Hi everyone,
I'm a new forum member, and hopefully a soon-to-be Mini owner. I've thought about buying a Mini several times in the past, but haven't been in the position to do so until now.
I've driven several Coopers in the past, but I test drove a 2007 Cooper S for the first time yesterday, and absolutely fell in love with it. Now I need to buy one.
A brand new MCS spec'd out the way I'd like it might be a bit out of my price range, so naturally I'm thinking about used. I'm in Ontario, and have noticed a ton of used 2007 MCS's for sale lately at pretty appealing prices. Many are sold from Mini dealers with extended warranties.
I've tried digging around these forums for advice on buying used Minis, but it's pretty overwhelming! Can anyone give me some general advice on the major trouble spots with 2007-ish MCS's, and what I should look for in a used one? Are there any particular threads I should look at? I've been a bit thrown off by some of the threads I've read around reliability with used models. I've come to understand that Minis aren't as bulletproof as Civics, for example, but obviously I'm not here to buy a Civic. I just want to know what I might be getting myself in to!
Thanks!!!

 

Welcome to the forum, and initial congrats on making up your mind to get a MINI! I was in kinda the same situation you were: knew I wanted a MINI, couldn't really afford to spec a brand-new car exactly as I wanted (or woulda have to delay the purchase for another year+), and decided to buy used.

I was looking at first gen MINI's (2002 - '06, R53's), and was referred to a buyer's guide on Motoring File http://www.motoringfile.com/. Unfortunately I didn't see an R56/second gen buyer's guide there. But my advice is the typical: look for low miles, the build you want, at a price you can afford.

I got the VIN from the car I was looking at & called the local MINI dealership for the maintenance history. Within an hour they faxed me the history MINI had on the car. When I decided to buy I found a well-recommended independent MINI shop to do a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) on my car for peace of mind.

I think you might have an easier time, as an '07 should still have some factory warranty left, and maybe some free maintenance too. No matter what, use general used-car shopping common sense, and be patient! Hopefully you can get some other pointers here too; you've found an awesome resource here.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

Good luck in your used MINI search, there is no one big problem with '07s but there are a number of small things to be on the lookout for. A lot of people think that the '06 S is one of the best used ones. The main thing is supercharged ('02-'06) or turbo ('07-on). Find one that is square and clean inside and out, and has no obvious problems, low mileage, at a price you can afford. Take it to a qualified MINI tech and have it checked out before commiting. Basically the normal rules for used car buying apply.

 

Thanks for the tips, guys!
I'm looking at 2007 models with around 50,000 km (roughly 30,000 mi). Are there any specific maintenance issues or recalls I should look for in the service history? I'm looking at certified pre-owned models, so I should be able to get a hold of the history.

 

R56's are notorious for having faulty high pressure fuel pumps. Mine went out at 32k miles and was replaced under warranty. The other known issue is the cold start issue. You can read about it here:

http://www.motoringfile.com/2008/02/...issue-exposed/

Don't let either issue change your mind about purchasing a MINI Cooper S. I have had both issues in my 8 months of ownership and both were taken care of by my MINI dealer and all has been good since. Good luck!!!!

 

Thanks guys, your help is definitely appreciated!

Another question - generally, how do Minis handle the snow? This will be an all-year car, and will definitely be seeing snow from time to time.

 

Buy a dedicated set of winter tires. I bought Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60's and mounted them to my stock web spoke wheels and they are great.

You will be surprised how well these little cars handle the snow. Last winter here in Wisconsin we had a couple big 10"+ snow storms and my car made it around just fine. I felt just as safe driving in my MINI in the snow as I have in any SUV.

 

So does Mini have a fix for this cold-start issue? It's a little confusing reading about it - some people seem to have the problem come right back. How do I know if the car has had this issue before?