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About to buy second hand cooper - any advice

Hi all

I am about to buy a second hand cooper, looking at up to 2 years old, with Chilli Pack, CD player and Air Con.

I was going to go for one with 17" wheels, but after speaking to a guy I know who used to work for BMW as a salesman who said it was skittish with not enough tyre for the wheel, I am back to the idea of the normal 16" wheels.

Does anyone else have any advice like this for me? I am taking the brand new (as in to be registered tomorrow) Cooper for an all day test on Thursday (I understand the engine is different in the new model) to see what living with a mini for a day is like (lots of driving planned).

Thanks in advance.

Reply to
Richard Clarke
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Many report that the 16 inch wheel/tires are more compliant with little tradeoff in ultimate handling.

Not sure what you mean by "new engine". Certainly the engine in the new Cooper is completely different from the one in the classic Coopers of thirty years ago. BMW and Peugeot are developing a new engine to replace the Tritec BMW/Chrysler engine in the current model, but it is thought to be at least two years away. So any MC you drive today will be representative of all the MC's produced since 2002 (other than detail refinements).

I'd look long/hard at the service records of a two-year-old Cooper. These things had a ton of bugs when they first came out.

- Mark

Reply to
markjen

Ta.

Ah, I see. I have a mate who works for Jaguar and he mentioned the new engine being fitted already. Must check this with him.

So I understand from the research I've been doing. I have found a couple of newer ones recently and am thinking to get a 2003 model for the lower mileage - I don't really want one that's done more miles than my 3 year old Ka - and bug free car.

Thanks for the reply.

Reply to
Richard Clarke

Hello....

I'd have to agree, I much prefer the overall handling on the 16" wheels (esp X-Lites) than the 17" options. However, just ditching the runflat tyres for "normal" tyres can also make a world of a difference.

Same engine as ever just now, there's a new engine planned/in testing but that wont be in cars for a while.

Have fun on the test drive, and let us know how it goes.

Paul

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Reply to
Paul - MINI2.com

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