[oxford]

Finally found the car that *could* be right for me!

I am going to view the car on Christmas eve down in Chichester talk about exciting! just for an initail look over, as I am down seeing my Grandmother then anyway and its only 9 miles away and if I want to another drive etc I will be able to meet him half way

Anyway, it is the perfect spec for me, I have had my eye on it for a while and 4+ people have let him down so far:

Mini Cooper S, Chilli, CD, all black, 2003 etc

The milage is highish 38,000 as it is an ex company car, however is puts in my my price range @ 12kish and to be honest, milage does not bother me that much. It is all BMWSH and still has the TLC pack on it still and has had the AC compressor and radiator replaced.


(please view attached pictures)



So in preperation what do I need to look for? I dont want to be clouded my eagerness because want one like this so much!!! so I need to make a clear judgement because like it or not, it is a lot of money!

Any views welcome! - one thing, one of the doors was re-sprayed after a light scrape.. it is something I will look out for.


:blblack: black black black BLACK BLACK BLACK!

cheers all!

 

[LMB]

Looks good.

 

[oxford]

Lets hope so!


So any previous 2nd hand MCS buyers know what I should look for?

D :blblack:

 

[Mini Lou]

Looks Great - You'll be so happy! Hopefully it'll still be fab on closer examination!

 

[oxford]

Well thank you...

Wish it was mine now really, although in all this ice, I dont think I would be all that safe!

Could all turn sour on viewing!

 

[pocketrocketowner]

Could you get it up on a lift or get someone else to do it?

I would look at the condition of the brake discs and amount of pads left (will tell you about how har it has been driven and how well maintained) Look for radial cracks, deep scores and discoloration to blue/green on the discs or if the pads are very thin or non existent...reach your own conclusions.

A good look underneath is search of oil leaks around the engine, transmission and shocks is always a good idea. Wear pattern on the tires should also be looked at as anything untoward inevitably will lead to a bad alignment at best and a bent suspension at worst.

Clars "detailed" for sale are usually pretty clean in the interior. Engine bay and underneath state of clenliness will tell you a lot more about its use or misuse......
Hope this helps.....

 

[oxford]

Nope, thats good advice.

Will be sure to look at it!

 

[bobnobski]

looks good to me

Well its a 2003 - so still has manufacturers warranty. Make sure the work that has been done was done so by MINI otherwise it could effect warranty.

Looks like it has Chili Pack etc. So for £12k you cant really go wrong. Also if the guy has been let down 4 times already, find out why?

Make sure you do a HPI esepcially when you speanding £12k.

Mini in late 52 plates and on solved most of the rattles and early niggles, so I cant see how you can be a loser here!

 

[Kodak]

Test, Test & Test... then test again.

Make sure that all the options are actually there (and that they work). And not just check if the light comes on, make sure it works as it should. Check all the paperwork, (manuals, TLC vouchers, etc). Mine did not come with a Navigation manual, but it is only £15 and I got extra £30 off.

The other grumbles about the car (scrape, condition) you have covered and I am sure will check like a hawk. £12K is a lot of notes...(don't care who you are). HPI has been covered previously, make sure you get it checked, only £25.
The MINI comes with 3 keys (remote £95*, non-remote £50, and plastic £20). Make sure these are included, otherwise knock money off.
[* key prices are approx correct and include a couple of pounds for your inconvenience]

The MINI is pretty much bomb-proof (in my limited experience) and if there were any problems the seller should have had them fixed under warranty. As you still have warranty left, the little things won't cost anything to fix.
Remember to buy the seller, not just the car. Check the reasons on the previous 4 interested parties. Try and gauge the seller, and his/her history with the car.
Genuine sellers with nothing to hide should be happy to mention the faults (now fixed) and scrapes on the car (this person sounds genuine as he has told you about the respray).
Just check the condition on the consumables (oil, brakes, tyres..etc.) and try to gauge if the car was loved as it should have been.

Overall, go with your gut and remember, if it is not right for you, walk away... Plenty more fish in the sea.

(I should know, it took me 9 months of speccing and searching to find my baby and when I found him, I knew straightaway.)

Good luck and let us know if/when you get it.

Kodak

 

[oxford]

This is all very good advice, in fact I am going to print this off and take it with me when I go to view.

The guy does sound very genuine from what I can make out and as you said is willing to tell me everything about the car, good and bad.

I am going to view the car on Christmas eve or Christmas day without him being there, so he has let me know the address and warned the neighbours not to club me to death for lookign at it! lol So there is only a small amount I can look at then.

If I decide I want to drive it and inspect it further, he will meet me half way and take it from there.

As far as I can make out, the people have been turned off by the milage, but it is not a major factor for me. It is advertised @ 12,800 and if it is the right one will try to bring that down as close to 12,000 as I can!

Thank you for your most valuable help, it is well recieved.

Should I do the HPI check after I have viewed it initailly, to potentailly save wasting money viewing the car second time around? :blblack:

I am pretty excited I can tell you! I even hoovered out the Golf at the weekend in preperation ;-)

One more thing, I have a private plate on my golf, which I will need to transfer. Should I buy the mini first (have 2 cars for a while) and then sell the golf? This is because the numberplate retention is 125pounds and the transfer is only 80. Although it would be a pain having 2 cars, but I dont think I have much choice.

 

[pocketrocketowner]

You are buying 12K worth of car and worrying about 45?

 

[oxford]

No, I think you should read the whole thread again! lol

I was just wondering if the HPI check should be run directly after viewing the car when he is not there, thus not wasting money by "traveling" to go and see it for a second time.

Sorry about the confusion.

4 HPI checks have been done on the car already, and I am prepared to do it again to be on the safe side.

:blblack:

 

[Wobert]

No, I think you should read the whole thread again! lol

I was just wondering if the HPI check should be run directly after viewing the car when he is not there, thus not wasting money by "traveling" to go and see it for a second time.

Sorry about the confusion.

4 HPI checks have been done on the car already, and I am prepared to do it again to be on the safe side.

:blblack:

I would do the HPI check after a full checkover / test drive etc. It's pointless doing it before, as you may find something that turns you off before spending the £25.

BTW Solid black is one of the easiest colours to "match" when doing a respray. The only thing I would check on this front, is whether the work was done in a MINI approved body shop.

 

[oxford]

That's what I will do then.

Thanks mate! :blblack:

Will keep you updated as to how it goes, let the story unfold....

 

[Grimbo]

Err.. don't mention it again on UK-MkIVs as you saw the fuss it's caused

Looks a goodun that one! Damn.. everybodys getting their MCSs before me!

 

[oxford]

Yeah, whoops about that one

Never mind, we are all grown up... Supposedly.

Dont worry mate, yours will come. When you getting it?

-ox

 

[oxford]

Just a little update!!!


Well, I pulled out of buying that particular car purley because of finances..... just was not right for me at the time and I took the easy option and pull out. It was one of the hardest decisions I have made in a LONG time!!! however it is proving the right one.

I test drove the new golf GTI and I was seriously impressed, I like it in every way possible.... I bet your waiting for me to say I now have or want one of those... however you would be wrong because I am so sick of VW and their anctics that I will not be buying one at this point in time, the small matter of 20,000 pounds is also a joke @ standard spec. Fab car, but they will not win me over so easy.

With this in mind I took another test drive in a cooper S on Saturday and once again that smile was there and I was really chuffed to me in it and my GF love it too!

I spec'd one up and was close to putting order in , but I am going to look in the second hand market again soon and wait for some nice work related pay rises

watch this space! :blblack:

 

[scooperman_uk]

shame...

black/black is truly the stealthiest option....

 

[oxford]

Oh it will be a black/black/black and more black trust me!