I just purchased a 2005 Mini Cooper S with 14,400 miles on it. I have a few questions and concerns.

First, is there anything I should do or buy in order to make the car last longer?
I've heard of power steering problems, mushroom strut mounts, coolant leakages.. I'm just trying to avoid all these problems ahead of time so I don't encounter them in the future.

Second, what are some good performance upgrades to purchase without going to over-board? I was thinking about the IE exhaust, and the Alta performance package..

Third, I'm going to need some brakes and was thinking ATE rotors and pads for front and rear.. any suggestions?


This is going to be my DD and I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible.

Thank you
Erik