So after discounting the Mini as a viable option for me since a new one is out of my budget, then nearly buying a 2008.5 Mazda3 GT until I was told they are entirely sold out of manual transmission versions... I've recently discovered a 2005 Mini Cooper S at a local(ish) dealership (Mercedes on the other side of town).

It's BRG with black roof and stripes, just the way I want, harmon/kardon audio, leatherette, sport package, 38k km, 6 speed manual, sunroof, etc. and all for a very decent price.

So. What do I look for while I'm there? Are there any problem points with the '05 Cooper S that I should look out for?

How do I tell whether the car is equipped with a limited-slip differential?

Thanks in advance! Hopefully I'll be a Mini owner in a week or so

 

'05 is a great year. If the car was well treated by the previous owner, you should be in good shape. As for the LSD... good question. I have it but can't tell you where to look to determine if it's there or not. Is the original specs paperwork with the MINI? If so, it will say it there.
Good luck!
Additional note: my '05 is at almost 74000 miles and still doing great!

 

Passenger side motor mount should NOT be leaking fluid, look underbody for oil leaks on the oil pan, crank seal and crank sensor (prone to this), shifts smoothly and clutch does not let out too late, no knocking noises or rattles under the hood (keep in mind you will hear exhaust popping when you shift, that is normal and quite enjoyable), and fresh tires because there is no spare and run-flats cost a boat load to replace. It is probably still under the factory power-train warranty as the '05 MINI's did not roll out until August of 2004, you are probably under warranty so there is not much to worry about!

 

Look for signs of poor quality collision repair. Fuzzy paint in the door jambs is a sure tip off of a repaint. Look under he car and in the engine bay for wrinkles that should not be there.

 

of coourse carfax report and printout from BMW

 

search on "should we start a subforum for high mileage" for a directory of related threads

 

Check for mushrooming (search for it on here youll find some great examples!), and make sure the window motors and sunroof work. Check the brakes with your finger to feel for how old they are (make sure the car hasnt been ran in a bit before you do this!!). If it has xenons, make sure they fire. Check for how the ebrake holds the car, that can be an indication of how a car was kept. Turn on the A/C and make sure it blows REAL cold for an extended period, not just a burst. check the airfilter and see if its clean, its another good indicator of past upkeep. Make sure the unlock and lock functions work everywhere (remote and manually). When you drive it, dont be afraid to get on the throttle a bit, taking note of how well it changes gears. when you shift, listen for a click or knock, ive heard the synchros go out occasionally on the 1-2 and 3-4 shifts with these getrag trannies. Also when you get on the throttle, weave VERY slightly to feel for loose tie rod ends. Not a hard fix, but worth checking. Find some rough-ish road or some bad transitions, and go over them at some speed to listen for loose or broken struts. Find some highway and feel the brakes when youre on the offramp, sometimes you have to be at high speeds to feel the rotors if theyre warped. I've found its best to bring a little list of checks, because once youre in front of a car you want you dont want to check for stuff like this! thats all i can think of off the top of my head, other than that have fun!

 

Make sure you understand this or better yet have a pro check it!

A friend of my wife bought a used Mini they checked and thought there was no mushrooming, but guess what ...

 

Don't know how to check for LSD without jacking up the car, but get the VIN and a MINI dealer can provide you with a print out of original options on the car (and the history of servicing at MINI dealers)