RE: Shed of the Week: Mini Cooper S

[soad]

GranCab said:

A man getting out of a Lotus Exige perhaps ?

He's taller than most though. Couldn't even fit into an original GT40...

[Bigtrev]

I bought one just like it 4 years ago as a little runabout,whoever had it before spent a lot of money on it,JCW brakes, poly suspension bushes,uprated suspension and the usual engine mods,17% supercharger pulley,GRS intercooler, MSD ignition, Alta induction kit and full Miltek exhaust and manifold. Goes like the proverbial off a shovel.I scrapped the runflats and put some decent rubber on it made it much more enjoyable, the runflats were so harsh.I love driving it, it's a great little car.

[HorneyMX5]

Love mine and don't feel ashamed falling out of it or being seen in it.

IMG_0772 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_0777 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_0788 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Shameless Readers Car thread pimp: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The shed of the week? I'd swerve it. There's better examples out there for the money, but it does highlight how much a bargain these things are currently.

Get one and:
Poly bush the no doubt dead front arm bushes
Ditch any run flats
fit 15% reduced supercharger pulley
Decent alignment
a good service


any enjoy a genuinely quick and fun little hot hatch for peanuts.

[J4CKO]

I know its not quite the same but are these perhaps where the MK1 MX5 was say 8 or so years ago ? (But with sills)

i.e. loads about, still cheap.

[thomablue]

Dealer gets appalling reviews on google, seems to have a loyalty card with his local small claims court

[BFleming]

I was having a look at potential SOTW candidates last night, and I didn't even give the Mini a second glance. It's Cat N, and at a dealer (and what a dealer by the sounds of it). There were a few private offerings...

• *

Alfa 159 (big miles & drank from the black pump)
Lexus GS300 (SOTW a couple of weeks ago, still for sale)
BMW E46 325i Coupe
Volvo S60 D5
BMW 325ti in piss yellow
Hyundai Coupe V6 (auto)
Volvo V70 D5
Saab 9-3 SS (diesel miler)
Smart ForFour Brabus (no MOT)
VW Corrado VR6 (again no MOT)

• *

If I had to choose, I think it would be the S60.

[ZX10R NIN]

An interesting shed chip a little more off the price & you have a very good shed that's worth the risk.

[cookington]

Only 4 cylinders Shed? Pitchforks are en route....

[carinaman]

cookington said:

Only 4 cylinders Shed? Pitchforks are en route....

But it has a Supercharger.

[Nerdherder]

[redacted]

[emicen]

ZX10R NIN said:

An interesting shed chip a little more off the price & you have a very good shed that's worth the risk.

I disagree.

They’re great cars when looked after, when neglected, they will cost you hundreds a month with ease.

The history, number of owners and incorrect repair massively bulk the risk column on this one. I suspect you’d end up with the painful variant of R53 ownership.

[Evilex]

Write-offs are fine until you try to renew the tax, only to discover that you have to subject the vehicle to a VIC (vehicle identity check)

The one I experienced was a total nightmare.
The VOSA boys, safe in their little VOSA testing station, start from the assumption that you're some sort of criminal, and it goes downhill from there.

Not an experience I'd care to repeat.

That and the "dealer feedback" would make this a "not today, thankyou", in spite of the car and the price.

Could be worse, though. You could be the 13th owner rather than the 12th...

[Greg the Fish]

This era Mini just looks so so much better than the current, bloated crap.

Still, it's a BMW era Mini so it's going to be monumentally unreliable and expensive to repair.

[cookington]

Greg the Fish said:

This era Mini just looks so so much better than the current, bloated crap.

Still, it's a BMW era Mini so it's going to be monumentally unreliable and expensive to repair.

My better half has a 2010 Cooper S with the notorious prince engine.

Its had a couple of sets of tyres, one set of pads and discs and a replacement washer fluid bottle.

I will admit the washer fluid bottle was surprisingly expensive but not bad for 9 years of motoring!

[Tyre Smoke]

I don't understand the OMG! Cat N, but wrong bumper. It's a 17yo car that's been paid out on, and fixed on a budget. I'd understand if it was only two years old, but really?

Anyway. Not a fan. Never liked MINIS.

[JMF894]

Limited service history would bother me more than the Cat N. Last summer I sold a Cat D Saab 9-5 Aero which was without doubt better than most currently on the road.

[Greg the Fish]

cookington said:

My better half has a 2010 Cooper S with the notorious prince engine.

Its had a couple of sets of tyres, one set of pads and discs and a replacement washer fluid bottle.

I will admit the washer fluid bottle was surprisingly expensive but not bad for 9 years of motoring!

That may be so but there's always the exception to the rule. A friend who had one from new was barely able to drive it in her short period of ownership[ as it was constantly back and forth to Chandler's MINI (who were f****** useless). Usual BMW inconsistency

[pete.g]

I had a Dark Silver/Black Roof 'S' from new in 2002 - with the blue/black leather interior and silver 17" alloys. I loved it.

Traded it at a great price for a JCW S in 2004 - Chilli Red/White Roof.

Both great cars, but then I went to Porsche and moved up a level.

Missus still has an 07 Cooper Clubman, which is not as much fun, but still a decent car, which she won't part with.

Might look for a supercharged S at some point - great value.

[pixelatedJH]

The colour coded plastics that are meant to be unpainted don’t look right, looks quite tacky for some reason

[emicen]

Evilex said:

Write-offs are fine until you try to renew the tax, only to discover that you have to subject the vehicle to a VIC (vehicle identity check)

The one I experienced was a total nightmare.
The VOSA boys, safe in their little VOSA testing station, start from the assumption that you're some sort of criminal, and it goes downhill from there.

Not an experience I'd care to repeat.

That and the "dealer feedback" would make this a "not today, thankyou", in spite of the car and the price.

Could be worse, though. You could be the 13th owner rather than the 12th...

No such thing as a VIC check anymore, been defunct since 2015. Cat C & D, now S & N, only need MOT’d & insured to be re-registered.