I'm on a MINI sabatical at the moment, currently smoking around inAudi A4 fully specced, not as fun as the MINI but have to be practical for the moment!...
Right in late 2005 I bought, for 13k, a 52 September built MCS in Dark Silver with Black Roof. The car was a Cherished and came with full tax, MOT and 12 month warrantee.
Spec was
Chilli Pack
TLC Pack
Full Leather
Climate Control
Multi Function Steering Wheel
CD Player DSC
S-Spokes (Part of Chilli)
Xenons with Washers
Heated Washers/Mirrors
I think that was it, but I would consider that to be a pretty reasonable spec for that sort of money. The car was pristene except for a small mark on the floor carpet of the passenger side (This was in the shadow cast by the passenger seat so you never see it)
Since having it I have had a couple of problems...all covered by warrantee and always been given or offered a courtesy car for free.
1. Headlight washers stopped - Fixed in 1 day
2. Bonnet realease cable broke out of bracket - Fixed in 1 day. Broke a second time and the fault was diagnosed as a sticky bonnet release catch causing too much pressure to be exerted on the cable mounting. The release was replaced and never been a problem since.
3. Bonnet laquer started to peel off in large patches. Dealer took the car and gave me a courtesy vehicle for 1 week while they stripped and sprayed it. While it was having that done they sprayed the air intake in black instead of DS, also for free!
4. While in for the issue with the headlight washers the dealer spotted water in the battery box area in boot, casued by leaking seal on light...replaced. They also caught that the expansion tank was leaking slightly and replaced that too.
5. I found the DSC a bit manic so asked to have the DME reprogrammed...paid £30 for this and it sorted the DSC brilliantly and also made the car far better at lower revs in the cold.
Other than those things I have only had the usual stuff like tyres wearing, wheel weights falling off, brakes wearing etc.
I have just expended a lot of cash last 2 months on full new JCW brakes upgrade and new wheels...but I could have just had new standard pads and discs, but to be fair the car has done 42k now and I have had it for over a year so I was due for some expense...and for such a great car with hardly any hastle it deserved a treat
If you use the mini.co.uk site then you can go to the cherished search engine and basically search through all cherished cars of the spec you want...just tick the right boxes for colours your interested in and spec you want and age/milage and then hit go. This is what I did. Noticed that there were some sweet rides in my price range and close to my spec. I then went to my dealler and spoke to the MINI guys and asked if they could source me a DS/B with minumum of Chilli and CD player for less than 13k. Just find me the biggest spec on the best car you can for my 13k
They dutifully did and I love it! Good old Cotswold Cheltenham
Just had a quick check of the galleries and there really aren't that many in that colour combo. I think that will go up with the second generation MINI, especially as most of the press cars were red / black.
cheers guys, some great replies there, really appreciate it, can't believe how few have chilli red/black roof etc combo, I really wanted this combo first time round. Not overly sure what it us about it but I seem to prefer them with black roof's n mirrors, not sure what it is with that combo, just do......
loving this one with aero grille sort of thing i have in mind!!!
Not sure how much you'll benefit on the consumption front - MCS's tend to drink heavily on short runs especially if you drive with any kind of verve. - Else - the only really saving will be maybe on insurance - as tax will be that same too iirc.
If you want to have fun in a car - then MINI is the way to go - but it won't necessarily be much cheaper
btw the cars your looking are stunning
MY05 MINI COOPER S - DS/B - GTT OPTIMISED- THANKS FOR THE RIDE - ENTER THE R56 JCW
I had an 03 mcs then bought an 05 BoxsterS and have come back to the fold. Bought an 06 mcs in April. The later car is much better, especially the gearbox and the interior trim.
so are there any options I should be particularly looking out for in respect of keeping some home comforts that you become used to with R32, ie is it worth looking for heated seats? Leather seats? Visibility Pack? Xenon lights?
there spec lists of cherished MCS's vary so much, I really like the xenon lights on my R32, but are the Xenons that much better than the standard MCS ones? And are the light upgrades on the facelift ones any better of just a diff style??
Also I've noticed for the money I'd prefer to spend, I could pick up a very well specced pre-lift (03-04) model compared to a more basic specced 170bhp model, unsure which to go for??
thanks guys, I know this is a book of questions but it will really help me make a decision!!
Theres a few Red/whites Cooper S's 54 reg and above on MINI cherished but no Red/blacks 54 reg and above. Only 04 Cooper S Red/black. Some looking cool though.
Xenons are a must. If you have driven a car with them then you will have to have them again...trust me if you don't get them you'll feel like your driving in the dark! The MINI lights are fine but once your used to xenons you can't go back.
Need to ensure. Chilli, Xenons (visibility pack which has heated mirrors etc too is a must IMO), CD changer or player, Leather or half leather, aircon or climate. After that its just your personal preference.
went to stealers yesterday, found two cars I really liked and one was at a great price, but they then turned round and pretty much tried to sell me the car and leave me £1500 in negative equity! they offered me so little for my car i felt insulted, i know they don't offer great prices but it was shameful, and they were so hypacritical, told me it was because mine was higher than average miles, but so was there mini, although they just kept sticking to the guns of "well minis don't depreciate like others"
so looks like i'll be waiting for it to sell privately......... if that day ever comes
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) MCS NOW ARRIVED 
Leather seats?
