R56 08 MCS Cost to Keep Vs Start Over With New
#1
08-09-2018, 11:16 AM
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Irvine, CA
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08 MCS Cost to Keep Vs Start Over With New
Hi all:Love, love, love driving my mini - has 128,000 currently. Non runflats, but no other modifications. Have ploughed several thousand dollars in regular services, plus timing chain, fuel head gasket, coolant thingy melted, cylinder head replaced, carbon blasting valves (twice so far), brake pads & rotors (several) and oil. Lots of oil...
Latest tire rotation (which I have not been consistent with
) reveals cupping, and possible scalloping - so need new struts/shock absorbers (have never replaced them). Also, still running original clutch (manual transmission, mostly freeway driving in So Cali)...so the question is whether to keep ploughing cash into my current car to take it to 150,000+ or go new/gently used (Is that possible, driving a mini???
).Keep it questions:
What costs will I likely have if I keep running it? I'm not handy with maintenance, so paying someone is the only option.
Get new / lightly used questions:
Knowing that I love my sport mode stick shift, will a steptronic transmission do it for me?
I've read that the N18 engines are less thirsty...
Non-negotiable - must be driving a mini!
Thx
#2
08-09-2018, 11:21 AM
Put new QUALITY struts on....Koni, ect and then you will probably enjoy the thing even more than ever!. Wearing out old parts is just an excuse to UPGRADE.
Is the clutch going out? If not dont worry about it yet (but prepare) and plan to upgrade it too once it comes time.
Frankly a N14 mini is just about worthless...however YOURS isnt to YOU. You know all that has been put into it and thus can and will reap those benefits.
Is the clutch going out? If not dont worry about it yet (but prepare) and plan to upgrade it too once it comes time.
Frankly a N14 mini is just about worthless...however YOURS isnt to YOU. You know all that has been put into it and thus can and will reap those benefits.
#4
08-13-2018, 05:51 PM
I just mean they have a stigma about them due to their inherent carbon problems and unreliability if not properly maintained. OP has put a lot of love and money into the N14 and they will likely not get any of it back due to that same fact. Up until about 2010 Minis had one of the strongest resale values, and comparatively now they are pathetic in that arena....I speculate that the N14 being around a few years helped that happen...and of course BMW bastardizing the brand into a zillion fluffy wanna-be-BMW models (one of which I own now lol)
EDIT: Just saw that was your first post so maybe I went off into a rather unnecessary rant there..... Search about the N14 and the carbon buildup problems, timing chain problems, fuel pump problems (which affect newer cars too) ect ect. They dont have the best track records as used cars these days. Its usually in a buyers best interest to opt for a newer N18 powered Mini.
#5
08-17-2018, 07:11 AM
Are you doing the work yourself or paying a mechanic? Many of the items mentioned you did aren't hard to do on your own with basic tools.
Valve cover gasket, HPFP, Brakes and many other things are easy to do.
My 2012 R56 with 104K (currently) has had loads replaced but you save tons by doing it yourself and planning for it. I also do preventive maintenance on the car, A/C recharge, Trans fluid replacement (smoother shifts and better mpg did at 80K) and walnut blasting on my N18 (at 102K). It did help with power and reduced the oil consumption.
But really, if you don't put $ into repairs what are you doing paying down a car note? Maybe my ideas of repairs has changed since I paid my car off but I figure the car only costs me gas and maintenance now instead of a car note.
Valve cover gasket, HPFP, Brakes and many other things are easy to do.
My 2012 R56 with 104K (currently) has had loads replaced but you save tons by doing it yourself and planning for it. I also do preventive maintenance on the car, A/C recharge, Trans fluid replacement (smoother shifts and better mpg did at 80K) and walnut blasting on my N18 (at 102K). It did help with power and reduced the oil consumption.
But really, if you don't put $ into repairs what are you doing paying down a car note? Maybe my ideas of repairs has changed since I paid my car off but I figure the car only costs me gas and maintenance now instead of a car note.
#6
08-17-2018, 01:52 PM
I was in a similar but slightly different situation about a year and a half ago.
I used to have a 2010 MCS in dark silver. I ordered the car exactly as I wanted it and absolutely loved it. Living in a place with only 1 parking spot, we had to move to family friendly vehicle and so the MINI went away. A few years later, I was in a position to get a 2nd car and after test driving the F56 (great car in its own right) but not the same as the R56. Admittedly better engine, but I didn’t like the larger size and the rev-matching downshifts annoyed me. I missed my old car so I went on the search for a gently used R56 JCW with the n18 motor, which was trying to find a needle in a haystack. I eventually found a 2012 MCS with 26k miles and ended up making friend with my local dealership and had the JCW tuning kit installed instead. I decided it would be my project car and I slowly did things myself to improve it...upgrading brakes/brake lines, strut bar, steering wheel, black out trim...now the car feels like it’s completely mine and I don’t think I’d have it any other way.
Long way of me saying, go test drive a new one and if it speaks to you, go for it. I ended up saving a ton going the used route and getting something that I feel is more to my liking in the old car, which I think you might find as well. Maybe a used R56 with fewer issues is the way to go. Good luck!
I used to have a 2010 MCS in dark silver. I ordered the car exactly as I wanted it and absolutely loved it. Living in a place with only 1 parking spot, we had to move to family friendly vehicle and so the MINI went away. A few years later, I was in a position to get a 2nd car and after test driving the F56 (great car in its own right) but not the same as the R56. Admittedly better engine, but I didn’t like the larger size and the rev-matching downshifts annoyed me. I missed my old car so I went on the search for a gently used R56 JCW with the n18 motor, which was trying to find a needle in a haystack. I eventually found a 2012 MCS with 26k miles and ended up making friend with my local dealership and had the JCW tuning kit installed instead. I decided it would be my project car and I slowly did things myself to improve it...upgrading brakes/brake lines, strut bar, steering wheel, black out trim...now the car feels like it’s completely mine and I don’t think I’d have it any other way.
Long way of me saying, go test drive a new one and if it speaks to you, go for it. I ended up saving a ton going the used route and getting something that I feel is more to my liking in the old car, which I think you might find as well. Maybe a used R56 with fewer issues is the way to go. Good luck!
#7
08-17-2018, 02:05 PM
If you don't work on the car yourself, it's going to continue being very expensive. There are much less expensive ways to have much more fun on 4 wheels, but that hasn't kept me from dumping thousands into my N14. It's a project car, it will always have issues, and I am prepared for that. But I am also very, very glad it's not my daily driver anymore. As for N18's, they're better than N14's but they're not 'perfect' either. I have friends with just as many problems on their N18 as I've ran into on my N14. It all comes down to preventative maintenance, and to some extent luck. If you love the car and are connected to it, as I was with mine, then it's worth it to 'keep going' with the car, even if that means rebuilding the motor when the time comes. If you want to have that N14 forever, you can, now as for whether or not you 'should'... well only you can decide that haha.
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