So i used to have a 06 MCS and i absolutely loved it and have missed it since i was forced to get rid of it for financial reasons about this time last year. I ended up getting a Jetta 1.8T and it wasnt really the car i wanted but its still a nice car. I have wanted another MINI for a while now but cant afford a new one (R56). I would like to keep my payments around what they are now so i would like to stay around $16k for the new MINI.

Everyone i know that has one says i should get another MCS cause i will regret getting an MC if i used to have an MCS. I dont really care as much about the power im more interested in the handling. But the thing is i like the 05-06 "facelift" much better however 05-06 MCSs are still a bit out of my price range. So i thought i would look at a MC. Or if i had to have a MCS i can go with a 03-04 (i wouldnt want a 02 just cause of first year issues and bugs). But i have my doubts about the pre-facelift models. So i came here looking for opinions as to the pluses and minuses. Obviously the MCS has more power but having had a 06 before i love all the little differences my 06 had compared to like an 03. So help me out here and give me your opinion as to what i should do. And thanks in advance.

 

From all I've read here, the '05/'06 reliability was stepped up a notch in those years simply because the "bugs" were worked out.
Personally, I'd go for the latest you can afford - with the first generation instrument panels. I'm partial to that look.
Good luck!

 

I have read that you should go with the newest model you can afford. That being said I bought my 2003 mcs 2 months ago and loving it. There were some 05's in my area around the same price but had almost double the miles on them. So I went with this 03 because of the low mileage.

 

You might be able to get an 05 MCS in this price range if you shop around quite a bit. I think it may be more of a buyers market right now, so you might be able to negotiate really hard...

 

It's a buyer's market. Do your homework and have all your financial arrangements worked out. Find your car and negotiate like someone who can write a check and take the car.

Watch local craigslist--I've seen some tremendous deals (MINIs and otherwise) lately. A lot of these are from distressed sellers who are motivated to get out of their leases or whatever.

 

If power isn't that important to you, an 05-06 MC might fit the bill. They are more reliable (my dad has an 06 MC and has had NO problems). With the Revised Getrag box and gearing, the 05-06 MC isn't too much slower than the early MCS (0-60 is around 8 sec. vs 7 for the MCS). Plus the insurance will be cheaper and you'll get better gas mileage (my dad gets about 40 mpg on the highway).

However......if you do ever get the itch for speed again, the MCS is far easier to mod and get big gains than an MCS).

So, it really depends on your priorites. I'll bet you could find an 05 MCS for around 16k with some negotiating though.

 

2003 MCS here with 61,000 miles on it. Its been very reliable so far and hopefully that continues. With all the issues with midland transmissions I personally would steer clear unless you are fine with the possibility of replacing a transmission. Besides the SC whine and added power really give the mini even more added character.

 

Having had the best of both (I've had an 04, 05 and 06) worlds, you'll be fine in a pre 05 but you might be a little deflated by the gearing change. The pre 05's had a longer 1st gear. You could hold 1st longer but you lose some of that initial torque meaning your launches are a little slower. Not really noticeable if you've had only a pre 05 or only a 05-06.
Because the 06 was the best of the model run, you might regret going backwards and may want to hold off until you can swing another 06. Just my 2 cents.

p.s. Its a buyer's market right now (CNN: new car sales down 50% this year) so you may be able to drive (no pun) a hard bargain.

 

I agree that if you want an MCS and buy an MC, you will be looking with envy as you see other MCS's drive by. Keep looking for a MCS you can be happy with (either 04 or 05+) , and you won't have regrets.

 

Yeah i obviously would prefer a MCS, although as someone pointed out the MC would have better gas mileage, and lower cost of ownership, i had just tried to think MC, cause i would rather have the 05+ than the 02-04 even if it means getting a MC rather than an MCS. I guess ill just have to wait and see i mean i have seen a few nice 04 MCS. And all the parts (cosmetically) would be upgradable to the facelift look. Im not really interested in go fast parts, the MINI is pretty quick in its own right. Im more interested in aesthetics like body colored moldings and joey mods and such.

 

Thanks for the responses so far i guess i just wanted to hear from people cause i know what the 06 MCS is like and i wanted to know from other 02-04 owners if they liked it just as much cause i didnt want to be disappointed buy something about the 02-04 that was fixed in the 05-06. Likewise i wanted to hear from MC owners to know if i would be disappointed going from a MCS to an MC.

But having had a MINI before i already know what things are musts haves and what things i can do without. I know it HAS TO BE a Manual Tranny. And the only other have to haves is Sunroof, and Auto A/C. Other than that i would LIKE TO HAVE Xenons but i know i can add that later if i need to. My last MINI had only the Premium and Sport pkgs. Anyway keep the info coming and i appreciate all your advice.

 

I had an '02 MC for a little over a month (dealer took it back due to hydralic issues) and now my '03 MCS. Both were loaded (Premium and Cold weather packages), but the S is supercharged of course, has 17 inch wheelsand Xenons. The MC had 23K and the MCS had 49K when I bought them. I have had the MCS for over 4 months and put on about 3K.

The MC was great, but no comparison in handling to the MC. It is quicker (supercharger), corners better (tires and suspension) better lighting (Xenons); in all I think I would have a hard time going back to an MC.

 

Another thought--what about the 6 speed tranny in the MCS vs. the 5-speed in the MC? That was a major + for me when I went to the MCS.

 

Not trying to sway you here, as I love my MCS, but the 06 MC is still plenty quick, and sounds great with an intake!

http://www.truveo.com/MiniCooperAcce.../id/1043139859

 

The little reliabilty data we have shows the 04 to be a big step up from 02-03 and about as reliable as the 05-06, so I'd view getting an 05-06 vs. an 04 as whether you wanted the cosmetic, gearing, and option list (e.g., LSD) changes associated with the 05 "facelift".

My suggestion is that you keep driving what you got until you have the money to get what you want. A year out of having to make a forced sale of a car for financial reasons sounds like a good time to be very cautious so you don't make the same mistake again. And certainly these are economiic times when you want to be prudent in buying things, not stretching to get into something you can barely afford.

- Mark

 

I've got an 06 R50 and love it. Done some mods which have really made it a blast to drive. Adding a rear sway bar and fog lights down low in the next two weeks. No problems with the car. Great gas mileage. Your happiness will also depend on the type of driving you do. In-town vs. highway, etc. I'm all local streets, so the R50 is plenty for me. My opinion is that lowest miles is the most important. I also prefer the updated look of the 06 models.

 

i had the same dilema irishcooper, and lucked out and found an 05 MCS in my range.
but if i hadn't i would have still waited for the right 05-06, even if i bought a MC.
I had an MC follow me in a rallye a few months ago and he lost nothing in the corners and nearly nothing in the straights.
Setting an MC up to handle would be fun.
GO for it
and good luck
boxcars

 

I think prices have fallen in the last month or so, and what was a fair price for an '05 MC, you can find a MCS now.

examples:
ebay has an 05 MCS w/ 18k mi. for 16.9k
and an 05 MCS convert. w/46k for 16.4k, both w clear titles.

I bought in Aug and wish I waited cause I'm seeing even better deals now.

 

I would stick with a '05 or '06 R50 or R53 hardtop because those cars received very good improvements in the 2005 refresh and have the best quality/reliability of the bunch. I used to have a R53 S 2004 but the tall first gear turned me off in that car and went for a 2005 instead and that is what I have now.

From Motoringfile.com here is an used 2002-2006 buyers guide that shiuld help you decide which will the best car for you:

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

Also another important note. For the R50 MINI Cooper hardtop, the 5-speed midland gears transmission was discontinued by the factory after the 2004 model year. 2005 and 2006 MC's have a much more solid and robust 5-speed tranny from GETRAG. 2005 to 2008 R52 MC convertibles also have the 5-speed Getrag. The CVT automatic transmission was exclusive to the first gen Cooper hardtop and convertible and was offered unchanged from 2002 to 2008.

Hope this helps.

 

Im not really interested in go fast parts, the MINI is pretty quick in its own right.

I have a '05 MCS and I would never even think about owning just a MC. Everything about the MCS is better and you will definately regret not getting a MCS. There are plenty of good deals on '05 MCS. Just shop around for the right MCS. There is about a 50hp difference between the MC and MCS.

 

I have driven a 2006 R50 MC 5-speed...Fun car overall but my main caveat is the lack of a much needed 6th gear. The car is simply too noisy at highway speeds in 5th gear. Interestingly, the CVT models are quieter at highway speeds and the engine is turning below 3K RPM @ 70MPH in "normal" mode. In the 5-speed the engine is tuning at nearly 3,500 RPM in 5th at the same speed.

 

The pricing on the 05-06 MCS seems to be in your range from my recent shopping. As someone previously mentioned, there was an 05 MCS on ebay for 16,900 Buy-It-Now but it did go over the reserve. The car is located in San Diego, CA. I have the sellers contact and craigslist ad if you'd like to see it (I realize you're in TX though). Also, there are many other low mile cars for only a little more if you're willing to spend.

At the end of the day for me, spending a thousand or two more to get exactly what I wanted seemed to make sense. Be patient with your search and find something that will make you happy. No headaches needed. You may even end up spending more to maintain a car that cost less initially.

 

I would go for '05-'06 MC/ MCS. Don't discard the MCS because of price ranges. Nowadays you can get a REALLY NICE deal on an MCS, since nothing is moving away from the dealers, thay are eager to sell... just my 2 cents...

bond007

 

I'm selling my '03 MCS. Pictures in my gallery.
Chili Red with white roof, Sport Pkg, 15% pulley, CAI, one ball exhaust, 62mm throttle body, intake porting, chromed S-lite wheels, 47k miles, original owner
I'm looking to get $15.5

 

so i guess im going to keep looking and try to find a 05 MCS. I have noticed though that i tend to be pretty picky on what i want since i have had a MINI before i know what options i want and what options i dont care about. I have also noticed that for some reason the For Sale marketplace here seems to be filled with Chili Red and Dark Silver. I guess those are popular colors that people are now getting rid of. I am hoping for a Pepper White, thats the color that has grown on me and i think i want my next MINI to be.