Cooper S R56 buying questions
Discussion
I’m looking at picking up a Cooper S R56, I’m not doing loads of miles these days and quite fancy something that’s a bit of fun but doesn’t mean big money sitting in the street not being used.
Found a 2011 car, so early N18 engine with around 100k and FSH (apparently 9 stamps in the book which seems about right). I asked if the timing chain and high pressure fuel pumps had been done, the seller said no but there’s no noise from the chain and engine runs really well. Are these jobs that need to be done anyway, as in preventative work, on the N18 engine? Or if the engine is running well and has been well looked after, are they just possible jobs that will need to be looked at down the line. Essentially want to know if I need to add the cost of this work to the buying price.
Found a 2011 car, so early N18 engine with around 100k and FSH (apparently 9 stamps in the book which seems about right). I asked if the timing chain and high pressure fuel pumps had been done, the seller said no but there’s no noise from the chain and engine runs really well. Are these jobs that need to be done anyway, as in preventative work, on the N18 engine? Or if the engine is running well and has been well looked after, are they just possible jobs that will need to be looked at down the line. Essentially want to know if I need to add the cost of this work to the buying price.
So questions:
(1) Are you mad?
(2) Are you mad?
(3) Are you mad?
I had the N14 Clubman S and whilst the N18 is slightly better it, it's like having the clap rather than gonorrhoea. There are many still so many things to go wrong with this car. If you are handy with spanners like scrw. then absolutely buy one.
My R55 Clubman S was the most unreliable POS in the universe - a British Alfa Romeo - amazing to drive, but so frustrating.
In my time I had, 3x plastic valve covers, 3x timing chain kits, 2x walnut decoking, thermostat, coolant hoses, coolant tank, 2x turbo feed pipes, turbo gasket leaks, oil leaks galore from sump and ATF, fix one leak and the next thing leaks. I still have oil on my drive. And oil consumption got worse from 1 litre per 1k to 1 litre per 400 miles. I bought oil in bulk from whoever had offers and still have 5 -6 5 litre cans in the garage that none of my current cars ever use. I used to top it up so much that there probably wasn't a need for oil changes.
As frustrating as the car was, I still scan the classifieds for them....
(1) Are you mad?
(2) Are you mad?
(3) Are you mad?
I had the N14 Clubman S and whilst the N18 is slightly better it, it's like having the clap rather than gonorrhoea. There are many still so many things to go wrong with this car. If you are handy with spanners like scrw. then absolutely buy one.
My R55 Clubman S was the most unreliable POS in the universe - a British Alfa Romeo - amazing to drive, but so frustrating.
In my time I had, 3x plastic valve covers, 3x timing chain kits, 2x walnut decoking, thermostat, coolant hoses, coolant tank, 2x turbo feed pipes, turbo gasket leaks, oil leaks galore from sump and ATF, fix one leak and the next thing leaks. I still have oil on my drive. And oil consumption got worse from 1 litre per 1k to 1 litre per 400 miles. I bought oil in bulk from whoever had offers and still have 5 -6 5 litre cans in the garage that none of my current cars ever use. I used to top it up so much that there probably wasn't a need for oil changes.
As frustrating as the car was, I still scan the classifieds for them....
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