R53 MINI COOPER BUYERS GUIDE AND TEST DRIVE

[@jonpeters8052]

what i love is your laugh when you cruise into 2nd..... out of all my car choices i at present and then, the laugh again...when you catapult into 3rd...the subtle laugh again....dr.evil... almost sinister in a reflection of total satifaction.when machine and man come together and the energy that is created by this model mini....as you well know...needs no words to describe the sensation, the satisfation...in such a fun way.........i love driving anywhere to get tot drive ,own even,this car .....im telling you i know the laugh i get it tooo...its why im on this channel

[@jonpeters8052]

@@TheMINIac well its true.... You get it.... Thats what i love about you....

[@paullee2177]

Your right, you don't need a radio. In my Ford Escape it is always on. in my 2006 Cooper S, hardly ever. I just love the sound of the car. that is music to my ears!

[@MissionForward3]

I currently drive a 2004 Cooper S with 26K miles. I bought it a year plus ago with 15K miles. It's in excellent condition and wildly fun to drive. There are no rattles, squeaks, or air noise. It does have the stiffer ride customary with BMW cars. But that's a trade-off for the outstanding handling characteristics of a first gen Mini. Amazingly, I found the car in Mankato, MN and it has zero rust. It was practically a concouers car. I am trying to sell it so I can get a 2013 JCW converible.

[@MissionForward3]

So I drove all the way to Oregon from Illinois and traded the 04 for a 13 JCW converible. The new car is outstanding and looks quintessentially British in BRG with saddle brown leather.

[@equaliser2265]

I have a 2003 Cooper S R53, 59000 miles. Mint condition.

[@nymsnot_your_mommaz_stream5683]

I have a 03 mini s with 75,000 miles & scotty kilmer told me to sell as fast as i could in his live that its a money pit! Well i couldn't get what i wanted out of it so i have decided to keep it! Cant wait to get on the road with it! Really lucked out i believe! What y'all think???

[@TheMINIac]

Don’t ever listen to what Scotty Kilmer says. He thinks the only good car is an old Toyota Celica. Drive what you want, maintain it properly. You’ll be good. Do the old ones have some issues, yes. It’s a 21 year old car. But it’s a fun car. Enjoy it.

[@slimsqde7397]

scotty kilmer is retarded

[@paullee2177]

Three years ago I bought a 2006 Cooper S. It was a one owner car out of Palm Springs, CA with 88k miles. No rust no issues. A great little car that is a ball to drive. The engine is tight, no leaks. The trans shifts as it should. The only thing I have had to do is replace the tensioner pulley. Makes me smile ever time I walk into my shop.

[@seanwoods1526]

I'm not in the market for this generation Mini, but I like how you presented the information on buying one of these guys. I hope you keep going down this path of videos. You are passing along helpful tips with a mix of personality and a story to the car that is being reviewed.

[@stevemccrory9130]

Its like watching 2 kids discovering sweets (candy) for the first time. Enthusiasts, afficionados, fan boys together. Great insight into this generation, and great joy on both of your faces. Thoroughly MINIAC.

[@SofaKingTouge]

R53 is the only mini to buy. Bought an mc40 10 months ago. Unfortunately it was neglected so I've had to do a ton of repairs. Making it faster was easy. Making it handle better took a lot of work.

[@edwardlewis7966]

Great video. gave me some reassurance. I "fell" into my first Mini 6 months ago and love it. 2005 basic mini, 174000 miles, bought it (CHEAP) to move my son and me from Illinois to florida. It was well maintained and inspected, I only needed to put front tires on it. I had several offers on it the first week and knew i had something good. I did have to replace battery and alternator after arriving in Florida, but still within resale value

[@jb4241]

Just a tip on slowing down on manual cars,,,always keep it on gear always down shift never put it on neutral especially when you're at high speed...down shift and just keep it always on gear. Neutral only when on a complete stop

[@danielk3893]

Can someone tell me why?

[@TheMINIac]

Because it’ll slow the car down faster for one. Two, if you need to accelerate again you’re still in gear. Three, you don’t have any control of the cars acceleration if it’s out of gear, so if you need to change your speed quickly, you’ll have to put it back in gear which could take time. It’s a safety thing really.

[@danielk3893]

So it doesn't hurt the car in any way?​@@TheMINIac

[@TheMINIac]

@@danielk3893 just don’t ride the clutch. Downshift and the car starts to slow down, provide braking as needed but let the transmission do the work and it’ll slow it down. I don’t take it out of gear usually until after I have downshifted enough to a crawl and then take it out of gear at a light or stop sign. Don’t downshift to 1st though. “money shift”

[@Rangechick]

Thanks for the video. My first Mini was a 2006 Cooper S, also in Pepper White as the one in the video. Sold it years ago. Now I have a Cooper S 2019. Loving it.

[@oscardominguez1680]

How is the new generation compared to the 2006?

[@TopSpeedBrothers]

If you are into cars and are thinking of buying one do it, it’s not a car anyone would regret especially at the current market price. Got a video of driving on on the German autobahn reviewing its performance

[@TheDuckseason]

Love this watched so many times. I just found one with 47 k red chili color S . Wife gave in to me this morning as long as I am not going crazy on fees and so on. Trading a spice orange Hyundai 2016 Veloster turbo with 94 k . Will be my WIP changing all of it over time last car.

[@franciscomacias5808]

Dont forget about the harmonic balancer I have a 2006 and I went through 2 of them in a matter of 6 months the rubber in the middle would shred I guess from the torque . So I ordered the all aluminium one from cravenspeed and its perfect shouldn't go out anymore.

[@michaelp0819]

I purchased a mint condition 2008 R56 six months ago - love it! I had considered an R53 - prefer supercharger. Tough to find a good one.

[@norsemanshorn3988]

New sub here. Encouraging video. My 05 needs a little work but it makes me smile whenever I drive it. Thanks for the fun video.

[@precool]

Well done video gents! I need one. My R56 just burnt a valve and I feel like investing that $3K to fix it somewhere else. I'm on the prowl for a nice R53 in Atlanta!

[@michaelp0819]

I have owned two Clubmans and now a R56 S. But, I am currently looking at a first gen R53. This video was helpful!

[@michaelp0819]

The seller says that he has the entire service history of the car and the car has 92,800 miles. Apparently, the supercharger is getting loud so it is most likely on its way out. Going to look at it at end of the week. If not this one, I am on the lookout for one.

[@2005CessnaPilot]

The reason the sound is loud on highway is that the rear cargo cover on this car is missing. (No string on the hatch that is attached when the cargo cover is installed. It makes a difference. Also, mine 2002 Cooper S has had a rear latch squeaking I've never fully got rid of.

[@tomlaing6164]

That sir is a wheel bearing if ever I've heard one

[@jaggerdfletcher1618]

😂😂 exactly what I was thinking

[@ojuokogola9310]

though am dreaming of owning one,there market prices are high,i had to settle for nissan march k11.but ,mini cooper fascinates me.will always be my dream car.

[@bradcomis1066]

Replacing the hood struts is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can fix on your car. Just put new ones on as soon as they start getting soft. No problem.

[@dylanrussell2888]

are we going to ignore the other mini cooper that pulled up behind them at 27:26

[@mariano7717]

Great level of detail man, keep the good work!

[@thenewlife7588]

I just bought an R53 S with 15, 171 miles on it. I guess I found the Holy Grail in Minnesota.

[@thenewlife7588]

I bought it online but so far from their video and still shots I see no rust around the tail lights or in the sun roof rail...Pistons for the bonnet still work... The only thing about the car I don't like are the white painted wheels. Those are gonna go bye-bye.

[@sparklechild]

I just purchased a 2015 mini countryman S all wheel drive. The car is pristine there is no smell of any dampness or mold or mildew inside the car or the trunk not the rug or the seats but inside the window seal it smells moldy and mildewy. I did clean it and there was a lot of black stuff that came out of it. Have you ever heard of this?

[@ekmetaldetecting9768]

GREAT VIDEO HELPS ME OUT A LOT WITH MY MINI COOPER 2004 CAN YOU HELP ME WHEN I TURN IGNITION OF CAR KEEPS RUNNING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS.......THANKS ALAN

[@TheMINIac]

Have you had the ignition system looked at? Check the plugs and the wires?

[@ekmetaldetecting9768]

@@TheMINIac ok cheers thanks ALAN

[@titanium7992]

This exact car reviewed seems to have a lot of minor problems. My 2006 R53 with 74k miles has a couple things that need replaced, but I'm surprised at how much this car needs done. The owner seems to not really care. I have a sunroof and haven't had any problems with it. The coolant expansion tank was replaced. Passenger airbag sensor replaced under recall. Windshield replaced because a bolt hit it and caused a spectacular shattering I'd have to show pictures of to explain adequately. Edit: My R53 doesn't have that exhaust sound. I do plan on upgrading the exhaust this year.

[@Brad5161]

This car was neglected. Staying on top of these isn't all that hard or expensive if you source your own parts and DIY or use an independent shop.

[@ChuckyDoll79]

"Is it the factory or the dealer JCW installation?" Answer: "Yes!"

[@gray25xt]

Thank you for your channel, it has been helpful. Question for you sir. I just purchased a 2003 Cooper S. There is a good bit of wet/evidence of wet in the passengers front side foot well. You mentioned this might be the sunroof gasket. Is that typical in these cars and if so is there an easy fix aside from replacing that gasket? I was able to re-fit and epoxy the front half (it had collapsed) but the back half seems inaccessible without doing some serious disassembly. So as of now the front half is restored/in place but the back half is still collapsed. Thanks in advance.

[@SCALE_SLOTCARS_AND_RC]

Great review. Thank you for posting. It's around the model year 05-07 that I'm looking for in Latvia I will be spending about 3000 euro and want to avoid the midland gearbox. ....hope you found your cat 👍......harry

[@SCALE_SLOTCARS_AND_RC]

@@TheMINIac hopefully he will come home after a little adventure . Are you not even allowed to get out for a drive ....here in Latvia we have closed the borders but you can still get out and about but many places are now closing .....so far we have about 150 cases but our total population is only about 2.5 million and I live in a small town of 8 thousand in the countryside

[@leroyr5334]

@@TheMINIacSorry about your cat. my cat got lost for 44 days found him by posting flyers

[@SCALE_SLOTCARS_AND_RC]

@@TheMINIac wow that was lucky ...I'm sure you were very happy and relieved 👍

[@leroyr5334]

@@TheMINIac Awesome 🐱

[@Randolini]

I have to agree with that supercharger and exhaust. I just bought mine for fun, so the radio isn't important.

[@mikesa9325]

What du you think about the 2003 model? Just got one 1week ago with 42k miles, like new, hope i made a good deal

[@mikesa9325]

@@TheMINIac yes,i'm from france,i got it from an old man ;) what are your expérience with these models?

[@almightygusto]

I've seen that old mans Minis before. Im in the same town.. currently trying to decide if i want ot buy an r53 or PACEMAN

[@almightygusto]

@@TheMINIac Test drove a '13 Paceman S with the paddle shifters. It was fun, wasn't all4 though. 104k and asking price was 9900... kinda high. I looked through Capital One and found a Paceman S with 87k asking 7900. I think it was All4 manual as well.

[@2005CessnaPilot]

Does he still have the run-flat tires? I got rid of mine year ago. Keep a can in the back. Never used it. My 2002 Mini S has the sports suspension package. I also, bought a John Cooper exhaust and have the smaller supercharger pulley and airbox mods.. Probably close to 195-200hp.

[@2005CessnaPilot]

Struts in engine bay would be probably $20. Broomstick, $1. My struts after 18 years of ownership since 2002 are still fine.

[@huichen5549]

How. To deal black smoke blowing after 5mints

[@Brad5161]

Mine too.

[@fredmarin9106]

I'm looking at a 2009 Mini Clubman, with 160k miles, are these good cars? Can I get many more miles out of it?

[@Neptune8]

Wish I still had my Cooper S

[@bign3ck]

Get one without a sunroof, it's better when old, less leaks, less to go wrong and electrics stay dry. Also lighter

[@Brad5161]

No leaks at 170k on mine. It can happen. Definitely more open feel.

[@allieg6401]

We just bought a 2004 Red Cooper S 6sp manual. We got this one because it had NO sunroof -I burn too easy and the speedo was just from of the steering wheel. My union jack mirror covers are on the way from the UK and we are deciding on what type of stripe to put on the bonnet. It's Electric Blue and it beautiful!! I'm so glad you mentioned the clutch, I drove it round the block and was like woah!! We spent like 5 min figuring out how to adjust the side mirrors then when we got home we couldn't find the inner door handles!! Was kind of hilarious. I'm getting anxious and excited as it's got to go for its roadworthy certificate so I can get it registered and drive it. We are putting perelli tyres on it. Hubby won't let me put the googley eyed to u get poking out smiley emoji as a huge decal on the roof though... :/ This video was super helpful as we bought the mini online and had it transported to us. So I was able to ask for pictures of the areas you mentioned the rust, for got the door sil though. Thanks for all the great videos!!

[@oliver5403]

Where are you in Missouri?

[@drewmckelvie3216]

some of your facts are way off, facelifted r53s are from 2004, tailgate handle is main point of rust aswell as rest lights, no 12 year rust cover in UK, facelift r53 is 170 bhp baseline, not 160 or 163 bhp, that's pre facelift model, just a heads up bud,

[@cammabis]

That owner looks like he could be your father. lol But I love my first gen 2002 r53. So much I wanna do to it still but I have kept it running for 8 years so far!

[@cammabis]

@@TheMINIac had me fooled!

[@kostas7973]

You forgot to mention the power steering pump

[@TheMINIac]

Good catch.

[@555jaybo]

173 BHP on a facelift model, at least in Europe anyway and how the hell do you go from thinking engine mounts to ignition coil? btw the brakes are just dung on the r53 and don't nnecessarily need attention other than an upgrade due to being crap to begin with

[@blackduncan9812]

You watch how you talk about the 2nd gen dinner plate speedometer 😂😂😂😂😂

[@blackduncan9812]

@@TheMINIac 2nd gen maybe the least liked gen but it's only because it's perfect. In every way, any flaw is just character that YOUR car doesn't have and is definitely not a flaw. 😂😂😂

[@andrei600rr]

@@blackduncan9812 i'm pretty sure the engine on the 2nd gen is very far from perfect :)))

[@danzo_NUFC]

R53 2004

[@mementoauderesemper27]

Great

[@Brad5161]

Cramped? Adjust the seat... I'm 6'2" and can put the seat back too far for me. And no squeaks and rattles in my 2002 MCS.

[@Brad5161]

@@TheMINIac Yeah, you did, which took me by surprise. At one point they had Randy Johnson in their ads.

[@Brad5161]

@@TheMINIac No biggie, just seemed odd considering how spacious for front seat passengers they are. I'm a big guy and people often ask how I could fit in it and I let them sit in it. They're genuinely baffled at the room. Then I push the seat all the way back and most can't reach the pedals.

[@ronaldmorrison6013]

I'm 6'3 and I don't have any problems with comfort in my 05 r53

[@allseeing357]

White one needs a new coolant header tank....when they are brown like that they are about to go (or have probably already started). Tailgate rust very common....often one or a combination of three things..... 3rd rear brake light seal deteriorated and letting in water - old lamp units tend to fall apart on removal so says alot about them.....I would replace this on an older car as a matter of course. Boot handle gasket - they can start letting water by and cause moisture to get in around the holes in the body for the lamps and boot latch switch. Quality of the bodywork around these parts is not very good hence they start to rust. More often than not it's this that starts the rust bubbling above the boot handle. The clips that hold the belt line strip along the bottom of the rear window to the tailgate go brittle.....the clips that go into the bodywork snap, go loose, the little gasket often disappears and just becomes a means to allow water into the tailgate. This along with the 3rd brake light issue is what causes the boot itself to fill with water. Rather than replace the clips, use some decent two part glue to bond the clips to the bodywork..you can then get the trim to sit tight to the car and by bonding them on you make the clips water tight. To physically replace them can be tricky and may need the rear glass to be removed....and they'll just fail again in any case. Avoid sunroofs.....nice but too complex to have on an ageing car like this. Rear lamp rust....yep that's an issue. My own car was mint until recently and mine have just started to bubble at the base. Most are out of bodywork warranty now so just get it smart repaired whilst its minor.

[@ariellecraig2335]

I'm looking at at one tomorrow. 2006 R53 green with 100,000 for 7800 $. There is a 2003 r53 with 59,000 mileage for 7900$. which should I go after ? both are at the dealership

[@josep6324]

EXCELLENT ¡¡

[@InspireCreativity2023]

that noise sounds like an improperly seated rear tire, out of balance, or tires bad.

[@EvendimataE]

im driving a very reliable but boring 99 camry......i tried to look for a 1st gen mini in the past but i gave up due to many negative reviews....i think i want to look for one again......maybe one that is less than 100k miles.....im 53 and only drive about 2k miles a year...so i only need a mini that can last me about 40k miles....or maybe even less....LOL

[@Brad5161]

A lot of negative reviews are from folks who clearly aren't enthusiasts and take their car to the dealer for anything from new wipers or oil changes and up, You pay for that. Then there are owners like me. I don't let minor issues get bigger. I shop around and have found absolutely ridiculous deals on just about everything I've needed or wanted to do to my 2002 R53. The last work I did on my car at an independent shop included replacing the fan assembly with a unit with a lifetime warranty, new core support though I didn't really need it, Cravenspeed 15% pulley with tool and new belt, cooler sparkplugs, upper motor mount, Hella style horns. The only work actually needed was the fan and horns. Those totalled $100. The car was put in front end service mode. Spec this work at a dealer and see how it compares to what I paid... $503 for parts, $249 for labor on all of this at an independent shop. I see folks complain about how much these cars cost to maintain and I smile. I just did the airbox mod with a 3D printed adapter from eBay and a K&N RU-3190 cone filter. $20/adapter, $47, 10 minutes of my time. Looks stock. KZbin videos can save you money... if you care about that sort of thing.

[@uros9151]

Do you reccomend finding the R53 and invest more money in it, or get the R56 and famous N14 engine and pray it’s been taken care of?🤣

[@robertmatas4192]

Lol!! Bonnet!! Bro, you're not British....😂 Keep it USA... otherwise, good tips

[@TheMINIac]

@@robertmatas4192 nothing wrong with using the correct terminology with a British car.

[@David-wl7qs]

Getting an older man to stand there and hold the hood open. Really though? Siss on you. Get a stick or something!

[@chamberlin1]

Yea it was the owner, but you never really introduced him, and interrupted him constantly, which I think makes viewing the first half of the video uncomfortable. Remember cars are great, but all of this is about the people. Treat them as your valued video subjects, and the rest will fall into place with the cars.

[@chamberlin1]

@@TheMINIac There's no need for the owner to chime in on his experience; Mark seems like a very personable and pleasant MINI enthusiast... It's our perceived impressions of your presentation that are in question here, and I'm just trying to offer up some constructive feedback in that regard... All in all, I like your videos and have been binge watching them as much as I can, as I just ordered my first MINI.

[@leroyr5334]

👍🏻

[@leroyr5334]

Great review I love driving the R53 I have an 04 jcw and an 05 cooper s

[@spannersautoandcomputerser1649]

Your dad?

[@TheMINIac]

Nope. My dad doesn’t own a MINI. He’s a retired attack helicopter pilot who owns a leadership development company.

[@bwroyalsun]

R53 Rare? LOL

[@equaliser2265]

They are getting rare matey, if you got one keep it.