This is my first post. I joined the forum to try to educate myself before making a purchase.

So we're looking for a car for my daughter who is just getting her license. She really wants a Mini. We need to stay under $10k and being Dad, I want lots of safety features (and no S model) and good reliablility. I've already been advised to stay away from first gen CVT's and automatic transmissions. Here is a semi-local 06 she's been eyeing.

Do you think this would be a decent model for a new driver? Would a second gen be more reliable?

I would really appreciate hearing from all the knowledgable Mini owners out there.

I have to add I've been leaning more towards Civics and Corollas. I've also been reluctant to look at any car without stability control, but I'm not finding anything in my pricerange though.

BTW my wife has an 09 Clubman S that she loves!

 

It doesn't look bad, can't really say for the price as they usually cost more around here (Canada), so I'll leave this part to someone more familiar with US prices :p As for reliability, a base cooper might have some common Mini problems (minus some of the S for not having a s/c). If you've read a bit, I guess that you're a bit familiar with common issues with Minis, you just have to ask about past repairs and you'll have a good idea about the state of the car.

I can't say anything about the Civics as I'm not a fan of them at all and never owned one, but for the Corollas I can :p I work in a Toyota dealer as a mechanic, my biggest concern about the Corolla is that your daughter might fall asleep while driving, they aren't really exciting or special. It's a good car, but it's boring :p Depending on the years you're looking at, the throttle response of the drive-by-wire is better on the Minis than in the Corolla. If your daughter never drove a stick, I'm fairly confident that she'll learn faster in the Mini as it isn't as sluggish.

Anyway, personally, I prefer the Mini, even the base model will still handle a lot better and they are fun little cars.

 

Here's a good comparison for you. I just bought this car for my teenage son about 14 months ago:

2005 Cooper (non-S)
Manual Trans
72,000 miles
Well maintained, records to prove it

$8600.

So, even though it's a year older, both MINIs will be the same age at time of purchase. Difference is, the one you're looking at has more miles. I think you can talk them down on that price.

But yes, I think a first gen R50 with a stick makes a very reliable and nice car for the young driver.

 

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the input.

@Da_Ghost: I know what you mean about the Honda and Toyota being boring compared to a Mini.

 

That looks pretty clean.

If you see an S model with automatic 05-06' ( if the automatic is preferred ) That is a very good option too.

Here is an S model with about same mileage from a dealer and not much more: 2006 Mini Cooper S so would have to agree, they may be asking a little much for the non - S.

If you go the latter route, IMO stick with Honda over a Toyota. The Honda parts, and wearable parts are half the price of that of the Toyotas.

GL!

 

One tip...
Do you trust your daughter to ONLY put the right fuel in her car?
GEN1 Mini's NEED 90+ octane....it is always tempting to save $2.00-3.00 on a fill-up as a new driver...but that can cost you a burnt valve and $1500 bill.....
If she wants a MINI great...
But make sure she is the type who does not ,mind tinkering with her car....
Seemingly minor things like checking the oil, or just looking around under the hood is important....
If she just likes to sit down and drive, and does not like the idea of seeking out a mechanic that knows MINI's when you are not around, or checking her oil, etc, other options might be better.

 

I'm not too worried about the right gas. She knows from our Clubman to use premium top-tier fuel. I'm going to teach her how to take care of any car she owns. She's going to learn how to change the oil in my car in a week or so.

I see there's an 05 manual on eBay in Addison, IL that has about the same mileage and is about $1000 less. The ownership history looks a little fishy though with the second owner selling the car after a few months and the 3rd owner after less than 2 yrs.

 

Thanks! I was told that the 05-06 automatics need the transmission replaced every 60,000 miles or so.

 

The 2006 was a very good year and reliability wise you'll always do better with a base Mini.

 

As with most cars, it's whether it's been taken care of with maintenance. My '06 has 106k when I bought it and was $6800. None of the maintenance had been done and the heater core had been bypassed (which I found out later).

 

I would have to say, at least around here/Colorado, you can find a whole bunch of non-s models for even under 8g's, but around 10k you can certainly find one with a lot fewer miles, maybe give a private party/third party a try, dealerships will charge up to 3k over what the car is actually worth