Hey , Just joined and would like some advice. I put $500 down on a very clean 03 MCS with 42000 miles on it. Looks clean from the pics anyway. What should i be looking at before i give em the other $10,000. Ive heard about the CVT and PSP but is there any obvious way i can nail down some other flaws when i look at it Monday. Besides taking it for a drive and looking for leaks under? What would make me run far away from this Mini? Thanks, Mark.

 

http://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

Read that..also things like the a-arm bushing tend to fail at about 40k miles. It's about 750 to have them replaced as it requires removing the subframe. I went with power flex at the mechanics suggestion as do many on this board.

Definitely want to check brakes for replacement...

I don't think the cooper s came in automatic in 2003 but not sure...CVT is the automatic transmission. Weird rattling with the super charger would also be a bad sign.

 

So picked my Mini a week ago. Had the car inspected and oil change today. A bit of a surprise was in the air cleaner.
Yes thats whats left over from a mouse, and yes thats him in the upper right of the box. Surprised to say the very least at this sight as the car is very clean. I have to say if i seen this when i looked at it last week i prolly wouldn't of bought it.

 

Oh wow that's gross.

 

Check your power steering fluid, and if anything, replace as much of it as you can. Also, check out your power steering pump fan, a lot of times that has gone bad, or has completely seized up.