Hello All,

This is going to be my first MINI. I've browsed the internet a bit and have found that I definitely want an 05-06 S with a Manual trans and <60k on it for less than 14000. I'll definitely be taking a out a loan with a big down payment.

I've found it hard to find one that meets these specs within a reasonable distance from my house. I'll likely have to travel at least 200 miles to find this car. Has anyone had similar experiences? Is there any thing to do in advance to avoid getting there and finding out that the clutch is gonna die in a few hundred miles?

Also I currently do most of the work on my '99 Cherokee myself. Are MINIs possible to do work on at home (brakes, plugs, fluids, etc)? I'm no shop mechanic but with a good manual I'm pretty savvy.

I'm Oh so excited about finally getting a MINI. The cherokee I have is very reliable, but gets 17 mpg on a good day...

Thanks in advance!

 

I went 3,042 miles to get mine.
Yes, you can work on the MINI at home. I've done regular maintenance (fluids, brakes, etc.) as well as replacing the radiator fan. No different than most cars, but be sure to get a set of Torx bits.
See motoringfile for a buyer's guide

 

I found my MINI 1,200 miles away, and made a long weekend vacation out of picking up.

Have a MINI dealer inspect the car before you make the trip or the commitment to purchase the MINI.

 

Mine was only 1,000 miles away - took 24 hours to get home including a little sleep along the way.

 

I bought my JCW sight unseen from 600 miles away. Driving home in it by myself was one of the best things I've ever done. I got to see a lot of California I had never seen before and just enjoy the car on the open road. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

I bought mine (used) over the phone from a dealership in SoCal. They put it on a car hauler and 3 days later it was dropped off at my front door. Lest you think I'm lazy, I would have flown out there to drive it back; but the cost of the car hauler was cheaper than airfare plus gas plus lost income from taking off from work.

 

I bought mine sight unseen in Hawaii. Since I'm in Seattle, I didn't drive it home! I had it shipped through Matson for under $1000! I saved plenty of money by buying out of state.

I recommend having the car independently inspected. My car passed the Carfax check, and I had it inspected by their Carchex service. The best $100 I ever spent. It revealed that the car had been in an accident and repaired (which I was fine with) and that it was in good mechanical order.

Have it independently inspected and you will be fine.

Val

 

I drove about 4 hours to buy my 2006 MCS. The ride back was one of my favorite drives in my life. If the car was not up to spec, I had another car on my list to go check out on the route back.