Outstanding very-low-mileage example of this highly regarded hatchback, combining the now well-known funky Mini looks and style with the rare convenience of the automatic gearbox. Very well maintained, timing chain just replaced, fully serviced, new clean MoT, new tyres etc. Specification includes air conditioning, electric windows, upgraded alloy wheels, CD-player, traction control etc etc.
In the details below, you’ll find full details of the specification, vehicle history, and a thoroughly detailed condition report.
Seventeen large-format photos also below!
The Back Story
I first bought this Mini a couple of years ago for family friends Ray and Dawn. Back in the day, Dawn used to be a rally navigator in British-Leyland Minis, and so her requirements were very specific – she wanted a new-shape Mini in British Racing Green, but due to her advancing age, it needed to be an automatic. I looked and looked in the trade without success, and in the end, I bought this one from another dealer. It checked out well – quiet timing chain, low mileage, good condition throughout, good equipment etc – so I bought it into stock, and Ray and Dawn were delighted.
Shortly after, Dawn became unwell, and since then the Mini has been primarily used by their daughter on local runs. This has continued to be the case during the last couple of years, in which time about 7,000 miles has been added to it.
Ray and Dawn were recently starting to conclude that Dawn isn’t going to recover sufficiently to feel confident driving again, when the timing chain started to play up (see full details below of its replacement) – and that led them to decide that, with regret, it’s time for the Mini to be sold. Knowing their circumstances and the history behind the car, I’m pleased to take the car back into stock and offer it for sale here.
Mini Cooper Ownership in General
The “new” Mini was introduced into the UK with the R50 variant, launched in 2001 and running through to 2006. This example is one of the second “R56” variant, which ran from 2006 to 2013. Although this second generation looked and felt very much like the predecessor, it was significantly re-engineered and represented a large step forward for the range.
Like all Minis, it is well respected in the trade for its driveability, charm and style. Their reliability isn’t quite up to the level of some of the Japanese or Korean competition, but this is compensated for by their easy and relatively cheap parts supply and wealth of experienced independent specialists.
I’ve known Ray and Dawn for many years – so I’ve been aware of every mechanical attention that they have given to this Mini. It has led a pampered life for the last couple of years! This is immediately evident when you drive it. I’ve only taken this on short local trips since it came into stock, but it is quick off the mark, handles well without any knocks or rattles or squeaks, and it all presents itself very well throughout.
Specification of this example
Mini really hit the mark with these examples. They look great – enough of a styling homage to the original Minis, and yet funky and up to date too.
They drive really well too – quick enough round town, comfortable on a longer run, all the right equipment, and plenty of space for the shopping. When I originally bought this Mini, I drove it back from Birmingham and was impressed at the way that it settled down on the motorway to give a quick, comfortable drive.
The 1.6-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated (non-turbo) petrol engine produces 118bhp and 160Nm torque; that gets it up to 60mph in about 10 secs and on to a maximum speed of 122mph (where legal of course!). It’s plenty powerful enough either around town, or out on the open road.
This example is the 1.6 Cooper Automatic. The Mini model range can be very confusing, with lots of special editions etc. The Cooper provided a more powerful version of the 1.6 engine, together with some distinctive features such as the contrasting black roof, and chrome exterior trim accents.
Despite being supposedly a “city car”, this example has pretty much everything that you could reasonably want or expect by way of useful equipment! The equipment roster features air conditioning, upgraded 10-spoke 17” alloy wheels, electric front windows, electric mirrors, paddle-shift for the automatic gearbox, CD-player, radio with aux inputs, and height adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel.
It also boasts a full complement of safety equipment, including driver’s, passenger’s, side and curtain airbags, four seats each with a head restraint and three-point seat belt, anti-lock brakes, Traction Control, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and ISOFIX mountings to the rear seats.
This version is also pretty economical. Being a Petrol Euro 4, it is ULEZ compliant. Car tax is £275 a year. The combined fuel economy is a very good 43.5mpg and even the cold urban efficiency test produces 31mpg, making this car easy to justify on cost grounds!
This car’s condition
It’s immediately apparent that this Mini has been well looked after. After being registered in 2008, the first keeper kept it until it was two years old, when it registered to its second keeper. Just three months later, it is registered to a third owner, but clearly there wasn’t a problem behind this, as at that point it was sold as a Mini Cherished Approved used sale, and still had only 6000 miles on the clock. That third owner kept the car until 2013, adding about 7000 miles in that three year period, before the fourth owner then kept it until 2017, by which time a further 13,000 miles had been added, bringing the total to 26k when nine years old. From there, the mileage increased with the fifth owner at the rate of just a couple of thousand miles each year, until Ray bought it in 2024 when it showed 42,735 miles. Now it has just turned 49,000. So the car has been lightly, but consistently, used throughout its 18-year life, averaging just a few thousand miles each year.
The British Racing Green metallic paintwork on this example is bright and shiny, set off by the smart upgraded 17” anthracite-painted alloy wheels. At this age, you might expect there to be some signs of use – but this example is much better than you might anticipate. There are one or two tiny trolley dents and a few stone chips to evidence the mileage, but overall, the whole car presents very well indeed and looks smart throughout. There is a small patch on the driver’s corner of the front bumper where the lacquer has peeled off, but it isn’t really noticeable and I didn’t think it justified repainting the bumper. The interior is also immaculate, and is a comfortable place to be, with two-tone grey fabric seats. The driver’s seat is height adjustable too, for added comfort. There’s no damage to the upholstery, and with the carpets protected from new with good quality overmats. There’s no cigarette lighter or front ashtray, suggesting that the car has been owned by non-smokers.
When I got the car back from Ray, I found that the after-market front central armrest had broken – the top armrest bit is detached from the bottom. This kept falling off, so I’ve had the whole fitment removed. You might see it in the photos, but it is no longer fitted. I’ve left it in the boot though, so you could refit it if you wanted to, or pick up a replacement for little cost from Amazon or similar.
This example uses the 6-speed automatic transmission. This works smoothly through the gears, and is helped by having steering-wheel mounted paddle-shift for rapid changing when you want to do so!
The car’s in great condition mechanically too. There’s a service book showing five stamped-up services (details below), and through Ray’s ownership there is a series of repair invoices too, displaying his fastidious attention to maintenance.
This engine drives the camshaft by chain, rather than by belt – and this is a known weak-point on these engines. This example was all good at 42,000 miles, but recently Ray found that the engine was running poorly and pulling on the Engine Management Information Light. The garage diagnosed a timing issue, and recommended replacement of the timing chain. That surprised me at under 50k miles, and the deterioration seemed to have come on suddenly, rather than progressively as you would expect with a stretching chain. Nonetheless, the car went it to have the chain replaced, where it was found that the top plastic chain guide had broken up, allowing the chain to flex. The chain, guides and tensioners were all replaced. At the same time, a full service was completed – and then the car came straight to me to be sold here.
The 49,000 miles from new shown on the clock is warranted, and this is further supported by the MoT printout. The current MoT is valid through to July 2027. The car has been fully valeted, and comes with an Experian Data Check report (like HPI) which shows no problems and evidences that the car has never been seriously damaged or written off, has no outstanding finance, is not stolen and is a UK supplied vehicle.
The Motoring Press view
Praising its funky image, the fun drive and its economy, Parker’s Car Guide awards this generation of Mini Cooper an excellent 4.5 star (out of 5) rating, and comments:-
“The Cooper is powered by a 120bhp 1.6-litre engine which reaches 62mph in 9.1 seconds but does need to be worked quite hard. One of the key strengths of the MINI has always been its excellent handling and the second generation car continues that tradition. It has a real go-kart like feel with incredibly responsive steering and a low-slung driving position. Body roll is kept well in check too helped by new rear suspension which has been upgraded compared to its predecessor. The MINI is fitted with electric power steering and although this often comes at the expense of driver involvement, this isn’t the case here. Point the car at a corner and it will track precisely all the way round, with a great deal of feedback through the steering, while the tyres grip tenaciously at seemingly unlikely speeds.
The MINI uses some of the characteristic features of the original model combined with modern touches. The large central speedo first catches the eye while the pod rev counter is the only dial in front the of the driver. The driving position is excellent and thanks to reach and rake adjustment in the steering it’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. There is also a dashboard slot for the keyfob and a start button next to it adding to the upmarket feel. All the materials used are excellent and build quality is top notch.
It’s a bit of a squeeze for rear-seat passengers, although there is a little more knee room than they would have been used to in the past. The MINI’s boot is its real weak point and is only large enough to deal with a week’s shopping – you can forget about squeezing suitcases in. The rear seats do fold down which boosts carrying capacity while there’s fairly decent cabin storage up front including two cupholders, but the door pockets are shallow and awkward to access
The MINI has been generally very reliable and the dealer network is keen to help where any problems have been experienced.”
Equipment and Features
> Finished in Metallic British Racing Green paintwork, with two-tone grey fabric interior trim
> 1,598cc 4-cylinder 16-valve fuel-injection petrol engine, producing 118bhp and 160 Nm torque
> 6-speed automatic transmission, with steering-wheel mounted paddle-shift and separate Sport mode, driving through the front wheels
> Electric Power Assisted Steering (PAS)
> Air conditioning
> 10-spoke (5xtwin) 17” anthracite coloured alloy wheels
> Mini Boost audio system, RDS Radio with CD player, AUX input, and roof mounted bee-sting aerial
> Electric front windows
> Electrically adjusted door mirrors
> Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
> Dynamic Spin control (Traction control) system
> Tyre pressure monitoring system
> Central locking, with two keys. One works fully remote. On the second, the remote locking function doesn’t work. They key still works to start the car and the mechanical element is in the key too – so it is an effective spare key
> Tinted windows
> Map-pocket to rear of both front seats
> Height adjustable driver’s seat
> 50/50 split rear seat
> Two rear seats, each fitted with 3-point seat belts and head restraints; ISOFIX mounting points
> Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
> Driver’s, Front Passenger’s, side and curtain airbags
> Rear fog lamps
> Electrically heated rear window
> Rear parcel shelf
> Carpet overmats front and rear
> Electronic engine immobiliser
> 12v charger point
History and Documentation
> The current mileage is showing as 49,058 miles which is warranted as correct.
> The Mini comes with its V5 registration document. It was first registered 1st September 2008, and transferred to its second owner in July 2010. The second owner then only kept it a few months – until September 2010 – when it sold as a Mini Cherished Approved Used Car with about 6000 miles on the clock. As detailed above, this third owner then kept the car until February 2013 adding about 7000 miles in three years, and the fourth owner then until September 2017 when the MoT record shows it having around 26,000 miles showing. The fifth owner then kept the car until Ray bought it in July 2024 with 42,700 miles on the clock.
> The current MoT expires on the 17th January 2027. An MoT history check shows previous MoTs completed at:-
04/08/2011; 8,710 miles
06/08/2012; 12,644 miles
19/02/2013; 13,561 miles
19/02/2014; 16,986 miles
10/02/2015; 19,788 miles
09/02/2016; 23,084 miles
07/02/2017; 25,149 miles
31/08/2017; 25,652 miles
18/09/2019; 28,679 miles
04/05/2021; 31,039 miles
05/05/2022; 34,513 miles
02/05/2023; 38,601 miles
02/07/2024; 42,639 miles
23/06/2025; 46,821 miles, no advisories
24/06/2026; 49,045 miles, no advisories
> The car has been Experian Data Checked (similar to HPI), and the buyer will receive a copy of the report – which shows no problems and confirms that the car is a UK-supplied vehicle, has never been stolen, scrapped or written-off, is on its original registration plate and has no outstanding finance
> The car has stamps in the service book showing :-
5,723 miles; 17/08/2010 – BMW Tyneside
12,644 miles; 06/05/2012 – Mini Tyneside
18,050 miles; 19/08/2014 – Mini Newcastle
42,735 miles; 17/07/2024 – Independent Mechanic (incl spark plugs)
49,058 miles; 18/07/2026 – Independent Mechanic
> At the service just completed, the timing chain, guides and tensioners were also replaced
> There are also receipts in the pack for the following recent work:-
42,735 miles; 17/07/2024 – Rear brake discs, pads and one caliper
46,818 miles; 24/06/2025 – Lower suspension arm and stabiliser link, front brake discs and pads
49,000 miles (approx.); 16/06/2025 – Three tyres, alignment and a new wheel bolt kit
> The owners manual and book pack are present
Bodywork and Interior condition
> As you can see from the photos, the bodywork is in excellent condition. It presents very smartly throughout, and there’s no obvious signs of its age or mileage. Inevitably at this age and mileage there’s a couple of minor trolley dents, a few light surface scratches and a couple of touched-in stone chips, but nothing of any significance
> There is a small patch on the front bumper, driver’s side, where the lacquer is damaged – shown in the photographs – but, particularly with this dark colour, it is not particularly noticeable and I didn’t think it justified repainting the bumper
> The interior is also spotless throughout, with no damage to the fabric seats or carpets.
> It is fitted with good quality carpet overmats throughout.
Mechanical condition and wheels/tyres
> The car has covered just over 49,000 miles. It goes extremely well – and runs, steers, stops and goes round corners just as you would expect!
> All the interior warning lights come on and go off as they should
> The 17” anthracite coloured alloy road wheels are in good condition. Some minor kerbing scuffs have been previously touched-in
> Three of the road tyres have just been replaced with midrange Autogreen tyres in 205/45 x 17 size, so these have 7mm of tread across the tyre face. The fourth tyre is a Tracmax with 4mm across the face.
> There is no spare wheel – originally the car would probably have been supplied with run-flat tyres. An aftermarket inflation aerosol is in the boot.
> The tools, jack, locking wheel nut key, towing eye and wheelbrace are all present
Summary
All in all – this is a highly desirable example of this well-respected sporty hatchback, which combines sharp, modern styling, with plenty of interior space and comfort, good equipment levels and excellent fuel economy. This example stands out for its very low-mileage, the rare and desirable automatic transmission, and that it has just had the timing chain and three tyres replaced. The smart British Racing Green paintwork is really set-off by the contrasting Anthracite alloy wheels. This example is in excellent condition throughout, very well maintained, fully valeted, just serviced and with a new MoT. I’m not expecting this to be here for long!
If you have any questions, please mail me or call me on 07917-234897. Any inspection or accompanied test drive is welcomed by appointment.
A note about Warranties
We go to exceptional lengths to assure the mechanical condition of any car that we sell. Cars are generally much more reliable than was the case in the past – but they are ever increasing in complexity and should the unthinkable happen, repair costs can be high.
Many buyers prefer us to keep the price of our cars low, so we do not include a mechanical breakdown warranty as standard. However, we are agents for aftermarket warranty provider Warranty Assist.
In this case, however, due to the car being greater than 15 years old, WarrantyAssist are unable to provide an aftermarket warranty to cover the car.
