Looking at an 06, and an 04...leaning more towards the 04 since its dark gray which I like better.

The 04 has 52,000 miles, no accidents (of course Ill carfax it) private seller, and a extended warranty program through the mini dealer until 100,000 miles or 6/25/11 whichever comes first. the warranty covers EVERYTHING transmission, supercharger, windows, electrical, steering, brakes, etc etc etc....the car is pretty loaded...xenon, harman kardon, leather, 6 speed, 17in.wheels.

Is there anything else I should look for when I go and see it? He said he has only taken the car in for warranty once, which was for the AC going out, which was covered. I am trying to figure out if it was one of the "horror story" minis that has been in the shop many times month after month for something. doesn't sound like this is the issue...how long can i expect this car to last me without any "major" problems? Are there any known major problems that usually happen after 50,000 miles? Im coming from a toyota so I am HOPING I will get at least 40,000 miles out of this car

thanks

 

you can have mine for 18K

 

120k on my 04 JCW. Did the clutch preemptively at 110k, but it still had some life on it. Otherwise just normal wearing part replacements and this car is driven HARD, with a few track days every year. You will probably want to do the front control arm bushings soon, they are not good for more than 60k.

 

Watch out for worn out trailing arm bushings on the front lower control arms. Every MINI with more than 40K miles on it is a candidate for this problem. I got stuck for more than $700 for that repair 12 months after the warranty went off. This is easily seen when the car in on a hoist with the front wheels hanging in the air. Just put a screw driver between the lower control arm part that goes toward the back and pry agains it. If should not move very easily. In a car with this problem the driver will experince this as loose, wondering or dodgy steering. But if you are not accustomed to how these cars should drive, you may not recognize this issue.

If there is anything on the car that does not work correctly, have the seller fix it before you buy it otherwise walk away. The freaking alternators on these things cost more than $500 (at the dealership) along with 4.5 hours of labor (at ~$110/hour).

 

What a bargain! My dealer's rate is $165/hour. That's what it shows on the writeup for the oil service I just got under maintenance warranty.

 

I stopped looking for a mini quite a while ago so I've forgotten the specifics of their inherent problems, but definitely perform all of the usual checks: have an independent shop check it out (usually about 120 bucks or so), and look it over very carefully. Listen for odd noises on the test drive, and be sure to check that ALL the systems are working properly without hesitation. If it feels like it's been beaten on, just walk away. Good luck!

 

Ask to see the warranty. The dealer saying it includes everything is one thing, everything actually being covered is another. Also look at the fine print because it could be a deductible type warranty where you have to pay $100 up front for each issue.

 

Consider this: there is a substantial difference between the '02-'04 and the '05-'06 gear ratios. the early models had tall first and 2nd gears making them sluggish off the line. That was corrected for the '05-'06 models, thus improving driveability and making them much more fun to drive.

 

Here's a list of used Mini purchase questions that might help.