Year: 2003
Make: MINI
Model: Coupe
Price: $5500
Mileage: 74700
Color: Dark Silver
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (Region): Texas

***SOLD***
I am selling my 2003 MINI Cooper S, though I do so with some sadness, as this MINI is everything I want in a car. This car is in excellent condition mechanically, and very good cosmetic condition, especially for being a 2003. It is a supercharged 6 speed manual with the original dealer installed John Cooper Works performance package.

For more images, see my craigslist posting: https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/d/...620576829.html

It currently has less than 75,000 miles and has been meticulously maintained since new. I am the third owner and all three owners have been adults who treated this car with love and care. When the original owner sold it to the second owner he told him that no one had ever smoked or eaten in the car and the second owner agreed to keep that tradition as a condition of the sale. I have eaten a few cliff bars from time, but you will not find any french fries under the seats or spilled drink stains in this mini. The first two owners took it to the Mini dealership regularly for service up until 44,000 miles when I bought it in 2013. I am trained as a mechanic and have maintained this car myself for the last 30,000 miles. This has included regular oil changes, parts replacements, and upgrades.
When shopping for this car, I selected it for a number of reasons over other first generation models (2002-2006), among them are the well documented transmission issues with the automatic transmissions and the 5 speed manual transmissions. The 6 speed manual transmissions are bullet proof, in addition to being a blast to drive.

The original owner sold it after a few years with very few miles on it. The second owner lived in Dallas right near his work, so he rarely drove it, and always kept it in a garage. After I purchased it I did drive it regularly for my commute for a few years, but ultimately needed something with some more hauling capability so I bought an old 4Runner to do the heavy lifting. I had planned to sell the Mini at the time, but it developed an engine code which kept it from passing inspection, so it didn't see much driving other than a trip around the neighborhood once in a while to keep everything moving while I worked out the code issue when I had time. I ultimately tracked the code down to a very small exhaust leak, and after replacing the headers and catalytic converter, I was able to clear the code and get it passed inspection.

I won't say the car is perfect, because it has been around for 15 years. The MINI spent its first years in Boston, and has a few little dings here and there, but nothing that would show up in a picture, and you really have to look for them to see them in person. Also in that time, it acquired a lot of little nicks in the bumpers from all of the close parallel parking. The interior however is nearly perfect. It still smells like new leather. The only real flaw on the interior is on the driver's seat. I'm not sure how the previous owners were getting in and out of the car, but the left bolster of the driver's seat has some noticeable wear. It has not increased in the 5 years I've owned it, and I've always kept the leather cleaned and conditioned. The original owner opted for the rubber floor mats at the purchase of the car, they are still in excellent shape and the carpet looks brand new, especially under the mats.

This car needs nothing and has nothing wrong with it. I just replaced the rear tires and the front tires still have most of their life left in them. There are a lot of little things that make this car special.
Registered through 5/2019
One touch up and down programmed for both windows and sunroof. Headliner is in good shape with no sagging (something I found on a lot of MINIs when I was looking).

Options:
John Cooper Works Performance Package
S-Lite Alloy Rims
Leather upholstery
Heated Seats
Panoramic sun roof/ moon roof
Harmon Kardon Stereo System - Still sounds amazing. I've added handsfree bluetooth to it.
Anthracite Dash
Rubber Floor Mats
Glove box shelving organizer
Drivers Euro Parcel Shelf
Leg pad for center console

Parts replaced within the last 30,000 miles
-Brand new top of the line battery ($180)
-Tail light assembly (Right)
-Alternator
-A/C Compressor
-Front Struts, upgraded to Bilsteins and added strut tower reinforcement plates to eliminate strut tower mushrooming typical for these cars.
-Low speed cooling fan resistor, also very common fault with this car, requiring hours of labor and a new fan assembly. Rather than replacing an otherwise good fan assembly, I rerouted the resistor wires to an easily accessible and inexpensive, replaceable resistor.
-Catalytic Converter/header assembly (replaced with a used, low mileage unit).
-Front and Rear O2 sensors (still have the originals, which I believe to be good still)
-Power steering pump replaced under recall
-Brand new Coolant expansion tank
-Plenty of little things here and there like air filters, belts, etc...

If I were keeping it the following things would be on my to do list, although none of them are necessary to do now.:
New fluids all around (oil change not necessary for quite some time).
While cleaning the engine I noticed a small crack in the rubber bushing at the top of the struts (they still look better than all the ones I saw when I was shopping for my MINI 5 years ago)
I haven't seen it, but the MINI dealership told me there is a small tear in one of the CV boots. The CV joint itself is fine, but a torn boot could let water in and grease out.
There are a couple of inexpensive plastic trim pieces that could use replacing.

 

No 2003's came from the factory as a JCW. The JCW package was a dealer installed option

 

FYI: The JCW Package wasn't a factory option until November 2005. The lack of a JCW airbox indicates your MINI has the dealer installed early (200bhp) JCW Tuning Kit.

GLWS

 

Now this is how you sell a MINI. Owner and service history as well suggested upcoming maintenance. GLWTS.

 

Thanks. I know how frustrating it can be to shop for a car online, especially when you don't know it's history. Good pictures and info can help. I hate to see it go, but it's time. Hope it goes to a good home when the right person finds it.