Anyone here into R53 Mini Coopers?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by speeder

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.

Fair point but I would personally prefer a number of BMW or Audi products. But that’s 100% subjective and I wouldn’t fault anybody for choosing a Mini either.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by speeder

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.

Will not argue with you and will buy my next Cayenne, or anything utilitarian from a warm climate, but it does depend on how well you take care of your car. 2007 328i with 263K miles driven every winter in MA and NH since new. Was washed 2-3 times a month. No real rust, even on most undercar fasteners (just did a whole cooling system refresh). Cayenne from Canada the opposite, a throwaway ski truck owned by some wealthy folks I imagine.

[speeder]

If those are photos of your car driven 18 winters in the NE, that's pretty amazing. It must have great fender liners.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Yup, that's it. Fender liners designed well I guess. Cayenne's are terrible. There's a shelf that holds the brake line and electrical on the unibody above the arch. When I pulled mine apart last year the shelf was filled with dirt and it was rusted out, same as what happens on G body 911s in the front.

[onewhippedpuppy]

We don’t have Boston levels of salt but get a decent amount of snow, I religiously run my cars through a touchless car wash with underbody spray religiously during the winter when the roads are clear. I also don’t buy cars from the rust belt, so I typically have a good starting point.

[DonDavis]

Great thread. I’ve never even driven a Mini, but I like them.

After reading this thread, my quick search found this.

https://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/d/candler-2004-mini-cooper/7850796170.html

If, and that’s a big if, everything is there, and his story is fairly accurate, would any of you take this on?

I mean, it’s $800.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Great thread. I’ve never even driven a Mini, but I like them.

After reading this thread, my quick search found this.

https://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/d/candler-2004-mini-cooper/7850796170.html

If, and that’s a big if, everything is there, and his story is fairly accurate, would any of you take this on?

I mean, it’s $800.

Cooper is not an R53. No supercharger, 5sp manual (not 6). Simpler, a little lighter, possibly more reliable, but the power is not there. They have been called justacoopers. Sound familiar?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Great thread. I’ve never even driven a Mini, but I like them.

After reading this thread, my quick search found this.

https://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/d/candler-2004-mini-cooper/7850796170.html

If, and that’s a big if, everything is there, and his story is fairly accurate, would any of you take this on?

I mean, it’s $800.

It has 180k miles and it's in pieces. He claims that you could replace the clutch and reinstall the drivetrain "in a couple of hours." A factory trained dealer mechanic could not accomplish that. It is priced right.

[DonDavis]

Would Denis take on a project like this?
I know nothing about those cars.
But I have a LOT of time these days.

[astrochex]

I ended up selling my 2006 MCS to a young coworker who is a bonafide and capable gearhead. He loves the car for one because he says it is so smooth. I chuckle because I was starting to get tired of the "lack of refinement" that I used to enjoy. His other car is a the Lexus version of the Land Cruiser, so its all about your reference point. He is happy, so I'm happy.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Would Denis take on a project like this?
I know nothing about those cars.
But I have a LOT of time these days.

No. I'm dumb but not that dumb. Maybe if I was in rural America and had no money and needed a car I'd put it together but otherwise, no. It would actually be a great little bomber in the snow with the right tires.

I'm putting my car time in the immediate future into restoring a '67 MGB, that will be rewarding and I don't care if it pencils out, $$ wise.

[Deschodt]

IMO if you have the skillset to repair an $800 Mini, you should apply that skillset to something with a bigger upside. Too much electronics / average engines from other manufacturers / BMW style issues (airbags detection comes to mind, encoded modules). They're super fun car new and under warranty but they're the worst outside of warranty, worse than Audi and "real" BMWs (on account of lack of access to everything). That's our 4th and last.

PS: just saw the latest, OMG they ruined the rear end, ugly.

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by astrochex

Cooper is not an R53…snip…

D’oh, got it, thank you!

Originally Posted by speeder

No. I'm dumb but not that dumb... snip…

Loud and clear and moving on.

Originally Posted by Deschodt

IMO if you have the skillset to repair an $800 Mini, you should apply that skillset to something with a bigger upside…snip…

That’s a great point, certainly an angle I didn’t think of.

I was tossing the idea as if it were even free, would I do it? After Denis cleared the air, this project ain’t for me.

Sounds like there are turnkey cars for $2-3k. Probably money well spent if condition were right.