1st Gen R53 Cooper S Soot on rear bumper - engine rebuild?

The "snowbird lady" is the seller's wife. Not sure if she got to read the ad They are from Michigan. Pretty cool people, and happy that the car is "going to a good home" where Minis are appreciated.

 

Hauled the car home this weekend. It had never been operated outside the dry season (winter) in Florida, and never been north of Orlando, so this change of latitude was quite the shock for it:

Mini frozen over for the first time in its life

Brrr

Frosty Mini Logo

But it will have to get used to it. The trip hauling it back was smooth - nice weather, cheap gas (1.69 in IL was lowest) and my truck pulled it like a champ, so good I now don't want to sell it any longer...

Anyway - now there are two 2005 MCS in my household, and one happy teen driver who has to wait until later today for me to get the temp plates

The car is excellent, very much as represented by the owner. The only thing I found is the headliner fabric layer coming loose in front, so that needs to be re-done, plus in the frigid north, the hatch struts don't hold the lid open without a little assistance. The important stuff is all good. There's virtually no oil on the oil pan, so even the dip stick tube isn't leaking.

It is the cutest car ever made, and it feels almost new, is bone stock unmolested at sub 30k miles, and all for $8000 - suck on that, sooty Mini seller in Albuquerque!