I'm in the process of looking for and possibly buying an MCS 6 speed manual for my wife. She currently has a newer car (Chevy Silverado) with full warranty and no issues. She wants to down size and have a fun car, but we won't have a back up car if the MC needs attention. I read all these different threads of so many problems, is it a small percentage of MC's that have issues, or is it just something everyone accepts to have the fun of driving them. We don't want to buy new with a warranty so it will probably be 03-05 with 60K - 90K miles. If the car is maintained well and has good service records is it a wise choice or is it just a huge gamble of mechanical nightmares with this range in mileage? My wife uses her vehicles without babying them, drives fast, takes it to a drive through car wash, etc, wouldn't be treated like a show car or Sunday driver.

Thanks for your input...

 

I have an '06 MCSc, bought in '09 with 28k miles and 1 year of warranty left. Before the purchase, I confirmed with 3 dealers about the scheduled maintenance performed; it was clean with no major repairs. I've put 11.7k miles in the last 2.5 years so it's not my DD. The car has not broken down on me or left me stranded. However, here are some of the things I had replaced under warranty.

FYI, these items are considered "common" or normally expected to be fixed...

-Passenger side motor-mount (fails every 30-40k, common problem... CP)
-Lower control arm bushings (CP, crack every 30-35k)
-Convertible top rear trim/molding, left side (CP)
-Squeaky clutch (CP, not fixed)
-Groaning Limited Slip Differential (CP, replaced with new fluid)
-Leaky thermostat housing (CP)
-Door light bulb
-Trunk light switch

COST: Almost $2k covered by warranty. BTW, most of the problems were pointed out by me before the dealer would lift a finger.

Current issues after expiration of warranty...
-AC not working... no refrigerant pressure
-Oil weeping from crank sensor... I'm gonna live with it
-Coolant weeping (looks like from water-pump)... this and the oil weeping will need the front bumper removed, so I'm gonna live with it and monitor the leak regularly.
-Convertible top rear trim/molding, right side... it looks like this part will crack every 3 years even stored in a garage... no problem if you don't by a convertible.

Other issues I've prepared for - financially - to repair...
-Supercharger (I have a spare on stand-by)
-Water-pump
-Electro-hydraulic power steering pump (I'm looking for a spare)

Why do I have this car?

The car is silly fun to drive. And well... I can turn a wrench now and then. My other car is an '01 New Beetle (turbo-charged), 193k miles... to date running cost is $6300, which includes everything except purchase price, reg fee, insurance and gas. You can do the math to see which costs less in the long run.

Personally, I wouldn't buy/own Euro cars if I don't know how to do most of the maintenance and minor repairs myself. Germans don't do reliability... they signed a contract with Japan for that S.H.!.T.

Btw, if you decide to get one and of the 1st Generation, go for the MY '05 or '06.

 

Yes mine is and I love it !! Or I ride my ninja. But that hasn't been getting that much use. Still love driving the coop

 

My '06 MCS is my only car. I have two and a half motorcycles, so I guess I have a backup if I need one, but I'm seriously thinking of selling two bikes and just keeping the MCS and the project bike. I've had a few issues with the MINI, but only been stranded once (ethanol ate the fuel pump) and it only took a couple days to get it fixed. I do most of the work myself, but didn't have the time to do the fuel pump. I guess one way to look at the MINI is to call it an enthusiast's car. If you want to really get into the car and do some wrenching here and some tweeking there, and end up with the most fun car you'll ever own, it's for you. If you want reliability above all else, you may want to consider a Japanese car. I'm so in love with mine though, I can't help but recommend the little beasts to everyone.

 

i have an 04 MCS, it's my daily anywhere and everywhere i go it gets me there..bought it with 112xxx miles...put on 8xxx in about 2 months, the newness is wearing down and now i just drive when i need to or go out cruising. i drive fast, push it kinda hard once in awhile, somethings i just ordered cuz they were acting up...brake light switch, new xenon/hid, new forge coolant reservoir(stock ones are known too leak around the seam) other than that minor stuff nothin really major as of yet thankfully

 

We have 2, see sig. Like them both but been doing the daily commute with the 05 justacooper for the last month; the 06 only has 44k and it was my daily driver for the previous year. The S is heavier partly due to sunroof and was not getting quite the mpg as the 05. Also, it's body is a cleaner/no little dents etc so feeling like saving it for the more fun drives and less traffic

05 has 77+k and it feels great. Shocks are a little soft but almost no one but me and a good MINI mechanic would notice. Some stop and go 35-50mph traffic (Cupertino Ca area) and seeing 33mpg or so, very toss-able and fun in the hilly outskirt areas, less fast than the S but more nimble.

Feels like it will just keep on going forever and that's fine by me!

You're right about getting one that was well cared for, makes all the difference. The 06 we got new, the 05 used. For sure the 06 had good synthetic oil on more-frequent-than-MINI-requires intervals, it seems the 05 did as well. Engine is strong, quiet and starts as effortlessly as the 06.

W/o looking at the odometer you'd think both were even younger engines then they are... None have had serious issues - 06 engine mount puked this july but more an annoyance than issue, some early-on warranty typical claims on the 06 - thermostat leak, etc. Nothing else since, knock on wood!

Good luck and enjoy.

 

We have two- an '02 and and '03 R-50. The '02 is really a daily driver as I have the commute; the '03 is an errand car as my wife works at home. Both used, neither babied by the first owners. My '02 has been holding up well; her's needed a clutch that kept it out of commission for a week or two. The weak spots pointed out above are annoying but probably won't leave you stranded. Some of these things are easily taken care of over a long weekend day if you are handy.

And don't take a MINI through a drive through car wash. They ride too low! Go to a place where you put your quarters in and spray it off.

Val

 

If your not upside down in your Silverado why not buy a later model and save a few possible headaches? Especially if it's going to be your wife's daily driver?

 

Thanks for the comments. Regarding the truck, we are going to take the left over money from a cheaper cooper and put it into some remodel of the house. It's kind of a double whammy of making the wife happy...
Looking at an 02 MCS 6 speed with 52K miles today. Any particular issues to look for on the o2?
Thanks again..

 

If you can you should try to look for a later year R53. The '02 has been typically known to have the most problems. '05-'06 had some nice revisions and are usually found to be more reliable. Good luck with your search.

 

sold my 6 yoa 02 with 98,000 miles and the problems experienced were not out of line for a car of that age IMHO.

OTOH I sold a 12 yoa Miata with 120,000 on the clock that had far fewer problems - was on the original brake pads with 50% of the pad remaining; and original clutch. I talk to the guy who bought it {4 y ago} routinely, he's yet to replace the pads or the clutch altho the red paint is looking bad (a red 95 Miata did not have base/clear coat paint and fades horribly).

I like my MINI's plenty, but if I were you, I'd look for a nice used Miata. As used cars they tend to be WAY better then MINI ... Consumer Reports has had the Miata as a recommended used car from two years after they came out!

 

Thanks again for all the comments. I ended up buying an 02 MCS, 6 speed manual with 52K miles. My wife fell in love with it and of the cars we drove, it was the most solid, no rattles, new tire, brake pads/rotors and super clean inside and out. Service records were general maintenance and throw out bearing at 38K miles. I was looking for 05-06 years and all the ones we liked were thrashed, rattled like they were falling apart and way high priced. Wish up luck that it is one of the low problem minis. Now off for some curvey roads for a Sunday drive....

 

Congrats and enjoy!

 

My DD is the R53 2006. The R55 is a 2009 and is the DD for one of my kids.

I think the older one is better for several reasons. I like the sound the Supercharger makes. It is so much better than turbo whine. If you want to replace the stereo you can with relative ease. The engine does not have direct injection so is much more resistant to carbon fouling than the newer engines.

My kid like hers better because it has direct injection and gets much better mileage. She listens to the radio and doesnt care much for perfect sound. That is good as the radio head unit is so integrated with the car you cannot remove or change it without huge difficulty. (and it is not very good) Her car is the Clubman which has more room and hauling capacity and comfortable back seats. Looks quite big parked beside the 53.

Both are reliable though she has had a couple of problems both quickly fixed. Both are quick ( her R55 is an S ) as she demonstrated by kicking my *** at an auto cross. ( We were the only minis in attendance )

Traffic is less annoying because you can zip around large slow cars which makes it sometimes even fun to commute.

Have fun, that is the point afterall.

 

My 2003 MC (R50) has been my daily driver for 8 1/2 years.
No big reliability problems so far.

 

I just picked up an 05 with 107500 on the clock to use as my daily. I am pretty good with a wrench and have a lot of friends in the Euro community that ca help out with issues although I don't plan on having many. Mine is a non-s Cooper. Working my way through peace of mind maintenance now so I can keep it in good working order. Ignition kit from WMW on its way along with a first oil change kit from them. Next in the pipeline is an aftermarket motor mount then suspension component upgrades and maintenance.

 

I just picked up an 05 r52 for a DD and its got 115k

I have faith in my bmw and would drive it anywhere, it feels so solid and runs smooth

 

I honestly think that DD cars are going to have less reliability issues than cars that aren't driven often. One of the worst things you can do to a car is to just let it sit. Most of the seals, and some of the other parts in the engine, were designed to be used often. Letting the car sit for weeks at a time allows them to dry out, and then they begin to fail prematurely.

Oh, and my Cooper S is my DD.

 

My '02 R50 is my DD and my '09 MCSa is my wife's DD.

 

Good luck with your '02. I bought my '02 MCS that I use as a DD about 1.5 years ago w/ 73K and it now has 84k. It has been very reliable. Other than standard maintenance, the only repair to date has been a front wheel bearing. Great car to use as a DD, I actually look forward to the drive to work every day.

 

Yes, enjoy your '02 Jim.

I bought my 2003 r50 (build date Nov 02) less than a year and a half ago with 45k miles and I'm now nearing 80k (yes, that's 35k miles in 16 months). I've put about $4k into repairs and upkeep but now am enjoying a 4 month stretch w/o a visit to the shop.

I'm completely in love with my car!! I still take it out for drives just for fun (better than watching TV)

 

I tend to agree with this statement. I'm researching MINIs now to use as a daily driver, 37 mile commute one way, and live on a dirt road. Should be interesting. Having a $10 budget is limiting things as well.

 

That's similar to me. I live in a rural area and have a 35-40 mile commute, one way. Although I don't live on a dirt road, mine is paved. I also drive to client offices on a regular basis for my job.

 

It's good to see the positive comments on the Mini's... My wife just smiles every time her car is brought up and can't wait to drive it. Got a funny sound in the steering column the other day, kind of a click when you turn the wheel back and forth that happens in the same spot on rotation. It may be something to do with the blinker reset position or something, not sure and haven't looked into fixing it yet. Anyway, happy wife, happy life!

 

Damn! That thing is brand new! Just keep up on maintenance and it should last you for awhile. If the expansion tank (coolant tank) is white/ clear keep an eye on it, there was a recall early on. They leak at the seam. If it is grey, it has already been replaced.

Yes, mine is my daily driver with currently over 266,000 miles.

Nik