I plan on keeping mine. Why will parts be hard to find?

 

I'd probably keep mine for long, but I've been eyeing the R56 lately LOL... Shhh! don't tell Sheldon here about it....

No, really... I simply love the SC whine A LOT to part from it and I'm sure I'll miss it right away, besides my 02 MCS is really young at heart.

 

I plan to keep my rare 2004 JCW MINI Cooper for life. I want to get a new daily driver soon (MINI Coupe?) and keep my R50 for shows.

 

Me too.

 

Last month I bought a FIAT 500, but I still have my MINI.

 

Since day 1, same thrill, same smile...

 

'05 MCSC. 41K. Not driven in winter. Planning to keep for a long time.

 

Originally purchased as a toy, after 2 years tuened into a daily driver, next spring will be a toy again.

Like most spoiled little children, I will keep my toy's FOREVER!

 

Amen. Nice mod list there mate. I hope you don't run that puppy above 7k rpm too often though, yikes!

Kind regards,

Charlie

 

Actually ever since the first rpm bump, 7250 after the head @ 65,000, and then 7650 after header, cam and injectors @ 110,000, the car see's redline @ least 2 to 3 times a week. It's just the way I've always driven it.

 

A year into my R50 ownership now, and I still love the car.. but I have to say, the sound of a JCW MINI Coupe a few years down the road sounds pretty tempting.

 

It makes NO SENSE to get rid of a GOOD THING. I plan on keeping my R53 4EVER...... Plus, the Cooper is small, and doesn't take up hardly any space in the garage, the driveway or the yard - I plan on getting a second one!

 

Perfect thread to toss this out:

I am on the fence at the moment.

I LOVE J3rome, but... I am looking at the $$$ aspect at the moment. I am just about to walk over 95k. with the following items needing to be done:

PS - Is on the way out. (Pump, probably lines, and maybe fan)
Control arm on the passenger side need to be replaced.
Tower Mushrooming
Axel boot torn
Rear bakes need service
Clutch is starting to act up.

With all this added up, this could easily turn out to be half a years worth or more of car payments in repair costs. This is my DD with a 30 mile daily commute. Having a warranty sounds really good again. I've been really good about maint and it just seems things just started all of a sudden.

Need to figure this out soon.

Any suggestions or other ways of looking at this?

 

Been in your place many times KS... My vote is keep the car and get the repairs done right. It will still be cheaper than a car payment. So maybe you put $1,000 - $2,000 in repairs a year... Better than $4,800-$6,000 in car payments, regardless of the "warranty"...

There are some hurdles to clear for you over the next 20K miles. But once you do, you'll get another 3-4 maybe more trouble free years and you can save up that money for something really important to you.

You can always justify a new car. Try loving the one you got.

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts BC!

I certainly do love the one I have. Just trying to talk out with others what their experience is or even just get a feel.

 

I'll have mine forever. Besides I have way to much invested now. It's a toy not a daily driver.

 

Just purchased my 1st Mini, a 2005 "S" with 27,000 miles on it and in "perfect" condition. Keeping this one for a LONG time....

 

I wish I could say I was among those on this thread, but I have given up. My 2003 Cooper has 69,500 miles on it and it has had this laundry list of failures: parking brake cable, the shifter cable, the clutch (at 39K), both window motors, both remote keys, the power steering fluid pump, the fluid fan, a tie rod, the passenger airbag, and the door lock electrics.

This week the transaxle shifter rod went, requiring the whole tranny to be dropped to the tune of 4 figures.

I've given up the idea of "fun" driving in this car and now limit it to 10-mile radius trips. I just don't trust it. I feel betrayed by this car. I am hoping to find others who need to vent the same experience.

 

Planning on keeping my 03 Mini Cooper S for as long as the motor will hold up. It just turned 126,000 miles on her but i'm planning on keeper her running for as long as i can. I love her and Love lasts forever.

 

I truly thought I would keep my MC '03 forever and did make it to 165000 miles before selling it last June to a friend. He is still driving it but after I had replaced the clutch at 150K, ball joints, wiring, many tires, and numerous other parts over 7 1/2 years. I bought a new 2010 Clubman which so far has had no problems and is now at 19000 miles. Maybe I will keep it forever

 

hopefully ill have mine forever and planning to do that right now. Hope it survives forever lol.

 

I used to own a R53 a few years back, but it was a 'lemon' ride then. Spent a lot of $$ just to get it right finally, but it was sadly written off due to a bad accident 8 months later. :(
Here's a photo of her in her prime then;

Am currently driving the R56 LCi One (known as the "Stratford" over here in SGP) which I'd purchased back in Dec'10.
Mario, the One.

I'm keen to buy back another R53 and I do want to keep this for a long time now but I fear risking another 'lemon' purchase. The consideration of the costs involved for the wear & tear repairs/replacement is another decision factor.

*Sigh*.. What should I do?

 

I have a post (above) where I said I was keeping my ' 05 forever. Since that post, the clutch quit on me. Worked perfect until the pedal went to the floor on Friday afternoon. It is at a shop (no Mini dealers in my area). Hopefully Monday I will get a report I will be satisfied with !!! HOPE !! Any others with clutch problems or friends with clutch problems on such a LOW mileage MCS ?
Thanks - - (Ticked in Texas)

 

I had really good maintenance luck with my old '02 MCS and my current '06 MCS. Best advice I can give is to get one at either end of the R53 production spectrum (02, 06, maybe an '05 as well). I can only guess some parts changed after '02, because I never had as many issues as I had read in some posts. By '06, MINI should have worked out most of the kinks/bugs in the R53 production.

When you find a potential purchase, get the maintenance history. If it is someone you know, you should be able to get a feel as to whether they are on top of fixing whatever was wrong with the MINI. Just remember... these are sports cars, and things do break every now and then (and I can only imagine you had issues beyond that).

Happy motoring, whatever MINI you have.

 

I know you meant well, but this thread is not the place to ask. I did reply to your other clutch thread from 6/10. Go there.