Boy am I glad I bought my used Mini from a Mini dealership. I've been looking into getting either a used GTI or used Mini S for almost a year now. I'm a very budget-minded person, so buying used was the only option. I really liked how the GTI drove, and I felt like it was a better driving car than the Mini. That said, they both are quick, agile cars that can zip around a corner. The GTI's slightly better performance wasn't enough to make me look passed its boring appearance. The Mini's unique look is a love it or hate it thing, and I love it. However, above all else, my biggest concern buying a used car is reliability. Sure, a Honda is more reliable, but its not like VW and Mini make unreliable cars. That said, I know the type of people who buy GTIs, and that scared me. I got the same feeling driving a used GTI like I do whenever I drive a rental car, someone drove this thing rough...very rough.

I've purchased several used cars in my life, and the one thing I've always taken away from buying one is the hidden repairs that won't show their face until well into ownership. I'm a culprit myself, my 91' Toyota had an issue with the clutch, but I wasn't about to tell the dealership that. Unethical, probably, but money speaks volumes. I was done buying cars from individuals, I've lost faith in the honesty of the average person. I was however faced with the dilemma of buying from a Mini dealership as opposed to a national or local dealership. The obvious advantage of the later is you'll likely get a cheaper price.

Boy am I glad I spent the extra money to get a car through Mini. The car was owned by a "famous, retired golfer" and only had 8000 miles on it (for a 2008). Everything checked out perfect after two test drives, but sure enough I ran into an issue a week later. It seems the previous owner let some Coke find its way through the screw in the cup holder and ruined the automatic gear shifter. Cost to replace, $1100.

Luckily for me, I got my car at a Mini dealership. It wasn't covered under warranty because it was "user fault", but because they knew I had just recently purchased the car, and that they were responsible for checking it, they told me that they would take care of it [out of warranty]. Talk about a massive relief. And I know, for fact, that if I had purchased this same car at say a Honda dealership, or worse some place called "Luxury Cars of Atlanta", I would be forking up a grand a week after putting down $20,000.

Word to the wise, be careful buying used cars. My Mazda 626 (which I traded in towards my Mini) had multiple hidden "issues" that a normal person would never encounter at the test drive. Sure you can get a better deal elsewhere, but so far Mini of Atlanta has treated me fantastically. They sold me a solid car, and without hesitation repaired the damage done by the previous owner.

Oh, one last thing, I'm stuck driving around a 2012 Mazda 6 right now and I'm hating every second of it. The thing is a large as a boat. I miss my Mini but I should be getting it back later this week.

 

I had the same experience with a pre-owned BMW 1 series last year. I discovered someone spilled a sugary drink on the electric seat switches about a year after I bought the car, and they replaced them on their dime. The service dept. went above and beyond for me. Unfortunately there were things the dealer didn't disclose such as a repaint on much of the body. I did however get them to respray one problem area and it looked better, but knowing I spent big $$ on this car I was unhappy. Ended up trading it in on my brand new 2012 Mini.

 

After being financially crippled by a couple bummer used cars I have decided to
only buy new from here on out. I will simply save more, finance longer, or buy less expensive brands (or all three).

I've also found out that the first 100,000 miles are 100 times more important than
the second 100,000 miles as far as mental relief from repairs and longevity.

 

We have experienced both sides of this issue. We bought a new Mini, our daughter bought a used one.

The new Mini needed a water pump in the first 1000 miles. Now at 39K its still trouble free. We are very happy with it.

My daughter bought a used one. So far, its had a new transmission, a new power steering pump, a new glove compartment (that was a weird one, but it looked like somebody broke its door trying to force it open). If she had to pay full price for all of the repairs, she would have nearly equalled the cost of the new one.

But she was young and had no credit history so buying used was the only thing that she could do (she paid cash; she hates financing). And, while we did not buy it through a dealership, Mini of Orlando stepped up and helped her every time, first with the transmission, and later with lots of incidental stuff. I changed the power steering pump (with help from Way, thank you very much) and OEM parts supplied a new glove box at a bit of a discount from the dealer cost. But now she has an almost perfect 05 Mini which she loves.

I truly believe that when you buy a used car, you need to budget for some major repairs, unless you are willing to live with some real issues (the steering still worked without the pump, but it was like driving a semi, but the transmission was a goner).

I believe that used cars are best bought by those who are mechanically astute and willing to get a bit dirty with DIY repairs. Otherwise the financial saving may well be minimal.

And one more thing -- ALWAYS check for rust. Mechanical parts can be replaced with a wrench. Rust never goes away. I'd buy a car with a broken engine before I would buy one with a "slightly" rusted floor. (my Daughter's car had no rust, and strangely enough, I seldom see a rusty Mini -- maybe that awful cosmolean isn't wo baqd after all).

 

She should have financed some of it and used the purchasing money to pay it off. Small loan, short term. This would have quickly helped to give her a good credit rating/history.