Advice needed - Cooper newbie

[sleep envy]

Mrs envy's car has died so she's decided to replace it with a mini cooper

what it more acurately means is she's tasked me with finding her a cooper

so, knowing nothing about them does anyone have any helpful hints and tips of what to look for?

I've read a little about whiny steering rack pumps (how much to replace should they fail?) and possible dodgy gearboxes but is there anything else to bear in mind?

[RKDE]

Hi,

The powersteering does whine all the time when in use so that doesn't mean its failing when you look, however a normal mini owner would be able to tell if its louder than normal. I know that doesn't help but it will seam loud no matter what car you had before. Worth popping to the dealer and testing a couple to get a feel for them.

Would cost at BMW circa £900 for the pump but can be done for a lot less and if your hand with a spanner not a difficult job.

Minis before 2004 (the facelift) are the only coopers effected with the problem the cooper S has always been fine. A lot of cooper owners change the gear box to a cooper s unit at some point. Its hard to say when they fail but gear selection is difficult then it could be on the way out.

Everything else is that same on all the cars. bushes, steering wheel knock, rust under the door seals at the bottom. most things are fine though and the cars are built well.

Things can be expensive thanks to bmw being the owners but the cars are easy to work on and can be very cost effective

All this applies to 2000 - 2006 later coopers are fine so far

[sleep envy]

cheers

I take it AC was an option and does the TLC pack pass on to the second owner?

[Accelebrate]

sleep envy said:

I take it AC was an option and does the TLC pack pass on to the second owner?

TLC is for the vehicle, so yes it transfers.

AC was an option until very recently. I'd try and find a Cooper with the Chilli pack as part of the specification, includes a lot of the more desirable options/things that should really have been standard.

[sleep envy]

Cheers, such as?

[sleep envy]

Also, is there any reason why the leather seats look baggy?

[Accelebrate]

Err... It's changed quite a bit over the years, this is a list from back in 2002:

MINI2 said:

MINI COOPER CHILI

Floor mats

Passenger seat height adjustment

Map pockets

Fog lamps

Interior lamp package

Chrome bumper inserts

16" 5-Star Light Alloy Wheels

Roof Spoiler

Sports Suspension PLUS

Brilliant silver interior trim

Sports seats

Cloth/leather upholstery

Leather steering wheel & gearknob

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There's also another option for UK: MINI Cooper Pepper:

Floor mats

Passenger seat height adjustment

Map pockets

Fog lamps

Interior lamp package

Chrome bumper inserts

15" 8-Spoke Light Alloy Wheel

Brilliant silver interior trim

I think on the more recent R56 Coopers there was no suspension upgrade (probably a good thing if you like your back) and a few different things came with the Chilli pack such as an additional remote key and 'mood lighting'.

The leather seats always seem to stretch sadly, the seats on the R56 (2006 onwards) are a lot more comfy and seem to stretch less than the older MINIs, but it's still an issue. The 'lounge' leather seats don't seem to stretch, but they're quite a pricey option so not too many vehicles have them.

Edited by Accelebrate on Wednesday 3rd March 09:46

[sleep envy]

Great post, thanks!

[sleep envy]

is it possible to remove roof/bonnet graphics without damaging the paint i.e. with a hair drier and lots of patience/white spirits?

[Accelebrate]

Yes, perfectly possible, depending on the age of the car/condition of paintwork you'll probably find that the paint under the stickers is in much better condition than the rest of the vehicle. Probably best to budget for a good machine polishing afterwards.

[sleep envy]

good point!

ta

[rednotdead]

Not much to add except go for it. I've just bought the missus a 2007 Cooper Conv and it is a right hoot. If you get leather seats you need seat heating as they are chuffing cold in this weather. The Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade is also worth it......

[Accelebrate]

Agreed, the 'number 3' setting in mine is scorchingly hot, great when there's snow on the ground or you've got a sore back.

The massive twin sunroof is also quite a nice option to have, good on a sunny day and makes the cabin seem nice and light the rest of the time.

[sleep envy]

any associated issues with the leccy roof?

do the drain holes get blocked?

[Accelebrate]

Not had any water related issues with mine.

It does currently rattle when in the 'lifted' state, but not when fully open or shut. Haven't found the time to book it into the dealers yet.

I've also noticed some wind noise when it's shut, usually at exactly 100mph. Not really something that concerns me normally! Although it has done it once or twice on windy sections of the M40 passing through cuttings at lower speeds.

It's also quite pricey to repair out of warranty, I think any jobs that require the sunroof glass to be removed result in a four figure bill from BMW dealers. Something to consider, although I don't think the failure rates are too high.

[sleep envy]

that's what I was thinking

I've only noticed a handful of cars for sale with them, will bear this in mind - ta