perksy
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| posted on 14/9/14 at 09:07 PM |
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New Shape Mini - What to Check ?
Going to be looking at a New shape Mini for a colleague at work.
The model is a Cooper Convertible which iirc is a 2006 version.
Can anybody advise what breaks or falls off them please ?
Will do the usual checks, but nothing beats some knowledge from those that have either owned or worked on them 
Thanks in advance for any help.
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19sac65
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 03:33 AM |
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From memory
Electric power steering pumps fail,you will hear it !!
Early gearboxes were based on peugeot design
Later ones i think were ford based so better
Changed around 06 i think
[Edited on 15/9/14 by 19sac65]
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CNHSS1
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 06:18 AM |
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Front wishone bushes iirc are a weak point from wear point of view
"Racing is life, everything else, before or after, is just waiting"---Steve McQueen
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Trollyjack
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 07:52 AM |
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tell him not to bother, can be nothing buyt trouble
Too much of the car needs special equipment to work on.
TrollyJack
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martinq357
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 10:25 AM |
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I own a 54 plate Cooper with 115k on it.
I went for a 54 plate as it had a Getrag gearbox, not the Midland box that gives all the trouble......guess what.....the gearbox went bang.
Fortunately the dealer did the right thing and got it sorted.
Other than that, i've only had to do bits that you might expect on a higher mileage, 10 year old car.
- Rear brake disks and pads.
- Exhaust.
- Handbrake cable, drivers side.
- Radiator.
- Alternator, replaced the brush pack myself, £25 instead of £150+ for a complete unit.
I might be wrong but I think they beefed up the power steering pump on the later models so an 06 should be OK on that score. I asked my MOT place what
to look out for on it and they mentioned the suspension bushes too so that looks like a week point as already mentioned.
HTH,
Martin.
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beaver34
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 11:35 AM |
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rear suspension arms fail also
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britishtrident
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 01:50 PM |
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Wishbone problems are mainly with cheap aftermarket parts. Basically OEM parts last at least 6 years cheap eBay ones last a year.
The Midland gearbox was the the Pug box originally made under licence by Rover PowerTrain for Rover 100 and 214, slightly heavier duty version was
made for the 1.6 K16 but it was marginal on the larger engine and Rover used the heavier duty PG1 box on more powrful models Why BMW chose the
Midland box for the MINI is a mystery
The ZF box comes in 5 or 6 speed vesions the 6 speed version is reportedly prone to a stiff gear change caused by seized pin in the selector, an
aftermarket stainless steel pin apparently cures this. The 5 speed ZF is much the same as that fitted to the R75 and as though as old boots.
There have been reports of the organic antifreeze coolant going off and turning into a brown sticky goo.
The power steering failures are well known.
Exhausts for some early models cost an arm and a leg.
[Edited on 15/9/14 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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ian locostzx9rc2
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 04:42 PM |
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They have all the above issues and more a very very overrated car . Be prepared for big repair bills...
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nick205
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 06:05 PM |
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Two words...."fashion victim"
Aside from the"new Beetle" I can't think of a car that I detest more than the "new Mini". A marketing and accounting
wet dream, but an automotive zit.
Sorry if that seems harsh, but I really really dislike them intensely.
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beaver34
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| posted on 15/9/14 at 07:25 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Two words...."fashion victim"
Aside from the"new Beetle" I can't think of a car that I detest more than the "new Mini". A marketing and accounting
wet dream, but an automotive zit.
Sorry if that seems harsh, but I really really dislike them intensely.
Each to there own our new beetle has been the best car we have had and they don't have issues unlike the mini
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02GF74
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| posted on 16/9/14 at 01:00 AM |
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Woman at work said tyres are some weird size and bloomin expensive - run flats?
Re fashuion victim? Maybe but it one of fewe cars that stand out in a sea of mediocraty where all cars look the same.
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perksy
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| posted on 16/9/14 at 09:16 PM |
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Thanks everybody for your comments.
Kind of what i was expecting to be honest as i've spoken to a few folk who've had issues :
I'm now pointing him in the direction of a Mk 3 Mazda MX5 
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iank
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| posted on 16/9/14 at 10:29 PM |
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Only been in one a couple of times, amazed at how big they are on the outside for the small amount of space inside (especially in the back), opposite
of the classic mini.
But then a previous boss had a top end one and was very happy with it, and he never mentioned spending a lot of money getting it fixed.
[Edited on 16/9/14 by iank]
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Smoking Frog
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| posted on 17/9/14 at 02:28 PM |
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Can also be prone to over heating. It has a 2 stage fan (on the cooper and maybe others) and the first stage resistor fails. Check that both stages
work correctly. Lots more info on the interweb about this with some work-around fixes. If you buy one check oil level regularly, seem to use a bit
or at least my daughter's does. Give me a classic mini any day. Over complicated, over weight, over priced.
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