At the hazard of being accused of fat-shaming, Mini Cooper S is a bit of a hog. If the Austin/Morris original howl through the corners after a rat, then the current repetition just sites there, amazed like a gaffed grouper. There is more comfort, more power, and more speed, but the Fiesta ST makes an improved Mini compared to the modern Bimmer-built Heffalump. Any time you meet an owner of Mini Cooper, they seem to be so happy to praise their Mini Cooper. Are you too planning to buy a Mini Cooper car? Here are some tips for buying a Mini Cooper.
BMW’s first attempt at recreating the charm of Britain’s giant-killing scrapper was good. Manufactured from 2001 and available from 2002 in North America, the R53-chassis Cooper S has grown well. It is much bigger than the swinger of 1960, but the early Frank Stephenson design just gets better as modern traffic gets even more exaggerated. The early Cooper S also drives better. Thanks to the supercharged engine, willing chassis, and great steering.
Tips for Buying Mini Cooper
The phrase, timeless gets tossed around too frequently, but more than a decade on since its invention, the 2002-2006 Cooper S does look fresh. The designer of Mini Cooper S, Frank Stephenson is a genius in this regard. He has also penned the Ferrari F430, the Maserati MC12, the Maserati Quattroporte, and modified the Fiat 500 idea into the production form.
As a new car built in a new factory, the initial batch of Minis was semi-disastrous. Creaking, suspension misalignment, mechanical failures, and rattles were all common things in the initial year. Happily, America did not get the initial year cars, and by the year 2002, many problems were fixed. In 2002, the Cooper S arrived with a supercharged 1.6L four-cylinder engine making 155lb-ft and 163hp of torque. Curb weight was over 2600lbs, and a six-speed manual transmission was the only choice. Twin exhaust pipes at the back and a hood scoop in the front let everyone know that this was something more than a cute retro-hatch.
Compared to other reliable cars, supercharging created a few packaging issues. The battery was placed in the trunk and the spare tire was removed. BMW added run-flat tires and an aerosol puncture kit as a fix. If you are looking for a used car to buy, then there are chances that the owner may have swapped over to cheap conventional tires.
Same as what used to be with the Porsches, the R53 Cooper S you want is the newest one you can support. Every model year comes with small improvements to both reliability and power, all the way up to the rare GP model in the year 2006.
ECU upgrades in late 2002 enhanced drive for the Mini Cooper S, and by 2003 BMW had eliminated a lurching problem in the third gear when the s/c was switched on. US-spec dampers are much softer compared to the rest of the world, but the handling is not compromised. Keeping these tips for buying Mini Cooper will help you to make the right decision.
Pros of Having a Mini Cooper
- Driving is fun- One of the main reasons why people want to buy a Mini is it is fun to drive. Once you get behind the wheel, you will realize that it is a good choice. You can drive fast, take turns without any problem, and can easily park anywhere.
- Customization- One of the most important tips for buying Mini Cooper is to visit their website before making a purchase. You will various options that you can have in your car. One of the best things about a car is that you can customize it any way you want. Not only Mini Copper stands out among other cars, but you can also make your Mini unique among identical models too.
- Affordable- If you select not to go with any extra options, then this is an affordable buy. Granted, a few of the options they provide are nice, they are not much needed.
- Less maintenance-A Mini Cooper does not require regular maintenance or oil change like other vehicles. Instead, go two years before selling the vehicle. With a standard three-year warranty, you can take your car to a Mini dealership for its first maintenance.
- Great gas mileage- Though these cars use premium gas, it offers great gas mileage. You need to fill up the tank maybe once a month. Also, you can do about six to seven hours of solid freeway driving before the tank needs to be filled.
- Resale value- A Mini Copper has a good resale value, assuming it is in great shape and does not have any problems. To get a better resale value, you must maintain your car. If possible, change your cars every five years.
Cons of Having a Mini Cooper
- Mini knows you are looking for one- When people look around for buying a car, they can bounce from one dealership to another without expressing which car they want. Unfortunately, while shopping for a Mini Copper, most of the dealers will understand that you want one of those specifically. If you say that you had driven a Mini long back, loved this car for years, etc, then they can turn that in their favor.
- Not much dealership- There are not many Mini Cooper dealerships. You might have to travel for an hour or so to find a Mini dealership. If you do buy a Mini, then make sure that you know about your warranty. The flatbed service provided by them to pick your car is just for a limited area. You can even get a rental charge when your vehicle is getting repaired.
- Maintenance can be costly- Once your Mini is out of warranty period, you will have to cover all the repair costs. There are several extended warranty options, but those are costly. Despite Mini Cooper cars becoming more common, the repairs can be costly. So, if you purchase one, be ready for that if your vehicle starts to have problems.
- Less space- A lot of people say that these cars have a small storage space. It is not a family car. It is a fun car. This car can accommodate 4 people. However, you can keep a lot of things in your car with the right planning. However, the more costly models come with more storage space.
- Uses the costliest fuel- A Mini Cooper needs premium fuel. You can use the cheap type of gas, but it will not be great for your vehicle. It will need more fill-ups. So, better avoid them.
- Non-Mini dealerships will not do a proper servicing- If you take your car to a local repair shop for an oil change or some other issue, there are fewer chances that they will be able to repair it. So, it is better not to avoid non-Mini dealership if you want to take good care of your car.
Common Problems with Mini Cooper
- Clutch failure- It was a common problem with the first and second-generation Mini Coopers. The general cause was hard-driving, and it can take place as early as below 20,000 miles.
- Transmission failure- The first-generation cars were notorious for an automatic transmission that would fail. A lawsuit forced BMW to provide a warranty particularly, for transmission. The coverage was for 150,000 miles or eight years, whichever occurred first.
Go through these tips for buying Mini Cooper, its pros and cons so that you can make the right choice.