She Wants A Mini Cooper

jimmybuffit

jimmybuffit

That'll buff right out!
She thinks they are cute, and I can't disagree. She has driven her 99 Civic EX (Black) for 43,000 miles without a single complaint. It is the perfect car for her, from my point of view... great resale, yada, yada, yada.



She can now buy a comparable new Civic EX for an even lower monthly payment...



Altho that should cement the decision, I'm really soliciting comments on the Mini Cooper, causeI think they are sorta cool, tambien.



What say you?



Jim
 
Uhmmm..... I'd have to say no. They are basicly underpowered and overpriced BMWs. Get the real deal if you want a BMW. They may be hot now, but in a couple years you'll be able to pick one up used for 20 grand. Tell her to hold out a year for when Acura bring us the Euro Accord. Now THAT is a nice looking car.
 
They are cute.:rolleyes:



But they're small on the inside.:(



My new European Car mag states the best way to make a Mini fun:

1. Buy a Cooper S with as few options as possible.

2. Install a chip.(they really seem to work with the Mini)

3. Buy the lightest wheels that will fit.

4. Replace the air filter.(K&N element)



Do these and your Mini will rock!:xyxthumbs



:wavey
 
Have to use premium gas in all the various models/engines of the mini-cooper. Might as well buy the mini-cooper s, with the supercharger. After seeing the mini-cooper at autoweek after hitting a tree...

0923minitree3.jpg
0923minitree1.jpg


...one wonders about the structural integrity of the body to protect the rear passengers.



Fun car to drive though...a bit too low to the ground for my tastes (go kart).
 
If she has her heart set on the Mini, then go for it!! Hondas are nice reliable cars, but they are boring. The Mini is something that not everybody is going to own.



I think that the resale value of the Mini will be high enough for you not to worry about losing $ in a few years.



They are nice and small too, so you can completely detail it in like 10 minutes!:rolleyes:
 
Jngrbrdman said:
Uhmmm..... I'd have to say no. They are basicly underpowered and overpriced BMWs. Get the real deal if you want a BMW. They may be hot now, but in a couple years you'll be able to pick one up used for 20 grand.
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Huh? You can pick up a new one for under 20 grand in my neck of the woods. Quite the bargain if you ask me. I have driven the base model with a manual transmission and found it very entertaining and sufficiently powerful. The engine begs to be wound out. It might be a tad overburdened with the CVT though. The steering was extremely responsive, and there was plenty of interior room in the front. Bonus: it only has to be serviced every 10-15k miles. The premium fuel would be a non-issue for me considering that the thing gets great gas mileage.
 
It's small. I mean, it's really small. We're talking small here!



You should test drive one before making a judgment. I know they are cool right now, but they are so small...



The size really limits this car. I can't imagine owning one as a daily driver, even when I was single and lived in cities with scare parking. I'm sure it is fun to drive, but there's just no getting around the size. I will be somewhat surprised if BMW manages to sell many of these once the novelty wears off in a year or two.
 
Taxlady said:
What are you going to put on the other foot?
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LOL



Like : don't wear your seat belt: they'll think you're wearing a backpack.



That aside , in my neighbourhood I see some driving around and honistly I think they LOOK cool.Never driven them.



Christiaan
 
When I first seen one of those minis I thought it was a freakishly large waterbug lol :p .

But after seeing so many there not so bad looking, different and trendy, but in a few years it'll just become another fad car like the new beetle, pt cruiser etc..

But hey if your wife wants one take one out for a test drive & do as much research as you can online (message boards, owner pages, cardomain.com is a good one, reviews, etc..)



I dont know if you or her are into customzing cars at all but I came across this site http://www.mossmini.com/cgi-bin/db2www/mossmotors/mossmini/index.mac/report?T=84026. They have a bunch of neat items to tirck out your car.
 
It would also be a great car to promote your business! (If she doesn't mind you turning it into a rolling billboard)
 
Accent2k1 said:
...but in a few years it'll just become another fad car like the new beetle, pt cruiser etc...
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My dad just bought a New Beetle. It's a fun car with excellent packaging--lots of room front and rear. I still think they're cool.





But hey if your wife wants one take one out for a test drive & do as much research as you can online (message boards, owner pages, cardomain.com is a good one, reviews, etc..)
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The most popular unofficial Mini message board is at www.mini2.com. Lots of neat stuff there.
 
When The Mini Cooper First Came Out, We Got One For Fun. It Was A Fairly Loaded Up S Model. We Had A Blast WIth It. It Was Quick, Handled Well, And With The Back Seats Down, Has A Decent Littel Crgo Area.

I Have Driven A Standard Cooper With The CVT and I Didnt Really Like It, Seemed Slow, And I Couldnt Get Used To The CVT.

I Would Get A Stripper S Model If We Got Another. Maybe The Sport Package and Xenon Lights. But While They Are A Novelty, They Are A Mighty Fun One.
 
2 of us at work have them - both red S's. They are quick, but not fast, and extremely nimble. THe best word I can think of to describe driving it is "squirtability" - point and go.



I have a Borla exhaust, Spax coilovers, 12# forged wheels, K & N intake, strut bar, and I'm looking for big brakes.



It's a fun toy for 1 or 2 to drive in, but the kids (9 &11) don't enjoy long drives, although they do enjoy being tossed around. It handles like a go-kart with leather seats and 2 sunroofs.



Mine was $23.9 with everything but the GPS/Nav system, which replaces the cool round speedo in the center of the dash.



I say go for it - they're a blast.
 
To the comment about the inside being small, I assume you have not actually sat in one?

In the front there is more room than my M5. I had one while the m5 was having some work done, and the front was very comfortable. The backseats are another story, but the front is great. If she cares about power, then get the S because the normal mini does not have any. The interior is very well done, everything looks great. I say go test drive one, and if she likes it(and the price is good) go for it.
 
I agree with Jademonkey. Because it is taller than a Civic EX, and has lower ground clearance too, you should be getting about 2-3 more inches of head clearance than the Civic...
 
Check out the new Civic Si. You can get great deals on them now. They may not be as cute as the Mini, but they are super fun to drive and the transmission is a dream. Just my $.02.
 
Jademonkey said:
If she cares about power, then get the S because the normal mini does not have any.
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On the contrary, if she is used to the Civic, the base model may be more than adequate. If you may want to drive it, consider going for the S. :p
 
forrest said:
2 of us at work have them - both red S's. They are quick, but not fast, and extremely nimble. THe best word I can think of to describe driving it is "squirtability" - point and go.



I have a Borla exhaust, Spax coilovers, 12# forged wheels, K & N intake, strut bar, and I'm looking for big brakes.



It's a fun toy for 1 or 2 to drive in, but the kids (9 &11) don't enjoy long drives, although they do enjoy being tossed around. It handles like a go-kart with leather seats and 2 sunroofs.



Mine was $23.9 with everything but the GPS/Nav system, which replaces the cool round speedo in the center of the dash.



I say go for it - they're a blast.
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I've put just over 650 miles on my '03 MCS. I've owned lots of cars that were fun to drive:

MGB

260Z

RX-7

Z28

Mustang GT

If I just measure "fun factor" the MCS wins easily. As stated above, mine handles like a go-kart with space cloth ;) and she is pretty quick. The MINI Cooper needs to be kept at 4-4.5k to have any power, but if you've been driving a Civic...that shouldn't be an issue. Drive both models and buy her the S

:D
 
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