This is exactly why you should NOT buy a Used MINI!
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- Опубліковано 26 тра 2024
- The MINI is about the riskiest used car you can buy!
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Being able to remove the front end makes working on them much easier, they are designed that way. The Peugeot engines are the biggest issue along with owners not following the correct service instructions. You’re spot on about all cars having their issues.
The Peugeot engine with BMW bits added on top of it
Imagine if Rover back in the late 90’s had developed this Mini with a 1600 Honda VTec? Be an absolute winner.
The BMC A TYPE ENGINE TUNED WAS SUPERB = the mini cooper went like a bomb I had one
Yes, but this "bomb" has a fuse which can destroy your wallet when it reaches the end
imagines...
Makes the old Rover K series head gasket issue look trivial
Yes, that basically brought down rover, back in the day every rover we had in, even the 1.4 had hgf, now with bmw and other makes, wet belts and the like doesn't seem fair that rover went under.
@@roystonvehicles9129I've just spent the guts of £1000 on Rover 1.8 K series engine dropped valve, destroyed piston and ended up my project spiralling out of budget my late Dad's car Connoisseur light Green and chrome galore with full leather interior new exhaust system going on it tomorrow morning when I get out of bed and under it.
Uprated H/g, ladder rail, new crankshaft and cyl head, 4 new cylinder liners and all new bearings and piston rings, oil pump and clutch so pretty much a full reconditioned engine skin to zero miles needs running in after MOT 🤔
@@RevGary great bud, should be brilliant when you get it done.
Not sure who were bigger arses with Rover .., BM or Aerospace .., other than the Phenix twats ...
In terms of the petrol engines, the reputation for timing chain problems and valve coking was earned by the N12 and N14 engines; they'd fixed the majority of the issues with the N18 engines on the later models from 2010 to 2013. Problems with them aren't unheard of but are far rarer, but they tend to get lumped in with the rest. Again, the root cause of many of the issues lies with the unrealistically long manufacturer service intervals. Service these every 6000 miles and make sure the oil level is correct and problems are rare.
Thanks for this...I d love to buy a mini...but defiantly dont want problems
interesting, what is the best engine and year in your opinion?
@@John_Wood_ For me, the N18 in Cooper S form. I've had two (Convetible and Clubman), both 2012 and both were virtually trouble free (other than water pump pinch wheel perishing which is really a consumable). Tuners prefer the "troublesome" N14 engine, but as most tuners maintain their engines well, trouble occurs far less frequently than with neglected daily drivers.
Worked on close to 100 of them. Yes great cars if you catch common flaws with those n12 and n14 engines but issues were definitely caused by deteriorating plastic in guides pushing timing chain. Has nothing to do with regular oil changes as seen it on well maintained engines. It due to early 2000’s BMW engines has issues with plastics deteriorating and rubber becoming hard over the years. I done more then enough valve stem seals and rubber seals as well as timing on all BMW engines from that era. All has same issues. Yes if you catch it early on they actually were reliable as have gotten over 280k on a 740 and etc.
The issue is most regular people don’t know about these issues rely on shops that are not use to working on BMW’s or other foreign cars and only do regular service.
Had my 1.6 one for twelve years never let me down.
I had the 1.4 First for twelve years as well, same, no problems at all.
You guys were very ,very lucky and I suspect you both drive about as hard as my great Aunt Thelma did at 87
your aunt thelma was a right goer too.@@EdmundSampson-pd7vi
Nope, I suspect they're driving the R50s which tend to be pretty robust (at least the 1.6 W10 engines)
Our 2009 1.6 Convertible - in my late wife's and now my hands for nine years all told, and promoted to this one's daily drive - regularly serviced, has had absolutely no issues except the usual comestables. Sails through her MoT every year. Totally reliable. Never to be sold, I should add!
Of course!
There’s always a few good cars amongst the bad ones. That’s the way it works. Just because you had a one off good experience doesn’t make them reliable cars. When people talk about unreliability they are talking about the majority. Not the minority.
@@marcuswoodgate4026 - much to be said, then, of the contribution of looking after and not ragging a vehicle, then ?
@thisiszaphodbeeblebr Who buys a Cooper S and doesn't "rag it". I work in a garage and without a shadow of a doubt Mini's are the most troublesome cars out there. If any of my customers show an interest in buying a Mini I show them typical bills for them. They soon change their mind.
& how many miles has this car got on the clock?
Bought a Mini Cooper S in Newcastle travelling from Belfast with my teen son. Road trip :) Looked great. Took it for a test drive no issues. Timing chain had recently been changed.
Managed to get it home no issues. However just 2 days later when in sport mode and I did an overtake the eml came on. Long story short. Said was a MAF error but when I checked the MAF was 2021 so the previous owner knew about this issue when selling it to the dealer.
Walnut blasted the engine. Has driven perfect since then. Beautiful car and drives like a go cart.
The dreaded N47 or was it N46 engine, had the same in my 520D, has put me off BMW’s for life!!
Do not ever buy a 4 cylinder engine always 6 cylinder then your driving a proper BMW the 4 are just built for reps = the 6 for drivers who want a bmw not a go kart I got 330i superb motor petrol of course done 180 ooo miles and still gos like hell = so next time get a 6 cylinder and live a bit
These are 4 cylinder engines you must realize that the proper BMW engine were mostly 6 cylinder the fours were poor and for reps cars mostly = a 6 is king
@@philipwelsh1862I bought the 520d for fuel economy. Spent more on maintenance than the car was worth
I had an R53 back in the day in black eye purple. Got Lohen to mod it to 260bhp, which was good back then for a supercharged engine. Had it for 5 years a genuinely, it never missed a beat. Best car ever.
The R53 was a brilliant wee car, the F-series cars are good too, it’s the R56 in the middle that’s the problem child, I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole and I’ve had 20years of these cars
Remember having a early 52 plate for years with no issues and thrashed it within a inch of its life!
Now have a r56 as a runaround get to work car!
Issues ? Enough said but for what it cost ,nothing in that price range would put a smile on your face or look that good
Hello James, well, what a horror story the "super mini" was - but to have it sold so quickly to a well known mechanic at the garage where the service / repairs was carried out was a real bonus! Best wishes from Lincolnshire.
Fantastic video Janes! For me one of the best. Probably because I had an '03 Cooper with the Midland 'box. Had it 9 years, bought for £2250, shipped it to Finland sold it in 2022 for €1900. Changed clutch and steering rack myself. As you said, everything needed front off, and often subframe dropped.
Still, I drove over 100k miles on top of the 125k when i bought it. I fitted a towbar! Cost me €500 a year in parts...driveshafts, wheel bearings, rear wishbones, brake lines, belt tensioners. Hated the constant work but it only broke down proper once. Did all the work myself, even spraying the rear light clusters after rust repair. Hated the "what now?" So many issues, loved it for driving and cabin.
ModMini on youtube saved me big time!
you're referring to the gen 2 model which has the Peugeot engines which we all know to avoid. The 1st and 3rd gen are good though.
Drove my sparkly new Cooper S out of the showroom in February 2007 and in February 2024, I am still driving it as my daily runabout. A couple of clutches, a new air con pump and one new thermostat housing have been the major outlays (plus all the usual tyres, shocks etc). Sunroof has given up the ghost and the paintwork is looking a bit sun beaten these days, but the old girl still raises a smile when the Sport button is pressed on a winding road.
Had an r57 for 4 years. Had no issues at all. They are great cars. Look after it and it'll look after you.
Love your video's...free flowing, concise and very informative...thank you! Its shocking that a cheap plastic tensioner blade and poor tensioner are installed in these cars in the first place. Just from a 'Saving the earth' point of view, its unforgiveable penny pinching. I particularly feel for the high mileage car buyers on a tight budget, who suffer these totally unecessary costly problems...it could send them over the edge.
Thank you for an interesting video. In the good old days of the original Mini Coopers (John Cooper's garage was about a mile away from me) people bought them to thrash them, not worry about fuel consumption. BTW, the police near us used to drive S-type Jags and Mini Coopers and they used to race each other, now and again.
It is actually the spring going bad on the tensioner that makes the plastic break on the timing chain. Bought a cheap 1.6 cooper as my daughters 1st car as a project as it had death rattle. Really enjoyed working on it - did the chain with the engine still in the car
Loving the Ital in the background.
Yes spotted too.😊 Orig paint and wheels .. good work runner always started just boring to look at
Be a shame if a piano fell on it
Had the 1850 engined one in ‘shit brown’ colour with vinyl roof! Great everyday workhorse but all the door bottoms rotted six inches up!….
Gluten for punishment I’ve ran a Rover Montego TD estate for the last 26 years! Great engine 55mpg, sadly bodywork as per Ital!……..
I got rid of my last mini that I'd had in stock 2 years, loads of work, luckily more or less got my money back.
I ran a second gen cooper for 9 years with no mechanical issues at all. One small electric issue with a window but it was a very easy fix.
They did improve the petrol engine a bit in 2011 onwards (n18 instead of n14) but its still really complex. I have found a good specialist and it seems like things like coil packs, vanos seals and timing chain tensioners are considered consumables you should keep in a box in the boot! If you buy one of these need about 2k in reserve for repairs. Ive already had suspension bushes, 2 coil packs, new thermostat done all between 100 and 200. The most expensive part though was the spark plugs at 300. Modern engines are incredibly complex. Means very good fuel economy and performance but long term reliability is not so hot.
Oh but they are just so loveable and great fun to drive ...thanks for the heads up! 😊👍🏻
This is why, when choosing a Mini to buy, I skipped straight to a MK 3 & purchased a Cooper SD. So far nearly four years & 60,000 miles of trouble free motoring. You're spot on about the ride though. On smooth motorways, it's actually a wonderful cruiser
I worked with the original mini which had the a type BMC engine was a nice motor and very reliable. Of course they had a few problems like drive shafts and sub frames but still a nice motor
Original ,1959. I had one from the late 70s.
I had one of these. I loved it. New exhaust cost me 15 quid. The fuel economy was just as good as my current vw up.....all these years later. Looking back I suppose im glad I avoided getting hit by anything....not a lot of protection!
Be glad mate we've not done finance agreements or admin fees, going to be massive claims on miss sold finance, it'll filter down to the garage as well, they'll have their commission clawed back, also some dealers have been charging big admin fees to make cars seem cheaper, if a customer rejects it as well they're not getting the fees back, very tricky.
The 2.0d diesel engine in this car was called the N47. It was modified and superseded in 2015 by the B47 engine . Shouldn't cause any problems provided regular oil changes are done.
correct but some are now complaining about the chain in the B47, regular servicing is all they need
Pre 94 Saab 900 - still my favourite car ever. Had 3 of them. Such a unique experience..
Still got one! Engine is at 300,000 though and have another B202 to go in.
Totally agree with your summary of used minis the electro hydraulic steering also failes and the electrics are unreliable but they are great to drive
Very truthful video. I see these all the time at work with varying degrees of these issues, many electrical faults and owners seem very fond of driving them into water thats far too deep as I do more flood reports on these than any other car! The R53 models were cool as they were pretty simple and small. The current ones are nothing more than a 1-series in a frock. Definitely not one to recommend
I cannot understand why so many UK/European manufactured cars have timing chain issues these days. Its rare for the Japanese or South Korean vehicles to have the same problem. Its not that its new technology after all.
I think it’s by design, they need to keep the profits going
Hence the use of lots of special tools as well
In my day you could change a timing belt in the lunch hour, major operation nowadays
Because they use timing chains that look like they've come from a Raleigh Chopper. VAG cars are the same as are Vauxhall. Ford for some absurd reason run rubber timing belts in oil! What dimwit thought of that idea?
@@andrewhamilton8954 designed on the cheap, that’s why. Cut corners all over the car, not just engine
I bought my 07 1.4 Mini One petrol with 86k on it a few months ago. I knew right away it needed a new chain.
Done the chain in my driveway, took roughly 4 hours and was relatively easy.
Petrol BMW chain is a DIY job with the right tools and knowledge, diesel a bit more involved.
I have a 2005 Cooper S. It’s been fine, and I love it. I don’t drive it hard. It’s the preferred supercharged version, as I’d heard they’re more reliable than the later turbocharged models. Great video, by the way.👍🏻
Good to hear. Im looking to purchase an R53 cooper s 👍
This the N47 engine? I had the same thing on a BMW 520d. When researching I found out it was really common and some peoples cars had destroyed engine with less than 20k on the clock but they were still in warranty. Luckily I heard mine rattling first so managed to get the chain replaced before it caused any damage.
On the petrol (R56) - the dip stick tube is built into the plastic timing chain guide.
I am just about to do a timing chain where the guides are starting to break up and as an added complication you can't get the dip stick out !!!
I use to work on those and yes those are the common issues seen over the years. They are pain to a timing job on them and if caught to late engine need to be replaced. Usually if you caught it early when the slapping noise you replace chain and guides and typically pretty reliable motors if it doesn’t jump teeth timing.
I had one for many years before going to a BMW 740 then eventually a 750 series and honestly been a reliable car as kept up with servicing it knowing the common issues they develop over the years. It was a common issue with all BMW engines from that era beside rubber seals getting hard and valve stem seals and valley gaskets, main rear seal and trans cooler oil rings and cooling systems plastic deteriorating, but not as hard to remove engine and just overhaul when compared to other car worked on and even the 740 had the same issues with got 5 to 6 years more out of it without any major issues after fixing all the common failure points, before selling it to a friend which he still uses as a daily. Thankfully BMW worked out some of the issues with later models and not as problematic.
Had one in loved it so much traded it in and bought a new one love it. Would defo buy another. Thing is it's and easy car to sell I would imagine as they are everwhere
Wasn't this an engine built by Peugeot and not BMW, but saying that we have a 2021 Mini Cooper JCW with a proper BMW ICE and it's an absolute joy.
Pre 61 plates are the 1.6 Peugeot unit, a better engine, after that it's this BMW unit that has a very bad rep.
@@roystonvehicles9129You're having a laugh aren't you?
The Prince engine (the Peugeot/BMW one) was the problem one, Mine went through 2 cam chains in 60K miles and used about 500mL of oil a month (about 600 - 800 miles) which was considered "normal oil usage"
I had a plethora of other problems while I had it, including (but not limited to) High pressure fuel pump, Oil feed line to the turbo, Waste gate rattle, thermostat housing, PCV valve requiring new valve/cam cover.
The Triton engine in the earlier ones wasn't too bad (they had other problem, but engine OK) and the later BMW ones are also better, but the gen2 (especially early ones, like mine) were a nightmare!
@@ChuckFickens1972 I was talking about the Peugeot diesel unit, in pre 61 plate minis, as in many other cars and vans, not the troublesome petrol engine.
Developed by Peugeot in collaboration with BMW, so they're both on the hook for this.
Based on the old peugeot block, with the BMW variable valve timing system. Both to blame. Shite engine.😊
Are there not any aftermarket improved chain guides available? 🤔
My wife’s had a 2012 Mini Cooper roadster SD for 4 years now. The only problem she’s had is the active spoiler, a wire had broken in the loom. And I’ve replaced the glow plugs as it wasn’t carrying out Regens. Pulls really well, great fun with the roof down. It’s only got 52k at the moment so looking forward to this hefty bill😩
Thanks.
I was just about to buy one.
Another Excellent episode off.. " chops will buy anything" 😅
Saab always recommended a full radiator, fan etc change at anything over 70,000 miles.
I bought a 4 year old 93 20 years ago with 99,000 miles on as an approved Saab used car, so full factory 12 month warranty.
It got that because radiator discs timing chin etc had all been swapped at 70,000 miles.
As for Mini, driving instructors liked them when they came out then, they discovered full clutch required very early and at best 50,000 miles.
Important point you are missing: the problems you are talking about only affect the R56 Mini's produced from 2007-2013. Prince engines are poorly designed but the F series MINI's from 2014 on wards are much more reliable.
I suggest to change the title to mention this only affects R56 Minis and also the thumbnail as well as I believe that is an F56 Mini which is a completely different car to what is shown in the video..
For clicks, I used to like watching his videos but this is wildly inaccurate and rather poorly researched
Has enough time passed for us to truly comment on the post 2014 models? Most will only just be approaching that risky zone re millege & being passed onto owners who give up on the services
Much more reliable.....yeah its not the engine mate the car falls apart...ok...LOL
Love the channel missed this one I had a countryman serviced by bmw every year then every 20 thousand miles and chain issue slight noise booked it in there like it’s under warranty we’re fix it for free they had a recall on them
Got a Citroen 2012 1.6 VTi second generation with 145000 miles who works really good. After that great emgine they started to use 3 cylinder turbo and noon turbo engines who most of the time was crap if its the same engine in those Minis.Regards from Scandinavia.
I own a Mini R56 1.6 had it 8 years done 153,000 miles and the only thing i've had to replace is the gear selector.
Gear selector went on mine also, couldn’t get the car into reverse at all
Timing chain rattle after a diesel MOT probably the only time it hits the rev limiter 😀
Yes, probably hard revs on the smoke test, good point.
I do love the thumbnail ❤
That’s a phenomenal amount of work for £600 labour. Hard to believe anyone can make money at £40 an hour taking overheads and all other costs into consideration. Can totally see why nobody wants to be a mechanic anymore!
Devon Prices NOT London !
Probably lower rate for regular trade custom
Mates rates
Now a well sorted car. When the timing chain guides are sorted are they an upgraded part compared to original?
I had a cooper d. It was awesome and gripped beyond my wildest expectations . Needed injectors at one point but other than brakes and tyres it didn't cost me a penny in 5 years.
i used to get a lift by a woman who had a very early 2000's Mini and it had an odd problem of the glove box keep opening. It was a fairly new car at the time and she said she had it back to the dealers on numerous occasions but they couldn't fix it.
Yeah, i had a 2002 cooper, fitted a cheap door magnet to the glovebox.
I keep looking at the CLK in the back ground. Nice
i bought my wife a Mini cooper S Countryman at 1yr old with 7 K on clock. It`s now done 28 K and has been perfect. Will change it when reached 35 K ,hopefully before problems.I know they are high risk when older, but that applies to almost any car.
I had a 2014 diesel I foolishly bought new having made a profit on the previous model Clubman Mini diesel I traded in (2 years old). The new shape 3 cylinder Diesel was junk. Appalling fuel consumption despite a firmware update. The later car I owned for 6 months and around 15,000 miles before I got fed up with driving loan cars! The worst breakdown was a 'call BMW' message -non start issue. It started and drove so I drove it a mile home. Unfortunately the fault was steering -the car needed a stering rack under warranty -no parts available for 2 weeks. Oh and BMW damaged the bodywork when recovering it (wheel arch moulding). Eventually BMW repaired the damage, but the Customer Care from BMW made me swear never to buy another BMW product
Another issue - the suspension was too hard if I think the chilli pack was specked - most were - as it gave you sport suspension. You could get even a JCW without and it made such a difference - you also got lovely cloth seats - you then had to add cruise etc separately. But none sports suspension cars are rare I believe.
Mini 3rd generation diesel from 2014 onwards are reliable it’s the 2nd generation ones that are not
You hear this a lot but always wondered how people arrive at such conclusions? Is it simply not just due to age many of these cars haven't hit that limit where they breakdown more easily? So they just haven't had enough time to build up that bad reputation?
@@d.b.cooper1Even the older 1st Generation Minis are more reliable than the 2nd Generation Minis. They are well known within the Mini Owners community to be awful and have terrible engines
@@d.b.cooper1 no because mine is 2016 and not had any problems with it and it wasn’t a case of the 2nd generation getting old and breaking people where having them break down when they would drive them from the showroom on the first day of ownership and would continue to have fault occur within the first year of ownership I know this because family have owned the 2nd generation mini hatch a 2007 model back in the day and I’ve owned the 2nd generation 2011 countryman with same 2nd generation problematic engine was always back and forth to the garage getting something fixed so know it’s not just due to age and the only factor that would make a car keep breaking down due to age would have been poor maintenance I never had any of these issues with my Renault Clio even when that was old it was 13 years old when I swapped only once it let me down alternator needed replaced but apart from services and replaceable items like breaks and stuff that’s all it ever need because I maintained its like I previously said in this comment because most people don’t keep up with maintenance on older cars causes issues but not the mini they was prone to fault from day one either way
@@debbiepeter112 totally agree 👍🏻
love your video so true would never buy one of them due to plastic guides as bad as wet timing belt but you could take out warranty wise warranty and get back nothing ....lol...lol
The problem with the mini (and many modern engines) is that people don't realise they need absolutely fastidious maintenance by someone who really knows them. People buy them and take them to their local menu service place for a lube and filter every 20,000 miles - and a whole bunch of "Little Things" get skipped.. No judgement, but if that's what you want, get a Corolla. Or a Yaris. The Civic is good, too and you'd really be unlucky to break a Jazz. But if you want 30,000 quids worth of German engineering you need to treat it like that. When it needs servicing it needs doing immediately by a main dealer or independent specialist. Once this has been cheaper out on once, the car never really recovers.
the 20,000 miles is the issue, it should be max 10,000 miles
The issue is people just don't service their vehicles. I work in a garage, vehicle comes in, cabin filter, air filter blocked, oil so thin it offers zero protection. No coolant or screen wash, wiper blades hanging off and scoring the screen, tyres with 12psi in and a dead battery. Hell even my sister does it! Bought a Civic 2.5 yrs ago and it's never been serviced.
Any amount of servicing wont rectify a ridiculous piece of engineering in putting plastic guides on a moving chain.
they are not normal bits of plastic, the failure is the tensioners which run out of tension due to chain stretch and sprocket wear, this puts the wrong kind of forces on the guides and quite often they break......AGAIN...if serviced correctly this will rarely happen, but manufacturers service intervals have been pushed to the limit to make the service costs low and enticing to fleet buyers, dont want to bore you but i have been in the trade 40+ years and still get monthly TSB's from the major manufacturers from when i worked in the break down industry, i dont listen to gossip and red herrings, i deal in facts@@JohnClark-ew8dh
@@andrewlaw sounds about right. Crazy, given that there's a little light to tell you to service it. But the nice yellow spanner lights up and people think "oh, I must ask so-and-so about that next time I see them" and not "I'm going to drive as gently and as little as possible until someone who knows this model can look at this". A stitch in time saves nine.
BMW/Mini are not "bad". But you if you want minimal spend then they're not the car for you. Get a Japanese or Korean thing. It'll be boring compared to the Mini, but you pays your money and takes your choice.
As has been mentioned, Mini and BMW have long service intervals which is stupid, I have a mini from 2010 and service it every year to mitigate these known issues……and cross my fingers!🤣
The clutch is an all day job so not cheap but less of a ball ache than the chain.
Well done you, James -once again, totally transparent - JCW (and Diesel) man,u deserve waaaaaaaayyyyy more then then (wow, already 50k) subs vs the views
Keep em comin’
JCHK
Much appreciated
Buy one that is 2011+ with the N14 or N18 engine. The issues you're talking about are addressed, especially the intake valve carbon. Also, rubber timing belts have to be changed around 65-90K miles. The biggest issue is the EPA mandated 10K mile oil changes. Change the oil at 5K miles and those problems with the timing chain guides are minimized. Chainging the timing chain and guides is not that hard. Removing the front to access the engine is nothing new, the same goes for all 2000s Audi and VWs. What I'm not looking forward to is replacing the clutch, because you have to drop the subframe.
Exactly the same as Audi engines . The 3.0 tfsi supercharged always has start up rattle due to the plastic guides and in the end jumps a tooth and bang . Never ever do I use 5//30 oil in a cam chain engine , thicker oil more chance of being less dry meaning less chance of chain jumping or rattling . Audi owner 45 years and prob 45k in debt but love them lol .
Is suspension an optional extra?
Malbrad Saab specialist in Huddersfield worth a try for parts etc
We sold our 2015 cooper D a couple of months ago that we had owned from new. We loved driving the car, and it seemed to be really reliable for about the first 7 years....and then it just turned into an absolute nail! It had almost 100k on the clock, but a modern car should be able to handle that easily.
Exactly
I had my moms C4 1.6 VTi Prince engine lightly overhauled last summer. Drove the car to an engine shop and picked it up 12 days later. They pulled the cylinder head and the pistons out with the engine block still in the engine bay. New piston rings, timing chain kit, new valve stem seals, new conrod bearings, water pump and all gaskets. Cylinder head was dismantled and cleaned, valves + seats machined. Cylinders were measured and flexi-honed in situ. Worn Vanos system gears got replaced by better second hand parts. Total cost was £2700. Crazy thing to do for a £4000 car!
Agreed, if your Mum loves the car though the recent work should keep it on the road. Consider getting the underside coated in light oil…
Is that what they told you.
I bought a 2005 Volvo S60d with 208'000 miles(,had a leaking power steering)rack for £700 'thought it would be a quick replacement and on the road for £500, the final bill was £1400, they repaired the leak but it needed a new power steering pump so we all get caught out .😎
Our 2008 mini clubman cooper D bought for 13k from BMW at 3 years old, well maintained and regularly serviced didn’t make it past 100k with a catastrophic engine failure. Got £1800 for the car. Looked the part but will certainly not be buying another. I do recall replacing the likes of the fuel filter myself and finding the majority of components that previously would have been made of semi durable materials, were made of cheap plastic that looked like they belonged in a printer, not a car.
All the work put into it can make it the most reliable second-hand Mini on the market.
It's puzzling how some Mini owners hesitate with maintenance despite affording the purchase. They might not anticipate the maintenance challenges when buying. However, prioritizing upkeep is crucial for longevity and performance.
I had a desil one for a few days but it was very disapointing i had to use shell and had to go back to be fixed
Our 2009 1.6 petrol turbo s through its timing chain at 30k miles. Plastic debris from the guides blocked the oil pick up filter in the sump. Next the HP fuel pump at 1300 quid.
Cr@p engine in what could have been a good car.
I advice to check and fill up the Turbo oil as well
Is it not fed from the same oil supply as engine
I recall with these every car up to series 3 had to have a full engine service round 100k so any car that is sold just before the magic 100k would have issues
I'm curious about the beige/gold car in the background, is that an old Passat?
How many issues have you had with that lovely Ital that is STILL leaning against the perimeter fence I wonder?
Excellent video I’m looking for a car so I will follow you and might come and see you and get my next car
I found odd stuff going - a heated seat - HVAC issues galore - even a suspension collapse (our roads more than anything) but yes a costly car to own!
I think that from 2014 the engines were changed to a BMW engine rather than the engine used in Peugeots and from then on the B48 engines used in cooper S 2.0 ltr cars are pretty bullet proof .?
Correct, B48 engine is much better
Yep. The B48 is a phenomenally good engine. Reliable and powerful with no real problems, even after high mileage. They are the bargain cars at the mo, I think partly because of videos like this that don't make that clear.
The guy that made this video doesn’t appear to have a clue about MINIs, he probably thinks the current cars are still running Peugeot engines…
The F56 and R56 are very different cars, shame he doesn’t know this
@@timleech He’s still arguing the toss about it, I genuinely hope it’s just clickbait because the alternative is frightening…
Is that a Morris Ital in the background? Must be the last one. I had a 1.7 back in the day and it was dire.
As risky as it is it definitely looks good ❤❤
⚠️The last epic engine BMW made was in 2000 era.
M47 as fitted to 3 series and Rover 75 and LR Freelander.
That engine was good for 500k miles on original timing chain.
Still have my 2001 Rover 75 with 210k miles on.
Any subsequent engine BMW made had way too much built in obsolescence in them.
The b58 is excellent 🙄
Funny thing is the B48 petrol that debuted for BMW in the post-2014 Mini F56 is superb. Reliable and powerful and are seeing high mileage. The current version in the M135 and new JCW Mini is pushing 300hp.
Rover 75 tourer m47 got to 222,000 miles on it , MG ZTT M47 again now on 120,000......engine oil and filter every 6 months....it really is cheap maintenance !
What happened with the mini you sold last summer James? Any comeback on that one?
I had a 74 mini back in the day and loved it. bought a BMW mini after 3 days I had enough. Drove like it was a crab. It must have been badly damaged. The suspension was like it had track suspension. Engine would idle at different tevs. The interior looks like I designed it when I was at high school. Uncomfortable seats. It had problems but the overall car design is flawed and not refined enough for the asking price. Lots of small cars under the BMW mini prices are better. IMO. I like proper cars not gimmicks
I am considering buying a golf 2016 or later model . How do you rate them
Hi James. Love your videos. What's your opinion on adding liquid moly Mos2 lubricate to engine oil in my Mercedes sprinter 314 cdi. Appreciate your reply. Thanks. Best wishes David Norfolk
Snake oil I'd say mate
@@ChopsGarage thank you James but moly is the best make obviously you don't like it. You always present your cars first class, better than main dealer
@@davesdaze I have no issue with Moly, I just don't believe ANY additive like this really does anything
@@ChopsGarage oh right, I value your opinion. I've put it in my lawnmower and I've had it now 31 years. Maybe I'm just over protective of machines. My vw t cross has it too so does my vw caddy. At mot they say emmitions too low to register. Perhaps I'm getter ocd. Anyway always watch and tell my neighbours and friends to watch you and subscribe. Thanks. Best wishes David. Norfolk
If these are not the ones to buy, then what is? perhaps a list of cars that are worth looking at might be an idea going forward.
The R56 is one of the worst due to the prince engine which is a PSA group product. The f56 are a much more reliable platform being BMW engined
Had an original 2002 cooper s, loved the car to drive and to bits, did guzzle fuel and had annoying runflats. At time not many around so used to get flashed by all the other drivers which was nice and felt a special car especially with the zenons which hardly any cars had around then. Glad I sold though as engine was apparently a heap of stinking do do, as well as expensive to get anything mechanical fixed. I ended up getting a diesel saloon which was a much better put together and once remapped I reckon would have beaten it off the line... A shame with the more recent minis as I think they have lost their way with the essence of the smaller car.
The engines in the earlier (R53, supercharged up to 2006 (or 2008 for the R52 convertible)) are good engines. It's the 2nd generation R56 with the Prince engine that is trash. The latest Minis are huge, and make the original 'New Mini' look tiny too.
Well done, squire - mischief managed!
I bought my '13 R57 S manual with the N18 3 years ago... Over $17,000 in unscheduled repairs have happened. Electronic issues, leaks, accessory failures, window regulator failures, door handle failures... Everything. Everything has gone wrong with it.
Unfortunately for me, I love Benny and I just can't bring myself to part with him. I've never had so much fun in a car.
It's a fine car, if I was looking for one I'd certainly consider this particular one.
We bought a new Cooper in 2003 and were so pleased with it, we traded it in against a brand new Cooper S convertible at launch in 2005, which we kept for five years. Nothing ever went wrong with either car and the trade in values were exceptional at the time. The original Cooper only lost around £1500 in eighteen months, the Cooper S was still worth around 60% after five years. Some of the the best cars we ever owned.
It's the replacement model that came after the R56 with the problems 2007-13.
We bought a bright red mini for our daughter and I would say it was in showroom condition. First fault we found it drank oil !! simple google check- very common. Secondly the first downpour we had and the passenger footwell was swimming in water- totally unfixable !! Not only that but every bump you went over you would swear every nut and bolt on that car was loose. Every time I was in it I got a headache because of the slight smell of petrol. DO NOT BUY a used mini !!! Ours was the 1400 petrol
As an ex BMW mini service manager i say avoid at all costs, they are nothing but trouble. The warranty claims we had on new and used was ridiculous, i believe the latest generation are somewhat better, but not without faults
Still people in comments telling me I'm talking rubbish so appreciate the professional back up
The general opinion in the trade from my experience, are they are junk. Good news for those who earn a living repairing them though.😊
They are brilliant to drive but too troublesome. You'd think that BMW or even some aftermarket firms might develop an improved camchain tensioner system. Even then, having to remove the front end when the whole lot was due for replacement is reason enough to avoid these cars like the plague. I've owned a Peugeot 306 XUD 9TE for almost 27 years and the only major issue was when a Mickey Mouse dealership overfilled the sump, blowing the crank seals. This was done twice ! Had to have a replacement cambelt on the second occasion. Been servicing the car myself ever since. A neighbour had an earlier Mini Cooper, petrol. I had to rock the car for her to be able to get it out of gear when parked up so she could reverse it and drive away.
Ummm, my 1974 Mini 1000cc had push rods and was cheap as chips to maintain and repair 🙂
noticed the ital in the background. would be interested in an update.thanks, philip
No update really, I just use it as is.
The chain is not kept tight by the chain guides it's by the hydraulic chain tensioner. Firstly upgrade to the new tensioner then secondly CHANGE your oil every 5000 miles! Ignore Mini/Bmw service intervals. The Prince engine is fragile but if you do servicing correctly it's ok.
So spend a fortune getting the engine way it should if been in first place ....orrrrr, but a better make if car that does not need to fix the manufacturers crap
@@ChopsGarage Don't post a reply if you haven't used the correct grammar or comprehension. No, you don't have to spend a fortune on those engines. The tensioner was a recall item in 2007 to 2010 models. Most owners couldn't be arsed so lots of dodgy 1.4 and 1.6 out there.
@@robaustin245 don't post a reply? On what planet do you think I take instructions from you 🤣🤣 I'll do what the hell I like. How idiotic do you need to be to claim I'm wrong whilst simultaneously saying that the engine is fragile and needs upgrades to be reliable 🤣🤣
Love the minis...Have a Mini Countryman ❤