Mini Cooper S (R53) | PH Private Area
Great spec, good ad, lots spent recently - and not much left to buy now...
It doesn’t seem that long ago (even though it actually was) that a Mini like the one seen here was the not-a-proper-Mini. It was too big to ever be a Mini kind of Mini - a Bini. How the tables have turned, eh? With the electric-only Cooper imminent and a monstrous new Countryman PHEV also on the horizon, it’s all too easy to look wistfully back on supercharged Minis of the early 2000s.
For a number of reasons, actually. Firstly, this original Frank Stephenson vision of a 21st-century Mini still looks fantastic. There aren’t many cheap cars from 2001 that have aged this well (though no doubt this is when someone pipes up to say we need to wait 40 years to judge it). Helps too that the spec of this one is spot on, with the JCW wheels, white roof, and a smart shade of blue that a more knowledgeable Mini fan will know. Xenon lights keep it modern as well.
The supercharged super Coopers also remain loved because they’re still such fun to drive, characterful powertrain complementing the fizzy handling just perfectly. A new Cooper S will have modes to contrive a sense of fun - these ones were in the mood all the time. And more power was easy to come by with a shorter supercharger pulley.
Thirdly, the temptation of an original lingers because they’re still relatively affordable. Their popularity new (and one or two subsequent reliability concerns) has kept values pegged at a realistic level, GP aside. For a taste of old-school hot hatch fun (because that’s what the turn of the century surely is now), there’s a lot going for a Mini Cooper S. Especially with so many moving to much more expensive territory.
If proof of diligent ownership is lots of money spent, then this R53 is the perfect example. Since the summer of 2021 it has benefitted from a new clutch and flywheel, braided brake hoses, a new timing chain, a Milltek resonated exhaust, a new water pump, fresh NGK spark plugs, a supercharger service (including a shorter pulley upgrade) and KW V1 coilovers. That’s far from an exhaustive list of the work, either, with plenty of receipts to back it up. There’s little more reassuring with old fast cars than lots of paperwork and good branded parts.
Of course, it isn’t perfect. This Mini is 19 years and 120,000 miles old - it would be daft to expect anything less. The most significant issue to sort out would be a new heater matrix, which the seller suggests would be their next job. Otherwise, it’s little things like air-con (compressor and pipes work okay!), a wheel refurb and a small dent on the bonnet. Nothing that’s going to get in the way of a whole lot of fun. The Cooper S is for sale to make way for something larger, and offered at £3,500. It’s certainly possible to spend a whole lot more for a much less entertaining hot hatch. And as that new era kicks in, don’t be surprised if that hankering for the old ways grows even stronger. Let’s hope they’re still as affordable then…
Recently passed 100k still going great - have spent ££ on super charge service and other bits but am really attached to it and body work is totally rust free so planning to keep as values will rise eventually for good examples
+ Cool retro looks
+ Can get good equipment levels (climate, heated seats, cruise, but hard to retro fit)
- Not fast (163BHP in what is a fairly heavy car)
- Very thirsty. Mid to low 20s in daily use (no doubt due to the first + above)
- Cheap plasticky interior
- Standard brakes are poor
- Stupidly hard uncomfortable rise
- Overly heavy, dead steering
- Awful gear change
- Special tool need for belt change
- Utterly useless small boot
- No spare and run flats
+ Cool retro looks
+ Can get good equipment levels (climate, heated seats, cruise, but hard to retro fit)
- Not fast (163BHP in what is a fairly heavy car)
- Very thirsty. Mid to low 20s in daily use (no doubt due to the first + above)
- Cheap plasticky interior
- Standard brakes are poor
- Stupidly hard uncomfortable rise
- Overly heavy, dead steering
- Awful gear change
- Special tool need for belt change
- Utterly useless small boot
- No spare and run flats
- Remote key stopped working and set the alarm off if you didn’t put the key in the ignition within 20 seconds of unlocking door.
- glove box door would fall open on every bump, spilling its load on your passenger’s lap or the floor.
- rusted tailgate from water ingress
- headlight went and the model I had seemed to require a different headlight bulb to that of the model in the manual bizarrely, which obviously was more expensive,
- a CONSTANT oil leak. Left a puddle everywhere I parked it.
- steering wasn’t right, believe it was the pump.
Lasted around 6 months and then went bang. Whilst on a junction, at 30mph. Scrapped.
Bit like a crazy ex, glad to be rid of, still yearn for the saucy bit years later.
Elsewhere the cars have short travel suspension that can lead to mushrooming strut towers. They also eat top mounts, the interiors rattle, headlinings sag, oem runflats are awful, nearly everyone ditches them, front calipers are underpowered but the stronger R56 ones bolt straight on and there are a couple of reliable rust spots around the rear lights & tailgate handle where water pools. Otherwise, they're lookers, a riot to drive, thirsty & easily tuned.
It's a insurer's market, and premiums have increased more this year than ever. I know someone who's just had a 50% increase (with clean record) and no mods.
Insurance seems to be the forgotten part of the equation when considering pocket rockets like these Minis. Ditto with anything more extreme and a hint of non-standard. Unless of course you don't tell your insurance company and invalidate your insurance in the process.
So all that extra insurance cost for the very little benefit of a Milltek? I'm out, thanks.
Being pedantic - should the article be referring to a "smaller pulley" rather than a "shorter pulley"? Reading that made me twitch violently.
).My one fear with the R53 (in addition to everything that can go wrong with a 20 year old car) is that I will be disappointed with the handling and steering. I had a Clio 172 for years and that car is my benchmark for every other hot hatchback. A question to those that have driven both: is this fear justified?
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