[niallyp]

evening all,

in the market for a mcs jcw. currently driving a "played with" fabia vrs <awaits abuse > but looking for something a bit nippier. drove the standard s and it didnt really blow me away with its power, but handled like a dream. so thinking about a jcw. my budget will allow me to go for a low mileage 53 plate or average (30 -40k) 04/54 plate.

did a search for common faults and came up with many pages of rants. are the cars really that bad? i dont have enough time in my breaks to go through all the tech pages!!!!!

is there a definitive buyers guide sticky anywhere or what are the main faults on the mcs works to look for over and above the normal buying a used car?

going to look at 2 cherished s works minis over the weekend so any help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers in advance,

Niall

[sel]

You're buying privately, it's likely to be a lot of money, so you need to be very careful!

Firstly, before you even go, you need to run a check on the car to see if there is any outstanding finance, if it's stolen, or if there is any accident or theft history. You'll need to get the registration number in advance, so that we can run a check on it. This can be done online, but a cost a few pounds (not a lot and well worth it).

Provided that it's all legitimate, then get the exact model, specification etc of the MINI so that we can check what it should reasonably be worth as a private sale. You know the sort of thing, registration date, colour, aircon, leather, alloys etc.

Never view the car away from the owner's house. If in doubt find an excuse to go inside what they say is their house (use the loo etc).

Always check the car in bright daylight, do not make an appointment to see it late in the evening!

Provided all this has been done, then check all documentation. Is the service history intact, does s/he keep receipts for anything that's been done. Does the milage tally with the condition of the car, especially the rubber on the pedals, the wear on the driver's seat, the state of the door handles and the carpet under the driver's heals.

The average car milage is 12,000pa and a MINI should be around that number. The engine is very robust, but check the operation of the gearbox and clutch as this has been known to fail. Always check the carpets (even in the boot) for signs of water leaks, check the front footwells especially. Water leaks into the front footwells can cause expensive electrical problems.

Check the body carefully for small dents and scratches. Check for ill fitting body panels and signs of paint overspray that might indicate accident damage. Especially check the underbonnet area. Check that all of the paint matches.

Check that the steering is smooth and has no clunks when turning fully from lock to lock.

Ask if the car has been involved in an accident and if there is anything wrong with the MINI. They are not obliged to let you know voluntarily, but they must give straight answers to an outright question, or they will be liable. Ask this question when you friend can be a witness to the answer.

Get to know the vendor and get an idea if they have looked after the car. Dodgy people and dodgy cars tend to go together!

Check the operation of all of the electrical stuff (windows, lights, radio, fan etc) Take your time.

Check the oil for level and make sure it is either clear or dark. Worry if it looks like mayonaise.

Check the exhaust for leaks, they seem to have a lifespan of about 4 years.

Check the tyres for signs of uneven wear that could indicate a problem. A good sign is a set of matching brand tyres of a recognised brand (Michellin, Avon, Dunlop etc); it shows the owner hasn't skimped and cares. A mismatch of Ying-Tong-Idle-Eye-Po tyres is not good news.

Treat serious aftermarket mods, especially engine or electrical ones, with extreme caution. The best cars are mechanically and electrically unmolested. View aftermarket alarms as slightly less than worthless.

Try and take a test drive, but make sure you're insured. If you are used to driving a MINI you'll soon know it it feels like crap! If it's an early one, check to see if the steering pulls to the left. It has been known on early ones.

If it is pre facelift the gearbox will be completely different to yours. Neither box is perfect and neither is any better than the other. Just be aware.

If in any doubt, walk away. It's not easy when checking a car or bike for a friend as they are often dying to drive it away and you have to be the kill joy! There's plenty of used cars out there and unless it's absolutely fantastic, it will be worth seeing 2 or 3 before taking the plunge.

If it is good, don't pay the full price, make an offer. They might accept it

[sel]

You might wanna print that off (tiggers words!) -was really useful for me when i went with a m8 of mine

[ZZTOP]

Hi

1. Find out whether the power steering pump has been replaced (Service history?). This is a weakness, and expensive to fix.
2. Try to find out whether it has LSD (Much better)
3. Middle of dashboard rattle can be expensive to fix out of warrantee
4. Electric windows can be troublesome (mine work / dont work eratically)
5. Standard brakes are hopeless for trackdays, fine for regular use. Check if its got the JCW brakes (Red callipers)
6. Check to see if its got the JCW suspension as well.
7. Check for a clutch "squeak" on pull away, part. when car is cold.
8. Check if it has the latest JCW i.e. 147 vs 154 kW...

Thats all I can think of, and what I would look for if I bought a used one.

Schweet...

[niallyp]

sel - top drawer reply, but ive got something similar for when the last time i bought a car from another forum. but useful again none the less. was looking for mini specific gotchas that i should be aware of..

zztop - im gonna be getting form a mini main stealers as the prices dont seem to vary by normal amounts and i dont have the time to sell my car privately so would need a trade in.

am i right in saying that the mini cherished programme provides a years warranty for the car regardless of age?

so many questions, not so much knowledge

cheers for the replies so far peeps!

[alski]

please, please, please, drive more than one, drove a 04 jcw, found to be very flat, vs my own 05 mcs,[but still much better than my toyota daily driver]
see if you can arrange back to back drives, to assist your memory
[ mini changed s-charger and added lsd during 04] so worth looking at later motors if you can

also you can ask your local stealer to provide any cherished mini, yes any,
so get a trade in value established 1st,

[niallyp]

cheers folks,

ive got 3 to see this weekend so will see what the story is. hopefully become a mini owner soon. it did take me 3 months to find my current car so wont be buying the first i see.

fund situ may not allow me to extend to a late 04 but ill see what briefs are sitting about...