R53 Cooper S - readers car threads?
Discussion
Thanks chaps, looking to buy a MCS - looking at 2005 cars which I believe is a face-lift R53?
I read they were worth seeking out due to very minimal price increase - I'm working on the basis that pre has reverse light in the centre and face-lift has the fog light in the middle. Correct?
Looking for all knowledge! Any good threads you could point me at?
Buying guides so I know what to look out for / what to ask?
Real world running costs?
Maybe tempted into a bit of tuning later on down the line.
So all things R53 MCS!
I read they were worth seeking out due to very minimal price increase - I'm working on the basis that pre has reverse light in the centre and face-lift has the fog light in the middle. Correct?
Looking for all knowledge! Any good threads you could point me at?
Buying guides so I know what to look out for / what to ask?
Real world running costs?
Maybe tempted into a bit of tuning later on down the line.
So all things R53 MCS!
05 is facelift, lots of mechanical improvements. You're right on the lights as a tell.
Cabins can be rattly, electrics hit & miss, rear calipers can seize, leaving a spongy pedal. PAS pumps go, few hundred quid - whining is normal both from the pump & the owners. Gearbox input shaft bearings can fail - rattle when clutch released in neutral - best solution is new gearbox, but this is not a definitive diagnosis, can be release bearings or even worn clutch.
Real world mpg is 25-30 at a pinch, they are poor on fuel. Tuning most often involves swapping the supercharger pulley wheel for a smaller one - easy job & well worth doing.
Run flat tyres are awful - get rid & the car is transformed. On the plus side, they are great fun to drive, usually well equipped. Hardon Karmann stereo is a beast & they capture the spirit & feel of the original mini.
Cabins can be rattly, electrics hit & miss, rear calipers can seize, leaving a spongy pedal. PAS pumps go, few hundred quid - whining is normal both from the pump & the owners. Gearbox input shaft bearings can fail - rattle when clutch released in neutral - best solution is new gearbox, but this is not a definitive diagnosis, can be release bearings or even worn clutch.
Real world mpg is 25-30 at a pinch, they are poor on fuel. Tuning most often involves swapping the supercharger pulley wheel for a smaller one - easy job & well worth doing.
Run flat tyres are awful - get rid & the car is transformed. On the plus side, they are great fun to drive, usually well equipped. Hardon Karmann stereo is a beast & they capture the spirit & feel of the original mini.
Justin Cyder said:
05 is facelift, lots of mechanical improvements. You're right on the lights as a tell.
I think June 04 was the changeover for the facelift. Our 54 plate MCS was definitely facelifted.Justin Cyder said:
Cabins can be rattly, electrics hit & miss, rear calipers can seize, leaving a spongy pedal. PAS pumps go, few hundred quid - whining is normal both from the pump & the owners. Gearbox input shaft bearings can fail - rattle when clutch released in neutral - best solution is new gearbox, but this is not a definitive diagnosis, can be release bearings or even worn clutch.
Pumps can go - and ours did go on the MCS. There are some horror stories about this, but ours failed whilst my wife was driving and she managed to drive home safely but could not park! 
I don't think the gearboxes on the MCS are a problem, the pre facelift midland gearbox in the Cooper and One can be problematic though, often requiring replacement.Justin Cyder said:
Real world mpg is 25-30 at a pinch, they are poor on fuel. Tuning most often involves swapping the supercharger pulley wheel for a smaller one - easy job & well worth doing.
I used to get 28mpg, wife could get 31mpg. On a 70mph motorway cruise we could get 36mpg.Justin Cyder said:
Run flat tyres are awful - get rid & the car is transformed. On the plus side, they are great fun to drive, usually well equipped. Hardon Karmann stereo is a beast & they capture the spirit & feel of the original mini.
Runflat tyres - I only ever had runflats on my R53 MCS. I loved the dartiness, feedback that the car had. On my clubman S I have swapped from runflats to non runflats. The ride quality has definitely improved, but I feel like it has muted the feedback a little. Stereo upgrade a really worthwhile upgrade.Mike
Hello Matt,
My wife has had her 05 R53 for 5 years now. Off the top of my head its only had tyres until recently. Last year it needed some bushes and brake pipes. I read about the oil in the superchargers running dry so I took the supercharger off and changed the oil. I needn't have bothered as it was ok, proper amount and clean.
Changing it after Xmas if your interested in a pepper white one 80k miles. There are lots of them in classifieds so I doubt you will be short of any to look at.
Good luck.
Steve
My wife has had her 05 R53 for 5 years now. Off the top of my head its only had tyres until recently. Last year it needed some bushes and brake pipes. I read about the oil in the superchargers running dry so I took the supercharger off and changed the oil. I needn't have bothered as it was ok, proper amount and clean.
Changing it after Xmas if your interested in a pepper white one 80k miles. There are lots of them in classifieds so I doubt you will be short of any to look at.
Good luck.
Steve
Go for a JCW if you want performance.
My Wife has had both, and still has a blue normal S now. Both facelift 54 plates.
Brakes are only just up to the job. Switchgear is plasticky and naff, 30 ish MPG is the Norm., handling is good, but ride very hard especially with runflats.
Gearboxes quite notchy.
Shop around as there are so many different specs of car.
This one has a rare chrono pack which looks good as it does away with the daft centre speedo. (As does Sat Nav) it also has full heated leather, multi function wheel, Harmon Kardon, Digital climate (does away with cheaper dial heater controls) folding mirrors.
The JCW she had was fitted with a winter pack, with a handy heated screen. Chilli pack has the Xenons.
A very rare option, but best of all is a Limited slip diff. This is the most worthwhile option of the lot, but was rarely specced as most buyers were Women or people that knew nothing about cars.
Both ours were not fitted with one, and both are appalling traction. Driving in the snow was a no go in 2008.
They are quite cheap now, and can look quite good. Its not a car I would want for myself, although its fun to get in now and again, especially with the tweeks I've done for her (pulley, manifold and exhaust).
Rare Black eye purple JCW she had..
and now, Hyper blue standard S...
Problems have been on this latest one. Central locking issues. Both keys defective batteries and a switch in the door broken. Mini dealer was unable to fix, they thought it was a loose wire or a body control module at over a grand, hence I got the car back and had a proper engineer sort it.
I couldn't believe they failed to spot 2 defective keys!
Hence my servicing no longer goes to our main dealer.
My Wife has had both, and still has a blue normal S now. Both facelift 54 plates.
Brakes are only just up to the job. Switchgear is plasticky and naff, 30 ish MPG is the Norm., handling is good, but ride very hard especially with runflats.
Gearboxes quite notchy.
Shop around as there are so many different specs of car.
This one has a rare chrono pack which looks good as it does away with the daft centre speedo. (As does Sat Nav) it also has full heated leather, multi function wheel, Harmon Kardon, Digital climate (does away with cheaper dial heater controls) folding mirrors.
The JCW she had was fitted with a winter pack, with a handy heated screen. Chilli pack has the Xenons.
A very rare option, but best of all is a Limited slip diff. This is the most worthwhile option of the lot, but was rarely specced as most buyers were Women or people that knew nothing about cars.
Both ours were not fitted with one, and both are appalling traction. Driving in the snow was a no go in 2008.
They are quite cheap now, and can look quite good. Its not a car I would want for myself, although its fun to get in now and again, especially with the tweeks I've done for her (pulley, manifold and exhaust).
Rare Black eye purple JCW she had..
and now, Hyper blue standard S...
Problems have been on this latest one. Central locking issues. Both keys defective batteries and a switch in the door broken. Mini dealer was unable to fix, they thought it was a loose wire or a body control module at over a grand, hence I got the car back and had a proper engineer sort it.
I couldn't believe they failed to spot 2 defective keys!
Hence my servicing no longer goes to our main dealer.
Edited by nottyash on Friday 6th December 22:33
Edited by nottyash on Friday 6th December 22:38
Picture :-)
2 more points we had to do I have remembered, the thermostat housing gasket was leaking water. Easy fix. Also when doing the supercharger oil I noticed the water pipe had badly rubbed on the cooling fan shroud, at the top of the shroud just to the right of centre. Maybe worth a look, I fitted a new pipe and fettle s the plastic shroud.
Steve
2 more points we had to do I have remembered, the thermostat housing gasket was leaking water. Easy fix. Also when doing the supercharger oil I noticed the water pipe had badly rubbed on the cooling fan shroud, at the top of the shroud just to the right of centre. Maybe worth a look, I fitted a new pipe and fettle s the plastic shroud.
Steve
DavidLScott said:
Why did you have to post that picture of your JCW knottyash?
I had convinced myself that I didn't need to do dark wheels on mine and now I see that damn photo.
It will wait until they are really needed but I'm convinced now.
Look good dont they?
It was like that when we bought it.
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