Mini Cooper S - potential purchase
Discussion
Considering going to look at a 2011 Cooper S later this week (41k miles). Spoke to the seller today. He mentioned at the recent MOT, amongst some other things, they advised on a small oil leak somewhere underneath. Seems this has put some potential buyers off. He is putting the car in to Mini Dealer tomorrow to have this done and some new brake pads. Question is, what could this be?, is it common problem? Should it put me off also? I know most cars have some problems, but I just want a car to be reliable. Seems from a lot of the posts on here, the BMW Mini falls short of the sort of quality I would expect.
If you want a reliable car DO NOT buy a R56 Cooper S!
If you choose to ignore this advice, make sure you do the following:-
Start up from cold and listen out for death rattle
Check for hesitation under partial or full throttle (could be a coke issue or knackered high pressure pump)
Check EVERYTHING.... twice
If it has a Panoramic sunroof, make sure you check it very carefully. They break and cost a fortune to fix.
Buy something else.
If you choose to ignore this advice, make sure you do the following:-
Start up from cold and listen out for death rattle
Check for hesitation under partial or full throttle (could be a coke issue or knackered high pressure pump)
Check EVERYTHING.... twice
If it has a Panoramic sunroof, make sure you check it very carefully. They break and cost a fortune to fix.
Buy something else.
A work colleague had his Cooper S timing chain replaced by BMW about 4 times! Luckily he had the extended BMW warranty, but in the end BMW were increasing the warranty cost due to so many claims - think it was £70 a month!
He sold it recently as he had had enough. Shame as otherwise it seemed a nice car. Oh, and if these posts have still not put you off, make sure it has air con as some don't.
He sold it recently as he had had enough. Shame as otherwise it seemed a nice car. Oh, and if these posts have still not put you off, make sure it has air con as some don't.
As a Cooper S owner (07 plate) I'll add my experiences.
A rattle or squeak of some kind inside the car seems to be quite common. I wouldn't let it put you off, just be sure you can live with it. Mine came from the secret compartment, which is now greased up a little which has stopped it.
The car will feel stiff due to the run flats, but you'll be thankful when the run flats save you when you don't have the resources to change the tyre. Apart from the "rattle of death" (which I think on a 2011 model may have been cured), the water pumps can leak slightly causing a small loss in coolant. This usually manifests itself as an intermittent squeak from the drive belt.
Apart from the above, there are no real 'chronic' issues with the car. No doubt the small boot will annoy you, but the pops and bangs from the exhaust will more than make up for my shirt comings. It's a brilliant car.
Hope that helps
I should also add, I have the pano sunroof, some Silicone grease for the railings & silicone spray for the linings helps on a hot day. I think it's to do with the sunroof expanding when in direct sunlight.
A rattle or squeak of some kind inside the car seems to be quite common. I wouldn't let it put you off, just be sure you can live with it. Mine came from the secret compartment, which is now greased up a little which has stopped it.
The car will feel stiff due to the run flats, but you'll be thankful when the run flats save you when you don't have the resources to change the tyre. Apart from the "rattle of death" (which I think on a 2011 model may have been cured), the water pumps can leak slightly causing a small loss in coolant. This usually manifests itself as an intermittent squeak from the drive belt.
Apart from the above, there are no real 'chronic' issues with the car. No doubt the small boot will annoy you, but the pops and bangs from the exhaust will more than make up for my shirt comings. It's a brilliant car.
Hope that helps
I should also add, I have the pano sunroof, some Silicone grease for the railings & silicone spray for the linings helps on a hot day. I think it's to do with the sunroof expanding when in direct sunlight.
Edited by FUBMW on Tuesday 8th July 22:49
Thanks all. I'm afraid it doesn't take much to put me off a car. How do I tell for sure it has the N18 engine? Does it form part of the engine number? Just can't believe how the "premium" car manufacturers get away with letting these mistakes out on the road. They're always bulls
tting about how the cars have been tested to destruction for hundreds of thousands of miles, across Siberia and God knows what Deserts.
tting about how the cars have been tested to destruction for hundreds of thousands of miles, across Siberia and God knows what Deserts.50volt said:
They're always bullstting about how the cars have been tested to destruction for hundreds of thousands of miles, across Arizona and Death Valley Deserts.
Generally, the issue with Development and Validation Testing, is that they often tting about how the cars have been tested to destruction for hundreds of thousands of miles, across Arizona and Death Valley Deserts.a) Don't use production representative parts, with all the variations on tolerance, (both variation on material size, and material properties.
b) Might use surrogate data, from previous engineering, and bung it into FEA analysis software, and then fail to validate the mathematical model with actual test results
c) customers do different things than they tested for.
d) Suppliers start off supplying at one end of the spec, and end up supplying at the other.
e) Design by panic. Project Manager says we have to finish today, so there you go, sorted.
f) Procured by panic (and price)
g) Cad Jockeys and other freelance engineering contractors. They sometimes just don't care enough. (See e. Project Manager, is demanding the blue triangle is achieved, and not hitting it, means the contract is not extended)
)ask about the fuel pump
just had ours replaced ( march 2011 car, 25k miles, no symptoms other than the warning light )
local dealer tried to make out it was an unusual one-off and charge us until i did my internet research ( uk dealers replacing them foc, us models have 10-year warranty on the pump ) and mini goodwilled it
hth
just had ours replaced ( march 2011 car, 25k miles, no symptoms other than the warning light )
local dealer tried to make out it was an unusual one-off and charge us until i did my internet research ( uk dealers replacing them foc, us models have 10-year warranty on the pump ) and mini goodwilled it
hth
FivePotTurbo said:
What about the JCW, does that suffer the same engine issues pre-2010 ?
Yes pre Sept 10 jcw varients suffer the same issue's as lesser Cooper s model's, I've replaced the cam chain tensioner on mine already as it started to exhibit cold start rattle, 8 month's later its not come back, but I fully expect it to at some point, and will need to replace the complete camchain cassette.Add into the mix coking up inlet valves and flakey high pressure fuel pumps.
To be honest if I'd done normal research before buying the mini as I normally do, then I probably wouldn't have purchased it, but its such a hoot to drive I'll probably keep it and sort out the issues if and when they crop up.
Checking the prices of 2011 Cooper S and JCWs, still quite a difference, often £5k more for a JCW of similar age and mileage.
Given that you can apparently get the 184PS engine remapped to produce roughly JCW power (+25bhp and +25 lb ft)for £400, is the JCW still worth the premium?
As far as I can make out the bigger brakes on the JCW are great, and they tend to be a funkier looking due to higher spec interior and exterior. Although some of the well optioned Cooper S's look just as good.
Given that you can apparently get the 184PS engine remapped to produce roughly JCW power (+25bhp and +25 lb ft)for £400, is the JCW still worth the premium?
As far as I can make out the bigger brakes on the JCW are great, and they tend to be a funkier looking due to higher spec interior and exterior. Although some of the well optioned Cooper S's look just as good.
Jcw models are rated at 208 I believe, but most I've seen having been dynoed before mapping put out more, circa 220hp, they are well known for being underated power wise this, obviously increases above cooper s levels when mapped due to better Turbo and stronger internals, jcw is a better buy.
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