Hey guys,

new to the forum and seriously considering a cooper s manual.
I have two options available to me at this point and would like input as to
what you guys think is the better option.

Option #1 2004 Cooper S 87,000 miles

- Clean body kit
- clean tint
- Dinan exhaust, intake, minor others
- Factory navigation

price point 10,500 to 11,000 (in negotiations)

This car is clean inside and out from what I have seen.


Option #2 2006 Cooper S 97,000 miles

- Pretty much stock with exceptions to:

- Radio - alpine unit which was not connected properly to steering wheel controls. I imagine fixing this should be a relatively easy thing taken to a shop.

- Drivers seat small rip in the leather - this is something I figure could not be repaired easily or replaced.

The main thing with this car is the asking price is $9000-ish.

I have read the 2006 model is the best one to target for buying used. This seems like a super deal from all the research I have done. Just can't decide which one is better.

I am leaning towards the 2006 ($1000 in savings, newer model, problems I can most likely fix or overlook) but the 2004 looks to be great condition too. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Tough call. I'd lean towards the '06 for gearing, but I love my Nav, and if you were planning on any upgrades, there's your grand right there.

 

I think you're overlooking the important parts - mechanical. Everything you mentioned is an easy and cheap fix and a 10k mile difference when that high doesn't really matter.

Some things to look into...
1. Thermostat
2. Clutch
3. Throw out bearing - drive the cars and see if either one has any roughness to the pedal. If it does, then the throw out bearing is going out and you may as well replace the clutch with it. Expensive job.
4. Kick the front tires, literally. This will tell you if the front control arms need replacing. Another difficult job and will cost around $400 to replace.
5. Strut tower mushrooming - Check the strut tower and see if they're bent upwards.


I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other things but base your decision on the really expensive stuff to replace.

 

Thanks for the input. I absolutely intend to get the car I choose thoroughly inspected. I just want to decide which one I really delve into first.

In talking to some shops that will inspect it for me, they say mechanically there is not too much different and it will boil down to which one was taken care of better. I don't intend to really drive crazy in the car so the gearing on the '06 means less to me.

I gotta say in the end the part that turns me off on the '06 is the fact that he's dumping the car to get a GTI. The ad said he was getting a family car since a baby is on the way but GTI doesnt sound like a family car to me. The asking price is to cover the outstanding loan he has on the mini.

 

Get the STOCK car. You really want a modded car someone else beat the hell out of? They're pretty mild mods, sure, but it's more likely to have been driven "spiritedly" than a stock ride.

Of course get it inspected, etc, but I'd say generally avoid modded used cars.

 

The other thing to consider is the supercharger. Life expectancy they say is about 100K miles. I haven't really looked into that myself so I'm not sure but it is an expensive fix.

As for the radio in the 06 some are not able to be connected to the steering wheel controls but a car audio shop will be able to determine that.

My suggestion is if you aren't 100% sure on either car then keep looking. you can find one with lower mileage on it.

 

Some newer gtis come in 4 door, so its a bit more of a family car.

I'd have them both inspected to see which one is better.

 

Another variable is how much you drive. When I buy a used car I tend to prefer low years, high mileage because I drive less than average miles. That way after a few years I an sell an average or below average mileage car.

Still, with any used car always prioritize for condition within your price range. I budget an extra 10-15% in unforeseen expenses/repairs within the first 3 months of owning a used car.

+1 on not buying a car that has any mechanical mods.

 

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions guys. Test drove the 06 and there is a good amount of minor damage spread throughout the car. The front fender has a good indentation, quite visible chips on the hood (in addition seller said he had the dented hood repaired). Top of the mini clearly had something dropped on it or a high door hit it, rear above driver side door panel does not sit properly. All these things lead me to believe that the car will have additional wear and it's not worth it to take it to a mechanic to inspect further. Will let you know how the search goes!

 

Sounds like you've decided against the 06. I would add that someone who has added performance upgrades to the car may not have beaten the hell out of it like another post mentions. Dinan is not cheap stuff so whoever did it probably took good care of the car. Even if it was driven enthusiastically at times, it may have received a yearly oil change which is better than most other cars out there. If you can get the maintenance history on the Dinan car, it could be a good one. I have those mods and while the exhaust gets a little too much sometimes, the overall package is a nice performance bump. The software really improves throttle response too. I would look into the Dinan car...

 

You should drive them both. Personally I did not like the lag from the turbocharger in the newer model. The supercharger was a bit quicker and it sounds really nice as well.

 

I was looking at the '04 you are talking about, its in CA correct? I opted to get a local car here in Florida because I had to consider shipping. Dont rule out the '04 until you see it and drive it. Like someone here said, mods doesnt mean it was abused. Good luck!

 

Indeed. I did test drive it and it was a nice clean car. The fellow didn't strike me as the type to drive it hard, just wanted it to look nice. Ultimately felt like the clutch might need replacing soon (could have been the mods throwing me off) but ultimately I passed as he was asking more than I was comfortable with. The search continues. Thanks for all the replies.