Hey guys - been a long-time admirer of the MINI, but for various reasons was never able to take the plunge. Now that my crappy station car was totaled in an accident, I've got the opportunity to finally make it happen. I'm looking primarily for a MCS. Given current finances, since this is in essence a secondary car, I am looking to limit cost, so am focusing my search on higher mileage cars (I have seen MCS in my general price range from 92k-140k miles). Other than looking for well-maintained vehicles with service records, and understanding that fewer miles is, generally speaking, better than higher miles, what ought I be looking for when going out to kick the tires and test drive?

Thanks in advance

 

If you can find a copy of the current Grassroots Motorsports magazine, they have an article on what to look for in Mini's ("Mini Buyers Guide" I think was the article name). I think it concentrated on the 2002-06, but I think it's advice was well sound for all models. It had specifics to look for (be wary of) in each model.

 

I've been looking to get a new mini cooper too. This article helped a lot.

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

 

After owning my car for a year, with just 49k on it, I know that I could have prevented myself from spending $$$ by getting my car checked out at a BMW/MINI dealer before purchase, or a German auto shop. Granted the repairs have only been around $700 over the course of a year, but still.

I got my car checked out from a auto shop, but wasn't a German auto shop. I should have just spent the $180 or whatever it may have been and taken it to the BMW dealer to get a full inspection done. That is your best bet. Anyways, you should get an 05-06, they are supposedly considered the best ones out of the bunch. good luck

 

I found this link somewhere on this site http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/
Thought there was a lot of good info there if your buying a used MINI

 

If you plan on buying an R53. 02-06

1. Def kick the tire! Yes kick it! If it does the same thing that you see in this video it needs lower control arm bushings. Very common.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxjFH4k65aM

2. Clutch! Start the car and leave it in neutral. If you press in on the clutch and let it out and you hear a rattle sound the clutch is going to need to be replaced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdlG2rAopg8
Notice when he pushes the clutch in theres no noise, and then rattle,rattle, rattle when its out.

3. Radiator fan. The low speed fan's tend to die! let the car warm up and make sure it turns on. You can get the high speed fan to run if you turn on the A/C but its very important that the low speed runs on its own!

4. Shock tower mushrooming. Pot holes + stupid drivers = Mushrooming
This pic will give you a brief explination, and the car will generally pull hard to the left or the right.
http://i54.tinypic.com/34q7lti.png

These a probale the 4 most major issues with an R53.

 

Solid info, guys, thanks! I've come across what looks to be a nice 2005 MCS with 98k miles on it. I'm a bit wary due to pricing (rather below KBB), and the fact that the Carfax shows an accident a few years ago (30k+ miles since then, though) but the guy selling it tells me he bought from a mechanic who had maintained it and has all the service records and dates. Sounds like the guy bought on a whim a short while ago and then and realized it didn't suit his needs.

I'll keep my eyes on the issues you've identified.

 

Dude +1 bro! That's sound advice articles won't tell you. Anything else? I'm considering a R53 '06 and this is gonna be my very first car. I've been doing my research and I don't want to buy a money pit.

 

Thanks for the tire kicking video, just went out and booted mine. There is a little movement, damn.

 

Guys - just came across a 2005 MCS at a dealer not too far from me that, from a quick glance at the posted engine bay pictures, has what appears to be a M7 Strut Tower Brace installed. The asking price on the car is somewhat higher than I wanted to spend, but it occurs to me that there may be other, less visible mods on the car that might justify expanding my budget (assuming I can get the dealer to come down a bit). What should I be looking for? Is there a way to tell at a glance if there is a reduction pulley installed?

 

#2 on that list is not a big deal...its a bad throw out bearing, not the clutch. Its common with the getrag 6 speed transmissions. It happened on my Focus svt and my cobalt ss....it wont break anything. You live with the noise until the clutch has to be changed, and at that point you fix it.

 

Here.

Read to your heart's content.

Cheers,

Charlie