Hey guys,

New to the boards...so I have been reading a lot of the posts, read the motoring purchase guide.. and I am wondering if you guys would be dead set on avoiding a 2003/2004 Cooper S.

The price differential between the '04 and '06 is roughly 2,000 for similar mileage cars as I am seeing it.

Would much rather pocket the cash / keep it for mods and maintenance -- so... thoughts?

I will only buy a cooper with <75k miles...as a reference point.

 

As long as it is an S the 03/04 would not bother me. I have a 2004 and have not had any issues out of it.

05/06 would be preferred for the newer supercharger and the shorted gear ratios. 05/06 also have some nice cosmetic options.

 

The principal difference between the 03/04 and the 05/06 is the gearing in the 6-speed getrag transmission; the latter is somewhat better.

 

I am speaking mostly from reliability standpoint -- I knew of the transmission change... the supercharger is new information -- thank you.

So I guess as it gets closer to my purchase I'll have to weigh these out.

 

By "newer supercharger" I think Prof meant "less mileage" rather than "different supercharger." As far as I know, the supercharger did not change.

 

'05 & '06 R-53 "S" models have an upgraded Eaton M45 supercharger. The upgrade was coated compressor rotors. They also have the Getrag 6 speed manual transmission with "shorter" gear ratios. If you get a chance, drive a '02, '03 or '04 with the Midlands 6 speed then drive a '05, '06 with the Getrag transmission...the shorter gearing makes a big difference. And the magic is a -15% or -17% supercharger pulley mod.
There seems to be many low mileage R-53's on the market. Take your time, you will find what you are looking for. As with any "forced air induction" engine (supercharger or turbocharger) good maintenance history is the key to getting a sound car. Good luck & keep researching.

 

It did change. They came with Teflon coated rotors. The working are the same and not any more or less reliable. The 02/04 uses the 4th gen M45 where the 05/06 uses a 5th gen unit. Again I think the only change was the rotor coating.

 

All the first gen S models have 6sp Getrags. Only the 02-04 justa's had the 5 sp midlands. They did change the gearing in the Getrag on the 05-06's though.

 

I was not aware that pre-'05s did not have the coating! Thanks.

 

I have an '04 without any problems at 68k so I would say 03/04 is fine. Mostly depends on the car and how it was treated by the prior owner(s). I also think the '04 transmission ratios and a 15% pulley work just about perfect. The '05 I drove with a pulley seemed to be geared a little low for the power. Others will disagree so it may be just a taste thing.

However, for $2,000 I would go with the 05/06. There were a number of small modifications that would make it worth it.

Really just getting a well maint'ed car is the most important thing.

 

I had an 03 and now have an 06. The gearing change is an improvement.
The supercharger coating difference is not a big deal. The 03/04 stock supercharger did not have rotor coating and the JCW supercharger for 03/04 did have the extra coating. In 05 they started using the same (coated rotor) superchargers for stock and JCW. The 05/06 have engine mounts that need replacement about every 30,000 miles. The 05/06 have slightly adjustable rear camber. Otherwise the 03/04 and 05/06 are about the same.

 

The only reason I'd pick a 05/06 over previous years is if it had an LSD if not get the lowest mileage car you can find.

 

$ 2,000 is not much when it comes to repairs. However, I would get the one that you want. As long as you avoid any CVT MINI's, it is all a Merry Christmas.

By the way, I bought my 06 MCS with 77,000 miles and have absolutely no regrets. There is no other MINI of any year that I would choose over my "Flash"!!!

 

I have an 04 MCS 100 K no issues, original clutch, 1 set of brakes, car has been pretty much bullet proof

 

Nope, I didn't have the budget to get an 06+ so I focused on finding the cleanest 04/05 I could.

 

I opted for 2006 myself and passed on a few 03/04 that was a prett good deal. It seemed like reliability was a little better.

 

I bought an 04 with 58K yesterday afternoon. Took it in for an inspection today and there is absolutely nothing wrong. Just take your time and you'll know when you find the perfect car