Hey all,

I’m considering picking up a 2010 R56 6-spd with well over 100K miles. I have heard bad things about long-term reliability in MINI products. What should I be looking for to try to mitigate the risk of getting stuck with a huge repair bill down the road?

Thanks!

 

Hello,

The 2007-2010 models have the N14 engine which is known for issues with timing chain. It is inevitable that the timing chain will need to be replaced (if not replaced already by 100k miles). It can be expensive if done at a workshop, but there is plenty of information and videos online on how to do it yourself. Signs of a bad timing chain is a rattle sound from engine on idle.
Also do a compression test if you can. All cylinders should give compression pressure between 8 and 12 bar. The difference between cylinders should not exceed 3 bar.
At 100k miles I would expect suspension to be in rough shape, however still functional and can be driven. You can always upgrade or refresh to stock.

Hope this helps.

 

Try to track down as much of the service history as you can. Hopefully they changed the oil every 5000, and there is a lot of maintenance parts that need to be replaced along the way, new high pressure fuel pump, cooling system, etc. I have an n14 with over 150,000 miles on it. 13,000 of those miles have been me, I had to replace the clutch and a coolant reservoir, but other than that she’s been trouble free. I’m probably at around 1000 miles on just the tail of the dragon alone, did in day where I played with an other forum member, Colinmini, and we did over 100 miles before 10 am. If you do pick one up, first mod should be a scanguage 2, this way you can keep an eye on temps, oil, water, etc.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ed-gen-ii.html very good read on how to maintain one of these.

 

What Should I Be Looking For?

A 1st Gen MINI '05 or '06. W11 engine and Getrag 6 spd - both near bullet proof.

 

I have an R56 with 90k on the clock. I bought it at 60k.

I've had to replace the water pump, the water pipe, and thermostat. I replaced the coolant temp tensor proactively.
I had to replace the high-pressure fuel pump. I replaced the fuel pressure sensor proactively. I also changed the fuel filter (in the gas tank) as part of regular maintenance.
I carbon blasted the intake ports shortly after I got the car, and replaced the spark plugs.
I replaced the vacuum pump proactively.
I flushed the automatic transmission fluid three times and changed the filter, all at 70k, as part of proactive maintenance.
I recently changed the timing chain & tensioner, camshaft position sensor, crank seal, and oil pan gasket. That was kinda proactive, but I did hear a little rattle under the valve cover. It may have just been paranoia, but I did get the timing set perfectly, and it sounds and runs excellently now.
I had to replace the valve cover, because the PCV valve went bad, and it's integrated into the cover. I thought that was kind of stupid design.
I put new brake discs and pads on about 10k miles ago, and flushed the fluid.

I did all the work myself. I'm an average wrench-turner, but there's plenty of resources out there, so you can learn to do all this stuff yourself. Overall, it's been a pretty good car, and I haven't minded doing this work. I don't have a car payment, so a little investment here and there doesn't bother me, plus it makes the car more reliable/driveable. And I like working on it.
BUT... I cringe to think what all this work would've cost me at a shop, or God forbid the dealership. Way more than the car is worth. So, my opinion is, from MY perspective, it's a good little car, fun to drive, that I will have for a long time. But if you're not willing or able to do some work yourself, I'd stay away from the Gen 2.

 

Service history is not everything. I bought mine with reams of paperwork and it was still a basket case. Perhaps because of all the service history. I would almost say a car that has been untouched would be better. A test drive will tell you everything. The plastic cooling parts are easy enough to replace. A quality timing chain will last with frequent oil changes.

 

Is this really true? I was under the impression that the early- to mid-00's had more issues than later 00's - early 10's. If the general consensus is that '05 or '06 are pretty reliable, maybe I will modify my search a little.

I'll ask about the timing chain and also listen for the rattle on idle. I did notice that they don't have many gauges; does the Scangauge just let you see more detail on temps? I assumed the car would warn you of anything out of the ordinary with a message or light despite not having a specific gauge to measure each stat?


Your list is pretty extensive. I like to learn, but I don't have much experience with MINI yet and I think I will be frustrated if things are constantly going wrong. Maybe I will get lucky and, since the examples I've been looking at are all well over 100K miles, previous owners will have done most of your list? Not a great thing to count on.

Based on other posts I know I need to be wary about the timing chain, but even if I get stuck doing it myself, I don't mind doing the 5K-mile oil changes and then I'll know it will last.
I've been looking at a few examples. One of them in particular has well over 100K miles and is in great cosmetic shape, and I would like to think that means it was an owner who cared for it mechanically too, but no service receipts or anything, so who knows. I am assuming CarFax/AutoCheck won't give you service records that are detailed enough to be worthwhile?

No doubt a test drive will help and now I'm armed with a little more info going into that. Thanks for the replies!

 

Warning lights, haha. Much easier to watch things than to let a computer tell you something is wrong or not. I got nothing when I’m coolant reservoir split, just coolant loss and I didn’t have the scanguage at the time, this made me get one.


I think there are 2 of them for sale in classifieds as well for under 100 bucks, worth every penny.

 

For the money... and the improvements that come with the evolution of a design... I'd stick with a 2011 or later 'S" model... or 2013 JCW... just for the more evolved N18 engines... AKA "LCI" models..... because... why not?? Mini learned a lot in the first 4 years of production of the R56... and then came out with a much evolved model in the LCI's with better engines (except for the JCW's which kept the N14 engine till 2013 when they FINALLY put the N18 in the car for ONE year, ha )

Higher miles is just fine if verifiable maint done and the car is in good shape.... HPFP replacement under warranty should have been done along with other things... Clutches are expensive... or time consuming if you are doing it yourself... so, find out the history on that... if original clutch (or they cant SHOW you its been done)... consider that in the price. Tasteful mods done with good parts that don't alter the car too much or make it questionable for emissions checks.... even if YOUR area doesn't require it... are ok as well.

I stay away from really lowered cars since those get really hammered on 'real world' streets.... and actually handle worse than a stock car when you consider dips, bumps, potholes etc.... leave the truly lowered stuff for a track car IMO. Most cheap (Sub $1200) coilover sets are just that... cheap... you have to spend money for really good reliable units that actually IMPROVE a street car... you can get a good set of FSD's or Koni orange/yellows for good price... and those WILL improve the car overall IMO... so long as you really aren't lowering the car much with springs .... I consider 1" to be too much ... but that is me and I live with 'real roads' and driveways.
Slammed cars look good but are hammered on in short order on the streets... take care with this kind of purchase. It is simple... decrease the amount of travel on the car... and you will bottom out more easily... more easily = more frequenly=harder on the car and all components.... same for really low profile tires.

Find a rust free car... and know where to look for the rust.

I'm not shy of accident history either... but nothing with salvage titles and nothing that requires unibody-straightneng or rear quarter panels...
Hood, bumpers, doors, front fenders, glass... I dont worrry about... heck, its not a collector Porsche or Ferrari (never will be).... so a proper hood replacement or door issue that the owner can show you repair photos of is OK in my book.

For example: Is a pristine zero incident GP2 worth more than one with a clean (non salvage/rebuilt title) that has an 'accident' in its history and needed a bumper, hood, radiator/condensor and a fender ??... of course !
Will the price difference make a difference to own it and drive it... NOPE... maybe on resale in 15 years if you keep the miles low and have it detailed all the time... but It would be rare to see one pass the price that was originally paid for.

A GP2 cost NEW in 2013 around $45,000 for many (all inclusive) , in 2020 dollars would be over $50,000.... have yet to see one near that... highest on BAT was $32k for 4k-mile example.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...er-s-jcw-gp-8/ ... most in the high teens to low 20s though and some in the 12K range with GOOD repairs and no salvage title.
And those are all the GP2's

IMO... for me... all this collector-car and 'resale-value" stuff is getting a bit out of hand for most people... with sincere respect for those that want a collector car, more power to that. For me, buy it, own it, drive it !


Plenty of great cars out there to be had !!
Buy em with eyes open, get a good PPI from a Mini specialist (preferably an independent with LOTS of cars under belt).... check CarFax and get dealer to pull open recalls for you on the VIN... pretty straight forward stuff.

Don't be shy to pay good money for a good car.... even with 100k+ miles.... the cheap ones are generally just that... cheap (aka poor cond)... and you will be $$ ahead getting a good one to start with.

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I recently bought a 2010 R56 for my daughter. 140k miles on it. My wife has a 2014 convertible and it's been rock solid. So it seemed like a good idea. Solid car, fun, teenage girl approved. Issues I wish I had looked closer at: leaks. Lots of water leaking after heavy rains in the driver side. Following a windshield replacement and new windshield seals, the leak went away. It had cracks and needed replacement anyway. Lift the floor mats out, remove the velcro circle on the floor (twist like a screw) and push down on the hole. Does water come up? Try both passenger and driver side. It if has a sunroof, open it up and pour some water down the sunroof scuppers. It should drain out the bottom of the car, front and back. A sunroof draining problem is a frequent culprit on leaks. Easily fixed.

Timing chain is fine. No issues for me. You hear about it lots on the forums, but then again, only people with the issue are talking about it. Yes, it's a thing with these cars, but my MINI mechanic tells me it isn't the mass problem it's perceived to me.

Transmission: Clutch and flywheel were never replaced and the clutch went bad pretty quick (a teenager learning to drive a manual probably didn't help). 140k miles on the factory clutch. Not too shabby. Not an unexpected repair. But pricey. The car always had the occasional catch and grind shifting into second gear. Pushing the clutch in good and hard seemed to be the answer. Until it wasn't. A month after putting in the new clutch, I opted for a new transmission. Got a used one with 50k miles on it put in. It's fantastic now. The car probably could have survived with second gear being a jerk, but for a new teen driver, it made sense to make it right.

The LCD display on the radio can be an issue. It's a BMW part and everything that uses that display has issues. They don't make the part anymore so replacing is difficult. Mine's trashed but my daughter says it works well enough for her needs and isn't a problem. See how it looks with lights on vs off. With the radio on, you can hold down the M button for about seven seconds to test.

Drive it on a bumpy road and see how rattle-y it is. Could be a suspension, could be the rubber/plastic has worn off the hatch lid latch (which can be cured by wrapping some electrician's tape around it every so often).

The 2010 has been a lot more headache than my 2014. But we're talking about a ten year old car with over 100K on it. So it's not perfect and I had no expectation it would be. If it can get her through college, i'm happy.

(edited for grammar and clarity)

 

Good points... the more features... the more possiblilty of issues.

Auto climate control, Navi, sunroofs, convenience-entry, HK-sound etc... can cause expensive/difficult problems for the owner.... Keeping that in mind when buying is a good idea.



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What engine? Also: LCI or pre-LCI? Automatic or manual gear box (both are 6-speed)?

FYI: The second generation Mini (R56) came out in 2006 and was offered with non-turbo engines (N12) and turbo engines (N14). From the summer of 2010, the engines were overhauled (non-turbo: N16, turbo: N18). As already mentioned, the JCW continued to be equipped with the N14 engine for another two years. Also in 2010, but a few months later, mostly cosmetic and options changes were also introduced with the facelifted version ("LCI" in BMW speak). This means that some pre-LCI cars produced in 2010 already have the overhauled engines.

Regarding engine reliability: According to information on forums such as this, the N12 and N16 do not differ much from each other and are both considered to be more reliable than the N18 and especially compared to the N14 engine. Likely because they (the non-turbo) come without the high pressure fuel pump (expensive if not covered by the extended warranty!), are not direct injection (no carbon built up with its potentially fatal consequences) and tend to be driven less "racy", especially in combination with the automatic gear box (which contrary to BMW's "life-time", "non-service recommendation" should receive a fluid change every once in a while). They (the non-turbo engines) also tend to suffer far less from timing chain issues. Besides these issues (and the turbo unit itself), all other issues are common among all of the models and more frequent with older cars than with newer.

 

A mini being NA doesn’t mean a thing ask colinmini here. I played a couple of days with him on the dragon and he is fast.

 

Do you mean to say that non-turbo cars (especially those with an automatic gear box) are equally likely to be driven hard as cars with turbo? Or equally likely to be a money pit as turbo versions (with their expensive HPFP, carbon built-up, turbo issues and higher wear on timing chains)?

 

what I’m saying is just because it doesn’t have some form of boost doesn’t mean that it was not driven hard or like the pic above, turned into a corner carving beast.

 

This I can agree with (since it doesn't say anything about the probability of a certain car having been driven hard). But "doesn't mean a thing" implies that it makes no difference whatsoever in general.

 

I'm also in the market for a R56 6SPD. I've done lots of reading online on the timing chain guides, water pump/ thermostat, HFFP and other common mechanical issues, which I am not too worried about.

My biggest concern would be rust. I've seen lots of cars for sale in the salt belt. Are there any particular areas prone to rust.

 

Not clear what the OP's motives are with respect to buying an N14 Mini with relatively high miles.

If one of the purchase objectives to avoid a "project car" , you are heading off in the wrong direction, at least in my experience.

PPI is vital from a known, experienced Mini mechanic. Inspect the plugs for carbon fouling, that will give you some idea of the health of the rings and valve seals.

Pull the oil filler cap and inspect for varnish and sludge on the valve deck. An engine with oil changes near the 5K mark will be really clean. Small turbo engines are hard on oil, junk builds up fast at the Mini recommended intervals. Clean engine internals are one measure of an engine's health.

Odds are really good that turbo wastegate is junk over 100K miles.

Compression and leak down tests are crucial.

Be wary of buying a cheap Mini in this market, better to pay more up front, as repairs can eat the savings in short order.

 

Solid advice regardless of what type of used car you're buying.

Are there any spots prone to rust? I saw a video from the UK where the guy showed some rust at the door sill (he pulled back the rubber). Is that typical?

 

From my experience in New England, the fastest way to check for rust is to take a look at the unibody around the rear sub-frame. You can do this from the back of the car without lifting it, but you'll have to get on the ground. There aren't any plastic shrouds to get in the way. The metal is painted body color, so rust on some colors will be more visible than others. Having some rust in this area is not necessarily terminal, but it is an indicator. My 07 Justa B-Spec car has surface rust in this area and no where else. Fortunately, the structure is sound. The body has 148,000 New England miles on it.

 

Good information. I am seeing lots of cars from the salt belt and wondered how well they held up to those winters.