Considering buying an R56 MCS

[DTMkarnage]

So it has come to that time in my life that I need to get rid of my e24 toy and focus on building a family. I still want to have a fun car to drive but something that is excellent on gas as well. Ive been reading about the R56 mcs and keep on finding articles about all these issues that people are having at very low mileage. My question is that is the R56 MCS a reliable car for a daily driver?? and is it really worth the price??..I certainly do not want to get stuck with a car payment and the car is a POS. I need some advice on these issues. Thanks in advance.

[beken]

I drive an R53, but am somewhat involved in the MINI community in BC where you get a lot of variance in weather conditions. My observations is that there were some problems with the 2007-2010 R56 drivetrains that have been largely addressed through recalls and technical bulletins. They have been fixed under warranty. The cars after that appear to be pretty reliable.

Having said that, my experience with MINI is, they are not the most reliable car on the market. At the same time, neither are they the most breakdown prone cars out there. If you maintain the car well, it should be fine. MINI service, for me anyways, has been head and shoulders above any other car brand I have owned, including BMW and Toyota.

Gas mileage is great and whether or not the car is worth the price is subjective.

If you are a "spirited" driver and want a car that has sports/exotic car handling reflexes then definitely, yes. A MINI is worth it. When I was car shopping, I found that if I had optioned up a, say, Mazda3 at the time with all the same options that a MINI had as standard equipment, the price of the Mazda3 would have actually been higher (when new). But you can get a pretty decent car for a lot less money than a MINI. I would suggest you go out and test drive ALL the cars you are interested in and buy the one that suits your needs the most.

Buying a car is not like going to your local grocery store and picking up a gallon of milk. A car is the 2nd most expensive thing most people buy (a house being the most expensive). So you need to choose carefully based on your own needs and wants.

Asking a MINI thread if a MINI is a good car, the answer is definitely yes. You will also read about all the MINI issues here too. But the issues are actually a minority of things MINI drivers actually deal with. I also have a BMW E60 5-series. Some people think it's a great car while others think it's the worst BMW ever made or designed. I also get laughed and sneered at for my collector plated Pontiac Fiero sometimes. But I like the car.

Good luck to you, and if you decide to get a MINI, let's see some pictures. :)

[DTMkarnage]

Thank You very much...exactly what I needed to hear. I test drove a 04 R53 MCS today with 59k and it was a blast. There was a noise coming from the engine bay that gave me chills. Every time I turned the wheel it got louder..so Im going to keep shopping around.

[Partsman109]

That's just the power steering pump whining. It is expensive, but you should only have to do it once.

In my opinion, the R53 has more character than the R56, plus it's not as "BMW" as the newer car. It does have it's own issues, but once they are fixed correctly you should be fine. You also won't need to perform a carbon treatment on the R53 every few thousand miles like you will have to do on the R56. If gas mileage is a major concern, go with the R56.

[DTMkarnage]

Thanks, I stopped by BimmerClinic and spoke with John and he said that the R56's need a lot of repairs. His brothers r53 is pretty reliable he said and that power steering pump is pretty pricey. I think im going to go with an R53 simply because of less issues.

[Partsman109]

Good idea!...and good luck!

[RRSperry]

Bull. My R56 has been completely reliable. It's had the aux water pump and timing chain and gears replaced, but they were under warranty, and were done during a regular service. The car hasn't had 1 problem that effected it working in 30k miles and 3 years.

It's a blast to drive and has a lifetime average of 31 mpg.

[epbrown]

Bull. My R56 has been completely reliable. It's had the aux water pump and timing chain and gears replaced, but they were under warranty, and were done during a regular service. The car hasn't had 1 problem that effected it working in 30k miles and 3 years.

Well, different people will have different takes on it. I've followed the Mini scene since the car debuted and when the first models debuted they were seen as some of the most trouble-prone cars built in recent memory. Now everyone claims they're rock-solid (perhaps the ones that have survived this long are), and now the current run has taken up the helm.

In the end, I just made sure the service was up-to-date on one I liked, and I took the leap this week. We'll see how it goes...

[RRSperry]

I guess you can say there is a difference between trouble free and unreliable. My 1971 MG Midget was unreliable. You never knew if it would run or not, ot if it would continue to run or not.. I had to carry a bunch of spares knowing it would break down. And it was only 5 years old at the time... But chicks loved it, and I was 19... My how times change.

[epbrown]

I guess you can say there is a difference between trouble free and unreliable. My 1971 MG Midget was unreliable.

Exactly. When I was younger, unreliable meant you didn't know if you were going to make it to your destination and back or not - now it means a trouble-light came on.

I've been lurking on MINI forums for years waiting for the "bugs" to be worked out. I skipped the first generation of cars because everyone squawked about how troublesome they were, then the 2nd gen launched and everyone said those were crap and only the 1st gen cars can be trusted. I said "screw it" and bought one, and now I'll see for myself. :)

It takes a LOT for a car to strand you nowadays, especially now that we have run-flat tires on a lot of cars, so it's not that risky a proposition.

[DenverBarr]

My family had a mini and appart from being a little small(obviously) we all loved, theres nothing like driving one!

[DTMkarnage]

Ive been checking out some prices for the 2004-2006 models, still hesitant to buy one. Some cars have over 100k and priced pretty aggressively(upwards of $11k) and there are some that have less than 60K and are priced at and around $10-13k. Why are the low mileage ones priced less??..kind of raises the question as to are these the problematic vehicles.

[eckounltdpnoy23]

I actually just traded in my 2007 Mini Cooper S 6speed with 62k miles a couple weeks ago. The car was a blast to drive and got GREAT gas mileage. My car actually had a few problems that were covered under my extended warranty. In a little over a year (31k miles of driving,purchased in 2011 with 30k ) I encountered the following problems:

Timing chain rattle (replaced chain/tensioner via aftermarket warranty)
Aux waterpump recall (replaced via Mini warranty)
High pressure fuel pump (replaced unit via Mini warranty)
Leaking thermostat (replaced via aftermarket warranty)
Leaking waterpump (replaced via aftermarket warranty)
Throwout bearing rattle in neutral @ idle (not covered by any warranty)
Leaking valve cover gasket (not covered by any warranty)
Leaking oil pressure sensor (not covered by any warranty)

I loved driving the thing but coming from mainly rear wheel drive BMWs (E36M3 and E39540i) I could not "accept" the lack of power and front wheel drive. I guess you could say I became bored with the car fairly quickly. Finally once it started losing oil and seeing the low oil pressure light on the dash I decided I just did not want to deal with all the issues the car had if I wasn't happy or enjoying the car anymore.

Overall I would say that the Mini Cooper S R56 is a great performer, but the issues I faced were just enough to push me to the edge and get rid of it.

My recommendation would be to drive the car and if you enjoy driving it and can live with the small size go for it. Just make sure you purchase some kind of warranty if you buy used. More than likely you'll use it more than once and it should pay for itself.

[ColinGreene]

I would buy a R53 Over a 56, much better drivers car and more reliable.
If a R56 was a must have, buy a JCW it has much better brakes and a better engine.
way more reliable.

[RRSperry]

I would buy a R53 Over a 56, much better drivers car and more reliable.
If a R56 was a must have, buy a JCW it has much better brakes and a better engine.
way more reliable.

Oh really? More reliable? It's a R56 it might have the same problems as any other R56...

Anyway, The R56 is a much better car than than the R53...

Just like the E46 is better than the E36 or the E30... Or the E90 is a better car than the E46... They are newer, have better and more features..

Now none of that relates to fun to drive... But I bet it's pretty close between a R53 and a R56 if the cars are equally modded...

[SteveB]

I bought a 2012 R56 S back in April and just clicked over 10,000 miles a couple of weeks ago. This is the first front wheel drive car I've had in a very long time. It took time to adjust to the torque steer but other than that it's been a great car.
I went from an E36 M3 to an E60 530i to the MINI. The MINI isn't a M3 but once you get used to the handling it's a lot of fun to drive. Not long after getting the car I went to the Tail of the Dragon for a MINI gathering. It was the first time I drove the car testing it handling and came away loving the car.
I use the MINI as a daily driver and commute 27 miles each way with a lot of stop and go driving. The best mileage I have gotten so far was just over 30 mpg. Usually it's in the high 28s. I was expecting more but I can live with 28.
So far I have had no problems with the car. There was one recall issue when I went in for an oil change. It had to do with adding a temp sensor. That has been the only thing as far as any work being needed.
Apparently 2012 model year cars are different from 2011 cars in lots of ways. There are lots of parts from a 12 car that don't work in a 11 model. Maybe the 12 cars have things that will be in 13 cars.
Anyway, at first I was thinking I had made a mistake in getting the MINI. I missed the bells and whistles of the 530i. After gaining faith in the handling and learning how to use the features of the MINI I was happy that I made the change. Oh, I do not understand why BMW puts run flats on their cars.I just recently put new wheels and tires on my car. That has made a world of difference.

[whamac]

I've had my '09 JCW hatchback for sale for the past couple of months on Craigslist and on two other MINI forums, with not much interest.
I bought it new, and it just turned over 50K miles.

The only two issues I've had with it were the driver's window-dipping glitch, (which occured right at the one-year mark and was resolved with a reprogramming session), and a leaking timing chain tensioner, which was repaired under warranty.
Other than those two things, it's been reliable and trouble-free.

It's a blast to drive and averages around 31mpg, even with a heavy foot, and nearly always in Sport Mode.

I'm asking the KBB value of $22K. Interested in something like that?

[epbrown]

I'm asking the KBB value of $22K. Interested in something like that?

How are you calculating blue book? I'm seeing $16k values for an 09 Cooper S with 50k miles, and when I was shopping last month only JCWs were in the 20s.

[whamac]

http://www.kbb.com/mini/cooper/2009-mini-cooper/john-cooper-works-hatchback-2d/?vehicleid=348369&intent=trade-in-sell&mileage=50000&category=hatchback&options=4100414%7ctrue%7c4100489%7ctrue%7c4100697% 7ctrue%7c4100818%7ctrue&pricetype=private-party#survey

Looks like it's dropped a bit, since I checked a couple months ago.

[DTMkarnage]

im still debating buying a MCS or a Mazdaspeed Miata. A friend of mine has one he wants to get rid of with about 28k miles on it hes asking $11xxx so not sure which way im going yet.

[turbospeeder]

I'm selling my 11 R56 if you are interested.

[suss1173]

I've had my '09 JCW hatchback for sale for the past couple of months on Craigslist and on two other MINI forums, with not much interest.
I bought it new, and it just turned over 50K miles.

The only two issues I've had with it were the driver's window-dipping glitch, (which occured right at the one-year mark and was resolved with a reprogramming session), and a leaking timing chain tensioner, which was repaired under warranty.
Other than those two things, it's been reliable and trouble-free.

It's a blast to drive and averages around 31mpg, even with a heavy foot, and nearly always in Sport Mode.

I'm asking the KBB value of $22K. Interested in something like that?

What options and color is your JCW?

[whamac]

Midnight Black with Carbon Black checkered cloth seats.
Pretty well loaded, except for Nav.

It has:
Cold Weather Package (power folding mirrors, heated mirrors & washer jets, heated front seats).
Premium Package (multi-function steering wheel, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, automatic air conditioning).
Foglights
Xenon headlights
MINI HiFi Sound System
Bluetooth & USB/ipod adapter
Aero kit
White turn Signal Lights

Runs like a Swiss watch.

[whamac]

What options and color is your JCW?

A couple pics...

[suss1173]

Very nice looking ride. However, after owning 2 black cars, I know it is to hard to keep clean (imo).
Very nice ride and GLWS

[whamac]

Yep, very tough to keep clean; especially this time of year!
But it's the fastest color, so I figure it's worth the extra labor involved. :D