Going to look at Mini Cooper 2002

Carson10

Hi.

Going to look at 2 mini coopers in Dublin tomorrow for a friend. both are 2002 reg. One is a Dublin car and the other a UK import from 3 years old but still a Dublin Reg city car.

What should i be looking out for on these models?

i.e. should the timing belt be changed @ 60k etc...

Cheers Guys

Owen

Do a search, there's been threads very recently on this. There's no timing belt on a MINI.

Mr. Presentable

She should seriously consider the newer one if she has to have one. Nine years is a big difference from three.

Owen

Why should she consider the newer one? Most MINI enthusiasts prefer the older model. It was built with better materials IMHO.

mlmini

Carson10 wrote: »

Hi.

Going to look at 2 mini coopers in Dublin tomorrow for a friend. both are 2002 reg. One is a Dublin car and the other a UK import from 3 years old but still a Dublin Reg city car.

What should i be looking out for on these models?

i.e. should the timing belt be changed @ 60k etc...

Cheers Guys

look out for powers steering pump if 100,000 miles on clock! airbag light is a problem as when u move seats when car is on it shorts it! boot problems as well!! i will never buy a mini again!! oh and i had to get brand new auto gearbox at 70,000 miles!! go to mini forum and u will see these problems there!!

Owen

I run a Mini forum, the busiest one in Ireland. The problems you're describing aren't widespread. The problem is that people rarely go online and say "Wow, this week, nothing happened to the car" ... people only go online to complain and find solutions to problems. Hence, it looks like a bigger problem than it is.

guil

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

She should seriously consider the newer one if she has to have one. Nine years is a big difference from three.

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Why should she consider the newer one? Most MINI enthusiasts prefer the older model. It was built with better materials IMHO.

lol read the post again, both are 02 cars but the uk one was imported in 05

Owen

guil wrote: »

lol read the post again, both are 02 cars but the uk one was imported in 05

I'm not sure what you're saying. The OP was looking at 2 2002 cars, and Mr Presentable was suggesting to go for a car which was much newer. I understand he probably mis-read it '9 years vs 3', but the newer model was more probelmatic than the older one which ran from 2001-2006. The advice I gave is still correct.

guil

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm not sure what you're saying. The OP was looking at 2 2002 cars, and Mr Presentable was suggesting to go for a car which was much newer. I understand he probably mis-read it '9 years vs 3', but the newer model was more probelmatic than the older one which ran from 2001-2006. The advice I gave is still correct.

yeah thats what i was pointing out, i havent a clue about mini's so wasn't making any judgement on your advice

Owen

My head's frazzled today, so apologies if I seem short. I can't tell one post from the other

langdang

Gearbox and powersteering pump are the two biggies on the early cars. But unless you were used to these cars even perfectly normal ones could spook you - the box can be a tiny bit rough and the powersteering pump noisy at the best of times! Run away from a whiney gearbox - dunno what (if any) are the warning signs on the powersteering.

Check the airbox - the clips on it are made from the cheapest plastic in the world so they can break. Depending on which way it separates it might let air in unfiltered to the engine.

Herself has a 02, with nearly 80k miles on it now. No major issues touch wood, altho a previous owner had the powersteering pump replaced I'd say. What are Coopers going for these days - 5-6k?

Mr. Presentable

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm not sure what you're saying. The OP was looking at 2 2002 cars, and Mr Presentable was suggesting to go for a car which was much newer. I understand he probably mis-read it '9 years vs 3', but the newer model was more probelmatic than the older one which ran from 2001-2006. The advice I gave is still correct.

Yup, the "three years old" overwrote the 2002 in my mind.

And you think you're frazzled

liam7831

What kinda MPG would you get out of a 2006 mini 1.6 petrol cooper??
Thanks

langdang

liam7831 wrote: »

What kinda MPG would you get out of a 2006 mini 1.6 petrol cooper??
Thanks

Herself was getting around 37mpg in normal use. City + suburb driving, few weekend longer spins, not much motorway use.

Practical

Girlfriend got a 01 mini with 78,000 on the clock at the start of 2001 and it has given me nothing but trouble. Gearbox and power steering pump have had to be replaced and just in the last 2 weeks, the termostat looks to have failed in the open position.

I'm not going to speak for the mini community but I have earned the right to say: sh*t car... never again.

liam7831

you mean at the start of 2011 ya?

any other mpg opinions?

langdang

I thought the 'new' model wasn't available until 07, but maybe it was out in 06?
If it's the new model then the mpg will be better than the previous model.
Hers was a 02, but from 04 on they had a different gearbox so maybe slightly better mpg for 04-06 models?

Practical

liam7831 wrote: »

you mean at the start of 2011 ya?

any other mpg opinions?

Apologies, yeah at the start of 2011.
Mpg is good for popping around town but at motorway speeds the engine seems to be screaming a bit.
I still think its a good looking car (for a girl :cool:)