The other day I drove by an '03 Mini parked on someone's lawn in my town with a for-sale sign. It's a manual-trans, over 130k miles, and the owner is asking $5500. I called him up and got more details, but I haven't gotten the VIN yet (he's calling me back with that later). The only known issues are that the tires don't have much life left in them and the trunk latch is broken (he currently has it tied down from the inside).

He thought the trunk latch issue was a common prob with '03's. True? If so, what would that likely cost to fix?

From some online reading I've done, I get a hot and cold feeling from people on the Mini: some loving them, some having lots of problems. Is an '03 with over 130k miles likely to be a maintenance nightmare? Any thoughts as to whether this is worth pursuing?

 

It's definitely a high-risk used car as used cars go. Mini's are not the best used cars to begin with and 2003 was a MY where they were still working the bugs out. A 2003 non-S has the problematic Midlands gearbox, so I'd be very conscious of how it shifts and how the clutch feels. OTOH, there is no supercharger to cause issues.

I've never heard of any general issues with the hatch latch, but shouldn't be a major repair. The fact someone doesn't have the money to make a fix is worrisome though - this probably indicates that maintenance has been deferred due to lack of funds for some time. I'd also want to make darn sure the problem isn't due to rear end damage.

I wouldn't go into this unless your willing to accept the risk that there could be an expensive repair in the near future and have the funds to cover a several thousand dollar repair if the worst happens.

I would get a very thorough inspection by an independent mechanic of your choosing who knows Minis. Good service records and a clean Carfax would help. Being able to confirm there is no damage history is a big help. If all of these check out, you've reduced the risk from truly scary to just a concern.

All in all, if it checks out, perhaps a good car for someone who is handy and can give the car some TLC, has money in the bank to cover repairs, and in general, is one to roll with the punches. Not a good car for someone who is broke, doesn't know a camshaft from a valve seal, and is going to think the sky is falling when something goes wrong. Kinda like a high-risk stock - nice upside, but lots of risk.

Given the tires, mileage, and obvious problems, $5500 for a 2003 MC sounds a bit high to me, but I'm not an expert.

- Mark

 

I have an 02 MCS, and I love my MINI! She has all kinds of power upgrades and cosmetic upgrades as well.
When I got her she had around 60,000 on her when I got her. I paid just over $13,000, and I've spent almost $10,000 since I got her. New axle, tranny, clutch, wheels, power steering hoses, and other smaller things.
I don't regret owning my car, it's in GREAT shape now! I do regret not getting it checked out thoroughly before I bought it. Wouldn't have caught everything, but some of the big things.
Don't get me wrong, I probably would have bought her anyway.
I had never driven a MINI before I test drove this one. I LOVE THIS CAR! With the supercharger this car moves, and sounds mean, too.
I think, unless you have plenty of money for maintenance and repairs, maybe a later year R53 with lower miles is a better option. I can't help but think that the previous owner drove that MINI like most MINI owners I know, and with those high miles I could see a Nightmare in store!

 

I agree with Markjenn; see a mechanic. Have the mechanic look for oil leaks (crank sensor and oil pan), control arm bushings, power steering pump, clutch/transmission, strut towers. Those are some big dollar issues on these cars. After you hear back you can bid accordingly or back away slowly...

 

Cheapest MINI can end up being the most expensive MINI.
Either you end up paying up front or later.

As the other mentioned, if you are not familiar with them have an independent mechanic that know MINI's take a look.

What is your budget for a used MINI?

Also, with the high mileage on a 9 YO MINI it will make it a hard sell if you need to get rid of it.
Say you buy it for $5K, put in $4K; in the end it will still be a $5K car.

 

Wow. The answers here were surprising.

I just bought my first Mini, an '05 Justa with 130k miles... looks like new, drives like new, and doesnt use any oil. Its a 5-speed and the clutch is even great as far as i can tell... Got 34mpg on the trip home from NJ on the interstate for over 1100 miles.

I have a lot to learn I guess. I had done enough research of these sites (and Edmunds) to know that most repairs were going to cost more than the average car... But, as Pew said, I am banking on the 'fun factor' to outweigh any cloudy days in my Mini's future.

Wayne

p.s. ~ I plan to drive the wheels off of this thing, unless they fall off first. And, I paid about $7900 for mine, and the interior and exterior are immaculate. So.... I think I did good. It was affordable for me, and we'll see if Mini is what I have always heard they are cracked up to be...

 

Definitely have it checked out by a MINI mechanic. Common problems on the early models include weepy oil pan gaskets, weepy thermostat gasket and maybe the housing as well. Coolant bottle leakage can be a problem as well. Unless they have been replaced, the control arm bushings are probably shot as well. Door lock and window regulator motor issues are common as well, but those are annoyances and don't really affect your driving.

Most of these things are not impossible tasks for a handy shade tree mechanic (which you will become) and most aren't serious issues either. The engine itself is pretty sturdy and Midlands 5-speed gearboxes can fail but they aren't automatically unreliable either. A clutch is a clutch; you can burn one out in a few hours or they can last 200k.

If the inspection comes back a lot of little things low ball them and try some DIY repairs or space the repairs out a bit to ease the financial burden.

It's not the yellow one in Boston on craigslist, is it?

Val

 

If the oil pan gasket isn't actively spewing oil I wouldn't really worry about it. From my understanding they are just a poor design and will start seeping again anyway.

If it has a sunroof you want to make sure the drains are not clogged and the slide is heavily greased. The suspension bushings will certainly need to be changed at that mileage unless they have been done already

 

04 MINI near me for $7,500

115,000 ,miles and 65,000 on the motor

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2867619786.html

Adorable, fuel-efficient 2004 Mini Cooper Base. One owner, tons of fun to drive, with tight handling and heated seats. Excellent mechanical condition. Runs GREAT and well-maintained. Exterior in good condition, but has two minor dings in windshield.

Car has 115,600 miles on it. However, the engine block was replaced at 50,370 miles (under warranty) due to a cracked cylinder head/warped engine block. So current engine block has 65,230 miles.

- Make/Model: 2004 Mini Cooper Base
- Mileage: 115,600
- MPG: 26 city/33 hwy
- Exterior: Silver with black roof
- Interior: Gray Leatherette
- Transmission: 5-speed Manual
- Cold Weather Package - Heated front seats, heated mirrors
- AM/FM Radio with CD player and AUX input for iPod/iPhone/mp3 player
- A/C, Power door locks, Power steering, Power Windows

$7,500 FIRM. Cash or certified bank/cashier's check only. Please call us at 919-228-9492 to get into contact and schedule your test drive. Serious inquires only please