Those among us who declare the used car market dead in the water thanks to the chip shortage must not have passed through classics.autotrader.com recently. We say this because we've brought you an affordable, fun, and stylish little car right before our very eyes. Not marked up 300% or posted with only three images of its "good side."
The BMW iteration of MINI's seen a fair bit of criticism for being over-engineered. To the point of unreliability, in many cases. But this 2005 Cooper S Hardtop hasn't seen enough road mileage to break down so spectacularly in the first place. 25,032 miles (40,285.099km) of what can be assumed was mainly on the highway have come and gone in this car. Such a low mileage example should be in great condition inside and out, and the car fits that criteria in more ways than one. The excellent dark blue paint is accented with two rocking racing stripes. Bits and pieces that less so harken back to old Shebly Mustangs than it does to its own British ancestors. New MINIS may not have the same soul or passion as their British counterparts. But they make up for it in features and technology. The anonymous private seller states that nearly every extra imaginable is present in this car in their listing. Everything from a premium sound system, a sunroof, a rear spoiler, and unmistakable alloy wheels. An accident-free background check and a brand new set of Goodyear all-season tires make $9,500 quite the bargain. Especially when the car is at least 30,000 miles away from its first major breakdown, assuming you remember to change the oil on time, of course. Failure to do so will cost you your bank account if you don't.
So get all the enjoyment out of that 1.6-liter 168 horsepower supercharged four-pot engine before it requires a service that totals the price of the whole car. But what's your favorite version of the MINI Cooper? Was it pre or post BMW? And why? Tell us down in the comment section below.
Keyword: Enjoy All You Can of this Supercharged MINI Cooper S Before Its Inevitable Breakdown