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All the ones in my wife's price range appear to have 55-58k mileage. What happens at 60k then? Are coopers so much better than ones?
How old?? which model exactly? common MK1 problems are PAS pump failing, coolant header splitting, dodgy window motor. Coopers and one's seem to suffer with gearbox and clutch issues, Cooper S has a supposedly stronger gearbox. also I'd avoid the big wheel and runflat tyre combo as they're crashy and tramline a fair bit.
Also, they're thirsty little buggers and have quite a VED for the size of car.
We had an S and it was a fantastic little car which went like stink and cornered on rails but ours was getting on a bit and it was costing too much in fuel and VED for regular use.
MK2's were better on fuel and cheaper to tax but IMO lost a bit of the "Mininess"
My OH has an '07 Cooper with about 50,000 miles. You should try to get an '07-on one, the engine is a BMW one, not the Chrysler of the older cars. It's a cracking engine.
She gets about 40 MPG commuting 10 miles to work. There have been a few electrical issues, boot lock, heater controls, random warning lights etc., but nothing serious. It fairly eats tyres, though. She's going to put non-runflats on this time (at my insistence)for a smoother (and cheaper)ride. I'd second the big wheel/rubber band tyre comment above.
Personally, I don't like the toytown interior, but the seats are comfy and the driving position is good. Seems very well made.
Thanks for the info. We looked at one this afternoon and, although it felt cramped for me to drive, my wife loved it. Still not sure between a one and a Cooper but the Cooper interior looks less tatty. We seem to be in the 2004-2006 price bracket and have found a number of low mileage ones. Colour and condition are the deciding factors at the moment - but at least now I know a few more things to look out for (tyres duly noted).
Blazin saddles has the mk1 covered. Later cars , cooper s wise had issues with heads and turbos sooting up badly. Having owned an R53 JCW and used my bosses later S, I prefer the supercharged engine, even if VED is a lot more than the turbo engine and more 'mini' sized than the later bigger cars.
Speak to your insurance about non runflat tyres, prob not an issue but better safe than sorry.
We had a Cooper for 6 months - wife loved it (but didn't fancy driving it in the winter) while I found it hard work [crashy ride] and just not relaxing.... I'm getting old 🙁
Hmmm. It's impractical, uncomfortable, prone to mechanicals and I don't really fit it .... sounds like my Hemlock and so should be fun. Thanks again for the input, it has given us some things to think about and stopped the initial rush to purchase.
Had a 2002 (R53) Cooper for a few years - great fun, brilliant to drive. Only mechanical problems we had (from 50-80k) were engine mounts and a hub bearing. That said I continuously worried that the gearbox would die - it was never had the smoothest shift and the early (up to 2004 facelift) models had Rover boxes...which if you read mini2.com seem to be made of cheese. 2004 onwards had the better Getrag boxes. Ditched the runflats as soon as I could which helped the ride no end.
Now have a Cooper S Clubman - quicker, more refined + more practical (you can actually have people sit in the back for a start). Still miss my old R53 though.
Hmmm. It's impractical, uncomfortable, prone to mechanicals and I don't really fit it .... sounds like my Hemlock and so should be fun.
If it's all these things then just buy a proper mini as that's exactly the same only it's approximately 1 billion times more funnerer
I had a Cooper - silly fun, didn't bother slowing down for corners, it was like a go-kart. Fitted a short-shift stick and needed the special brackets to get the seat far enough back. Then the subframes rusted in half and I sold it for parts.
It was a real Mini, mind, not these silly BMW things.
...and a billion times more scarier. I had one when I was 17 and there is no way I would put my kids in one (and the dog wouldn't fit). Luckily we have a sensible car too.
bencooper - Member
I had a Cooper - silly fun, didn't bother slowing down for corners, it was like a go-kart. Fitted a short-shift stick and needed the special brackets to get the seat far enough back. Then the subframes rusted in half and I sold it for parts.
Special brackets? I took my old seats out, shoehorned in a pair of xr3i buckets, drilled holes through the floor, and bolted them down....
10" wheels were about 8" wide. Funnest car I ever did have!
......until it got mini-cancer 🙁