Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum but not MINIs or german cars for that matter. Currently my wife and I have a 1982 Mercedes 240D and 2012 VW Golf. We are looking to add an older MINI as a fun weekend car. Non S model and has to be automatic for her.

I am very mechanically inclined and do all my own work on my cars so I'm not to worried about carrying out routine maintenance. I'm also used to high maintenance german cars so MINIs don't really scare me.

The car I'm looking at tomorrow is a 2006 Automatic with 196K miles for $2100.. It looks to be in OK shape in the pics but I am curious as to what you guys think I should be on the lookout for. I am most specifically worried about the transmission but also assume it has been replaced at least once if its made it this far.. right?

 

RUN AWAY

With an Auto trans that means it's a CVT. When it breaks, not IF. The trans will be over $4000 just for the part. Being that it already has 196k your 150K miles past it's normal life.

And $2100 is WAY too much for a car with that many miles. You can buy an S with half that miles for $3500. And a Cooper Non S with half the miles still should be about $2000-2500 as we see them all the time.

 

+1 What Way said. Plus, for fun weekend getaways a drop head is the only way to go, get some wind in your hair. Topless motoring is motoring at its best.

 

The CVT transmission is a deal killer. They all seem to go out and the repair is costly. Teach her how to drive a stick shift and you will have a beautiful thing!

 

You may start out with a CVT but they usually morph into a MVYF transmission. "Movement Via Your Feet" similar to what Fred Flintstone drove.

 

I've driven an R52 non S Cooper with the CVT and I felt unsafe on how slow it is. It CANNOT get out of it's own way, merging into traffic is scary. The manual is definitely the way to go.
But if you want a non S Than get the 2005 and later cars as they have the better Getrag gearbox.

If you work on your own cars than I'd recommend the S but If you don't than prepare to pay lot's in labor for the little things that go wrong on the S vs the Non-S.

The Automatic Cooper S's have MUCH better transmissions made by Aisin. Just don't forget the maintenance on them.

 

thats a $1100 car. buy it and when it breaks, throw it away.

Where are you located? I may have a car for you. My brother is selling a white base cooper.