Newbie - advice on S Works

[Vickster]

Hey all

New to the site and currently looking to replace my Focus ST170 with an S Works...

Pretty rare beasties it seems - not looking to spend a fortune but have spotted 3 potentials, all with climate (a must) , think they all need tax and all will have long MOT, all 2 previous owners, not yet actually driven one (just a standard S and want more oomph)
- red w/ white roof and stripes - 04 plate with 68k on clock, half leather, areo kit, new tyres, 8500 miles to service (last service was specialist rather than Mini), private sale, pretty local - £8500 asking (this is the only one I have seen so far)

- red w/ white roof (no stripes, but assume easy to retrofit) - 53 plate with 52k, half leather , panoramic roof, decent tyres, 3500 miles to service (full mini history), non specialist dealer (so some warranty/comeback)- £8k asking (going to see & drive on Sunday)

- silver 53 plate with 52k, full leather, Harmon Karden stereo, aero skirts, not sure on tyres and servicing (fsh), private - will accept £7850 (miles away, not managed to sort viewing)

Which one sounds like the best deal, the 04 is newer and local, but > miles and could be £500 more, the middle one is from a dealer, has the roof (not a decider) but due a service (how much are the Inspection 1 / 2 services?)
Colour wise, would choose red over silver, but the latter looks with black roof and bonnet stripes
Third one - location proving challenging due to work hell!

Any advice? Cheers

[okenemem]

Personally i don't think red is a nice color

[Vickster]

Fair enough, colour is a taste thing. I have had yellow cars recently too. I think with a specialist car like the JCW, it is more important to buy the right car..hence, I gave details other than just the colour in looking for advice

[BoyScout]

I think regardless of colour (my tumbler is red :P), that it would seem like the 8k one would seem good. Only problem, I feel, is that its 3500 til its service... but for me, I think it'd be between the £8500 and the £8k one. The £8k one cause you'd be able to fit stripes easily (I'd haggle with dealers or go private on that one), and you'd be able to enjoy the sun with the sunroof. Also, as its with the dealers, at least you have the guarantee that it'd be fairly upto scratch if they've bought it (but I'd take a mechanic along to check that one). However, I've heard a few things about the sunroof (problems that could go expensive... Perhaps a trip to the 1st gen forum?), and so it'd be a gamble.

I'm more tempted with the £8500, as this one seems to have pretty much (nearly) everything done. With regards to the half leather seats, its not exactly a biggie, but I prefer that cause leather is quite sticky in the heat...

I apologise if I wasn't much help! (But red is a wicked cool colour ;-))

[Vickster]

Cheers BoyScout _ Very helpful

I do like red, always been anti silver cars, but to be fair the Mini does look cool in silver with the black roof and stripes

Do you know how much the services are - I am new to Minis and indeed BMWs - I would try to negotiate a few quid off the dealer one, given it'll need a service (I don't do loads of miles but would be needed in 6 months and I'd want to maintain the mini history)

[BoyScout]

Hey Vickster! I'm afraid I wouldn't know how much the servicing just yet, as I'm still covered by the TLC package. However, I did find this thread for you:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/mini-coop...e-service.html

Albeit, its for the Coop S. Its nearing the 60k marker, so I'd be cheeky and see if I could get 500 off for servicing :P BMW and MINI servicing are quite expensive (after all, they are 'prestigious' cars, ), so what I'd do is to give your local Mini garage a call, see how much it is and what they do, then shop around and bargain with Mini. However, if I'm not mistaken, cause its over 10 years old, they might do you a discount on the labour as its an older vehicle (please don't quote me on this, but with my Father's prior Merc, he used to get a discount off labour cause it was an older car).

I hope this helps, Vickster (What sorta stripes are they on the Silver Mini..? The viper or the normal bonnet stripes..? )

[Vickster]

Normal bonnet stripes

The cars are a 53 or 04 reg so <6 years old, not over 10

[BoyScout]

Shoot, sorry! I had a momentary lapse of brain power there... In that case, yeah, I'd just see about prices etc. I hope you do get a good deal though, and please let us know what you choose and how much you paid for it

[Vickster]

I think I'd like to go for the £8500 one - saw the one with the roof today, very nice but I am not fussed by it and would rather avoid any potentially expensive to fix features! Not able to budge on price and nor put tax on either (and a couple of chunks out of the wheels). The last service was about 10k ago and it was inspection 2, so the one in 3k shouldn't be a killer

Going to ask for a decent amount off it however as it does seem priced a little high given the mileage for a private sale

[iain cooper]

if you are going to chose between three cars I think you would be better seeing the three cars in the flesh.

I would want to see what they look like and how they have been looked after, but maybe you are not bothered.............so go for the newest ie the 04.

[bakerstreet]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vickster (original)

I think I'd like to go for the £8500 one - saw the one with the roof today, very nice but I am not fussed by it and would rather avoid any potentially expensive to fix features!

Do a bit more reading. Plenty of things to go wrong on gen 1 cars.

However, you will find that with lost of cars. I still bought one

[Vickster]

Same with any second hand car (even Japanese ones )

I have now seen the 2 red ones - both look good, as mentioned not sure about the roof given it has climate

Have seen another one - 03 reg, silver with white stripes and roof, but again only 50k miles but £7500 (on this basis, the 04 with 68k looks a lot given it is no better specced and there were no changes really 03-04 as far as I know).

My Focus is going tomorrow so need to find a Mini asap

[Vickster]

Going for the red 04, sale agreed at £8100 with new MOT

MINI : Mini Cooper S Works Full Aero KIt

[Vickster]

Picked it up tonight, a hoot

[BoyScout]

Wicked Cool Vickster! I hope that you and your Mini live a wonderful life together,