Hey have been pokin on around here and haven't found a whole lot on search but wanted to hear from you folks around...I am wanting to get a used manual mini cooper lookin to get a 2002 one but want to hear about the problems they endure around the 50,000+ mark. I have read things about the cvt transmission being replaced alot in the automatics but does that happen alot with manuals. Hoping to get a warranty of some sort to cover myself but any other insight on problematic things on mini's 2002 w/50,000+ mileage would be awesome so I know what I am getting into...

 

The Midlands 5speed tranny had a problem, alot of them were replaced 02-03 (bearings?). Go for S the 6speed is a better box if your going to buy a 02-03

 

Hey thanks for the tip what exactly is the Midlands? Sorry dont know the lingo still learning all the things I need before I proceed to get one. How do I know if the one I am getting other than carfax report is one?

 

If its just a cooper 02-04 it has a Midlands 5 speed tranny I think its the people that made it? If you buy a Cooper S it then comes with the 6 speed Getrag samething the poeple that made it.

 

ok got ya! That makes sense plus I heard that the MCS are a little more fun do drive any how. Anything with the clutches goin out alot??

 

Hey Zoom33,

I currently own a 2002 Mini Cooper S 6 spd and to date this is what I've had to replace:

This its by no means to scare you, and I do not abuse my car or race it.

Also! mines probably a Lemon car anyway, its just to bad that we don't have those Lemon Laws where I live..

Anyhow heres what I'd had to put up with:

Clutch & Assembly Cost: 1209.00 - story with this is I kept hearing the famous clatter sound when the car just sits there. So BMW's resolve was to replace the whole assembly.

Cooling System Replaced Cost: 892.08- after blowing, and replacing the same fuse twice, the cooling system had to be replaced; housing, fan housing, thermostat, etc.

Steering Column Cost: 1108.92 - the steering wheel became knotchy, and became worse, so the whole column upper & lower.

Power Steering Fan Cost: 373.58 - caused the car to overheat again blowing the fuse that the cooling fan runs off of, so it naturally had to be replaced.

Now the big one...

All of the electronics Cost: 4250.05 - two drain holes in the vehicles sunroof had been disconnected resulting in water going into the floor and destroying all of the electronics. To make things worse the car was tied up for a week and a bit.

My car has 95280 Kilo's not miles. All of the repairs happened over the course of the last 4 1/2 months.

 

Zoom 33, I have a '03 with 87k mi. The only things I've had to replace are tires, brakes, filters and oil. No problems at all.

 

keep em coming...wow Nikelaz it sounds like you do have a bum lemon Mini & has costed you quite a bit.

 

I have had my '02 S for a little over a year (55k on the ODO)and have had zero problems.(knocks on wood)

 

The clutch... you hear stories about problems knock on wood I have 56K and have not had any problems. On mini2 you hear about shops turning out 250HP with the stock clutch without anything going wrong. You hear about the guy pulling in to his drive way and it crapping out. All in all I think they are not a really huge problem. the 02s and 03 had bugs like the cooling fans as was pointed out alot of the problems have been fixed with recalls. By 05 and 06 they had most of the bugs worked out. The strut towers and mushrooming with all the years and on the early years they had a problem with rust under the weather strip around the doors. I would ck this over so you know what you have

 

03 Cooper S, 51,000 miles. 30,000+ miles used for SCCA competition, Solo, PDX, Time Trials, RoadRally, 2 trips to Fla, 1 trip to Pa. Do all maintenance at 1/3 factory intervals, change trans fluid every 20K. No problems whatsoever, pure fun and reliability.

 

03' S 6speed 45k

0 problems And I beat the crap out of it.

They all can have a window motor problem (cheap plastic).

The airbag light can come on but they extended the warranty to 10 years on that.