Advice needed: Buying a JCW 2009 Mini Cooper S

[jayjaykay100]

I'm considering buying a 34k miles 2009 JCW Mini Cooper S. It's coming from a reputable dealer; Sytner Select who deal with their PX cars that would not be "good enough" to sell in a Sytner Mini.

The dealer has been up front and it only has one documented service at 34k. It's has a full service at that point and comes with a 15 month warranty, plus it's been through Sytners checks. The car is significantly cheaper that it would be; £12.2k with the 15 month warranty and 6 months tax plus a TLC pack until 2014 (no idea why anyone would buy a JCW Cooper with TLC pack and then not service it?).

Checked with BMW and it's never been serviced with them... so it's assumed it's not be serviced at all for 3 years.

Would like advice from you guys, would you take the risk and buy a nice looking JCW cooper from Sytners with a health check and 15 months warranty or walk away as it's looking like it's not had a service for 34k miles? It's obviously much cheaper than it should be and has Sytner Select backing it up with a warranty and also their health check.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers
Joel

[iphonedyou]

It wouldn't concern me unduly. As you say, given there's a TLC pack and it hasn't been used, you've to assume it hasn't been serviced at all, rather than home serviced. However, you've got the remainder of the pack, a full documented service and 15 month warranty. I wouldn't be concerned at all.

[Luke.]

How odd. Any idea who owned it last? Can you call them?

[jayjaykay100]

Okay, so the fact that it's an excellent price, has just had a major and only service at 34k miles, has a 15 month warranty and had a Sytners health check you would be fine that it might not have had a service for 34k miles.

I'm thinking of keeping the car for 3 years so it'll have 3 services under it's belt when I come to sell it on. It's a nice looking car so I'm tempted and Sytners have got the car looking great and said they would honor any issues with the car.

[mister.t]

I would walk, those engines struggle with regular servicing, leave alone being left. And yes, I am talking from experience.

[jayjaykay100]

The car was a PX at Sytners and the owners have asked not to be contacted on the tick box. I can only assume they have more money than sense and buy at £25k + new mini, run it for 3 years and PX it without any interest in its re-sale value.

If I buy it I could write to them if I get the address on the V5, but Sytners have to honor their wish not to be contacted.

[66comanche]

All sounds very fishy, how sure can you be that the mileage is correct? My concern would be it was previously a lease car, the previous owner didn't take care of it at all, over the 3 years clocked up say 75,000 miles, just before the lease ended, got it clocked back to 34k (maybe their yearly mileage allowance was 12k) and didn't bother getting it serviced as they didn't want the mileage recorded each year.

Might well be a tinfoil hat moment, but I can't see why someone wouldn't service a new car, especially with a TLC pack!

Personally I wouldn't touch it, my spidey sense suggests all is not right.

[jayjaykay100]

Thanks guys, I don't think I'll go for it.


Cheers
Joel