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Hi guys, Just joined the Forum and posting for the first time.
You read correctly... I'm getting my hands on a 6Speed Manual 2006 Hot Orange "S" with only 10,902mi ( ten thousand nine hundred two miles).
Car has been kept covered for a very long time by some very high profile lady who managed to scratch 3 out of 4 rims and thats about it. (all MINI manuals, not even flipped thru ever, perfect condition leather bag that holds them, , etc.)
H/D Radio, No Nav, No Chrono Gauge, Heated seats, Black Leather Interior, Arm rests, steering wheel full of buttons , Headlamp washers (love this), OnBoard Computer (fuel consumption, range, etc.),17" Rims with RunFlat Conts, DSC, no rear fog light, Ashtray, No stripes though...
Test Drove it and I haven't been able to sleep since...
I know things that seem too good to be true usually are but I've carfaxed the car and its one owner and no records.
My concern is what to BE CAREFUL with... I've read about every single post on issues but looking to do things right talking to the people who know.
What should I work on as PREVENTIVE like right away?
What known issues are avoidable and how?
How easily can the odometer be tricked?, AUDITABLE?
Car has been used just very very lightly, still taking to MINI to inspect and get a clean sheet.
I am very mechanically oriented with some experience and this us just in pristine conditions, took friends who've owned MINIs and were in shock to see conditions.
I want to hear from you guys. Pictures to follow.
Last edited by MonchyPerez; 07-03-2015 at 06:36 AM.
Reason: Adding Pictures., Actual mileage was 10902
You found a glass slipper! We've had our R52 for nearly 8 years now and have racked up over 70K miles enjoying the he!! out of it. Pretty much trouble free there've been a couple of issues that could have been avoided. I'll list a few ideas gained from experience.
Fuel: Top Tier ONLY! Had to replace the O-sensor using substandard fuel.
Find a good independent shop: A MINI club in your area can help with that.
Install strut tower plates. See Way Motor Works or other listed vendor for those.
Rotate the tires every 5K miles along with an oil change.
If you see blue water dripping from the engine bay, you've got a thermostat housing gasket leak. A common affliction. Check with your new found indie to have the 'white' replacement gasket installed.
If you're not all that familiar with a manual gear box, some clutch rules:
Keep you foot off the pedal at all times except when shifting. At a stop, shift to neutral and get off the clutch. Learn how to rev match for downshifting. Poor clutch management will mean an early clutch or TO bearing replacement.
If you want to do any mods, the very best bang for the buck is a heavy (19 or 22 MM) rear sway bar and KONI FSD struts.
Top canvas care: The two best products for this are 303 or Ragg Topp. BMW also has a pretty good product but have not used it.
Watch the little 'boot latched' switch on the left side where the upper edge of the boot door hits it. The throw on the switch is short and sometimes doesn't engage fully. I stuck a little felt chair leg button thingie on the inside of the door where it hits the switch button. Works great.
The most important thing to remember is that topless motoring is motoring at it's best.
If there is no rust on the car (don't know where you're located) then it's likely that the odometer is legit. It's so tied into the computer system that I haven't heard of it being messed with before (I suppose it may be possible if the entire computer system is changed).
At this point you may have the makings of an awesome car. The best of the breed.
Consider this: How many oil changes has it had? At that mileage it may have only had two!!
So now you have to change your mindset to - this car has not stretched it's legs... how do we deal with it?
First, Change all the fluids: Coolant, Oil, Transmission, Brake, Gas
Next, your concern can be directed towards rubber gasket fatigue. This is a 9 year old car that has barely been driven. I would expect to see some oil leaks in the next 30K of driving, but nothing that is out of the ordinary.
Get that battery on a charger (was it maintained the whole time?) or consider spending the $120 on a new one. Be careful of "charging" a battery on the alternator. It will lead to premature failure.
Consider budgeting to change the coolant overflow reservoir and passenger side engine mount over the next year or so before they fail.
More good points from jamez. Just thought of another thing to watch for. There is a new recall for passenger seat air bag sensor failure. It's the mat inside the passenger's seat that eventually fails with an open circuit over time and use. I'm sure there's no problem with this one - yet - but at some point it may and you'll get the two lights to come on. Mine have been happily glowing for 4 or 5 years now. When it gets fixed I'm sure I'll miss their warm glow and ambiance. When you take possession of the car, go to MINIUSA.com and register the car. The current owner may have already received the notice so ask about that.
In those days Mini offered a fantastic deal on an extended maintenance package, less than $2000 for 10 years or 100k miles (I paid $1500). This transfers so it would be something to ask about.
I would also consider just replacing all the rubber bits mentioned above instead of waiting for them to fail.
The car probably has the original tires. Tire manufacturers claim a 10 year life but I'm not sure if I buy that.
Fantastic find.
My R53 has just under 140k miles and is still going strong. The wife and I enjoy my R59S more now, but even though I've moved on I still feel the R52/R53 look and drive the best.
Never heard about convertible top care (my first convertible) donde some research since this morning and 303 products seem to be the one. I was worried about the top and I'm browsing to cool MINI outdoor covers to buy.
I thinik I'll to the thermostat housing gasket early on to prevent any surprises.
You've not mentioned where you live. If hail is a possibility, look in to car covers that can help protect from that.
Back to fuel: I mentioned Top Tier(http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html) but forgot to say that the 'S' requires top octane as well. Nothing less than 91. It knows the difference and will perform accordingly including better mileage the higher you can get. Our li'l guy gets 91 hereabouts but once in a while we venture into 93 or even 94 land and he just goes nuts.
Black body trim: Go to http://www.showcardetailing.com/ and order Pre-Wow and BlackWow, it looks expensive but it goes a long long way. Richard Lin aka octaneguy here on NAM is THE detailing guru and inventor of BlackWow. He also carries a fine line of paint care products. He doesn't post much anymore but he's posted lots of good stuff on 'Detailing 101' in the forum directory. Another good source for car care is Griot's Garage. Finally got to pay a visit to their shop in Tacoma...fantastic. Been using their stuff for several years.
Last edited by Fly'n Brick; 07-03-2015 at 09:47 AM.
I just bought a 2000 Lexus LS400 as a daily driver that only had 33,000 miles. Other than changing oil, oil filter, air filter, cabin air filter and differential oil I've just been driving it. I wouldn't worry too much about changing anything that doesn't give you reason to change it.
As far as tricking the odometer, if carfax and Mini service records match what the car says I think you're pretty safe.
I would change the engine oil, coolant, and brake fluid. Doing the belt and spark plug wires wouldn't be a bad idea. Otherwise with that low mileage drive it and enjoy. Wouldn't really worry about other parts till they actually fail.
I was lucky to confirm the previous owner took it to the MINI concessionary 3 months ago (900 miles ago in the ODO) and changed OIL and Filter plus A/C Filter and Air filter also. (Got the actual original receipt) with diagnostics and brakes not needing replacement. I'm located in the Dominican Republic. (Thank's Brick, I'd forgotten to mention.)
So far this is what I have on my TO DO LIST...
1) Drive the Hell out of it!
2) Thermostat housing gasket
3) 303 Products (Conv Top, plastic parts, rubber seals, etc.)
4) Belt and Ignition cables (to inspect and order just to have at hand)
5) Coolant overflow reservoir (years budget)
6) Passenger side Engine Mount (years budget)
MODS:
a) Rear Fog light as "IR" Reverse light. (thinking reverse camera in near future)
b) Strut tower plates.
b) Rear Sway Bars (19 t0 22 mm)
c) KONI FSD struts (Merry Christmas to me).
Additionally (being new to MINI and being hyped the hell about owning one). I found 2 very good sites with some data as to what Options were available on '06 and which were installed on the vehicle.
Bmwarchive.org VIN decoder.
I can't understnad what other info I could get out of a paid VIN decoder, this actually gives WAY too much info adn its FREE.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
Sports suspension settings, Airbag Sports leather steering wheel, Smoker package, Isofix-System, Sports seat, Storage Compartment package, Park Distance Control (PDC), Rev Counter, Light package, Radio Bavaria C Reverse III, Key remote control, Hot-climate version, Acoustic belt warning, Language version English, Radio frequency 315 MHz, Control of number-plate attachment.
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:
Dynamic stability control, Multifunction f steering wheel, 5-Spoke Bullet (or 5-Star Bullet) Design Light Alloy Wheels, Exterior mirror / Driver side heated, Interior surface in vehicle color, Integrated universal Garage remote control, Chrome Line Interior, Chrome Line exterior, Chromed Outside mirrors, Interior mirror with automatic-dip, Height adjustment, passenger seat, Front Armrest, Seat heating driver/passenger, Fog lights, Rain sensor, Xenon Light, Automatic Air conditioning, On-board computer, BMW US Radio, CD player, Hi-Fi System Harman Kardon, Preparation BMW 6-CD changer I-bus, Additional Fan, Transport protection package, Outer skin protection.
Last edited by MonchyPerez; 07-05-2015 at 07:30 AM.
Your report is brilliant with one exception. The 'Drive the hell out of it.' idea. Many in the MINI community actually describe that as 'Drive it like you stole it.' Has a more, I don't know, sporty sound to it?
You've got yourself a dang fine motor! Enjoy.
You got lucky that the car was covered. I bought mine from a guy in Key Largo Fl. Sat in a garage un-covered for 8 years and seldom driven. there is some foam rubber deterioration and the vinyl is dry. It needs cleaned badly.
It is a 2005 R52 S and when I bought it in April I picked it up on a Monday and left for the Dragon on Wednesday. When I picked it up, it had 3,648 original miles. As of Today, it is just over 7,000 miles. No problems to speak of with the car, but the dealership is another story...
Again, seek out other MINI persons in your area and locate the local independent good guy. Generally speaking, dealerships are not problem solvers, just part replacers.
You two guys have walked into a couple of miracle cars! Envy and admiration all around. Read back thru Monchy's thread. There's lots of good stuff shared by a few.
I found and bought a sidewalk last year with 8500 miles. The carfax should show the mileage at each registration year. It is better to have a little each year to make sure it did not just sit.
And here we go again... Remember when I started this thread "When things seem too good to be true...."
Mechanical findings... with Pictures. I'm trying to negotiate the cost of these fixes and bring the prince down a few thousands... Asking is 13.5K (here in DR used car will usually run 3 to 5 thousand higher than in the states. I pitched 10K to see what the come up with. Giving it some thought.
Hit me with your perspective/experience... how BAD to these seem?
I'm pretty mechanical, (Engineering background, worked at Ford for a while, grew up inside a FordMustang) and I'm willing to to most of this myself. (not touching the A/C).
"Cute Crack Pipe???" or "Worth every thrill/bill?"
Apparently this what I'm finding after lifting the car and taking a look of whats underneath.
1) Power Steering pump very dirty covered in Hydraulic fluid. Dry Power Steering (just a puddle in the bottom) could it also be the rack?
2) A/C Compresor, Wet with Greenish yellow/compressor oil.
3) Engine Gaskets same sweating oil stuff, Oil Pan and also kinna saw some on the side too.
4) Dried up were fluid came down... I see a drop of green possibly coolant. Already gasket issue? This is me paranoid.
HIT ME!
Last edited by MonchyPerez; 07-07-2015 at 08:05 PM.
Congrats on getting the car. Since I've bought mine, it seems like some of the rubber components have deteriorated and are needing replacement. I blew the front motor mount at 12,500 miles. The front radiator seal was bad. However, no mechanical problems to speak of. So far, after 3 trips to the Dragon and other runs, my car now has 17,500 fun miles. (2005 R52 S-auto)
That is a very sharp looking car but be prepared for the "that's a woman's car" as I got with the Miatas that I had. Some will either just never know or are unable to understand how much fun there is in a light car with some decent horse power and the handling of a Mini.
Living in the DR, how many miles do cars average in a given year?
If the leaks are still present it looks like you have a crank sensor o-ring and the power steering hoses. In the states the mini dealer will be looking for close to $1,000 to repair but if you can turn a wrench, you can get off much cheaper.
The leaks I'm pretty sure is the crankshaft o-ring and I also agree on the power steering hoses. I'm pretty able with a wrench.
One of the reasons I'm happy with the MINI is that I get to do stuff on it. It's been a while since I've had a car I can work on and this has got me pretty excited specially with all the how-to info around here. I'm all for it.
07-02-2015, 08:21 PM
, Headlamp washers (love this), OnBoard Computer (fuel consumption, range, etc.),17" Rims with RunFlat Conts, DSC, no rear fog light, Ashtray, No stripes though... 
