Mini advice needed

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:08 pm

ok, I'm looking at a '06 Mini cooper S w/ a sports package. What do I need to look out for in one of these? I know that Gwen had some tranny issues. Is this a soft spot on the car? The car I'm looking at has 59k mikes, so doesn't seem too bad.

The Mustang is fun, but I'm considering changing to something I can thrash around and still get good mileage. I have to be a good boy while driving the mustang and I'm tired of it.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:15 pm

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/1583303148.html

I thought you were going to buy this one....

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:21 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/1583303148.html

I thought you were going to buy this one....

Wow, and a right hand drive one at that. While that looks like fun, not quite what I'm looking for

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:35 pm

Base trans != S trans AFAIK

S trans = good, plus Gwennie, god bless her, isn't the easiest on launches

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:48 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

ok, I'm looking at a '06 Mini cooper S w/ a sports package. What do I need to look out for in one of these? I know that Gwen had some tranny issues. Is this a soft spot on the car?

I'd say no. Just to help you out a bit, my '05 was a Cooper, not an S, but they no longer use the tranny that I originally had in that car. Once they put the new brand of transmission in it was fine. The old one slipped the fork was all. Plus, I bought it used and it was still covered under warranty.

AND, Mr. smarty, yes Ryan, you.........I wasn't the one behind the wheel when that happened. That was Mr. "drive it like a Vette" Baake. :wink:

I'm just saying.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:55 pm

Gwen Baake wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

ok, I'm looking at a '06 Mini cooper S w/ a sports package. What do I need to look out for in one of these? I know that Gwen had some tranny issues. Is this a soft spot on the car?

I'd say no. Just to help you out a bit, my '05 was a Cooper, not an S, but they no longer use the tranny that I originally had in that car. Once they put the new brand of transmission in it was fine. The old one slipped the fork was all. Plus, I bought it used and it was still covered under warranty.

AND, Mr. smarty, yes Ryan, you.........I wasn't the one behind the wheel when that happened. That was Mr. "drive it like a Vette" Baake. :wink:

I'm just saying.

That's good to know. Anything else to lookout for? I know Chris had issues w/ a rear suspension part at Sanford one year. May go to look at it tomorrow if the weather doesn't suck too bad.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:13 pm

Again, remembering that mine is n/a, the only things I can think of are to look real closely at the real swing arms, checking for cracks, etc, and know that you have to buy a special tool to change the rear brake pads. (That's pretty normal, I guess.) Otherwise, I'd say go for it, and welcome to the family!!!!!

Oh, and there's good head in the Mini too. That's a plus for you.

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:26 pm

The "S" uses a getrag transmission right?

Ask Stephen, VK, and I how much we love getrag designs after changing a fuckus clutch.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:28 pm

You might want to PM David Spratte. I think a common thing with these was the deforming of the shock towers when they are driven hard. There is a reinforcement piece that was added under I TSB I believe to curb this. - AB

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:25 pm

Hrm. Looks like my CSP Miata bluff paid off.

Now to work on Art and the Westerfields so I can run FS uncontested!

(Still going to use the Miata)

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:31 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

Hrm. Looks like my CSP Miata bluff paid off.

Now to work on Art and the Westerfields so I can run FS uncontested!

(Still going to use the Miata)

LOL.... I said I'm looking, you've already bailed! And here I was looking forward to whipping up on that ragged GTO. Guess we'll never know now :wink:

If I have to buy reinforcement plates, there goes stock. Guess I just need to buy more gas and go have fun.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:15 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

The Mustang is fun, but I'm considering changing to something I can thrash around and still get good mileage. I have to be a good boy while driving the mustang and I'm tired of it.

Except for a rental Renault Alliance in Denver once, I've never driven a car that didn't need a lot of restraint to stay below the speed limit. Might as well have something to "restrain" :lol:

Plus, with smaller high reving engines I always wanted to rev the heck out of them to enjoy the sounds, etc. :oops:

Regarding the gas mileage, think about how much extra gas you can buy for just the insurance cost of another car. Then add in those "extra" drives for the Mustang to keep it exercised . . . :lol:

Maria Winslow · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:19 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

ok, I'm looking at a '06 Mini cooper S w/ a sports package. What do I need to look out for in one of these?

You could consider if you want a supercharger or a turbo. The 07 is the first year of the turbo. At least it sounds sweet compared to that whine...

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:33 pm

hey rodney, i just picked up a '05 MCS...i did quite a bit of research and found this article pretty helpful.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:26 am

RodneyWright wrote:

...I'm considering changing to something I can thrash around and still get good mileage.

IMO, this doesn't really exist. Sure, you'll burn a bit more gas in your V8 than a smaller car, but you'll be on the gas in that MCS too, and I'd bet the gas savings aren't much, if any -- at least for those times when you spend a bit of time having fun.

FWIW, I get about the same gas mileage in the M3 as I do in the underpowered 2.2L Subaru and the 1.6L Miata. Whatever the difference is, you'l likely never recoup the savings from the inevitable losses of buying and selling a vehicle. But as if often the case with us, it sounds like that itch for a new ride is growing within, regardless of the justifications :-)

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