I'm seriously eyeing this 2002 MCS near me, and I just may go take a look at it. However, for someone who's never owned a mini before, what can I look for/expect? How is the reliability? What parts most commonly fail? From what I understand, they are pretty reliable cars.

 

I bought my mini cooper s 02 (with 28k miles on it) few months ago... i would say that the first thing to notice is the price, i wasn't much involved with minis so i got the worst deal ever (regarding price).
The car had a problem with the windows and starter, but besides that no problems and im happy with it.
I would recomment you to go take a test drive, see if it has any problem and compare prices with new /pre-owned cars first.
Good luck
MaC

 

1st thing to check is the mileage -
I don't know if my car is atypical - but I started running into problems at 119k (supercharger, clutch, battery and alternator).
So, if the car you're interested in is getting up in miles, these items might give you problems in the near future.

T

 

With the new 07's coming out make sure you pay 4-5 under KBB.

 

seriously doubt someone will go that low!

 

Wanna BET? Once the 2007's show here, we will get a used MINI price drop. I think the party is over with the high resale values on the 2002-2006 model line starting in Jan. In fact over 4 years old and out of warranty, these cars don't hold their value much better than anything else.

 

i have my doubts too, i still think theyll have a solid value, but i do agree that 02-06 models will find resale values dropping some, i just dont see it being a lot.

one thing i recommend looking at in the 02 is the fact that from an 02 i test drove before i got my 04, is that im pretty sure they dont have a digital speedometer built into the tach. although the large speedo certainly looks cool i think itd be a bit of a PITA to utilize as your soul speedo as it has weird incrememnts and is at a weird angle. just saying make sure you can live with that, becuase i know its little, but unless theres a code to get an 02 to display the digi speedo, that alone really had me interested in 03+'s

just my .02

-greg

 

Just curious on where you got this information? If I could get another 2002 for 4k under kelly blue book I'd buy it.

 

Yes that low i just got my 05 MCS 2 weeks ago and paid 6 under KBB

 

Grats thats a awesome deal. Just did a search on used Mini Coopers on MSN and the prices are still holding in my area.

 

Just find the cars in Autotrader or some other listing or a used car lot and stay away fom these enthusiast sales pages and make your offer. Someone will take it, if you shop around long and far enough. EVERYONE here thinks their cars are worth WAY too much to make a good sale possible, IMO. Bring cash to any car deal, most people just can't say no to a really BIG wad of $100's... but play it safe when you're carrying those kind of bucks!!

 

Is 6 under KBB about $15,000?

 

I would say around 16,000-17,000 would be a fair price. depending on milies

 

Those are just ASKING prices, no one reports the actual selling price, go to a dealer auction, you'll be in for a real surprise on any car. New models come out, old models drop in value. It will happen to these MINIS too.

 

AeroMax: I too bought a 2002 MCS with just under 18,000 miles on it in early 2005. It was a turned in lease. Now has 40,500 on it. I too had to replace the driver's side window motor, fortunately just before the vehicle hit it's 48 months and the end of the warranty. This spring the coolant bottle was replaced. Other than that, everything else has been normal maintenance. Well, there's also the illness of modding. Maybe I mod things before they can break?

 

I am aware they are asking prices. Like you said there are no places that post actual selling prices (That i know of) Some dealers/sellers may drop the price some may not and the ones that do we are not sure what they are dropping them by.

I am sure you can get a great deal on any car if your patient enough.

As far as 2002 go I have have had mine since September (21k miles)and havent had any issues. You may want to get the VIN and check with MINI to see if you can get the service records.

 

Well right now I'm looking at a stripper 02 MCS, 45k on it, for $14,250. It's the best price I've seen, probably ever.

 

I bought a 2002 MCS used....in 2005 ..
Luckily it had 31000 miles on it and still factory warranty left..
Problems with it....
a few...Check the plastic radiator tank, if it has white calcium drip stains on it its leaking...(a common issue)
Replaced both power window motors
Airbag light on..3 times...(airbag light warranty has been extended it was a wiring harness issue...
Drivers side A pillar cover flew off....(check for looseness as the earlier clips break)...
Hood scoop..(plastic screw holders underneath are cracked and brittle...
Drivers side and passenger side rust in the door sill area (repaired under warranty and new door rubber seals installed)
Battery went dead at 48000 miles...
Electric fan stays on sometimes.(probably a relay...intermittant issue have not repaired)
A buddy of mine has a 2002 (he bought it recently for 15000) with premium package also and had to have the power steering motor replaced...(mine whines very loudly, I'm sure it will go soon)...
But...after all that...I still LOVE my 2002 old school Original gangster MCS..LOL
The fun outweighs all the quirks and problems (is this a disease or what) ....(that and I have a great mechanic)
Good luck...

 

okra- were the door sills replaced under the rust warranty?
Also, is the power steering pump known to be a common problem?

 

I still think it will be hard to get a mini for so much under kbb. Thats just my feelings.

 

I agree.
It's going to be a beater or a P.O.S.
If you don't know who you are getting it from, at that price don't get it.
Most '02s are out of warranty now and could become your worst nightmare.

I'd say to buy from an enthusiast - most likely they'll tell you what's up and have mad the important changes every '02 I know of needs.

Scrimp now and you'll not be scrimping later.

Paul

 

Yeah, my local MINI dealer fixed it for me under warranty, even though I did not buy it there....They even gave me a loaner 2006 MCS....They did some kind of patch job with clear, but the rust is still there....I intend to take care of it myself...
I've heard of a few people with the power steering issue...Mine works fine, but I fear it will soon give out...I think the fix costs around 300 to 400 bucks w labor at my local shop....not too worried about it..
If you can swing it, find an 03 or later if financially possible (and you really want one) At least to squeeze a little out of the warranty..(I juiced mine to the very end) Either that or try finding out through your local MINI club if there is an independant shop that can do your service or repairs if needed....
My local shop is a MINI enthusiast so I have complete trust in him...he's a great guy..
Other than the issues I described, it has been a fun fun fun car....I hope to keep it forever, it is now a classic MK 1 New MINI MCS.

 

If you are new to the forums, you will notice that our MCS are not problem free. infact they are problem prone. a majority of us hvae written on our problems on NAM and sought advice on what to do. the dealer often may misdiagnose problems or have you arrange for successive visits at the cost of your own personal time and inconvenience.

If you must get a used MINI, i recommend buying from a dealership. the CPO will pay itself off in spades on used MINI. to be honest. most people drive a 4 cylinder car hard. By nature the engine is already working quite hard on a day to day basis. Compare that to a v6 or more that revs smoother and always has power on tap.

second, i suggest driving several minis to grasp how a mini ought to handle and feel. Remember how the throttle feels on a short and long drive. drive the car over imperfect terrain to get a sense of proper handling. Take note on whether you drive the mini with 16s or 17" wheels. They do make a difference. I changed out my s-lites in favor of 15's to correct the road handling manners to my urban driving environment.

third, dont look at a car based on the price. a discount upfront may infact have you pay out more in repairs. remember, MINI's are generally driven hard because people think they are affordable sports cars. They are spirited cars but definitely not considered a true sports car. again, i recommend a car with low mileage and one that's warranteed by the dealer cpo program.

to be honest, ive driven loaner 06 MCS with 6 speed with 1500 miles and it drove worse than my own 06 MCS with 2500 miles. And i do mean noticibly worse on throttle response, more noise and rougher idle. You can change oil and fluids all you want on a used car but nothing can restore a worn engine or burned syncros apart from a rebuild. Proper break in period is the key, especially when you look at higher mileage cars.

there's a ton of used minis on the market so dont be afraid to pass one up for another. remember...

quality comes with a price (this is true for all aspects in life) and there are no real deals in the car business. Its just a huge myth. good luck

 

I've owned my 02 MC for nearly a year and haven't had any real problems with it. It might be luck or it could be that it's just a good car. MINI did make a few good ones ya know. Seriously though, definately buy from a dealer, ck the vin to see if it's had past problems and resign yourself to the fact that if you buy a used car...it's older, had another driver who drove it like only God knows, and in reality, it's like any other older used car...only it's more fun to drive than any other car I've driven in 35 years.