Best to buy a SALVAGE / rebuild car ONLY when you have seen it in person BEFORE it was fixed..  later bc

archeryman, in response to your original post - I would agree with everything in Dan's response to your post.

The classic Mini and the new BMW MINIs are both fun cars to drive, but may not be the best choice for your first manual car, for the reasons that Dan posted.

ihate110bees..  might check out the BMW MINI site.. North American motoring.. no shortage of STUPIC.s. BMW MINI owners there.. later bc

Got it. I guess I should be glad I'm looking at a current model that is outside of this forum! 

Can anyone just comment on weather 2011 is a good year for these cars? If not, please no need to reply. I have already looked at the Carfax and detail on this vehicle. I have purchased rebuilt titled cars before and they have been the best cars I've ever owned. So these comments don't help at all. All I need to know... is 2011 a problematic year for the hardtop Mini Cooper, gasoline engine. Thanks

Ihate100bees, go ahead and buy that gem! Don't let anyone fool you...you have found the deal of the century! Keep us informed about future Maintanence and how much you love driving it to the shop.

ihate100bees.. the rule of thumb in my book. is the salvage brings HALF of market value.. total lose or FLOOD.. is only worth 25% of market value.. value bc

Thanks for replying. Pretty sure the one I saw on the lot was a BMW Cooper. Is a 2011 hardtop. How are the ones from that year? It has a rebuilt title with 22,000 miles and they are asking $6,500. The car has already been through inspections and put back on the road as a safe and repaired car. I'm going to take it for a drive today. Maybe I will even ticket to BMW if I go further to have it checked out. So can you tell me if the 2011 BMW Cooper is good

ihate100bees..  well. . here in NC. you get salvage title for mere 25% damage..  we also have BRANDED titles for FLOOD and total loss..  rebuilt..   relbuild refers to KIT cars here  in NC>.  what state are you in??  States like. Florida ,, Texas and MD. have Certificate of destruction..  and you can NOT put these back on the road..  Malsal  can pipe.. as he is from Florida.. later bc

ok. Well, I'm still wondering about those other questions I had... anybody comment? Thanks

Thanks. But as I mentioned... it is not a Salvage title, it is a Rebuilt title. There is a difference as it has already been tested for safety and put back on the road. I know others that buy rebuilt title cars and after they check them out, have great luck with them. Just trying to find out the good years or about Turbo engine reliability here. Thanks

In the trade those are frequently called body shop miles meaning it has spent a significant time in a body shop without turning a wheel.
With the price BMW wants and gets for their parts i imagine the repair facility looked and maybe purchased used parts and it would not surprise me if this car sat for a while.

with only  $5=6k to spend..buy a nice Mazda  ..Miata..buying a BMW mini with salvage title is just ASKING for trouble... later bc

Yes, I understand. However this car has a "Rebuilt" title, not Salvage. Salvage would be from scrap and need to be repaired and tested. This one has already passed a safety inspection to be back on the road. I purchased another car with a rebuilt title 8 years ago and it has been a great car. They easily get totaled because of the age vs, the cost to fix the damage... sometimes they are still very mechanically sound cars. Anyways, I was told this Cooper was hit on the passenger side and passenger front. I can look at the Carfax if I go further. What made me desire this one was because it only has 22k miles on it! Probably only driven a few thousand miles a year... but it's just old now. So I can see why it would become totaled from an Insurance company. I just went thru the same with an older Scion (2004)... 2 doors need replacing and they totaled it because it is a 2004. Anyways, about the 2009 Cooper... can you tell me why they have a high oil consumption? I think this has the 1.6 Turbo engine? Are there Coopers out there that are 6-10 years old and do NOT have the Turbo engines? What would be the good years to look for? Are the Turbo engines problematic? I hear most Turbos can not be very reliable.
Thanks!

Wherever you hail from, you should check that car's records carefully - if it was "totalled" it may have been sold by the insurance company as salvage only, and may not be legal for registration on the road.
In any case, if it was badly damaged to be described that way and has been straightened and repaired, it may still be a nest of future problems... doors or other panels that don't fit right, rattles that can't be fixed, suspension that can't be aligned correctly, .... I hope you get the idea.

I am new to these cars but found a 2009 with 22k miles that had been totaled and now selling for a decent price. What is it about the 2009 model that I should not buy it? You mentioned oil... what is the reason for high consumption?
Thanks!

67 cooper s with 1275.. RHD of course.. manuel..  with delivery miles.. ( ok. we can ALL dream??)  

If, as you suggest you are a new driver, I'd suggest not a Mini (either classic or BMW) but something that is reliable, very durable and cheap to repair. Here's why:
1. Classic Minis are the most attractive (adorable?) but need tender loving care, which most garages are unable to do, so you most likely need to be able to make mechanical repairs yourself. You can learn, but the beginning of that hill can be steep.
2. Classic Minis are not ideal for daily drivers because they need care (see #1) and you may have to wait days or weeks for parts.
3. BMW Minis are almost as attractive (to some!) but are NOT CHEAP to repair. They are modern, complex vehicles that often require dealer attention - dealers are thin on the ground in North America. You can learn to fix some things yourself but most things are beyond the average owner.
4. If you are a beginner driver, you probably don't have much experience driving manual transmissions. This is where something cheap to fix comes in. Buying any used vehicle, you won't know if the clutch and transmission are in great shape or have been abused. If they are in good shape, fine, but if not you can expect repairs before too long. (See #1, #2 and #3.) Add to that your inexperience - your driving habits, not fully developed, will likely result in harsher treatment of the clutch and gearbox. You want them to last until you've developed that skill.

A Honda or Toyota will generally be close to bullet-proof, cheaper to buy used, have a bigger selection and most likely will have experienced harsh use. Being cheaper, you'd be more likely prepared to move up to something more sophisticated as your skill and experience grow.

And then there's the issue of insurance. It's going to be high enough for a beginner driver and higher if your car is sporty or expensive to repair.

Good luck on your selection!

What style are you referring to? Classic or BMW made?

If Classic, you won't have much pickings with a $5K-$6K budget.

If you are talking modern BMW I'd suggest 2005-2006 Cooper or Cooper S (or up to 2007-2008 convertible only). Avoid 2007-2009 Hardtop Hatch as they are known for high oil consumption.

I like the 1968's best myself.