1.6 Mk1 MINI Cooper (R50?) - Buyers guide

[HorneyMX5]

Anyone know of a good one? Toying with the idea of picking a cheap one up as a bit of fun.

[HorneyMX5]

Bokers said:

How much are you thinking cheap is and are you likely to mod it?

Less than £2K and probably a fruity exhaust would be the only mod.

[HorneyMX5]

Something like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-MINI-COOPER-SILVER-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Cooper-2001-Immacul...

[HorneyMX5]

Spending £1000s on upgrading to the 6speed defeats the point of having a cheap mini.

Hopefully off on Saturday to view a July 2001 car which must be one of the very first produced.

[HorneyMX5]

Feirny said:

HorneyMX5 said:

Spending £1000s on upgrading to the 6speed defeats the point of having a cheap mini.

Hopefully off on Saturday to view a July 2001 car which must be one of the very first produced.

September 2000 the first was made.

You can do the 6spd conversion for about £600 if you scour about for parts. Gearbox is a case of when, not if, sadly.

I don't think so. Pretty sure July 2001 was the first registrations. I've never seen a W or X reg one.

[HorneyMX5]

"July 2001 saw it hit the UK market – and to accompany the launch was an innovative marketing campaign, pitched directly at the young and well-to-do urbanites who’s parents took the original to their hearts in the Sixties. If anyone out there didn’t know what a ‘MINI adventure’ was by the end of 2001, there was probably little hope for them…"

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/mini-bmw/mini...

[HorneyMX5]

Good point.

All the 2000 year stuff was pre-prod and testing. Pretty sure no customer cars started build until April or May 2001.

Anyhoo, back to the box. Yes it will fail, my have already been replaced at 10 years old and 120,000 miles. I'm not overly fussed as a replacement box is easy to pick up and I have access to a ramp and workshop to swap it if need be. The earliest Gertrag equipped cars are still north of £2.5K for anything that isn't hanging or crash damaged.

[HorneyMX5]

JM944 said:

Why not pick a Cooper S up for 2 grand. I got one with 90k miles for that money complete with proper gearbox aand Scorpion exhaust.

The temptation to mod to would too strong (Small pulley and reap etc) and the idea is for a cheap station car. I already have a mini supercharger albeit bolted to my MX5.

[HorneyMX5]

Well just revisiting this thread after accidentally winning a facelift R50 Cooper on eBay. Erm. Oops.

Will update when I pick it up on Wednesday. Probably ought to tell the wife at some point.

[HorneyMX5]

GeordieInExile said:

Ah rats. I would've sold you my 2005 Cooper (tatty, high miles, previous cooling issues which have now been fixed) for a song!

Got any pics, more spefic derails and an idea of price? I know a chap who maybe interested.