Hi, Everyone!
I am looking a buying an R56 Mini Cooper S. I have found this one on craigslist and I think it looks pretty good, would appreciate if I could get some feedback on the car.
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...347557879.html
It's a pretty high packaged one. I have seen it in person and it has a few chips in the paint but nothing a little touch up paint cant handle.
Thanks for looking!

 

Keep looking. That model year has the N14 Prince engine which has proven to be a catastrophe waiting to happen. There are hundreds of horror stories on this forum about timing chain failures and debilitating carbon build up just to name two.

 

^ good advice. At least the seller is honest at the bottom of the ad. Shoot for a 2011 or newer..

 

...or an '05 or '06 Gen 1 S manual hard top or better yet, '06 or '07 S cabrio (topless motoring is motoring at its very best). The W11 engine and Getrag 6 speed gear box are both near bullet proof and that SC whine is intoxicating.

 

1st Gen Convertible (R52) production was 2005 - 2008 model years

 

I can heartily second this. I AM one of the owners with this exact horror story. What a terrible time in my life!

 

I know a guy with over 220k on his N14 but know others that curse the day they saw the N14. Some Gen2 guys should chime in but I believe the N18 was not used until after August of 2009.

The N14 was only in the turbocharged cars, the justas did not have and many point towards the extra stress of the engine from forced induction as being the main cause for the issues as well as the direct injection system.

 

In the North American market, the N18 wasn't introduced until the 2011 model year. JCW models didn't get the N18 until the 2013 model year.

 

What's the difference between a N18 and a N14 besides a lot less miles.... I will believe they are more reliable when they have a similar time in service to compare. I have a 2007 R56 which has run quite well except... for the high maintenance cost. I have resorted to performing most of the service myself, and trying to stay ahead of the curve, to reduce the cost to an acceptable level. Also... most of the Turbo R56's were flogged pretty hard, including mine, before the deficiencies became known. I no longer compete with mine thus I am hoping it will prove more reliable as a winter / wet weather car as my Miata sits in a dry garage waiting for the next warm dry day or autocross. IMO - I would never buy an N14 Mini used unless you are willing to perform the needed maintenance yourself - I bet there are some real good N14 R56 deals for the mechanic looking for a real nice ride for some elbow grease.