I am in the market for a used early model Mini Cooper S. I will most likely visit some private owners to check out the cars. What should I look out for and are there common problems with the early cooper S?

 

the biggest changes for the R53 happened in 05. at this point, the gearbox was changed (a plus as far as i'm concerned because of the lower gear ratio and better durability), the supercharger recieved a coating to reduce friction (previously standard only on the JCW cars), and the motor mounts were changed (not sure if it is actually an upgrade). also factory LSD became an option. much better than an open diff, but i'm still upgrading to a quaiffe lsd. the number of complaints about NVH also seemed to go down w/ the 05-06 models. remainging factory warranty may tip the scales toward a newer one. your call.

 

Thanks! I just purchased an 02 MCS with 60k miles for $14k including tax. It have the premium and sport package along with leather seats and navigation. So far it has been a blast to drive!