hello again, as some of you may know, I love the mini, and am in the market, and I thought I found "the car" today, 2006, standard "S" model, red with 14000 miles according to the window for $13,500, on a smallish lot here in town, so I took it for a test drive, I had heard it handles like it's on rails, and it does, I was not sure if I like the shifting or not, (6 sped standard) it seemed to really throw me forward and back between and after shifts, very very sportscar like, I figured out after a bit there was no need to shift it like my honda, the getting thrown around stopped a lot when I started shifting at about 2500 rpm. it behaved a lot better, and with the supercharger it did not bog at all. although I loved "sporting" around in it, still not sure how it would be on the long drives, I think I could live with it. but you have to shift a lot with the low geared 6 speed, I really think it could use some taller wheels and tires, to lessen the low gear effect a bit. I returned to the Lot, and inform the guy the 14000 on the odometer was the trip meter that it showed when you turn the key on, and the car actually had 58,xxx, then he ask if I know about his lot???? they only sell FLOOD damaged vehicles, my heart sank, it came from the nashville flood a few months back, and there was no visible damage at all, I havent quit considering it but he will have to come off that price a whole whole lot, anyways still looking not in a hurry, I want the "right" car.
13 sounds high for a car with that kind of damage. I found mine for 15 ish and less miles. but its an 05.
The number that displays briefly when turning the key is the service miles countdown. $13.5K for a flood damaged car with 58K miles... don't even think about it.
I'd have to agree. When I read the first part of your post I was like "Wow, smoking deal, I got TOTALLY ripped off!" Then I saw the milage and flood damage part. I agree, look elsewhere. My 05 S with 50k was $16,100 and booked for much higher.
Long trips in a MINi are no problem. Just check out the trips the folks around here have taken, like Nathan going from Texas to Colorado via Indiana. Jim
When I bought my 06 MCS last year, I drove it back and forth from Washington DC to Atlanta several times over a six month period. That's a good 10-12 hour drive (depending on stops) mainly on the freeway. Shifting didn't cause me any issues at all, although I tend to shift mine around 4,000 RPMs in just about every gear. I downshift if it falls below 2,500, but I never experience any jerky shifting. Perhaps what you were experiencing had something to do with the flood damage?