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Buying advice 2007-2010 diesel Mini Cooper?

3K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  ImmiHP 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I’m looking at getting my first Mini in the next week or two as they look great and running costs of the diesels seem like they’re pennies. ? My budget is between £2,000-3,000 and that appears to point to ‘07 to ‘10 plate cars.

What are the main things to watch out for when I go to look at them? Is a good/full service history vital on diesels? Or is it just good to have? Also, most of the cars I’ve seen in my price range seem to be around 90k to 130k miles. Does this affect what I need to look out for? Belt changes, water pumps etc?

Thanks in advance. ?

?
 
#2 ·
as low mileage as you can find, 1 or 2 owners is good thing must have history with it, they need new dpf filters around 75.000 miles and the tend to need turbo' 80-120k timing belt might do the 125k but water pump dont tend to 80k max is where would say, its a mine field not all sellers are honest take nothing as the truth when asking anything about the car etc, the turbo failures on these engines are very well known within the trade as they nearly always go in to diesel runaway when fail, better to fit a refurb turbo than the new engine if do fail
 
#4 ·
both my cooper d i bought like that but both had dpf issues ie bought cheap one was total nightmare as past owner did not know what the truth was and how to tell the truth, ie its turbo failed before went in to diesel runaway and hurt the bottom end badly think it cracked the oil feed within block as it cast alloy and have seen another recently do same trick i would guess and only way out of it is another engine complete, good thing is a ford or pug or volvo engine fits straight in with a few wiring change over etc, and reprogram the injectors etc.
after this i always deleted the dpf filter and egr valve on any 1.6hdi and transforms them and should never get turbo melt down again but still need to change turbo at 80-100k ish for piece of mind,
 
#11 ·
both my cooper d i bought like that but both had dpf issues ie bought cheap one was total nightmare as past owner did not know what the truth was and how to tell the truth, ie its turbo failed before went in to diesel runaway and hurt the bottom end badly think it cracked the oil feed within block as it cast alloy and have seen another recently do same trick i would guess and only way out of it is another engine complete, good thing is a ford or pug or volvo engine fits straight in with a few wiring change over etc, and reprogram the injectors etc.
after this i always deleted the dpf filter and egr valve on any 1.6hdi and transforms them and should never get turbo melt down again but still need to change turbo at 80-100k ish for piece of mind,
Hi Mike, I'm hoping you can give me some much needed advice as you seem like a knowledgeable chap. Apologies for jumping in this thread.
I've just purchased a 2011 Countryman 1.6 D Cooper D from a local garage. Originally a demo model then one owner with full history and only 32000 on the clock. Happy days or so I thought until my MPG is only 37! I do a mix of mainly local but some motorway day to day and though the spec says 64mpg I thought I'd at least be nearing 50! My last car was an Audi A2 so used to getting alot more MPG.
Also have got warning message that auto stop/start not working so will return to garage to see if they can sort that as still in warranty period.
Any thoughts on why my MPG so low would be greatly appreciated. I've been taking it steady too which is most unlike me!
 
#5 ·
Thanks again. I’ve narrowed my choice down to a handful now, all between £2600-£3500. There’s one ‘09 plate Cooper D sitting on 87.5k miles with “extensive history” ?‍♂ for £3250; Another ‘09 with 99k miles with FSH for £2995 that looks very clean in the photos but no mention of previous owners and then there’s also a ‘58 plate on 111k miles with “service history” but has had cam belt & water pump done up for £2750. ?

Sounds like the DPF and EGR thing might be worth doing. What sort of costs are they to do? Also typical cost of turbos, timing belts, water pumps etc. to replace?
 
#7 ·
if were me would go down the road of dpf and egr delete we do them start to finish including the remap thats needs to get it all to work, £270 all in,by far the best for future transforms them just need a good car to start with .

or could replace the filter £120 for filter plus diagnostics run to reset it all £100-£180 depending on who does it, ie good hours work of resetting etc, plus additive would need doing another £300 ish every 45k always change turbo 80-120k sooner the better refurb uk made £200 tops, best way to buy one at right money is ask them would they take a offer and start chipping them its a buyers market at moment loads of cars around, as low mileage as you can find is good also check its not been messed with silly air filters etc. to do turbo its a front of car off fair bit of work as must remove the gauze filter in the turbo oil feed pipe on the block if left in it will clog take out the turbo and engine, as will a blocked dpf filter, seen this time and time again, i would rather buy a car that is honest still running factory turbo at 80k and replace it myself that a car with a new turbo as chances are some idiot as fitted a turbo after a melt down and engine could be on last legs if that makes sense, also they are a massively complicated engine to work on so most stuff take some time to change ie front of car for turbo stuff etc,
 
#9 ·
Well, I finally got it! ?? A 2011 Cooper D in blue (with MFSW which was on my 'must have' requirements). I picked it up on Tuesday night and haven't driven it much yet but so far I'm really enjoying it. I'm already looking at ways to personalise it. ?


Here it is. ?

275653
 
#10 ·
2011 cooper d that will be the bmw own engine N47 engine keep your ear on the gearbox end of engine for any rattles on start up
 
#14 ·
dpf filter is in exhaust it collects particulates from the exhaust gasses, trouble is they need revs above 2000 more inline with 3000 to stay clear, mainly motorway mileages are best for them short trips where car never really get that hot around town blocks them off, its a mot failure to be seen to remove one, that said its only a visual test in the uk so what can be done is the internals of filter case can be knocked out and then the ecu remapped to remove the self check files for it so never goes on to limp mode or regen etc from removal,, as for end result its night and day to be honest especially if ask for a stage one remap this will make the engine perform better as to be able to get in high gears earlier,i would also delete and blank the egr valve at same time this will help the timing chain no end as well as less carbon gets in to oil and less wear over time, ironically someone i do some repairs for had his done a few months ago and recently i fitted a new turbo and he said theoil was so clean still he had trouble reading it on the dip stick,, the back pressure and regens wash carbon in to oil and this wears things out
 
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