does anyone drive a mini cooper?

Let me start by saying that I drive a VW 24V VR6 GTI.
The Mini is vaguely in the same class (small sporty hatchback) as the GTI.
However, the VW has a larger hatch area (I can fit my mountain bike easily inside) and has much more power. Plus, build quality seems to be head and shoulders above the Mini.
Additionally, the Mini's styling is gimmicky at best and seems much more of a "kid's car" than the refined VW which is aimed squarely at adults who want a sporty hatch.
That being said, I think the Mini's exterior styling is cool as hell!
But I wanted something a little larger, classier, and more powerful.
VW's 24V VR6 with 200 HP is probably one of the best engines on the planet.
It's rheostat like power delivery and utter smoothness are amazing.
Plus, the feeling in the seat of your pants when you nail it in the meat of the power band are intoxicating.
You won't get that from a Mini.
Also, the GTI allows you to drive stupid fast on the hiway in total confidence.
Sorry if this sounds like a VW commercial, but of all the cars I've owned or driven, the GTI is the most impressive.
Lenny
 
My friend and I test drove a Mini Cooper S last year. We weren't terribly impressed. It's really small inside, there isn't much power or torque for passing, brakes faded quickly, etc. For the same price class, the Toyota Celica GT-S was superior. More power, much better brakes, superior handling. Also test drove the Acura RSX Type-S, which is similar to the Celica and better than the Mini Copper S as well.

Fyi, I drive a Subaru Impreza WRX.
 
Let's address a few issues though.

There is only one cooper to get, The Mini Cooper S with the "WOrks Package" New Blower+muffler put it in the 200HP range. I allready have the specs saved on the www.minusa.com site.

Getting a cooper is not about space, nor room for passengers. Its about driving. There is no room for a spare, hence the run flats. It not a "kid's" car rather a Brit enthusiasts. (even though it german ;-) .

I would like see the performance specs of the 200hp mini vs. the GTI. Of course I'm biased I loved the orinal cooper and find the styling inline with the past. If I'am going VW, I'll go turbo bug or wait till the baja bug comes out. ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with GTI it just doesn't fill the nostalgia sports car niche like the mini.



Paul
 
Fyi,

When I mentioned that it's really small inside, I did not mean it as in "space for packages" or "space for passengers". I meant it as "space for the driver". I didn't find it to have a terribly comfortable seating position, and there wasn't really enough shoulder room. The Celica, RSX, and WRX are by no means "large cars". They are all categorized as "sub-compacts". However, they all have much more comfortable driver's seating positions.

As for meeting the definition of "driver's cars", the Celica, RSX, and WRX better meet the definition, IMHO. Your mileage may vary. :)
 
OT, but did you guys read anything about that new convertible beetle? I read somewhere that it was going to be the slowest car on the market. It supposedly runs around a 22-second quarter mile.:eek:
 
They're fun little cars to drive - my sister-in-law has one - but I personally like much higher HP cars.

The styling is a nice tribute to its ancestry. It is an unusual design, and some folks don't like that. I've met people that couldn't stand the look of my Corvette either, but that doesn't prevent me from enjoying the hell out of that car.

Whether folks like it or not, it's still a standout amongst the econo-boxes.

P.S. get the blown version :D
 
As the proud owner of an '03 DS/B MCS, let me say that I've owned lots of "sporty" cars:
'74 Datsun 260Z (Late Model & highly modified)
'85 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE (13B motor, header, exhaust)
'80 Chevy Z28 (Mod Rat Motor 454)
'80 Chevy Z28 (Mod SB 355)
'89 Mustang GT (Lots of Mods)

Pretty impressive list ;)

BUT None of these cars were as much "FUN" to drive as my MINI!

Yes, the "S" stands for Supercharged, but it's still not the fastest subcompact in a straight line. I beg to differ on the point of the Cooper S not being faster than Celica and the RSX. Even though this car is not made to run stoplight to stoplight, I'll eat the Celica GT, GT-S or RSX in a 200-300 yd dash :D And before someone starts the 1/8 or 1/4 mile chants, that's not what the designers had in mind for the MCS.

Of course, when you throw in a "Twisty" road...that's when the MC and MCS really start to shine. You see, this car was made to "Rule the Curves" Plain and Simple :cool: Check out Motor Trend, Road and Track,etc, until recently the MCS was the fastest car EVER through the 660 ft closed course.

For me it all came down to the following:
Celica - Looks like it came off the set of The Fast & The Furious
RSX - Looks like CIVIC Coupe with Acura nose clip
WRX - 4 doors, but otherwise GREAT car :cool:
MINI Cooper S - Classic Good Looks, good power, GREAT handling, and LOTS of FUN to drive

If you purchased any of the above cars you made a good decision. Of course, some decisions (MCS) were better than others ;)
 
Originally posted by CUTIGER 3
As the proud owner of an '03 DS/B MCS, let me say that I've owned lots of "sporty" cars:
'74 Datsun 260Z (Late Model & highly modified)
'85 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE (13B motor, header, exhaust)
'80 Chevy Z28 (Mod Rat Motor 454)
'80 Chevy Z28 (Mod SB 355)
'89 Mustang GT (Lots of Mods)

Pretty impressive list ;)

BUT None of these cars were as much "FUN" to drive as my MINI!

Yes, the "S" stands for Supercharged, but it's still not the fastest subcompact in a straight line. I beg to differ on the point of the Cooper S not being faster than Celica and the RSX. Even though this car is not made to run stoplight to stoplight, I'll eat the Celica GT, GT-S or RSX in a 200-300 yd dash :D And before someone starts the 1/8 or 1/4 mile chants, that's not what the designers had in mind for the MCS.

Of course, when you throw in a "Twisty" road...that's when the MC and MCS really start to shine. You see, this car was made to "Rule the Curves" Plain and Simple :cool: Check out Motor Trend, Road and Track,etc, until recently the MCS was the fastest car EVER through the 660 ft closed course.

For me it all came down to the following:
Celica - Looks like it came off the set of The Fast & The Furious
RSX - Looks like CIVIC Coupe with Acura nose clip
WRX - 4 doors, but otherwise GREAT car :cool:
MINI Cooper S - Classic Good Looks, good power, GREAT handling, and LOTS of FUN to drive

If you purchased any of the above cars you made a good decision. Of course, some decisions (MCS) were better than others ;)
Click to expand...

Did you get the works?


Paul
 
It's funny that I just read the C&D report on the JCW MCS. The JCW MCS with leather, sunroof, 17-inch wheels and xenon headlamps is $28,815. :eek:
 
Let me start by saying that I drive a Ford Crown Victoria.

I don't do small cars.

However, most of my friends do; so I have spent a considerable amount of time in almost every econobox on the market.

I've never been real impressed by either the build quality or performance of the Minis. I've never been in one of the more potent versions, but unless there are some major improvements (not just a modest power bump) I don't think they would be much more appealing.

In my mind (4 doors and all) the WRX is an overall better car than the Mini.

I would expect that due to the combination of "retro" styling, severely limited practicality, relatively high prices, and quality issues (search for some info on transmission issues in the Minis) the resale value of these cars will drop far and fast.
 
I'm no expert on the Minis but..

My brother is much more of a car guy than I am. He was about number
10 on the list at the local dealer for an "S". He went down for his test drive, and was not impressed. His daily drive is a WRX and he felt the Mini was no reason to switch.

I think his biggest complaint was the plastic interior, he expected more for a $25,000 BMW!!

Win
 
Well, I'm sure the Mini Cooper S is slightly more fun to drive than my GTI. However, I buy a car for more than the fun aspect.
Never was big on turbo or supercharging tiny 4 cylinder engines.
both techniques are poor substitutes for the real advantage of a V6.
Plus, longevity and smoothness of a V6 is head and shoulders above either of the above methods.
Don't get me wrong, I do like the Mini Cooper S. It just doesn't fit my needs and is quite overpriced for what you get.
Sit inside the Cooper and then sit inside my GTI.
Absolutely no comparison.
Even the vinyl in the GTI is high quality stuff. The mini uses a lot of cheap looking plastic and gimmicky styling cues.
The mini would be a great 2nd play car. But how many of us can really afford that.
I'm really not flaming those of you that love the Cooper, just trying to look at things objectively.
Lenny
 
I agree with you.

I getting a car to commute, just me no family. I like the styling. Cubic inches is the most reliable way to get HP. But in a small area you cant beat compressed air.

If I was going practical, I should be looking at a diesel golf.

Paul
 
Originally posted by fishbulb
Let me start by saying that I drive a Ford Crown Victoria.

I don't do small cars.

However, most of my friends do; so I have spent a considerable amount of time in almost every econobox on the market.

I've never been real impressed by either the build quality or performance of the Minis. I've never been in one of the more potent versions, but unless there are some major improvements (not just a modest power bump) I don't think they would be much more appealing.

In my mind (4 doors and all) the WRX is an overall better car than the Mini.

I would expect that due to the combination of "retro" styling, severely limited practicality, relatively high prices, and quality issues (search for some info on transmission issues in the Minis) the resale value of these cars will drop far and fast.
Click to expand...



The works S version goes from 163hp to 200hp. Not just a "bump"

Resale? Subaru's all of sudden holding value now? WRX could be the best thing since sliced bread but their styling is well..typical subaru.

Transmission issues? The only one I can find is too tall gearing.

BMW rep versus Subaru? I leave it up to you.


Paul
 
Originally posted by Lenny
Never was big on turbo or supercharging tiny 4 cylinder engines.
both techniques are poor substitutes for the real advantage of a V6.
Plus, longevity and smoothness of a V6 is head and shoulders above either of the above methods.
Click to expand...

I really can't agree with the above statements. It's not that these statements are wrong, but they aren't always right. Consider the turbo-charged 2.0L inline-four in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: 271 hp, 270 ft-lbs torque. Consider the turbo-charged 2.5L flat-four in the Subaru Impreza WRX STi: 300 hp, 300 ft-lbs torque. The power and torque come on early in these two blown engines, and these engines will last. The turbo 2.5L is only 0.3L smaller than the GTI's 2.8L VR6.

Also, there are number of quality 6 cylinder engines. Nissan's VQ V6 consistently makes Ward's Auto's top 10 engines list. In the 350Z, the 3.5L engine products 287 hp and 274 ft-lbs, all naturally aspirated. BMW's inline-six also consistently makes Ward's list. Interestingly, VW's inline-four makes Ward's list, but the VR6 does not. Mini's inline-four has also made the list.

http://wdb.wardsauto.com/ar/auto_best_engines_7/

No flames here either, just trying to point out some interesting facts.

;)
 
Originally posted by pcnorton
BMW rep versus Subaru? I leave it up to you.
Click to expand...

Let's compare BMW's reliability ratings vs Subaru.

http://www.autooninfo.net/ReliabilityPercentrankAverages.htm
http://www.autooninfo.net/RelGrHiStandardsLinManGroups.htm
http://www.autooninfo.net/RelGrExStandardsAvs.htm

Also, note that the Mini is not 100% BMW anyway. It's got parts from Rover in the UK, it's got BMW from Germany, it's got Chrysler from Brazil. Not really fair to call it a BMW when the badge says Mini.

Mini recall for transmission problems:
http://www.bmwworld.com/repairs/20020726_recall.htm

Long term test with transmission problems:
"Hard starting and flimsy build quality aside..."
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/longterm/articles/69393/page002.html

If you like it for the styling and the handling, I'm sure it's a really fun car to drive. There are many who are happy with the Mini. But most of the comments people have made about the Mini are true also.
 
I think the WRX is the best value for the size, fun and utility of a daily driven vehicle. The insurance for the WRX is a different story all together. Since the WRX came out a few years ago, kids have been totalling them pretty fast. As a result, the related insurance has risen dramatically.

A WRX with a fully upgraded subaru suspension and brake package and new tires is absolutely incredible for the money. Out of the box, one can find many flaws with the WRX.

Of course if I could swing it, I would hop on the list for a new STI. For NYC dwellers, the WRX makes complete sense as it performs really well in the worst weather conditions we have here. I saw a MCS stuck at a stoplight during the last snowstorm where there was about 1 foot of snow. :eek:
Luckily, the roads were almost abandoned and some guy with a Tahoe came and pushed him to the curb.

Aside from that one flaw, the MCS is a great NYC car. Traffic and congestion is bad in the city, so you don't need great performance, above average will do just fine. The MCS will also find parking more readily as it is effectively 1 foot shorter than your average midsize car. If any of you drive in manhattan, you know what I mean. Street parking is found gold.

I think there needs to be a AWD supercharged Mini as a NYC edition.

Is the MCS a good car? Depends on where you live.
 
no matter what the shortcomings of the Mini are , I like it.
I have been a fan of the mini for a long time , though I would love to have an old Original S , the new model is more friendly to a daily driver than the older ones....hopefully next year I will get one.
 
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