I bought a 2018 Mini Cooper S Clubman from a dealership in 2023. It had less than 27,000 miles on it and was painted British Racing Green Metallic. No regrets so far. My circumstances may differ significantly from yours in that I’m in the U.S., don’t drive all that much (about 1500 miles/year) and drove a 1968 Camaro for 33 years before getting the Mini.
Perhaps more critical than whether to get an S is which model to buy. I felt uncomfortable with the small size of a regular Mini. It gave me the feeling of a deathtrap on wheels. That left a choice of Clubman or Countryman. The former is the Mini version of a station wagon; the latter, an SUV.
There was an option for an extended service contract (ESC). Thanks to advice I got in Used Car Warranty: Worth the $$$? and elsewhere, I went without it. Average total maintenance cost over two years has been about $150/year, none of which would have been covered by the ESC. Nevertheless, if something more serious was to go wrong, Mini repairs can be very expensive.
Manual shift seems kind of silly in this day and age – especially if one’s driving terrain involves steep hills or heavy traffic – but it’s a personal choice. It does add potential clutch abuse to the list of things that need repairing.
If buying from a dealer, “certified pre-owned” condition is the preferred way to go (mine wasn’t). If not buying from a dealer, the reliability of the mechanics who check it out before you buy is critical.
Good luck.