MINI Cooper Forum : “what kind of troubles i will face if i buy a 2003 mini with 100k miles on it?”

probley none if it has been maintaned on a regular basis,ask questions your money you are spending.but what i know of these cars are very reliable vehichles.

I always check www.carsurvey.org before I buy a used car.  Lots of good reviews and information there from folks who have owned the vehicles.

Mine has 108,000 miles and not 1 single problem.  The superchargers are rated to only last 100,000 miles (but I know quite a few with more mileage and reduction pulleys :)  ).  Just look over everything, and take it out for a drive.

I'd say just look at all the maintenance records, etc.  one other thing to look out for is the 5spd cars.  I have put several transmissions into the 03-05 base coopers.  including several transmissions into one car(3 in one year)  Thats the weak spot on those cars.

THE MOST COMMON THING BY THAT MILEAGE IS THRUST ARM BUSHINGS WHICH AT OUR DEALER ARE APRX 70 DOLLARS A SIDE AND ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED IN LABOR. CHECK FOR PLAY IN THE FORWARD TO REARWARD MOTION OF THE FRONT TIRES. THERE SHOULD BE NO PLAY BY HAND. ADD LOOK FOR COOLANT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION IF IT IS  NEWER THAN 04 DUE TO A CRAPPY GASKET MATERIAL LEAKING COOLANT AND CAUSING OVERHEATS VERY REGULARLY ON MINIS. THERE IS A NEW GASKET MATERIAL AS OF ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO ON THE THERMOSTATS. ALSO LOOK FOR TORN UPPER STRUT MOUNTS. THEY ARE QUITE COSTLY TO REPLACE AND ARE COMMON AROUNG 70K MILES. BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR SEARCHES.