Anyone here into R53 Mini Coopers?

[DavidI]

My youngest daughter had a 2011 Mini Cooper S and it was a blast to drive. It had about 120k miles on it when we sold it. I performed all of the maintenance on the car and there simply is very little room to work on the transverse engine. Other than the difficulty of working on the car, it was badass! She drove the hell out of it and really enjoyed it.

[70SATMan]

I’ve a 2010 MCS since new. 157k. Awesome scalpel for commuting over the Santa Cruz Mtns for years. I know, I know,,,, R56 talk in a R53 thread. Sister in law had a R53 MCS that I got to dive on several occasions. I do prefer the supercharger over the turbo, stock to stock comparisons.

We experienced the dreaded direct injection carbon fouling at around 30k. Painful but, covered by Mini. The factory remap to mitigate the problem did result in decreased performance which sucked a bit. Still, a blast to toss around. Gas mileage is still around 34 mpg. Did invest in a new turbo at the same time I had the timing chains, ramps replaced at 150k.

I actually prefer the R56 interior designs more than the R53 as well as some of the exterior changes. I dislike most of the post 2013 models.

Now what I really want is a R53 GP to play with.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

When I posted years ago about buying a friend's 2006 (IIRC), everyone said don't do it.

Just looked on FBMP, these cars are dirt cheap especially if they need some work, minor work but some that would cost a normal person a boatload.

Are they really that fun drive? Like 89 CRX Si fun? Or more fun?

What's real world highway mileage on an S?

is there a best year for the R53? or ones to avoid?

[GothingNC]

Shaun,

Best years is the 05-06
Teflon coated blades in the super charger
Better gear rations 1st and 2nd
Back pressure popping sound (Sounds very cool)
Electric power steering pump is much more reliable

I drove an 06 MCS DD for about 6 years, it was a blast and the 15% pully on the supercharger really woke it up.
The sound is so intoxicating.

Handles like a Go-Kart and had fun taking cloverleafs flat out.

I was lucky to get 20 to 22 MPG, SC causes it to drink fuel like a McDonalds straw :-)



Only reason I sold was traffic was getting really bad for my commute and I was suffering with the manual gearbox in stop and go traffic so I sold it for a Golf TDI.

I purchased it with about 60,000 miles on and and it had about 160,000 miles when I sold it and still had the original clutch. (next owner wiped out the clutch 2 weeks later)

Biggest expense was replacing the supercharger with water pump at 130,000 miles
Harmonic Crank pulley separated.
Rebuilding the front suspension-all new bushings and power steering hoses
Oil leaks, oil sump pan is at an angle and requires the front suspension to be removed to remove the pan

My old Mini is still on the road in WNC.

[GothingNC]

https://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

Shaun,

Best years is the 05-06
Teflon coated blades in the super charger
Better gear rations 1st and 2nd
Back pressure popping sound (Sounds very cool)
Electric power steering pump is much more reliable

I drove an 06 MCS DD for about 6 years, it was a blast and the 15% pully on the supercharger really woke it up.
The sound is so intoxicating.

Handles like a Go-Kart and had fun taking cloverleafs flat out.

I was lucky to get 20 to 22 MPG, SC causes it to drink fuel like a McDonalds straw :-)



Only reason I sold was traffic was getting really bad for my commute and I was suffering with the manual gearbox in stop and go traffic so I sold it for a Golf TDI.

I purchased it with about 60,000 miles on and and it had about 160,000 miles when I sold it and still had the original clutch. (next owner wiped out the clutch 2 weeks later)

Biggest expense was replacing the supercharger with water pump at 130,000 miles
Harmonic Crank pulley separated.
Rebuilding the front suspension-all new bushings and power steering hoses
Oil leaks, oil sump pan is at an angle and requires the front suspension to be removed to remove the pan

My old Mini is still on the road in WNC.

Great information, thank you John! With the low entry price, seems like a good commuter car except for the gas. I drive the hell out of my 07 328i M sport to work (just hit 263K miles, original clutch), very little traffic, and 70+ in empty clover leafs is the norm. I'll keep an eye out for one on FBMP, could be a fun commuter car. But still want an 89-91 Si.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

https://www.motoringfile.com/mini-r50r53-buyers-guide/

Good in bed reading, thanks!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Great information, thank you John! With the low entry price, seems like a good commuter car except for the gas. I drive the hell out of my 07 328i M sport to work (just hit 263K miles, original clutch), very little traffic, and 70+ in empty clover leafs is the norm. I'll keep an eye out for one on FBMP, could be a fun commuter car. But still want an 89-91 Si.

To me the Mini = BMW, with all that entails both good and bad. They are great to drive but the access generally sucks and there’s going to be some stupid stuff that breaks to piss you off. Projects tend to escalate because of stuff that breaks when you’re gaining access to the original broken part. Lots of plastic, snaps, etc. But if you DIY and have some patience they aren’t expensive to own.

[lin7310948]

i have a gp1 number 0927 of 2000 built in 06. i really enjoy the car. it is easy to see out of. the doors open quite wide. stops and goes really well. easy to drive in traffic and fits into very limited parking spaces quite nicely. they were all the same color with red mirror caps to differentiate from the regular 06 models. they have limited options...no back seat, very little sound deadening insulation, no rear wiper, etc. they were assembled in italy and 415 of the 2000 produced were exported to the US. interior noise and rough ride but lots of fun!

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Great information, thank you John! With the low entry price, seems like a good commuter car except for the gas. I drive the hell out of my 07 328i M sport to work (just hit 263K miles, original clutch), very little traffic, and 70+ in empty clover leafs is the norm. I'll keep an eye out for one on FBMP, could be a fun commuter car. But still want an 89-91 Si.

Cheap, high mileage R53s are a dime-a-dozen but should be avoided at all costs. Good cars are so cheap that you would have to be a fool to get "bargain" R53 Mini.

The conventional wisdom is that '05/06 cars are the best but there are plenty of people on the big Mini forum who prefer the '04...bugs were worked out and last year for 2-spoke steering wheel and certain other styling cues that went away in the last ones. I now have a clean '04 with ~80k miles and an absolutely mint '06 with 40k miles. The '04 is the tighter car as far as interior squeaks/rattles go, (it has none), both cars have had fastidious, enthusiast owners since new, (with the exception of the short term owner I got the '04 from).

I haven't driven the '06 yet but I rode in it when it was on the road a few years ago. It's waaaay faster than the other one, with the JCW package and the mods that took it up from there. I need to see which one to keep.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by speeder

Cheap, high mileage R53s are a dime-a-dozen but should be avoided at all costs. Good cars are so cheap that you would have to be a fool to get "bargain" R53 Mini.

The conventional wisdom is that '05/06 cars are the best but there are plenty of people on the big Mini forum who prefer the '04...bugs were worked out and last year for 2-spoke steering wheel and certain other styling cues that went away in the last ones. I now have a clean '04 with ~80k miles and an absolutely mint '06 with 40k miles. The '04 is the tighter car as far as interior squeaks/rattles go, (it has none), both cars have had fastidious, enthusiast owners since new, (with the exception of the short term owner I got the '04 from).

I haven't driven the '06 yet but I rode in it when it was on the road a few years ago. It's waaaay faster than the other one, with the JCW package and the mods that took it up from there. I need to see which one to keep.

There are many cars with 90K to 140K miles that need a suspension rebuild, oil leaks, coil packs, etc. in the $2K range. Perfect cars are $6K. Both cheap.

Reading some of the needs work ads, I get the sense these are not cars for people who don't do their own work.

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you don’t DIY you’ll be paying ~$200 per hour at the local European specialty shop. Not a great situation on an otherwise cheap car.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

If you don’t DIY you’ll be paying ~$200 per hour at the local European specialty shop. Not a great situation on an otherwise cheap car.

Agreed, and not jut DYI, DYI with an engine hoist.. A lot of work requires the service position which is no joke. I really enjoyed the ones I owned, plural, but you have to be a serious masochist to have one outside of warranty. I still cannot believe the quote for a clutch job a few months back...
All local independants: "oh no we no longer do mini clutches, it gets expensive and our customers get pissed off"
Dealer: $4000 conservatively, likely a little more (on a car worth $5K)

[Shaun @ Tru6]

That’s why I think these cars are so cheap on FBMP. I have to imagine they were extremely fun to drive and extremely expensive to maintain for the average person

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

There are many cars with 90K to 140K miles that need a suspension rebuild, oil leaks, coil packs, etc. in the $2K range. Perfect cars are $6K. Both cheap.

Reading some of the needs work ads, I get the sense these are not cars for people who don't do their own work.

Those $2k ones could be $6k in a hurry and they would still be rust belt schit buckets that no one would ever give you more than $2500 for. On BaT, R53s range from $5-6k to mid-teens.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

If you don’t DIY you’ll be paying ~$200 per hour at the local European specialty shop. Not a great situation on an otherwise cheap car.

Absolutely true but also the case with any low value used BMW or Audi, many of which don't serve up any style or fun.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

There are many cars with 90K to 140K miles that need a suspension rebuild, oil leaks, coil packs, etc. in the $2K range. Perfect cars are $6K. Both cheap.

Reading some of the needs work ads, I get the sense these are not cars for people who don't do their own work.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

If you don’t DIY you’ll be paying ~$200 per hour at the local European specialty shop. Not a great situation on an otherwise cheap car.

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Agreed, and not jut DYI, DYI with an engine hoist.. A lot of work requires the service position which is no joke. I really enjoyed the ones I owned, plural, but you have to be a serious masochist to have one outside of warranty. I still cannot believe the quote for a clutch job a few months back...
All local independants: "oh no we no longer do mini clutches, it gets expensive and our customers get pissed off"
Dealer: $4000 conservatively, likely a little more (on a car worth $5K)

At those prices, I would go into business doing clutch jobs on them but they really don't fail much. I can definitely see how accessing things on the firewall side of the transverse engine would be a drag, (prime reason to never buy a turbo/later Mini). That said, it's not a difficult platform to remove things, including the drivetrain. A lot of the criticism seems to forget the design parameters of the original project...it's a Mini. As in, tiny car. They could have made it bigger, then it would have been like the current abominations that say "Mini" on them but look like ugly x-over SUVs.

When the car was introduced in 2001, people went absolutely bonkers over it. I remember being at the Auto Show, you couldn't get near the Mini exhibit. My broke, slacker buddy in MN. who had never spent over $2k on a car in his life took out a loan somehow and bought one of the first ones. If they would have introduced what they are selling now, the brand would have taken a schit on arrival.

[Deschodt]

I don't think we really disagree on anything here.
Fantastic little cars that drive like go karts, cute and surprisingly roomy, different, and really not at all fun to do maintenance work on (except for the lower engine mount, LOL). Also some turdy engines over the years - but if you stick with R53 and you are very DYI/mechanically gifted, fun. Otherwise, hassles... And don't get me restarted on the effing Mini emissions drive cycle (BMW crap). Just spent a week on that...

PS: when my kid bought the car, one plug well was filled with oil from a failed seal and it hardly had any codes... But disconnect a battery and it'll take you a week to get the car "ready" for a SMOG check, never again with BMW stuff (same issue on my E46 M3).... From now on I either buy pre-smog cars or new stuff. The middle ground is becoming a hassle and $$$ service costs..

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Los Angeles car in the Hamptons now

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/29772689918982862/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

[Deschodt]

Just today, after this thread, kid comes home tells me there's new lights on the mini. Some misfires (oily plugs) and passenger airbag light ! Lovely.. as I said, it's smogged for 2 years now, he can drive it as is with 5 out of the 6 gears, and then we burn it, or donate to the hollywood stunt team - I want to see it dive off a cliff.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by speeder

If they would have introduced what they are selling now, the brand would have taken a schit on arrival.

The fella across the street just rolled in with a 2025 Countryman in Periwinkle blue.

You nailed it with that statement. This is just a weird looking car at every angle, and it's frickin' huge. "Mini" is an ironic name anymore, as in the Dallas Cowboy's center being nicknamed Tiny or Little John .

The electronic interior with the big round LCD display and all the dancing lights that go into motion on the exterior when he walks up to it with the fob in his pocket gives off
"sell it before the warranty expires" vibes.

Just a reminder of how out of whack the new car market truly is.