Questions about getting a mini cooper.

[nem]

Hi all!

I'm a 27 yr old male from norway and I'm getting a mini cooper one of these days and with this i got some questions that i hope i can get answered here.

I'm looking to buy a 2004-2005 model Mini Cooper. I'm thinking of getting one with stripes and the glass roof. Are there known issues with the roof? Are there anything i should pay special attention to overall? Problematic stuff??

Also I'm wondering if there are any improvements that came with the facelift of the mini in 2005 (or was it 2004?) or if its just cosmetic changes?
Does it matter if its a 2004 or a 2005 model i get, well beyond the obvious 1 year that is?

This is my first "real" car, they are expensive here so i don't want to fall into any traps that new buyers might fall into, that's the reason i ask you guys. Ive also seen alot of Mini One's for sale, does this car perform much worse than the Cooper or are they kinda the same?

Looking forward to see your replies, thanks for taking the time to answer and help

[MINIAC]

You want to buy a Cooper built July 2004 or later because it will have a better (Getrag rather than Midlands) transmission.

[nem]

Aha, well i will certainly go for a late 2004 or a 2005 then, thanks for the tip

Also i was wondering how much space is it really in the backseat? Like me and 3 friends are going to germany in August, and i was thinking id take my car (which will be a mini by then if i can find one i want..) and im conserned about the space. Can you have 2 ppl in the back without serious issues with legspace?

Feel free to compare to other cars, ie a Nissan Sunny (i had one before)..
And yeah, i dont have minis close to where i live, so i havent had the chance to really check one out yet..

Thanks again

[Sejanus]

Quote: Originally Posted by nem (original)

Aha, well i will certainly go for a late 2004 or a 2005 then, thanks for the tip

Also i was wondering how much space is it really in the backseat? Like me and 3 friends are going to germany in August, and i was thinking id take my car (which will be a mini by then if i can find one i want..) and im conserned about the space. Can you have 2 ppl in the back without serious issues with legspace?

Feel free to compare to other cars, ie a Nissan Sunny (i had one before)..
And yeah, i dont have minis close to where i live, so i havent had the chance to really check one out yet..

Thanks again

Legspace is pretty tight in the back, especially if you want to be comfortable in the front. I've had people back there for a couple of hours without any great degree of discomfort, but none of them were very tall.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

It will certainly be a lot smaller in the back than your old Sunny, but it really depends on the size of the front passengers. If the driver is over 5' 9" (1.75 m) tall then the leg room behind the driver is going to be suitable for children only. Your passengers will also need to be pretty agile to get in and out of the back! The boot is also very small and you will probably need to use a roof rack for your journey with 3 passengers.

The only problems that I have read about with the sunroof relate to rattling.

I wouldn't worry too much about the difference between a One and a Cooper. The One is slower, but one of the good things about the 1st generation MINI One (2001-2006) is that the engine is identical with that in the Cooper, in all but software. It is very easy (and cheap) to bring the power output up from the original 90 bhp to over the Cooper's 115 bhp. WIth the 2nd generation MINI One (2006 onwards) you're pretty much stuck with the 95 bhp 1.4

The suspension on the One is softer and it loses out on a few extras, such as the contrasting roof colour.

To add to what has already been said about the gearbox, it's arguable as to which gearbox is "better"; I found the original gearbox nicer and lighter to use, but the pre July 2004 Midlands gearbox is vulnerable to catastrophic failure and it hasn't been in production for nearly 4 years, so all replacement units are re-manufactured, rather than new

Please don't let what I've said put you off, we love our MINI and continually cram it full to over-flowing with all sorts of stuff! Just make sure you can live with the size before you go for it

Tigger.

[nem]

Wow, thanks alot of the feedback to my questions fellas.

Im pleased to say that i ordered a Mini Cooper 2005 from germany last night. It should arrive around next week and im VERY exited to see and feel how it is

Ill get around to post some pictures of it when it arrives, its a metallic Indi blue color. White roof / mirrors, chili package, sunroof.. Just about everything i wanted

The legspace isnt a real issue i guess, if we cant fit 4 grownups in it we will probably be able to borrow another car for the trip.

Ah well, back to work for now, thanks again for the replies

PS: 1 question more. As im buying the car from germany, and i live in norway. Should i consider doing anything to prevent rust? They use alot of road salt here, and this isnt good for the car, so should i get it "conserved" (sorry im not sure what the correct term is) or?

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Congratulations

Are you sure about the colour, Indi Blue if it's a 2005 car? Indi Blue was a colour that was discontinued at the model change over in July 2004 and was replaced with Hyper Blue.

We experience fair amounts of salt here too! The standard MINI is pretty rust resistant, though the chrome on the Cooper and the alloy wheels are usually the first things to be affected. The only spot that seems to be vulnerable to rust is a seam just underneath a rubber seal on top of the sills. It's worth lifting the seal and taking a look.

Tigger.

[Hugo]

Shows us pics!!!!!!!!

[nem]

Well, i cant be 100% sure before i see the VIN number i guess, but i was very specific when talking to the importer, so if he by some chance got me a 2004 model instead of a 2005 model then thats his problem and not mine, as he will have a car without a buyer..

Anyways, ill check this as soon as i get a look at the car, which should be sometime during next week if his man had time to get it up here, if not it will be the week after. Might be that he is confusing the color names, not sure yet. Now im a tad worried tho, but im hoping its just a small error

I will keep your tip about the seam fresh in mind when i go over the car. I guess it should be ok, but never hurts to ask about these things

Thanks again for all your help, i really appreciate it!

[nem]

Ive been in contact with importer via email today, and as you said, the cooper is a 04 and not a 05. It was bought and registered in december 2004 in germany.

I asked him about the transmission and after contacting the dealer he told me it had been serviced by BMW. Does this mean its safe to buy it , or is it just prolonging the problems with it?

Im not very mechanically minded, so i cant really figure out stuff like this on my own, so i really appreciate all the help im getting here. I got pics of the car in a mail today aswell and i could tell right away that it was a 04 and not an 05 because of the design on the bumpers.

Pics of the car




EDIT:
As you might have noticed i really want this car. Its exactly what ive been looking for and the price is pretty good. Its only ran about 25000km aswell, so.. But if the gearbox is still a problem after being serviced then i dont know..

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

As mentioned before, the original "Mindlands" gearbox is lighter to use and it's also easier to engage reverse than the later "Getrag" gearbox. The problem with this gearbox is that it is vulnerable to premature failure and new replacements aren't available. The fact that it's been "serviced by BMW" won't improve this. I've heard of some failing at around 55,000 kms, though I know of one that is still going strong at 200,000 kms. I did 53,000 kms in my Midlands gearbox equiped Cooper without any problems.

However, with only 25,000 kms on it, it's hardly been used and if it's in really nice condition (and it looks like it is!), it's what you really want and there is a warranty then I wouldn't want to stop you from buying it. Indi Blue is a really nice colour and there are several other aspects of the pre face-lift MINI that are actually better than the face-lifted car anyway! You've already noticed the nicer bumpers; designed the way that Frank Stephenson (the original designer) intended! You'll notice that he did the same thing with the new Fiat 500...

So, if you really want it, then I'd go for it!

Tigger.

[nem]

Ok, i went for it!

And what a car!! Im in love for sure now! I love the way it drives.
Been driving around all day enjoying it, tomorrow im gonna drive to my mom's place and borrow her camera so i can get some shots of it and ill post here after ive taken a few.

Man i love this car.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

They're really nice to drive, aren't they?!

Looking forward to seeing the pictures. Is it in as brilliant condition as it looked like in the dealer's photos?

Tigger.

[nem]

Didnt get the camera yet, but as soon as i do i will get some shots posted.

And yeah, its in perfect condition. There is a very small dent in the gas tank cap (no idea how the previous owner managed to do that) and the handbrake cover is loose in the front, but this is only visible when its enabled and if you look carefully.

There are no scratches or dents. Hard to believe the car is even used.. Oh im gonna check the VIN number and see what kind of transmission i got aswell. It feels really tight, and when i put it in reverse it seems that it doesnt hit 100% (only happened once tho). But im not too worried yet..

Anyways, pics coming as soon as i get the camera. Getting stripes on it next week aswell, so i might hold off until they are on..

Cya

[nem]

Got some pics today.. The car was clean, but i went for a drive and well.. Not so clean anymore

As you can see its looking pretty good in the sun