How shoddy are early R56 N14 engined cars?
Discussion
I am having thoughts of buying a 'cheap' Mini Cooper S, doing a few bolt-on mods and taking it on some track days, hillclimbs, sprints etc. (many events now are doing a class for 2300cc 2wd cars, perfect for 1.6 forced induction engines).
It seems that for around £2-4k you can either get a late supercharged R53 or an early R56 turbo charged car.
The 'internet wisdom' (including this very forum) is to avoid the N14 R56 cars with a barge pole.
Is this just due to the well known timing chain issues, or are there other gremlins lurking around (other than what is to be expected for a well used 10-15 year old British car)?
Does spending several hundred quid on new chains fix the issue for the next 50 thousand miles (I won't be used the car for commuting, so it will do <10k miles a year) or is that wishful thinking?
(or should I just spend a bit more and get an N18 engined car or a Fiesta ST?)
It seems that for around £2-4k you can either get a late supercharged R53 or an early R56 turbo charged car.
The 'internet wisdom' (including this very forum) is to avoid the N14 R56 cars with a barge pole.
Is this just due to the well known timing chain issues, or are there other gremlins lurking around (other than what is to be expected for a well used 10-15 year old British car)?
Does spending several hundred quid on new chains fix the issue for the next 50 thousand miles (I won't be used the car for commuting, so it will do <10k miles a year) or is that wishful thinking?
(or should I just spend a bit more and get an N18 engined car or a Fiesta ST?)
As well as the timing chain thing I think excessive oil consumption is the other big flaw with the N14, whereas the later N18 doesn't drink oil.
The trouble with the R53 is they are getting on a bit now and will be close to 100k miles and pretty shagged in many cases, so if you start tuning them too much they may blow up and need a rebuild anyway. But it is a more robust engine, so if you can find a good one.
The trouble with the R53 is they are getting on a bit now and will be close to 100k miles and pretty shagged in many cases, so if you start tuning them too much they may blow up and need a rebuild anyway. But it is a more robust engine, so if you can find a good one.
I owned an 07 N14 R56 MCS for about 3 yrs. Bought as standard, intercooler upgrade, decatted it & remapped (to 248bhp) & other than a slightly weep on a gasket plus a high pressure fuel pump replacement, it did about 4K pa & was reliable & very fun. it’d had a chain replacement & had good history when I bought it & I changed the oil annually for a higher spec due to the remap - it used negligible oil at 85k miles & was a hoot to drive although it was carefully warmed up from cold & driven with mechanical sympathy.
I’ve friends with R53 track cars & they weren’t impressed I could breeze past them on the big straights at Bedford in my R56, all whilst having the aircon on! R53s have their own issues btw. If you can find a car with a rebuilt engine that’s been decoded & had a compression test, that’s the preferred option.
I’ve friends with R53 track cars & they weren’t impressed I could breeze past them on the big straights at Bedford in my R56, all whilst having the aircon on! R53s have their own issues btw. If you can find a car with a rebuilt engine that’s been decoded & had a compression test, that’s the preferred option.
Whilst Mini revised the timing chain tensioner and carrier design on the later models they are still made of plastic and will wear or break eventually.
The N18 cars are also direct injection so will still consume oil and still coke up inside
Common faults on both cars are high pressure fuel pump failing, thermostat housing leaks, crankcase oil seals leaking etc
In short, by going for a N18 car you no less likely to suffer expensive-ish faults
Either buy a car with the timing chain issue already resolved or budget for the work. Also budget for a decoke every 60k (£200 at an indy)
Other than that, my 10 year old N14 Cooper S has no rattles, squeaks or sloppiness in the steering or suspension and drives like a new car
The N18 cars are also direct injection so will still consume oil and still coke up inside
Common faults on both cars are high pressure fuel pump failing, thermostat housing leaks, crankcase oil seals leaking etc
In short, by going for a N18 car you no less likely to suffer expensive-ish faults
Either buy a car with the timing chain issue already resolved or budget for the work. Also budget for a decoke every 60k (£200 at an indy)
Other than that, my 10 year old N14 Cooper S has no rattles, squeaks or sloppiness in the steering or suspension and drives like a new car
Drekly said:
As well as the timing chain thing I think excessive oil consumption is the other big flaw with the N14, whereas the later N18 doesn't drink oil.
The trouble with the R53 is they are getting on a bit now and will be close to 100k miles and pretty shagged in many cases, so if you start tuning them too much they may blow up and need a rebuild anyway. But it is a more robust engine, so if you can find a good one.
Have to question your opinion. The Tritec is a fantastically strong, very robust engine. There loads of folk on the R53 Owners Club running original, standard internals, engine never been opened up, except for a cam, running 210-240bhp. Mine is on 120k miles and isn't that tweaked but has run 210bhp for 2 of the 3 years I've had it. Never been apart - had a new cluch, its first one, at 112k miles. I use it as a fun road car and I track it.The trouble with the R53 is they are getting on a bit now and will be close to 100k miles and pretty shagged in many cases, so if you start tuning them too much they may blow up and need a rebuild anyway. But it is a more robust engine, so if you can find a good one.
They are not generally shagged. Well OK a few have not been looked after and run by chavs, but mostly not. They suffer issues with other things sure. But compared to an R56??
Edited by R53rider on Thursday 20th February 00:46
I had the same choice 3 years ago. The newest car your budget allows, is usually the best bet. Not with Ss I discovered. So I got a Gen 1 R53 Cooper S. After I'd gone that route, I discovered a FaceBook Group called "N14 Survivor Support Group (MINI)" which made me feel good about my decision. It has 2,775 members.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/713376242178096/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/713376242178096/
R53rider said:
Have to question your opinion. The Tritec is a fantastically strong, very robust engine. There loads of folk on the R53 Owners Club running original, standard internals, engine never been opened up, except for a cam, running 210-240bhp. Mine is on 120k miles and isn't that tweaked but has run 210bhp for 2 of the 3 years I've had it. Never been apart - had a new cluch, its first one, at 112k miles. I use it as a fun road car and I track it.
They are not generally shagged. Well OK a few have not been looked after and run by chavs, but mostly not. They suffer issues with other things sure. But compared to an R56??
OK, but I did say "it is a more robust engine" to be fair (than either of the R56 lumps). I'm hardly slagging them off. But people have to get real about how a 15-18 year old small hatchback with over 100k miles on is going to drive like, unless it has been well maintained and had tired parts replaced. They are not generally shagged. Well OK a few have not been looked after and run by chavs, but mostly not. They suffer issues with other things sure. But compared to an R56??
Edited by R53rider on Thursday 20th February 00:46
I agree they are going to be holding together much better than anything else in its class from any other manufacturer of that era.
P.S. I have avoided the N14 for the reasons you state.
My wife's early R56 did 40,000 miles without so much as an oil change and it was running fine when she sold it. I refused to do driveway oil changes for her as it had come with a TLC pack and she'd never bothered to take it for a service as it was "too much hassle".
I agreed to check the oil level when she put it up for sale and the bonnet had been closed for so long that the cable promptly snapped.
She only leases cars now... it's safer.
I agreed to check the oil level when she put it up for sale and the bonnet had been closed for so long that the cable promptly snapped.
She only leases cars now... it's safer.
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