ajl124 Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 My better half is tinkering with the idea of buying a used Mini (BMW) Not sure which model to go for yet, budget up to about £6k Asking the Westfield forum massive database of all things car related for their opinions on the various models, problems and what to look out for when viewing ? Are the basic models too basic and underpowered? Andy Quote
pickmaster Andy Lowe Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 I've herd of a few early ones with some steering pump issues ?? Which can cause the steering to fail if I remember right I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along soon Might have been on TV watch dog too Quote
Dommo Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 Facelift onwards is what you want, they fixed loads of niggles then. Particularly with the Cooper S I believe. I had a Cooper in 2001 which had sufficient power in my opinion. It leaked, rattled and broke so retained all the charm of the original! I expect used price differences between the One and the Cooper are negligible now, and then if it's power you're interested in the One is only a 'chip' away from a Cooper. The supercharger sound of the Cooper S can be quite addictive. Sports Suspension Plus (option on Cooper and Cooper S) was unbelievably harsh so keep that in mind. Not sure if they phased that out with the facelift or not, and it may have been because it was coupled with the runflat tyres. Quote
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 My wife has an 09 cooper convertible which she loves, the main issue with looking is that no two are the same, she found one with some choice options, half leather, 17" alloys, heated seats etc which make it a very nice place to be. The ride can be a bit harsh but improved quite a bit when we swapped the run flats for normal non run flats. I would agree with the earlier comments that it's best to try and get a MKII version. happy hunting. Quote
robsurplice Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 my daugther has 09 mini cooperD 1.6 does 60 mpg tax is £20 per year bmw make all extras at a extra cost so look for high spec one Quote
blue ass fly Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 early models can be unreliable as said,electric steering pump,although you will hear it !!! gearboxes,they were a developement of the peugeot 206/rover 214 box !!!!!! lots of electrcal niggles 06 on were better all round,shame cause i like the early style better early S with supercharger drank fuel,later turbo one much better Quote
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 My wife is probably going to be buying a countryman over the next few months... Will be buying a supply of brown paper bags in readiness Has to he said u have test drove a couple and they are a cracking drive on the twisties, even the lower powered ones 1 Quote
jeff oakley Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 My daughter has had two Coopers, the first one had a few things go wrong but only the power steering pump was really bad cost wise. The car had runflats which were expensive and gave such a harsh ride as to be uncomfortable. Her second has normal tyres and the ride is much better. they are hard to value second hand to compare as some people go to insane levels on the extras and the service pack is a good option to have as well. They are fun to drive and easy to live with. I found build quality was good and the dealers seem to be well trained and interested in what they do. Quote
dombanks Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 My wife is probably going to be buying a countryman over the next few months... Will be buying a supply of brown paper bags in readiness Has to he said u have test drove a couple and they are a cracking drive on the twisties, even the lower powered ones oh dear lord i feel sorry for you. at least if not one of those fiat 500 large things tho Quote
ajl124 Posted March 26, 2014 Author Posted March 26, 2014 Thanks for all your input chaps. Torn between buying a high spec, well looked after FSH low mileage older Cooper say 2005 or a post 2006/7/8 lower spec? I prefer the looks of the early Coopers over the newer. Time to have a look at a few. Quote
robsurplice Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 get a diesel m cooper 125 hp mite cost a bit more but you save long run drove my kids one to pick up the westie 200 miles 1/4 of a tank not driven slow too rob Quote
Hammy Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 Personally, IMO, no offence and all that, although I like them , you pay a premium because its a "mini" ( although they new ones are even more removed) and I think they are now on the cusp of going out of fashion, so you could see prices fall rapidly. Other makes and models are available. Quote
wiggywoo Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 hi, as phone conversation, a bit far away for you but the garage is CHARIOTS specialist cars. 01536 417 0000 kettering Quote
ajl124 Posted March 28, 2014 Author Posted March 28, 2014 Thanks for the info last wiggy woo, will have a look at that site. Quote
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