I am going to go look at a Mini this weekend to purchase. I have been reading through all these threads and my head is spinning. It is a 2007 Cooper S manual w/ about 45K on it. Other then the clutch, what should I be looking for. This would be my first Mini. I have wanted a Mini since they came out and if all the stars align this could be feasible but I also don't want to get screwed.

Thanks Pete

 

Take your time and find a well-maintained car; otherwise, you can spend a small fortune on neglected or abused cars. The best advice for anyone buying a used car is to have a qualified mechanic inspect it. This means either a MINI dealer or MINI independent. It will cost somewhere around $50 to $100. All the best in your MINI hunting.

 

It might help us help you if you give us the pricing you're going to be bargaining with. What kind of dealer. Photos will be helpful specially the engine bay, many here can spot a mod/s or ones that had been taken off.

 

MCSfanboy gave you the best advice, have it checked out by a qualified technician, pay a little upfront and maybe avoid a big buck problem down the road. Of course you also have to like it and don't get paniced into buying something you don't want.

 

The car is at a local Nissan dealer. A good friend of mine is Parts & Service Director there. We used to work together at a different dealership where I was the parts manger and he was service manager. He told me they did a used car inspection on it. But I'm guessing this is the first Mini his tech has ever checked out. The bad thing is, there is only one Mini dealer in the Cleveland area and it is about a hour and 15 minutes away. I trust the judgement of my buddy but didn't know if there are any common issues they may not notice because of lack of experience working on them.

They are asking $14,500 for it. It all depends on what they would give me for my trade-in. I have a newer truck but I am switching jobs and going from a 20 min drive everyday to close to a hour. At 14-16 mpg on my truck I will be losing money.

 

For an '07 I would recommend you find out whether it had its last full service maintenance before the "Free Scheduled Maintenence" plan ran out. This service expire at 36,000 miles. If it didn't I would negotiate having the dealer agree to have it serviced at a Mini dealer prior to buying it or have them prove it had the maintenence. Not that anything goes wrong at 36,000 miles just as peace of mind for you and it was free. I have a 2008 with 51,000 miles and it has been great so far. I have had problems with the drivers window (motor and alignment), the check engine light (thermostat), rear strut bushings. Thats it and all covered under warranty. Good luck.

 

All good advice so far. Can we assume you are getting some kind of warranty? What with your friend being "Parts & Service Director there," will he take care of you should something happen in a reasonable time?

 

I've had my first Mini for about 5 months now (used). I had minor interior & exterior parts that were replaced and the major one was the chain tensioner. They replaced it since it was a certified Mini and it was covered under warranty. You definitely should see about warranty since you know the person just like what AustinS posted.

 

It would be nice if you could get the service records from the MINI Dealer on that VIN. I don't know the procedure for this but perhaps the Nissan dealer has a relationship with the MINI guys. Changing oil on a R56 is important and it would be helpful to know if any work has been done on the timing chain tensioners. An alternative which would give you some protection from high dollar repairs might be to purchase an extended warranty on major mechanical items.