Hi guys,

I am going to look at a 2006 MCS tomorrow and hope to be driving it home with me. My mechanic / body shop is closed until 1/5 so I can't bring it there for a pre-purchase inspection, however I did work there once upon a time ago so I think I will likely just inspect it myself.

Is there anything specific I should look for other than rusting rocker panels?

Also, where is the VIN stamped so that I can verify parts as being from the factory? I know it's obviously on the windshield and in the door jamb, but seem to recall it being on one (or both?) of the shocktowers under the hood?

Thanks,
KJ

P.S. if anyone can recommend a good shop in the western suburbs of Chicago, I just may take it there for a second opinion.

 

Since its a 2006 I think you should be pretty well off. Those models have the least flaws of our coops that I know of! congrats!

 

Thanks for the reply, I blew purchasing two of them last week, so I am hoping that this one is THE car and I can make it happen!

 

Yes , actually small placard like vin number on bottom drivers side windsheild and door as well. Like post above with 06 you should be good, as long as its not a "totaled" car.

 

Right, I'd like to know WHERE ELSE the vin is stamped so that I can verify that it has factory fenders etc.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

Behind the license plate on the hatchback...

 

Top of the front strut tower

 

Speaking of strut towers, please look at them and make sure they aren't deformed. The metal should look relatively flat and the nuts should be parallel to the ground. If there is any indication that the towers are deformed, bring it to the attention of the dealer. Also, something I didn't look at when I purchased mine were the condition of the wheels. Have the shop check to see if the wheels are bent. My 2 passenger side wheels were bent, but you couldn't tell from the outside of the wheel. Good luck and hope you can purchase the car. Keep us posted.

 

Found this information on what to look for on a used Mini purchase. Click here. Hope this helps.

 

if you dont like it i will sell you my 06 silver /black top check mate has blue and silver interior few mods

 

Thanks for the replies guys, unfortunately the mini had paintwork on it so I took a pass.

Chills - I appreciate the offer, but that's not really my style.

Still looking for a 2006 Cooper S 6-Speed around Chicago

Thanks,
KJ

 

KalJer,

I am also looking at a 2006 MCS. What are the "potential" signs of paintwork having been done? What caught your eye?

 

If you are still looking, I found this one on Ebay. I am having a hard time sharing it with you, because I really want it for myself. Its everything I want! I am actually tempted to trade mine in for it. I have the same thing, for the most part, except I have an R50.
It looks amazing though. Low miles, LOW PRICE! Its got cold weather pak. premium, and sport pakg.
Looks flawless! Good luck.

Plus, Hyper Blue looks amazing in the light of day! Really pops great.

http://www.thechicagotoystore.com/de...s-3687309.html

 

The way he stated the paint issue is almsot like it has some kind of custom paint work done. Like maybe a graphic or something.

 

Paintwork is something that is generally difficult to diagnose for the average person. I worked in a body/restoration shop for several years so I have experience in this area. My recommendation would be to take any car you're considering to a high-end body shop in your area and have someone "in the know" look it over.

Here is a bit of a crash course in how I check for paintwork, however I would use it as a tool and WOULD NOT rely on it unless you have specific experience working in this area.

1) The first thing I do is to look at the orange peel in the paint. Orange peel is the texture of the paint visible when you look at a light source reflected in the paint. It's called "orange peel" because it generally looks like the same texture as the peel of an orange. On a factory painted car, (or well done repair) the orange peel reflection will look the same on all panels. This takes a very fine, experienced eye.

2) The second thing I do is to look for dirt nibs in the paint. Many (crappy) production body shops spray the panels in the middle of the shop (rather than a paint booth) so there can be dirt that gets stuck in the paint.

3) Thirdly, I check for tape lines. When a panel is repaired they often "tape off" the rest of the car that is not being resprayed. A good shop will sand this paint line off, but many do not. consequently when you run your finger along a commonly taped off area, like a door jamb you will feel a rough edge that likely will not be present on the other side of the car (if only one side was painted) again, this takes a keen skill as if the panel was replaced, no tape line will be present.

4) A paint gage, an electronic device that measures the thickness of the paint.

None of the above are absolute signs, I usually look for a combination of factors. Again, take it to a good shop (I can recommend a great one in Chicago if people are interested) it's worth $100 or so to let a pro check it out.

On this car in particular, the majority of the car fell within a 1.5 mil range on the paint gage, except one of the quarter panels which was 2 points or so higher than the rest of the car. At that point I discovered a tape line in the door frame but was still unsure because the orange peel was nearly identical. I put the car on a lift and found another tape line between the bottom molding and painted section of the quarter panel. Two lines, different paint thickness, it was painted (even though the orange peel was spot on)

It was certainly done well, but I still took a pass on it for a couple reasons.

Thanks, I was watching the auction, but they canceled it early because that car is sold

Not custom, just repair...

KJ

 

Excellent advice regarding body work and paint. We once nearly bought an otherwise superb Jaguar until we took it to an experienced body guy and he pointed out all the ugly stuff. Obvious once he showed it to us, but we would not have found it ourselves.

Regarding the 2006 MCS, one serious and expensive flaw is the dual mass flywheel. This will give a screeching sound on engaging the clutch the first few times, but only on a cold start and then often only if the car has been sitting for a few days. We've had ours replaced (under warranty) twice in the first 33,000 miles. I understand this is about a $2,600 repair off warranty.

The kicker is that you will have to get the seller to leave the car sitting for a couple of days (I'd say a minimum of two nights but that might not be enough unless it is cold out). They may not be willing or able to do this, and you won't be able to prove they didn't even if they say they did. I've had two different purchasers of used MCSs approach me in parking lots to ask me if I knew about the problem and what to do about it.

I suspect within a few years it will be necessary to show a receipt of a replaced flywheel in order to sell a used MCS at a reasonable price.

But any 2006 should still be in warranty (unless it is a really high mileage car), so you should be safe for now. They are superb cars, and we really like ours.

Good luck.

 

KalJer & Findude,

Thanks for the advice. I am always hesitant on car shopping now – especially after finding out my Audi Certified A4 with a clean Carfax (only as good as those reporting…) had been wrecked and had paintwork prior to buying. I only found out after trying to trade it in a year or so ago that they found a thickness discrepancy (used a paint gauge like KalJer mentioned)…at the least I can say is that I was highly upset and contacted the Audi dealer…that is another story.

So I am looking at this 2006 Mini Cooper S and have done some research with the VIN – it was purchased and maintained at Prestige Mini then sold at auction apparently once the lease was up. This dealership has had it for about a month and has taken it to Mini of Sterling for a motor mount replacement (hydraulic), engine misfire and some speaker wire replacement. I am truthfully thinking of not even physically looking at it since there are just too many questions + the dealer reviews are mixed at best…

I am contemplating just looking for owner listings on Craigslist or just dealing with a Mini Next MCS or new MCS…Thanks again for the feedback on all!

I really hate car shopping!!!

 

+1!

 

I would really recommend using the NAM Marketplace...most of the cars will have been really well cared for and maintained...and you'll have a large variety to choose from!

 

MLPearson79,

Believe me, I am looking. Thanks!

 

VeloCDR-

Certified doesn't mean much other than it comes with an extended warranty. I once saw a certified Mercedes S class that looked decent until we put it up in the air and noticed that the right frame rail was offset by about 6" and it had been T-Boned at an intersection.\

A friend of mine tried to take an M3 in on trade only to find out that the car wasn't "all original" and the trunk had been painted, the owner of the car was furiously upset and it was obvious that he didn't have the work done, so what happened? The car was painted at the port, even before it hit the dealership.

I am also having a hard time finding a mini, mostly due to pricing. The market has fallen on these cars in recent months, but many dealers own the car for more money than it's currently worth, and private parties aren't aware of wholesale trends in the marketplace and often price theirs according to what they see dealers asking.