Opinions on buying a Cooper-S

Steve

My better half is considering buying a Cooper-S

The budget is around 18-20k and looks like a '05 is about in that range. Is this realistic or do you think there are newer ones in that price range?

A/C is a definite requirement - but from doing a bit of digging it seems that this was optional on the S. Is is rare or do most of them have it?

Is there anything in particular to look out for in terms of faults etc..?

I've only had a spin in one once but it seems like a fun car to drive - plenty of 'go' as well..:D

She also wants a particular colour but that's a different story.:rolleyes:

Any opinions / pointers appreciated.

Made In Ireland

I hope she's good looking, because from what i've seen on the roads, they don't sell these cars to ugly birds!

bazz26

Might be worth considering going to the UK for one. They tend to be cheaper and you will probably have a better choice in the colour and spec you want.

PaulieC

Made In Ireland wrote: »

I hope she's good looking, because from what i've seen on the roads, they don't sell these cars to ugly birds!

the ol' credit crunch must be kicking in because from what I've seen lately, the dealers are lowering their standards considerably . It's not right - when you see a MINI, you have every right to expect a hot bird driving it:cool:

Steve

Ha ha very funny - If I wanted comments on my hawt GF then I'd have started this in AH...:pac:

More car talk please;)

peasant

SteveC wrote: »

More car talk please;)

seconded (officially, that is :pac:)

-Chris-

I don't know about pricing, availability of colours or liklihood of aircon, but if you were asking the question "should I buy MINI?" I'd say hell yes!

Anyone have any MINI forum links that may help SteveC find known faults?

Zwartsj

well the a/c is not standard on any of the models. you had to pay extra or get at least the pepper pack for the a/c to be fitted. don’t think the salt pack was an option on the cooper s

going to the U.K would be a very good option as there are loads of the sold there.

as for faults you should not have much to stress about if you buy one that has the TLC pack on it. only problem I had was the alternator gave in but that was repaired for free under warranty and I got a car for the day off them as well.

also when you do go for the older models try go for one with at least the pepper pack on it as they come with nothing every thing is an option on it. even the clove box on the older model

other than that have to say its the most fun I have driven as they say its a MINI adventure when you go to the shop :P

Zwartsj

o for any faults and things go check out www.mini2.com

whippet

seriously good fun to drive, i'd imagine anyone who did buy one new added A/C as an option.

On the down side, realistically there is no back seats and boot space is tiny and no spare wheel.

170bhp from a small car ... good fun !!

skinner2x

AudiChris wrote: »

I don't know about pricing, availability of colours or liklihood of aircon, but if you were asking the question "should I buy MINI?" I'd say hell yes!

Anyone have any MINI forum links that may help SteveC find known faults?

I used this website, its quite good...
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=602&

skinner2x

whippet wrote: »

seriously good fun to drive, i'd imagine anyone who did buy one new added A/C as an option.

On the down side, realistically there is no back seats and boot space is tiny and no spare wheel.

170bhp from a small car ... good fun !!

+1

I had one for a month, unbelieveable fun to drive, and the sound of the turbo/turbocharger just makes you want to floor it all the time.

Agree, no boot space, but I'm 6 ' 1", and there's loads of leg room for the driver.
Bit bumpy on bad country roads...

Steve

Thanks for all the great tips guys keep 'em coming.

I haven't looked at what's in the different packs yet (didn't know about them) so thats a good pointer.

VRT looks like 3k ish from the UK so that's certainly worth looking at.

I don't think boot space or back seats will be an issue - bit concerned over no spare though. I presume you're supposed to use a can of tyre weld?

bazz26

skinner2x wrote: »

+1

I had one for a month, unbelieveable fun to drive, and the sound of the turbo/turbocharger just makes you want to floor it all the time.

Agree, no boot space, but I'm 6 ' 1", and there's loads of leg room for the driver.
Bit bumpy on bad country roads...

I think the MINI Cooper S had a super charger rather than a turbo charger.

SteveC wrote: »

I don't think boot space or back seats will be an issue - bit concerned over no spare though. I presume you're supposed to use a can of tyre weld?

Would presume so but I think some of them came with run flat tyres, these could have been a factory fit optional extra.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

AudiChris wrote: »

I don't know about pricing, availability of colours or liklihood of aircon, but if you were asking the question "should I buy MINI?" I'd say hell yes!

I was about to write the exact same thing!

bazz26 wrote: »

Would presume so but I think some of them came with run flat tyres, these could have been a factory fit optional extra.

A friend of mine has run flats on her cooper S. Just remember that run flats are not cheap at all. Think she was quote €200 - €250 for a new one a couple of weeks ago!

Steve

bazz26 wrote: »

I think the MINI Cooper S had a super charger rather than a turbo charger.

Yeah it's supercharged. :D

BrynW wrote: »

Think she was quote €200 - €250 for a new one a couple of weeks ago!

Holy shit - that could be important alright, thanks

skinner2x

bazz26 wrote: »

I think the MINI Cooper S had a super charger rather than a turbo charger.

Thats right, typo!

The one I had had both, (turbo for low revs, supercharger for high rev).
Now its just a supercharger

fletch

skinner2x wrote: »

The one I had had both, (turbo for low revs, supercharger for high rev).
Now its just a supercharger

Are you sure about that? Did it have an after market turbo added on?

Neilw

skinner2x wrote: »

bazz26 wrote: »

I think the MINI Cooper S had a super charger rather than a turbo charger.

Thats right, typo!

The one I had had both, (turbo for low revs, supercharger for high rev).
Now its just a supercharger

I think someone is telling fibs
The first generation cooper S had a supercharged 1.6
Second generation is a turbocharged 1.6

Neil.

cashmni1

skinner2x wrote: »

bazz26 wrote: »

I think the MINI Cooper S had a super charger rather than a turbo charger.

Thats right, typo!

The one I had had both, (turbo for low revs, supercharger for high rev).
Now its just a supercharger

I think it's the other way around, Super C for low revs and Tubo C for high revs.

Neilw

cashmni1 wrote: »

skinner2x wrote: »

I think it's the other way around, Super C for low revs and Tubo C for high revs.

Nope, mini are not using this type of charging, you must be mixed up with VW.
See my post above.

Steve

The mini site said:

With its twin-scroll turbocharger – a premiere in the small-car segment – and the Overboost function which ups the torque to 260 Nm

I was assuming 'overboost' = supercharged.

The Honest John site said:

Supercharged MINI Cooper S with 163bhp. Together with a six-speed gearbox, gets it from zero to sixty in around seven seconds and on to a top speed of 135mph. Fuel consumption need not suffer unless you boot it hard as a combined figure of 33.6mpg has been recorded for the 1,140kg car. Torque is 155lb ft (210Nm) at 4,000rpm, with at least 124lb ft (179Nm) available between 2,500 and 6,500rpm.

Also says it's supercharged...

Henry Ford III

Avoid the biggest wheels (18"?) as they ruin the ride. Fuel economy is poor if you drive it quickly.

Nice little cars though.

Neilw

SteveC wrote: »

The mini site said:


I was assuming 'overboost' = supercharged.

The Honest John site said:


Also says it's supercharged...

The latest model (current) is turbo charged, the overboost feature is just extra torque produced by the turbo for a short period of time, like for overtaking.

The previous model was supercharged.

Do you know the difference between a turbo and a supercharger? (not being smart here btw)

Neil.

cashmni1

Neilw wrote: »

cashmni1 wrote: »

Nope, mini are not using this type of charging, you must be mixed up with VW.
See my post above.

I must say that I don't know if there was 2 types of charger in a mini or not. My statement was more generaly based.
A Super charger will work better at low revs and a Turbo charger at high revs. I have seen the configuration at work on a large pump generator. (big big diesel engine)
I just thought that the poster before got the sequence wrong and it never dawned on me that there was only one type of charger.
Oh well, you learn something new every day............

S.I.R

Crackin little car they are, look out for the subaru powered ones ( they share the same blower As far as my memory goes back )

Deffo go to england to buy one though.

Neilw

S.I.R wrote: »

Crackin little car they are, look out for the subaru powered ones ( they share the same blower As far as my memory goes back )

Deffo go to england to buy one though.

Didn't think subaru ever use superchargers?
The turbo's used in subarus are IHI units and nothing like the turbo in the new cooper s.

Good advice about the UK, plenty to choose from there.

Steve

Neilw wrote: »

The latest model (current) is turbo charged, the overboost feature is just extra torque produced by the turbo for a short period of time, like for overtaking.

The previous model was supercharged.

Do you know the difference between a turbo and a supercharger? (not being smart here btw)

Neil.

Yeah, I know the difference.

When you say the previous model, do you mean the original (old style) cooper or are there two generations of the current model? If so, when did they change?

Henry Ford III

Yep. 2 generations ok. Change was relatively recent.

Neilw

Yes there are 2 different models of the new look mini (not the original small one)
Think the first cooper s started in 2002 till 2006 (1.6 supercharged)
Then the second generation one was availible from late 06 till now (1.6 turbo)

I am open to correction on these dates

Neil.

.Longshanks.

As far as I know.....
There was actually 3 versions. The first new MINI (think it was the R50) had a facelift (R53) and then the new new MINI is the R56.
The R50 & R53 both had the supercharger, the R56 has a turbo - the same engine shared with peugeot.

Will stand corrected on the the above thou....

Junior #8

if you want a better car, at a cheaper price, with the performance
Skoda Fabia vRS.
simple as

Neilw

Junior #8 wrote: »

if you want a better car, at a cheaper price, with the performance
Skoda Fabia vRS.
simple as

Even though I do like the Vrs fabia, a cooper S would be a more sought after and a far more fun car to drive.

Steve

Junior #8 wrote: »

if you want a better car, at a cheaper price, with the performance
Skoda Fabia vRS.
simple as

She's interested in the look and fun factor rather than performance - if she wanted to go fast she'd borrow my yoke all the time, thankfully she doesn't!....:pac:

Neilw

If thats the case why not point her in the direction of a nicely specced mini one diesel from the uk, or a cooper diesel if your budget stretches that far.

Cheap vrt due to low emissions and great mpg to go with it.

A cooper s is a very thirsty car.

Neil.

.Longshanks.

Find a MINI one diesel with a body kit and she will have the good fuel economy and the looks of the sportier model

Steve

Neilw wrote: »

If thats the case why not point her in the direction of a nicely specced mini one diesel from the uk, or a cooper diesel if your budget stretches that far.

Cheap vrt due to low emissions and great mpg to go with it.

A cooper s is a very thirsty car.

Neil.

*ahem*
shhhh, I want to drive it too....;)

Cooper D would be an option maybe - bit dearer though.

Neilw

SteveC wrote: »

*ahem*
shhhh, I want to drive it too....;)

Cooper D would be an option maybe - bit dearer though.

Ahh I see, and I don't blame you, they are great little cars

Zwartsj

You are right there was a facelift of the new mini in 2003 and this was to accommodate the convertible. And also the time the mini ONE D came to the market.
I bought my ONE D in the U.K back 2.5 years ago. If you can get a 04 or 05 model it would be better as they increased the bhp from 75 to 90ish the 03 models was only the 75bhp and this was Toyota’s engine (by the by) only difference between the d4d and the ONE D was the ONE D came with a 6 speed box.

I treated my self to a new Cooper D a year ago. And its a lot of fun. Only problems I have is it gets a bit tail happy from time to time (well my own fault for that)

Also the spare wheel was an optional extra £30 back in the day. For the people to cheap to buy a spare or fit run flats they gave a bottle of white stuff and a small air compressor (if you do go for that make sure you have it in the car when buying it as it will cost you to get the MINI one’s from the dealer afterwards)

On the cooper D I have run flats and the 195 / 55 / R16 will set you back at least €140 each (I bought some a week ago)

My mate has a 07 Cooper S with 17” run flats and the ride is a bit rough with the sport suspension. You do feel them bumps.

As for the small boot. According to the marketing stuff that came with the ONE D if you put the seats down you have a 150L boot this is enough to fit 150L of milk (without the bottles) and with some strategic folding a whole cow (just took there word for it never actually tried it as I don’t own a cow)

Only thing as well getting a diesel in U.K is not an easy task. When I traded mine in (bought the new one in U.K as well) it was on the forecourt 3 days before it was sold. The sales man told me they have a list of people who want them ONE D’s

TheDriver

If she doesn't want performance, why not a normal cooper?
Zwart: I heard some few sources that the one D is a noisy diesel compared to the new Cooper D, was in for a test drive last week and they had no D to drive, just a normal Petrol which has plenty of poke none the less! I wonder will the extra grand for the D be worth it?
The salesman said theres a new convertible out in Sept/Oct and he expects toys to be added to the standard spec for other models.
OP: Try to go up to the newer model (06 onwards) as the clocks etc inside look wayyyyyyyyy cooler, maybe a 06 or 07 cooper (non s), looks as cool, plenty of poke.
Lastly, i thought 17" were the largest standard wheels, is ride that bad with them? The best bed for anyone is to order the sparre wheel and put non run flats on the car, save plenty of money!

Zwartsj

personally i thought the Cooper D is a bit more noisy than the ONE D but then again when you are in the cab it does not really matter unless you down the windows.

also as far is i know the current MINI 06 onward will get a face lift soon again to accommodate the convertible that's out in the not to distant future.

as for more toys i don't know since they have not done it in the past but then again who knows what them Germans are thinking.