My wife and I bought an '06 Cooper S Checkmate from LB Smith Ford in December of 2012 after looking for a year and driving 6.5 hours to get it.

We love the car and would love to track down the original owner so we can learn more about what modifications were made to it that we can't see (i.e. chipped? engine mods?)

What we know:

• Car was traded in for a Focus ST at LB Smith Ford in Lemoyne, PA
• Car is space blue with Checkmate package, red mirror covers, factory MINI rack
• Has K&N cone filter, aftermarket supercharger pulley and rear sway bar, Borla exhaust

Any leads appreciated!

 

Nice catch! Grats! Hope ex-owner shows up.

 

I'm not so sure that I would admit to trading down to a Ford Focus on NAM if I were the previous owner...

 

Good luck...
Bet I bet if the owner "got rid of their MINI" they would still be on a MINI site...anyone of the 7-8 that I know of...sure...there are a couple folks..try on a FORD board?!

 

Nice Checkmate , looks like they installed chili red mirror caps and the roof rack . Still has the original flame spoke wheels.

Good luck, Might get some info from the MINI dealership who sold it if they were the original first buyer. Some MINI Dealerships can pull that info. Good luck.

 

I'll pass the word out over at the FocusST forums.

 

better go read the specs and more importantly the reviews (car and driver, road&track) and then maybe even drive one


the ST ain't your regular focus


14 ST-3 owner here after 12 years in Cooper S'.


and I still have a 79 ....




I traded a 7 S for an ST about a year ago. 7 was brg/white with Tuscan leather and the woodgrain interior (when it included the steering wheel and shift ****)


the ST gives you better handling, more power and more 'goodies' for less money. Not to mention for many it is a good bit easier to get to a dealer if the need arises.


if you want to mod: exhausts, bigger brakes (they are already bigger than regular Focus), chips/tunes, intakes etc etc


At lease OP is looking at a GEN1 S .... MINI was still making a fun car then.

 

But that interior...on the ST...absolute let down in my eyes. Seats incredible, options very nice...dash wtf!! We were also close to trading our R53 in on an ST. They just weren't offering much money for it...like $3k. Ended up getting an Impreza instead (not wrx)....we needed AWD. And kept the mini. The performance per dollar on the ford is impressive...but they need to sort out that dash...bleh.

 

dash wtf!!


as compared to the current MINI gizmo display? At least with GEN1 and 2 the basic car (if you did not screw it up with options) paid homage to the central speedo of a classic (a classic classic . . . .)





or do you just not like the big display for all the toys?


My ST3 dash has speedo and tach, water temp, oil temp, oil pressure and boost (plus other electronic crud that comes up on the displays)


To duplicate on a $35,000 MINI I'm adding after market parts!

 

I actually meant over all materials and look of it...they got 95% of that car right and it fell apart when they used their basically standard focus (budget, cheap feeling) dash. I am hoping someone aftermarket comes out with something else.. It's just inelegant on an otherwise amazing ride. I'm not attacking btw...I just think they stepped up their game everywhere else....why let this be such a compromise.

 

wait a minute


OP:


My wife and I bought an '06 Cooper S Checkmate from LB Smith Ford in December of 2012


2012?

 

Try Focusst.org
Don't underestimate the STs, those things are pretty powerful cars stock and respond well to mods. I almost bought one as a Daily driver but the fact the local dealers had none in stock made it a little complex. I purchased an 05 S, but I never plan on being able to hang with the new breed of hatches, those things make serious torque really low.