Mini Cooper S - For the girlfriend, info required

GinG

GinG

GinG

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Afternoon,

We are still on the look out for a second car, this will be for the girlfriend. The short list has always been Ka, 500 or Cooper (& S).

I know the S is a big step up in performance & running costs, we have come across what seems to be a very high spec (sat nav, tv etc.) 2007 model. It is currently up for £9,995 (it is actually this one http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...rch/true/postcode/dl82ap/radius/200?logcode=p)

This car is over 100 miles away, we are very tempted to go take a look this weekend if it is still available. First off does this seem a good price for the year and spec?

I would also like to know if there is any essential things we should know about these, what to look out for and what could go wrong.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Get your wallet out. As far as I know (a mate works for MINI, sells these, and has one as a company car) they're perfectly reliable but they chew through petrol.

If she's used to cars like Kas and 500s and getting 40-50mpg, then the S will come as a bit of a shock. I don't think my mate's ever had more than 25mpg average out of his!

It is quick though!
 
Price seems ok(ish), but as always try to knock around £500 off the advertised price.

I bought my (now) wife an S with the dealer-fitted JCW kit last year, but it was a 2005 model. I think we get about 280-300 miles from a tank.

The one you are looking at is the facelifted version which has a turbo rather than a supercharger. The turbos are supposed to be much better on fuel.
 
Thanks fo rthe replies. To be honest she will be doing less 4000miles a year so fuel isn't so much of a concern.

The figures on the autotrader seem to give mpg at mid 35's, would this be about right?

Nothing much to go wrong on these then?
 
Lots to go wrong but the Mini warranty is reasonably cheap so just get one of those.

Doesn't sound like she is after a hot hatch though so I question the point in taking on the higher costs of a Cooper S when a Cooper would do the job.
 
The 2007 MCS uses a Turbo charger as opposed to a Supercharger which was used in the earlier cars (sounds like this is what Timbob is referring to) therefore you should easily see 35mpg.

EDIT: didn't see Joe's post
 
[TW]Fox;19625736 said:
Lots to go wrong but the Mini warranty is reasonably cheap so just get one of those.

Doesn't sound like she is after a hot hatch though so I question the point in taking on the higher costs of a Cooper S when a Cooper would do the job.
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Thanks Fox, will look into the warranty.

She does really like the Cooper S and always has done however when she was training to be a nurse and the milage she was doing going back and forth from uni & work placement a thirsty car just wasn't possible now with her only doing 4000 miles a year (lucky to do that) fuel isn't so much of a concern.

Like all women, she likes the look of all the cars especially the S, she also likes the performance figures and does think it is something of interest . I will also have access to this at weekends when she isn't working and as we live right on the border of the dales there is plenty of nice roads to play on....I drive the Fiat so can't really take advantage of these roads!
 
That does look like a well specced example and has the desirable JCW bodykit which does look nice. No mention of what seats though, hopefully it will have the Lea Lounge Leather option, also check if the stereo is the Harmon Kardon upgrade. If so I think it looks a great example..

The thing to look out for on these is the death rattle from cold, they all have it to a degree and it's to do with the timing chain tensioner. Apparantly Mini have a fix for it now so worth seeing if it's been done. Worth a google to read up on it so you know what to look for..

I get 33 mpg and loads of fun :) The R56 is a different drive to the earlier model, more refined and grown up although has lost some of the skate board, go kart fun of the earlier supercharged one.
 
The death rattle is more of an issue on the Sworks and Works models I believe.

It'll sound like a diesel engine on cold start up. If you hear an old school tappet noise thats normal by all accounts.
 
[TW]Fox;19626082 said:
The Cooper looks the same, just with no scoop and a different exhuast.
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My wife has owned two cooper S's over the years.. the first occasions she took out a cooper first for a try and discovered that the 's' is a completely different car... main point being the drive and handling, the cooper S was more go kart like, a much firmer ride.

This of course is not to everyone's taste as a close friend of ours absolutely hated the cooper s she bought because it was a bone shaker (as she put it).

It's one of those cars you either love or hate I guess, my missis loved hers.
 
Skalaberg said:
My wife has owned two cooper S's over the years.. the first occasions she took out a cooper first for a try and discovered that the 's' is a completely different car... main point being the drive and handling, the cooper S was more go kart like, a much firmer ride.

This of course is not to everyone's taste as a close friend of ours absolutely hated the cooper s she bought because it was a bone shaker (as she put it).

It's one of those cars you either love or hate I guess, my missis loved hers.
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Which version though ? As said the R56 which this one is are *completely* different. I'm not saying they ride like a limousine but they're not that bad, even better if you lose the runflats. They don't like potholes or sudden bumps though, and will leap about a bit which can catch you out sometimes !

The death rattle from cold affects MCS and works cars equally - it's well documented on the mini forums
 
Sneaky Peaky said:
Which version though ? As said the R56 which this one is are *completely* different. I'm not saying they ride like a limousine but they're not that bad, even better if you lose the runflats. They don't like potholes or sudden bumps though, and will leap about a bit which can catch you out sometimes !

The death rattle from cold affects MCS and works cars equally - it's well documented on the mini forums
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52 plate from new and a 55 plate.. both supercharged versions which was the R52 if i remember right?

cornered like they were on rails.. bloomin brilliant fun.
 
Bit off topic, but was there a common issue with the Supercharged versions setting themselves on fire? My mate pulled up, turned off the engine, walked in the house and as he was going to shut the front door turned round to see it sparking up under the bonnet, within about a minute the front end was up in flames :p
 
Just been looking a little closer at the pic I posted...does the numberplate look like an '03?

I am yet to phone up, but could be a mistake on their part?
 
Hmm, pretty darn sure that's an R56. Little bit tricky to tell with the JCW bodykit and no rear/interior shot but from what I can see of the pics it has the second gen headlights (indicator built in and not in the front bumper) and the later style scuttles on the front side wing..
 
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