Typical things on R52/53 cars to look for or expect to replace....

suspension
- unless they’ve been changed at some point to powerflex, front lower control arm bushings were likely toast 50k miles ago. Check by kicking the front of each front wheel.....if there’s movement front to back (wiggle), they are bad.
- struts are long overdue unless they’ve been changed.
- check strut towers for “mushrooming” and check mounts for cracks and tears (very common).
- in general, you’ll just want to expect to do a suspension “refresh” unless the work has been done already.....struts, bushings, ball joints, etc. it’s not terrible expensive depending on options you go with, but can be lots of work. These cars drive so much better with fresh suspension parts!

engine
- if belt tensioner and idler pulley haven’t been changed, do so immediately.
- the crank pulley (harmonic balancer) on these cars is prone to failure....it basically separates into to pieces (inner/outer) and will leave you stranded and possibly overheat the car. If it’s the original oem, change immediately....suggest either ATI or PRW (fluid filled type).
- supercharger oil service....I think there’s a debate on whether you should do this or just wait til the supercharger dies. I tend to err on the side of prevention and suggest the oil be changed and the water pump replaced at the same time.
-unless it’s been replaced, the crank position sensor on the front of the engine leaks oil....can be mistaken as a pan gasket leak. You can change the o ring relatively easily.....it’s likely leaking.
- another maintenance item that’s cheap and relatively easy to replace is the timing chain tensioner. In High mileage cars they tend to get worn out and stick causing a chain rattle. Mine did this when the car was restarted while warm. The part is like $20 and work can be done in 10 minutes through passenger wheel well. If never changed, it’s worth putting on your list.

body
- may or may not be applicable where you are (climate), but lots of gen 1 cars are getting rust around the tail lights here in the Midwest. Way to check would be to remove the tail lights and check the body seam that’s in the “pocket” the lights sit in. That’s where the rust starts. Also check under the lower door seals and boot hatch seal.

hope that helps!

At first I was thinking “No wait, the ‘07 Coopers had turbo’s not S/C’s, but then I reread the post and saw that it’s a convertible. I have it in my brain that Mini switched to the turbo for the ‘07 model year, but for some reason the same change was not made in the convertible until ‘09.
That just seems odd to me, am I correct or confused?

You can buy new units for around $1400 pretty easily....rebuilt ones for around $1000. Seems like I’ve seen several posted here for sale lately.....My impression is that some folks bought them and put them on the shelf “just in case” and then never used them, I don’t know what the failure rate is, but I think it is relatively low. I’ve owned two supercharged cars....my current one is almost to the 100k mile mark and I’ve been considering taking it apart to check/change the oil just for good measure. Will likely wait til it’s time to do the clutch, though, so things just have to come apart once.

i think the main sign of a failing supercharger would be noise.....clatter, rattles, etc. there are lots of things that can make rattle noises on engines, though....so if you hear a rattle, don’t assume it’s the supercharger. In my experience, rattles are more likely the timing chain or the throughout bearing when in neutral (like mine).

sorry can’t give input on rebuild difficulty. I would think that tolerances are pretty tight on them, so not sure it’s the best idea to do them on your own. I’m sure someone on here has done one, though.

yes....the gen 1 supercharged cars lived on though 07-08 as a convertible-only (r52) model.

The more I read on here I am getting the Impression that these are more like the British princess than the chambermaid - I have owned jaguars and Ducati’s so I know how some ladies just demand attention and if given right they reward - this car I am looking at is owned by an executive lady who commutes a lot, she claims all maintenance has been done at one shop ( not a dealer) and I can talk to the shop

I guess one last question would be is it a better idea to look at a 2009 ? Or do they have their issues also and if this one excites me I am better off with it at half the money

Thanks

I work from home so maybe 8 times a year I need to catch a plane

dont be scared off.....yes, MINIs are a bit maintenance intensive, but the list I gave above is more due to mileage.

I’ve owned 3 different gen 1 cars (r50, r52, r53) and one gen 2 car (an 08 r56s). They have all been a blast to drive and wrench on.....but the r56 by far had the most problems and potential for breakdown IMO. I drove that car for 3 years and about 50k miles.....in that time it had to replace the water pump, thermostat housing, timing chain assembly (3 times!!!), and decoke the valves (direct injection).....and then there’s the electric gremlins. I’ve seen so many blown engines in the turbo cars (especially earlier ones) that I wouldn’t own another one.

The gen 1 cars are relatively bulletproof IMO.....all the work I have done on mine has been preventative maintenance and repairs due to age/mileage....or “upgrades”. I’d also suggest that the gen 1 cars are more fun to drive.....but that’s just my opinion. The steering feel, the supercharger whine, exhaust pops.....it just makes the experience.

So for me that deal went sideways- I talked to the mechanic that has been working on it and just did not get a good feeling.

Out of curiosity what what sorts of things would be normal to service or PM when you put in a clutch ? I am assuming that you would have to remove the front end of the car and pull the Powertrain assembly so when you are that deep I would assume you change the harder to get to items that don’t cost that much - do a PM refresh