Afternoon. Still new to the site and looking to buy a JCW, to be our first Mini purchase. Have been advised by Vets on this site that the 2013 has the "N18" engine, and that is the one to try to get. But wondering, if the miles are significantly higher than an older car, and knowing that the sale price will def be higher, is it still worth the extra money (and miles) to grab a 2013 so there will be less maintenance costs on the back end? Is that N18 that much better of an engine? We normally keep cars until they put themselves to sleep...
Thanks All!!

 

Too many variables. Price is only one of them. Who owned them, did they perform the routine maintenance? Is that maintenance documented? Accidents?

 

It seems to me the N18 is THAT much better. The N14 probably has twice the carbon buildup the N18 does despite the miles.

Regardless, a Mini seems to "goes to bed" alot earlier than most lol

 

Thanks for the replies! So many variables, not enough time to compare them all. I totally know what you are saying, just trying to get some kind of baseline to work forward from. Thanks again!

 

Depends on how the mileage has been racked up i.e mostly highway driving or city driving.

If the car had regular and proper routine maintance would be a good buy i.e oil & filter change every 5000/6000 miles.

Check to see common problems has been fixed before you buy ie full timing chain kit, hpfp, walnut blast etc..

N18 engines will be less prone to problems than the N14 engines sine it's been redesigned to reduce the problems of the N14 engines, but will still have similar problems as they share the same engine platform.

 

In a year's time I have owned both, an 08 MCS and now an 11 MCS. Both have had the same issues, VCG, OFHG, t-stat, turbo oil lines. My N18 doesn't leak as much oil as the N14 did and I do believe the engine re-design is better in certain spots. Both cars were dirt cheap and fun to work on but you need to be handy with a wrench. I would not count on any R56 lasting for eons, they certainly have a limited shelf life. FWIW, my best car purchases have always been the newer car with higher mileage vs the older car that hasn't been driven much.

 

2013 N18 MCS. 75000 miles. Regular maintenance, oil and filter 5,000 miles or less when tracked. Driven hard all the time, many track days. No significant problems. Go N 18.

 

the newer one for sure