of MINI owners on a daily basis. Congrats on your new MINI!! you'll love the 11, pretty cool new features!

 

Sorry, put the pics in my gallery...a little slow in getting them in the thread. Here they are (Hope this works):

 

Great choice!! I love those wheels too!

 

RG/RG? Please spell out

 

If i'm not mistaken, I think that means royal grey on royal grey (roof and body matching).

 

Thanks! Those wheels are my favorite for that color.

Yes you are correct, I do still need to update my signature as it is still referring to my old R53 Mini, which was Royal Grey (Body & Roof). I am just wating for a sunny day so I can get a better pic for my sig.

 

Pretty women in mini's while im at work in awesome brown... today will be a good day...

 

One issue to be aware of with the direct injection engine is the buildup of carbon deposits on the intake valves. And MINI isn't the only car manufacturer seeing this issue. For their part, MINI (or at least my nearest dealership) began recommending a carbon cleaning service every 15,000 miles... but it's not covered by the maintenance plan.

There's a lot of info on the issue over in the stock problems/issues forum, and presently there is some speculation that issue may have been addressed with the 2011 refresh (but so far this is just speculation based on little more than photos of the engine bay showing a different valve cover).

Not to make you second-guess your new car (the 2011 MCS is very nice, and if it weren't for the forthcoming roadster I might be more tempted myself... though I'd jump in a heart beat if that girl in the photo came with it!), but it's better to be aware of the carbon buildup issue and be able to manage it from the outset rather than wait for it to become a serious issue.

 

Good Luck, I hope your new car is as relilabe as the old one!!
+1 on the carbon issues on the DI motors, but seafoam seems like a comparatively easy fix...so enjoy!! The new gadgets and the better MPG on the 11's are nice, but you are now back to "afraid to mod so you don't void your warrenty!".