My local facebook marketplace has a 2006 MINI Cooper S automatic with 146,000 miles. It seems like it's at a decent price ($1200) but the description states "starts to shift hard when it warms up." Is this ad a "proceed with caution" or a "run away screaming" warning sign?

At this price there's some room for repairs, but I don't want to buy it and discover it'll cost 5 grand to fix or something either... what, in your opinion, would "Starts to shift hard when warmed up" entail? In my naive mind that could be anything from just low on fluid to needs full replacement (and what would a new transmission cost in that case?)

The pictures look decent for a car of that mileage, but the description states:

 

It probably needs at least a new valve body. Check around with local Mini shops (not the dealer) and see how much one of them would charge for it (its going to be at least $800 to $1,000). So unless you're prepared to spend some money its a "run away screaming" - if you know what you're getting yourself into its a "proceed with caution".

 

Thanks for the advice, Noonzio. That's pretty much what I was thinking here too. "RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!"

There's no hurry on this and there will be better ones out there. We're looking for a car for my daughter after she gets her license (which should be in 6 months or so). She LOVES our Countryman and wants a mini cooper of her own. I explained to her that she may want a mini but she gets the miniVAN instead - it didn't go over well!!

We're tired of having to leave work mid-day to bring her to practices, games, etc. after school and want her to have some independence (which will free us up as well!) and want a smallish car that doesn't hold a ton of people so she doesn't become the taxi driver for her group of friends

So: with a brand-new driver, I want a small, nimble, safe automatic transmission vehicle. A stickshift is GREAT once they've had a little experience under their belt, but at this point I want her focusing on the road, not on shifting. And if daddy don't get a stickshift, daughter CERTAINLY won't get the fun car!! (you DRIVE a stick. you merely GUIDE an automatic.) I'm looking at R53's and R56's (05 & newer so it'd have the 6-speed auto, not the cvt) as well as cars like the mazda3 hatch, VW beetle, etc. I'm trying to keep it in the $2000-$3000 range price-wise, and that's kinda tough to find anything decent in that range with the mini's

 

I would be looking at a One or Cooper without turbo. No point adding in potentially expensive repair parts like a turbo and HPFP and certainly not for a beginner driver. That will will keep the purchase price and insurance down too. Look for something that has had the timing chain replaced as part of maintence. Maybe with a fairly new water pump and thermostat housing. Also consider forecourt sale with warranty rather than private sale. All this and you'll sleep better...

 

...and indoctrinate her to the fact that these are NOT driven 'em and forget 'em grocery getter appliances. She will need to get used to paying close attention to its regular service including periodic fluid checks. Example is a post today of a guy who apparently ran his car out of oil and blew a bearing.

 

 

I know this car - exchanged a few emails with the current owner. He bought it at auction. I ran a Autocheck and it came back with structural damage - which you can see in the photos on CL - check out the different color on the Passenger side strut tower, and the title will be a salvage - which is fine but know that going in so you can back into your "fix" number. I wrote to the guy after I decided to go with another Mini Cooper, and told him what I thought was wrong with the car - Transmission Valvebody. These guys are car flippers and it appears they might be in over their head on this Cooper.