Buying Mini Cooper diesel
Discussion
Hi newbie here
I'm looking at buying my first car and have got the bug for a Mini Cooper but wanting a diesel I've sourced one within my price range and it's perfect but I viewed and asked all the questions I had researched online about the servicing and previous owners and all seemed great but my one question about the timing chain I'm not sure about the answer so hoping I can get some advice here before buying it.
It's a 2008 cooper diesel it's got 8 servicing stamps but never got to see the miles it was serviced at and has 111,000 on the clock. The sales man obv saying all the right things to get a sale said this isn't needing replaced due to it being a chain.
There is no rattling or noises when it started it's actually pretty quiet for a diesel I had been looking at Peugeots mostly for comparing.
What's people experience on this should I be prepared to walk away?
Thanks for any help in advance and hope I've put this in the right section
I'm looking at buying my first car and have got the bug for a Mini Cooper but wanting a diesel I've sourced one within my price range and it's perfect but I viewed and asked all the questions I had researched online about the servicing and previous owners and all seemed great but my one question about the timing chain I'm not sure about the answer so hoping I can get some advice here before buying it.
It's a 2008 cooper diesel it's got 8 servicing stamps but never got to see the miles it was serviced at and has 111,000 on the clock. The sales man obv saying all the right things to get a sale said this isn't needing replaced due to it being a chain.
There is no rattling or noises when it started it's actually pretty quiet for a diesel I had been looking at Peugeots mostly for comparing.
What's people experience on this should I be prepared to walk away?
Thanks for any help in advance and hope I've put this in the right section
If its the 1.6 then its the PSA engine and is belt driven. If its similar to the Focus belt change interval then its overdue. The 2.0 cooper S is chain driven.
Clutches are weak, engines are not the best, check the top of the rocker cover for a build up of carbon. Oil needs to be good quality and changed ideally every 6k. Check the AC works if fitted, it'll have an Eloys tank too, its around £40 per litre and can take up to 3 litres, its around 1/2 hour to top up and needs to be reset via diagnostics.
Personally i would avoid the Mini D, buy a petrol. At that age and mileage it will be knackered.
Clutches are weak, engines are not the best, check the top of the rocker cover for a build up of carbon. Oil needs to be good quality and changed ideally every 6k. Check the AC works if fitted, it'll have an Eloys tank too, its around £40 per litre and can take up to 3 litres, its around 1/2 hour to top up and needs to be reset via diagnostics.
Personally i would avoid the Mini D, buy a petrol. At that age and mileage it will be knackered.
I just sold my Mini One D - 2010 1.5l with 92k miles on.
Actually was a great car. 2 things I'd particularly check if I were to buy another:
- Check previous owners - mine was previously owned by several females in London, which meant short journeys and so the DPF was full and causing EML to come on. Had to do a few 300 mile-round blasts on the motorway to fully clear.
- Check the aircon actually works and didn't just blow a bit of cold air from the fan. The recent heatwave was horrific in it.
Had a fun amount of torque around town - but don't let that fool you when trying to overtake on a motorway - it ain't quick 45+ mph.
Actually was a great car. 2 things I'd particularly check if I were to buy another:
- Check previous owners - mine was previously owned by several females in London, which meant short journeys and so the DPF was full and causing EML to come on. Had to do a few 300 mile-round blasts on the motorway to fully clear.
- Check the aircon actually works and didn't just blow a bit of cold air from the fan. The recent heatwave was horrific in it.
Had a fun amount of torque around town - but don't let that fool you when trying to overtake on a motorway - it ain't quick 45+ mph.
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