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Advice on buying a 03/04 Mini Cooper S

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  seh1 
#1 ·
Thanks for reading.


I've been looking to buy an older Mini Cooper s and have found one I like the look of, but it's had a lot of work done to it, would you advise that this was a good buy?

Here's the list of work the guy has had done since he's had it.


My Cooper S for sale - This car has had extensive mechanical repairs over the last couple of years.

• The Supercharger has very recently been replaced with another out of a 40K mille car, the oil within either end of the SC was clean but has been renewed to ensure it’s fully serviced.

• Other recent work includes - April 2016 – Head gasket renewed including head skim & pressure test.

• Timing chain kit renewed - (Head gasket & Timing belt approx £1,100)

• Both rear callipers, discs and pads renewed, the front calipers, discs and pads are a couple of months older.

• New clutch kit, which I can confirm drives great.

• New Alternator.

• Various other work including bushes, bearings etc over the years.

• The exhaust is Stainless.

• The condition of the interior (half leather) is great, the exterior is very good with a few marks that are in keeping with a 2002 car.

• Four new tyres, it has white alloy type wheels in very good condition.

• Standard items - ABS, Electric Windows, Electric Mirrors, CD Player, Remote Central Locking, Alarm, Half Leather Interior, Xenon Headlights with height adjustment and Washers

• Part service history. MOT’d until 22/10/17. Drives great.
 
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#2 ·
Sounds reasonable providing they can provide receipts for parts and work done, then do your own inspection and look for the obvious (covered by Modmini on his youtube site), take it for a drive and see how you feel. Check the PS fluid, should be green ! and if the PS pump every goes, just replace it with a new unit, they are not hard to change over and take about 2hr max.
 
#3 ·
Sent the guy an email and this is the reply



"Thanks for the email. I have partial receipts. Receipts for head gasket, timing chain, supercharger. Not for clutch, rear callipers, discs (but you can see the callipers and discs are new). Slave cylinder and alternator are obviously new.
Underside occasionally seems damps but no visible leaks and no fluid loss."

It's done 117k so I recon that's the amount of work required on a car of that age and mileage.

I'll arrange to go have a look.
 
#5 ·
Cheers mate. I got some further information about the dampness

"Back on the PC now so I can give you more info rather than on a text. Why all the receipts were not kept is strange but different people I suppose. I do have the head gasket & timing chain receipt for approx. £1100 & SC for £300. When I purchased the car I was informed the clutch & alternator, calipers etc had been renewed and when the Supercharger was being replaced you can see the alternator is new and you can easily see the rear calipers/discs & pads are new. The clutch drives like it’s been renewed and the slave cylinder looks new also and I’ve no reason to doubt it. . Re the underside dampness, I’ve had another good search today and although there’s nothing dripping I have located a small weep coming from one of the screwed in connections to the head but it only weeps when it’s cooled down (you’d expect it to be the other way) It does look a bit fiddly to get at but it must be small as I’m not having to top up the expansion tank."

Just wondering what the best/worst case scenario for this - a car this age will have bits to do over time and a lot of the work that usually needs done has been done - but no **** about the clutch which I know can be a bit expensive.

The guy wants £1700 for it, but I would like to negotiate it down a little bit. Maybe 1400/1500
 
#6 ·
don't know if you are still looking at this but with the weeping from plug on head could mean a cracked head ..

another thing to look at is the brake lines under the car , i just purchased an 02 and one of the problems i found is the lines rusted out at each plastic clip line holder to the floor pan , ( they are not hard to change out so not a big issue )
 
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