Hey guys/gals!Just joined the forums as ive been doing some heavy research on these cars.I have test driven a few of them and finally narrowed it down to one car that my bank will give me a loan for.

I do have a few questions before i pull the trigger on this thing...Here is some background info:

2003 MCS w/82K for $9450 from a VERY reputable dealer,blue in color,leather interior.I live in the Rochester,NY area.

I currently drive a 2004 dodge durango,my commute is 42 miles one way,decent country roads and city driving as well.I am looking for a commuter car that is fun,and i know the MCS will be FUN!My concern is cost to own.Im trying to save money by purchasing a smaller gas miser compared to the durango (14mpg).

Would i be barking up the wrong tree in assuming i would be saving money owning one of these vehicles?I do want a fun vehicle,but im wondering if the cost of owning one will exceed the savings i would have in gas?

My fiance and I are trying to put money away for a down payment on a house and im trying to save everywhere i can with trying to still keep a vehicle we are both very pleased with and keeping reliability.Is it too risky to go with a vehicle like this for that reason as a daily driver?Im a pretty competent DIY'er,and im very leary of having to rely on this vehicle which ive read so many horror stories about.Any info is appreciated,i have a very reliable vehicle in my durango right now and repairs arent too expensive,but its a nickle and dime vehicle.

 

Well...first thing is gas mileage is not stellar on a 2003 MCS. I got one a few weeks ago and am winding my way back from Los Angeles to NYC (grew up in Ithaca btw). Getting 26 mpg highway.

Typical things that need to be examined can be found if you google r50/r53 buyers guide. What isn't mentioned in there is a-arm bushing replacement. It's an expensive job that will cost between 750-1000 using either stock or urethane (good for life) bushings. They typically fail at 40k miles, and are ignored.

Feel free to PM me if you have other questions of any kind.

Good luck.

 

I bought my '02 MCS a year and a half ago, and wasn't quite ready for what I got into. First off, the obvious. IMO there is no other car, at least that I've driven, that gives the same excitement as the MINI. They are a dream to drive, and the MINI community is top notch.
Unfortunately, I didn't do my homework. I bought my MINI after a test drive, and didnt do any research on MINI's. I have paid almost as much in repairs, as I did on the purchase. That's my own fault.
These awesome little cars are not like other imports. They have to be maintained, or problems will begin to creep in. They aren't cheap to maintain either. My repairs were on big things. Clutch, Transmission, and other things here and there.
Now, I'm not tying to make you nervous. Just trying to keep someone else from learning the hard way like I did.
As for gas, I get about 26-29 mpg city driving. A little more on the highway. The SuperCharger pretty much helps gobble up the fuel. It's not bad, but not great either. You're probably not going to save a ton of money on gas, because it will get your money in other ways.
If you want a MINI, do it the right way. Make sure you have it inspected by a mechanic that knows MINI's. Don't just trust the dealer, no matter how "reputable" the dealer may be. There can be all kinds of problems, especially at that high mileage. Especially an "S".
Reliability is relative. Some people here on NAM have had Great luck. Others, not so much. My MINI has been running perfectly for a little over 7 months now. The problems were related to the fact that the previous owner used the MINI primarily for AutoX. I drive her hard sometimes, but for the most part I take it easy.
Reliability depends on you. If you're willing to maintain your MINI, sometimes as with any car it can be expensive, your MINI will be a great little car. If you want something you can drive forever with little maintenance, MINI may not be a good choice.
I hope this helps, and I didn't scare you off, because once you get a MINI, nothing else will do! Good Luck, and post some pics if you pull the trigger!!

 

Just off hand how much is the dealer asking?

 

+1 on the uninformed purchase part...luckily I haven't had any clutch or transmission issues but as of last week a new sound reared its ugly head and I'm not sure what it could be I'm hoping its not driveline issue...but I'm starting to think it is

 

Thats exactly the information I was looking for!HUGE thank you!It doesnt scare me away,it just keeps me from wanting it as my only vehicle and as a daily,sounds better as a second vehicle when you already have one that doesnt cost a fortune...lol

The dealer is not even budging on the price,at all,so theyre asking 9400,they never do on any of their stuff.They sell top notch cars,i know quite a few people who have dealt with them.Its family owned/operated,there are no salesman,they treat their customers VERY well and they dont act like they want that sale,they have confidence in their cars and they do a very good job with them,i do have confidence in the fact that they know VERY well what theyre doing too.Here is their website: www.gfs1.com

Ive got other options as im looking at an 05 Volvo S40 T5 as well...but i want to do all the research i can before purchasing,i have very little credit so i dont want to be paying on another moneypit and not be able to afford another vehicle.

 

A ten year old Mini Cooper S is not a nickle and dime vehicle to repair it is a hundred and thousand dollar vehicle to repair. Unless you personally can repair every subsystem on this car I would not buy a ten year old S. I have four 1st generation Minis in my family and have worked on several others and still love them but they are very high repair frequency and high cost vehicles.

 

Agreed on this..parts on a mini do not come cheap in the slightest..fun cars for sure...reliable...depends on a lot of things. Previous owner driving habits, maintenance, abuse level...etc.

There are tons of examples of minis with 120k+ miles...just search auto trader....there are also cars with a lot less than that which are garbage.

If you are coming from a Honda or Toyota..the sheer price of parts is definitely a shock...I don't know that autozone or Pepboys of the world even have or can get parts..but without a huge aftermarket following, lack of interchange parts...this is where things get interesting.

Remanufactured parts seem to be the common route here.

So..9450 is not a bad price from a dealer really..if you can get them below 9k and spend 1000-2000 for maintenance stuff. A arm bushings, brakes, radiator fan, gaskets and seals, strut tower bushings...etc. should net out with a pretty solid car... For 11k.

2007+ aren't much better in reliability btw...but might come with the peace of mind of a warranty.

Have heard dealers can't give away clubmans due to the greater interest in the countryman though... Look into that?

 

Does that price come with any kind of meaningful warranty? Do they have maintenance records from the previous owner? At that mileage you are looking at several high dollar items failing relatively soon if they haven't been addressed lately. Shocks/Shock mounts, Lower control arm bushings, Crank pulley, clutch and supercharger. If you can't verify that any of the above have been recently repaired... prepare for the cost of all of them within the next year or 2 if not sooner. As others have said these are great little cars and wonderful to drive but they aren't cheap to own.