Mini Cooper Cili or S, years '07 - '09, low mileage, considering to buy and question of cost to maintain
I live outside the states in Argentina. There are a lot of Mini Coopers here and there is
a BMW/Mini dealership a few blocks from my residence. I'm looking at at Chili or S,
years 2007 - 2009, with 35,000 to 50,000, original owners, with service docs.
My question is, at what mileage and age do the normal repairs kick in? Are they
expensive to maintain or cost effective? I will be putting just 7,500 to 10,000 miles a year
on the car myself. Thanks for any advice from those familiar with the Mini Coop.
I have a 2006 MINI and it's a bitch to maintain...LOW ground clearance is only suitable for LEVEL pavement~ unless for sport...jiggin' it around the track, or somewhere you can open it up on the road...DO recommend a Toyota...they will never break down....the MINI's are more of a "go-kart" than a rugged, dependable vehicle~ coopers are sexy....toyotas aren't~
the R50 engine IS a timing chain engine...the R52 is a timing belt engine...the timing belt engines should have the timing belt changed every 60,000~ check the maintenance schedule in your glovebox~
Roy, I appreciate your experience with the Mini, and you're right about the practicality of a Toyota. When you say, "it's a bitch to maintain", what do you mean? Is it one small thing after another or major issues specific to a Mini Cooper?
...well let me tell ya ChateauW, after the first crack up smashing to bits the Swiss plastic undercarriage protector, went with a Cobalt undersheild...this one is heavy and still do not have the front end fastened correctly...me mini mechanic is touchy about anything having to do with the airbags....am quite surprised they did not deploy with the first boulder encounter~...when I was installing the undershield had the car up on ramps...and could barely squeeze between the dirt and the bolts what hold the thing on...it's okay now and this has avoided subsequent damage, but the dimension to earth is too small...suitable for a high-speed chase, but not at all good for sloped entrances to the bank, for example...is happiest on the open road....for example the water neck leaks a few drops of coolant...well I cannot even SEE the darned thing...Mike the Mini mechanic says it's not that big of a deal and he'll replace that water neck and gasket on the next visit~ still disconcerting that I cannot service this car...that's what I meant by "a bitch to work on" that I cannot do it~ I haven't a lift to be able to service the thing...thank god that mine only had 34,000 miles on it~
pardon my ignorance...do not know a Cili, must be not available in America~
My street (6th st. in Clearlake) has no pavement~ MINI hates it here~
