Hello everyone!
a first time poster, I’ve come for some advice/guidance please 😁.
I’m looking at a 2002 r53 that has low mileage and had much work done to it, super charger service (kavs 15% pulley), new clutch and flywheel and a list of other work. The owner said when he bought it had to have the head gasket done (that was when the rest of the work was carried out). The owner is quite the sales person, telling me it’s the best I’ll see and he’ll stand over it 100%.
I’m pretty amateur when it comes to buying and selling cars, so I asked my friend for advice who’s been buying and selling his whole life. Coincidentally he had spoken to the same seller and said he got a bad feeling. He also reckons having to do the cylinder head gasket at under 60,000 miles was a very bad sign and that the head is likely to be weakened or cracked and I should skip it.
What do you guys think about a cylinder head gasket replacement? Would that put you off buying an R53? I still want to go and look at the car. Apart from gunk in the oil, is there any other way to check if the head is good?
Thanks for any advice, I’d like to be in the r53 club 😁.
Foxy.

 

I would want to know when all that work was done. If it done last week then pass. If the head gasket work was done thousands of miles ago than I'm still in. Basically if the head is buggered it will manifest in disaster sooner than later especially in a moded car thats been driven hard.

 

My questions would be
1. Does he have any receipts?
2: Did he have the head reworked at a shop and they do a magnaflux test?
3. Did he replace the timing chain and guides?
4. Did he do a front seal and vibration dampener?
5. A clutch and and head gasket?
6. Any lights on? Airbag?
7. Did he find the reason the head gasket blew? Water pump failure? Belt? Cooling fans not coming on?

A head gasket failure would not be a reason to run, These are pretty tough cars if taken care of. In your case I would pay to have a shop do a compression and leak down test. That would give you a good idea of the health of the engine. Also a once over to see if they see anything looming that might be a big repair. Don't be overimpressed with the add on's as they might be a way to distract you from other issues.

These cars like to leak oil, oil filter gasket, oil pan gasket, crank position sensor O-ring and front main seal.
They have common failures like the dampener, The resistor for the cooling fan speed.
The factory control arm bushings always fail.


Mod Mini on YouTube has just about every repair covered on a Mini and you can save yourself a ton of money if you do the repairs yourself. Not trying to turn you off but just be aware. When they run right, they are super fantastically fun cars.

 

Thanks so much guys, these answers are really helpful! Very much appreciated…

I think I’ll go and look at the car, I’ll let you know how I get on!

 

Compression & leak down test - not by the shop that did the head.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

I did my own head gasket. Was not tough, and the head and pistons were both in good shape. Had the head resurfaced and while I was in there, I re-lapped the valves and put in new seals. Definitely want to get a compression test on all four minimum.