http://twinriverautosales.com/2007_M...149188679.veh#
now at $14k. supposedly there is only a few hunderd of wiggle room on the price since this car was just lowered to this figure today having been on their lot for 6 weeks and i know it was listed on craigslist as recent as yesterday and for a few weeks at $16k. if it checks out, what are you thoughts on it and its price based on miles it has. it does have most options we were hoping for. also, the only way they offer the 5 yr 100k mile warranty with a $100 deductible is if i pay the asking price and if there is issue i can bring it to any certified mechanic for repair, not just to them....

 

First, grab the VIN and pull the service records from a MINI dealer.
Second, grab a copy of the so-called 5yr / 100K mile warranty statement to see what's included and what's not; there's ALOT of fine print regarding situtational failures.
Thirdly, is it worth $14K to you? Do you have other comparisons to base it against?

- Erik

 

planning on calling the dealer tomorrow. from the car fax this car was maintained regularly at one dealership in nj including tire rotations etc.

it was a 1 owner car thru aug 2011 and a new owner was reported, weird but from my read of the carfax someone owned it for 6 months, then, this place got it from a bmw/mini auction in NJ

biggest challenge is i dont know a mechanic in the Providence RI area to ask to look over the car.

 

sorry, re the last question. is it worth 14k to me and what am i comparing it to. i guess thats what i am asking others here. is it worth 14k. i am in no rush, we have an R50 that is fine, just want to get rid of the stick shift. i dont know if i will get a pretty well loaded car like this for this price or if this is pretty typical pricing and nothing special.

re the warranty, it doesnt excite me. it comes with a 30 day 50/50 no matter what and i have a really great mechanic locally assuming nothing really major is wrong....

 

When does the five year warranty on the 2007 expire?

 

hs, do you mean the one they are offering with the car? if so i think its 5 yrs from the new purchase date or up to 100k miles effectively 22k more miles is how i am interpreting it.

 

My suggestion...
2007 was the first year of the new prince motor...
Ganeraly there were lots of issues...the first year of both a new model and a new motor should be sold at a discount....
Imo get a less loaded, newer car...you will be better off imo.

 

One other thing...the 2007 S has enough problems with the pcv/carbon issues in the intake, it was revised in later cars...just things to consider...and make sure the normal early prince timing chain isdues have been retrofited or not affecting it too....imo check the motor vin..see if it matches...knew a couple folks that got replacements on 2 or 3 month onld 2007's...by now it would be just a negoitaing point....

 

zippy, forgive me, but youve confused me. i understand what your points are but how am i to know if the timing chain issues have been addressed

when you said check the vin, where? with who? for what? do you mean asking the dealership?

this 07 came thru customs in july 07

 

Uconn, yes, that is what I was asking. Date or mileage whichever occurs first is how every warranty I've ever seen expires. It is likely expiring in a few months if it hasn't already, and hence, can't be worth much as an incentive to pay the asking price.

 

Take the vin to a mini dealer, they can check the warranty work done on the vehicle. It should show if the timing chain was replaced, and if carbon cleaning was done.

There was also a recall this year. This is a good excuse for asking the selling dealer for the VIN, and to ask the MINI dealer for help.

My 08 MCS has many of the same options, and I paid $15k in October 2011, so I think that the price is fair. Like the other guy said, check the fine print on the warranty.

Have you driven the car? I regret a few things about my car (dents, some underbody rust), but I enjoy the car the more that I drive it. Check the car out as a 'normal' used car first, not as a MINI. If it seems like a solid car, then enjoy it.

Mike

 

MB, if the timing belt and the carbon cleaning werent done, are these reasons to stay away from the car? were both recall or tsb type work? Ill check into whether the recall work was done too. just trying to see if its something the dealership would do now the belt and carbon at no cost if it wasnt done before. My guess is this car lot wont drop the price for things not done, they will just wait to sell it to someone who doesnt know about mini's

 

On the mini it is a chain...costs much more than a belt...
cwrbon cleaning is a RECURRING thing...for life. Consideted to be more of a std mantance thing now on mant di motors..the fuel cannot clean the intake valves...it does not pass through them...so one unintened result of this change was extra carbon from pcv vapors...the pcv system was redesgined to reduce the issue on later prince motors. Driving style, etc can change the speed of the buildups. Not a game stopper, but exta hassel an expense, not fould on a slightly newer gen2 cars. The vin is stamped on both the car frame, body, and block...not sure where it is on a gen2.

 

Thanks zippy, I have the vin so will ask the dealership these questions

 

And now I nderstand what you meant about vins matching though with the detail listed on this carfax I'd think it would note any major change like an engine

 

Carfax info comes from a varrity of scources....mostly insurance companies and state agencys...if neither was involved, carfax may not have the info.
Not all gen2 had timing chain issues...was due to (basicly) manfacuring tollerances...if a bunk of max links were all linked together by chance...often the chain could be a bit longer than max spec, but the correct number of links...a few fractions of a mm add up...
Odd fact/tidbit....a 747 can vary in length (same model) by about 12-14 inches due to this same phenomon...and that is with aerospace tolerances...
The prince motor is a high tech engennering exercise....finely engeneered, and was a part of a new bmw partnership...
one that bmw was so er...impressee with the results, they have basicly sunsetted/ended, and the gen3 motor is now fully desgined by bmw inhouse...an expensive step, but one bmw took to (apparently) ensure realibilty in the future motor.
Now our gen1 motor is the result of a similar partnership that ened, but a much lower tech desgin...that having been said, later motors on gen1 did/do run better, make more power.
Imo at you price point, just be careful.....drive it, decide if you like the change.
As said above, check with a dealer for records...the fact the car got a big price cut, means eiter ithas sat, or has a bit of history...check it vs kelly bluebook, etc...and see if it is a deal...cars only loose value sitting...so if they say they will "LOOSE MONEY" if they go lower...say you will loose more as it sits...and cash tied up...dealers can/do take losses on cars, but check the warrenty...a big deductuble or short life left limits it usefulness....

 

I would not stay away from the car if the timing chain or carbon cleaning has not been done, but they are negotiating points for you. Like Zippy said, the carbon is probably routine maintenance. There are threads here to describe both maintenance procedures (and what to listen for if the timing chain gets loose). If you can get the car to a MINI dealer, then they can give you an estimate for these repairs and any other required maint. Again, useful for negotiating.

Have fun,
Mike

 

Not a Mini owner, but also shopping for a Mini. For an '07 with that many miles I'd say it's still significantly overpriced. Personally, I think you can do a lot better. Either that, or they'd need a heck of a lot more wiggle room than a few hundred bucks.

 

Remember, the BEST deals are usually cars that the owners do not know what they have....so getting a car from a professional dealer means they almost NEVER underprice a car, but often the opposite. Now, finding a car from an individual....you get rid of the $1500 markup, and if it has a transferablw warrenty, still keep it...still risk, but you seem to be doing pleanty of legwork investigating possible cars!! Goodluck!!

 

First update of the morning. Spoke to one of the Mini dealerships but not the one where the car was always serviced. The description is wrong, its leatherette, not leather. It has the remainder of a 72 month going until 8/2013 or 100k mile warranty. no carbon work was done, but, the alt/water pump,drive belt were all done at 65k, brakes, tires etc done earlier, and in '09 there was some service done for engine noise coded by dealer as hydrolic tappet. the tailpipe extension was done under warranty and the water pump recall is still open. it also had a high pressure pump done at 65k

 

Personal opinion...I'm still walking away from it at anything close to that price. I'm looking all over the internet to find the car my wife and I want, and I've seen newer MCS's with less than half the miles of the one you posted that could be bought for around $15-$15.5k. It'd be worth the few extra bucks to me.

 

its going to the Mini dealer on Monday for $125 to do a top to bottom look at it. While mileage bothers me, I think I would rather have one like this that has documented routine maintenance (ie oil changes) and the timing belt etc done than one that who knows how it was maintained and this still has 21k and 1.5 years left on the Mini maintenance warranty. Sure wish it had leather though. On the phone I have already gotten it down to 13.5. Im sure i can get it lower still.

 

Best $125 spent. Dealer found multiple issues including poor spray work on non disclosed body work, both front strut towers torn, engine noise source either friction wheel, water pump, or drive belt. Not buying it. Maybe I should instead consider a certified Mini Next

 

I'm reading this thread for the first time now, but as soon as I saw that the car was from a NJ auction, I was willing to bet money it was hit.

I'm familiar with your reason for trading the R50 from past threads. I still think you should consider a low mileage 2005 or 2006 R53 automatic. It's closer to the car you have, with a nice, reliable drivetrain. Also, I'd feel more comfortable, personally, buying from the original owner, versus a dealer.

 

Thanks blackbomber. That is definitely an option if I can find one with low miles being sold privately at a relatively reasonable amount.