Considering The Mini Cooper For My Next Car

[nubbinator]

I will only drive Subaru Imprezas from now on =/ but from what it sounds like you want, you should test drive a fiat

Subarus seem like such a gamble lately.  It seems like so many of them are turning out to be lemons.

[Psybin]

I usually hear good things about the Subarus. I've owned three and they've all been rock solid, although I never boosted them beyond their limits (alah ringland issues on the STI motor 07+). I'd avoid any with a crappy CVT transmission.
All wheel drive is the way to go if you can afford it though. I'd be in another Suby but I wanted to try an Evo for a while.

For the OP the ST is a great alternative for size and power, I forgot about that car. I'd go that route over a mini for sure, unless you are turning your own wrenches.

[Bromono]

I will only drive Subaru Imprezas from now on =/ but from what it sounds like you want, you should test drive a fiat

Subarus seem like such a gamble lately.  It seems like so many of them are turning out to be lemons.

Really? One of the most solid cars I have ever driven. The only car I put above my Subaru was my 2001 Toyota tacoma. Had over 300,000 miles on it and still ran strong when I gave it away.

[nubbinator]

I've just seen so many people with issues with their STis.  I was looking at a Subaru, but the lack of oomph in the cheaper models and the things I was reading about turned me off to them.

[dustinhxc]

Get an original Mini instead

I have a South Africa only model, 1275E Clubman and it's a blast to drive (especially with the few small mods I've done). The new one is big, heavy (1215kg for the S, compared to 638kg for an original Cooper, almost double!) and lacking in character compared to the old, but at least the S is still a very nice car to drive and has more character than most other cars on the road

But yeah, get an S if you do go for one. They do still have some of the same feel as the original and are good fun to drive.

Hell yea! Clubmans are awesome! It's super hard to get an Austin mini here but I'd love a RHD one one day!

[mashby]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Absolutely love the discussion in this thread. It totally made my day.

I thought I had a line on a really good deal for a 2011 Mini Cooper Hardtop (10 Years In America Edition), but the deal kinda fell through. Didn't care for the striping, but figured I could get it removed. Who knows it might pan out in time.

My plan is to go drive some different models this Saturday, especially and S to see how much of a difference it makes.

[dustinhxc]

I always wished I had more power w my S. Can't imagine a non S!

[mashby]

I always wished I had more power w my S. Can't imagine a non S!

Interesting. I did find the non-S not as zippy as I remember, but it was also raining that day, so I took it easy. Saturday I hope to get a better idea of how different the models feel.

I just hope I don't lose my mind over a John Cooper Works. 

[baldgye]

I was thinking about this on my drive home from work, if you don't happen to live near many roads with bends (something I'm told is pretty common in 'murica) then I can see this not being so great, but being able to throw it into corners at 50-60 and just feel it gripping to the road was pretty fun, you don't really need the extra power... but I can see why you would miss it on straights if that was pretty much all you were driving on

[tjcaustin]

My list of cars I'm ok to be in, based on research and comfort while inside:

Cooper S
Ford Fiesta ST
Fiat 500 abarth
VW GTi/ Golf diesel

The newest Kia Forte5 bounces on and off the list, but might be out of the price range you're looking at.

[nubbinator]

I'd stay so far away from Fiat. They have so many problems it's not even funny.  They're ranked as the least reliable car on the road and have a pretty bad crash safety rating.

[dustinhxc]

I always wished I had more power w my S. Can't imagine a non S!

Interesting. I did find the non-S not as zippy as I remember, but it was also raining that day, so I took it easy. Saturday I hope to get a better idea of how different the models feel.

I just hope I don't lose my mind over a John Cooper Works. 

Haha John Cooper works are great!

[dante]

mashby, any interest in a CPO Volvo C30?

[mashby]

mashby, any interest in a CPO Volvo C30?

To be honest, I haven't really considered it. I have noticed them on the road and the back end has some nice lines, but other than that I don't know that much about them. Are you a fan?

[NoblesseOblige]

I was in the market for a new car last year and was seriously looking at a Mini Cooper. My main reason was gas mileage and relatively low cost. I do all my own repairs as my father owns a auto repair shop and after consulting him I decided to go with a Honda Civic instead. The MPG was basically the same, the car was actually cheaper, and he can get replacement parts for basically dirt cheap.

[dante]

mashby, any interest in a CPO Volvo C30?

To be honest, I haven't really considered it. I have noticed them on the road and the back end has some nice lines, but other than that I don't know that much about them. Are you a fan?

I own one

The manual/clutch is pretty crap - but the 5 speed Geartronic Auto is rock solid.  Plus you can get a Polestar factory tune for more horsepower and torques.  If you can I'd suggest you take a test drive at a Carmax or something before making a final decision.

There are so few out on the road (it was a flop) that it feels like you are driving a prototype

[mashby]

I was in the market for a new car last year and was seriously looking at a Mini Cooper. My main reason was gas mileage and relatively low cost. I do all my own repairs as my father owns a auto repair shop and after consulting him I decided to go with a Honda Civic instead. The MPG was basically the same, the car was actually cheaper, and he can get replacement parts for basically dirt cheap.

Based on those requirements, I think you made the right choice.

Still learning about what can go wrong with a Mini, but I know going in it'll be more expensive than I'm accustomed to. I fear that Mini fever may have set in and is clouding my judgment.  )

[JPG]

I was in the market for a new car last year and was seriously looking at a Mini Cooper. My main reason was gas mileage and relatively low cost. I do all my own repairs as my father owns a auto repair shop and after consulting him I decided to go with a Honda Civic instead. The MPG was basically the same, the car was actually cheaper, and he can get replacement parts for basically dirt cheap.

Based on those requirements, I think you made the right choice.

Still learning about what can go wrong with a Mini, but I know going in it'll be more expensive than I'm accustomed to. I fear that Mini fever may have set in and is clouding my judgment.  )

I am no expert but I like to watch car review shows on tv and there's a pretty good one where I live that is pretty much unbiased and the main story with the Cooper is that it's a very fun car to drive and has a nice look but it's not the most reliable and can cost more than average for repairs. So it depends on your priorities: Fun and look go for it, money then maybe reconsider it!

[dustinhxc]

I was in the market for a new car last year and was seriously looking at a Mini Cooper. My main reason was gas mileage and relatively low cost. I do all my own repairs as my father owns a auto repair shop and after consulting him I decided to go with a Honda Civic instead. The MPG was basically the same, the car was actually cheaper, and he can get replacement parts for basically dirt cheap.

Good choice! I am Honda for life now! I would never buy a euro car again simply because of how much parts/ repair/ insurance/ etc was. Oh also gas I had to get 92 octane in them.

I love my Civic, my wife loves her civic, my mother in law loves her CRV. Honda rocks! 

I did enjoy my MINI Cooper S and other euro cars. They just wernt reliable enough. But damn did I enjoy them!

[saturnotaku]

Minis might be fun to drive, but they're unreliable and extremely expensive to fix when something goes wrong. And unless you use all-season tires and have a can of fix-a-flat, the stock run-flat tires are beyond worthless in the snow. I had a 2009 Clubman that was basically undriveable in anything more than an inch of snow. It also blew a tire pressure sensor that cost $260 to fix. For comparison, it only cost $80 to replace a similar part on my wife's 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe.

I will strongly discourage others from owning a Mini until the day I die.

[dustinhxc]

It's very true, I LOVED MY CAR. So much in fact that I have a blue S tattoo on my lower knuckle! It was my dream car and I don't regret it. Though, it was one of my least reliable cars because there was always something going wrong w it and it was very expensive to fix and maintain. Though, I'd still own it if I didn't crash on black ice, simply because it was an amazing car to sit inside daily.

[Oobly]

I was in the market for a new car last year and was seriously looking at a Mini Cooper. My main reason was gas mileage and relatively low cost. I do all my own repairs as my father owns a auto repair shop and after consulting him I decided to go with a Honda Civic instead. The MPG was basically the same, the car was actually cheaper, and he can get replacement parts for basically dirt cheap.

Based on those requirements, I think you made the right choice.

Still learning about what can go wrong with a Mini, but I know going in it'll be more expensive than I'm accustomed to. I fear that Mini fever may have set in and is clouding my judgment.  )

Did someone say "snow"? Just remember to use the hand brake correctly and power out through the corners:



Well, I wasn't much of a car fan, let alone a Mini fan before I got mine. Was into motorbikes more. Then I got my Mini and was hooked from the first drive.

I have to admit that Honda do have a very good track record with reliability, though, particularly compared to BMW, but it may be worth it. Personal choice, for me it's worth a little extra effort and cost to have something that puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. And quite often other drivers and passersby, too.

Some more Mini madness, how to park your Mini:


New Mini can do the same tricks:

Russ Swift and Timo Mäkinen are awesome.....

[katushkin]

You can still do all of that in pretty much any small FWD car these days. The Novelty about the old Mini was that it was actually small. Smaller than any other car. But now it isn't.

It's more expensive and less reliable than the other similar cars you can get.

You can get an A3 (more reliable) almost an A class, almost a 1 series, a Golf estate or a Jetta (both bigger.)

The only place the new Mini is small, is inside.

[mashby]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.



Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me. 

[Halverson]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.

Show Image

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me.  :-*

Bro :)

Next time I'm round, we getting club sandwiches in that clubman!

[mashby]

Bro

Next time I'm round, we getting club sandwiches in that clubman!

It's a DATE!  Err.... a deal, yeah that's it.  )

[SpAmRaY]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.



Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me. 

Bro

Next time I'm round, we getting club sandwiches in that clubman!

Halvy can you even fit in that thing?

PS: Sweet ride mashby! Next time I'm through town I'll look for it.

[tjcaustin]

I'm going to be that guy.

It looks like it needs tires...

[Halverson]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.



Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me. 

Bro

Next time I'm round, we getting club sandwiches in that clubman!

Halvy can you even fit in that thing?

PS: Sweet ride mashby! Next time I'm through town I'll look for it.

Did you not see my car pics I posted earlier in the thread?
The real question is, who gets to sit cross legged on the seat behind me!

[SpAmRaY]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.



Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me. 

Bro

Next time I'm round, we getting club sandwiches in that clubman!

Halvy can you even fit in that thing?

PS: Sweet ride mashby! Next time I'm through town I'll look for it.

Did you not see my car pics I posted earlier in the thread?
The real question is, who gets to sit cross legged on the seat behind me!

Doh! I did see that little guy playing in the snow.

[HoffmanMyster]

The only place the new Mini is small, is inside.

Unless you're a person trying to sit in it.    I still haven't found a vehicle that I fit more comfortably in than a new Mini.

For storage, sure, it's tiny.

[mashby]

I'm going to be that guy.

It looks like it needs tires...

They're not new, but it looks like they a plenty of life in them... for now.

Is it something you're seeing specifically?

[HoffmanMyster]

I'm going to be that guy.

It looks like it needs tires...

They're not new, but it looks like they a plenty of life in them... for now.

Is it something you're seeing specifically?

They do look really smooth in the picture.

[mashby]

I'm going to be that guy.

It looks like it needs tires...

They're not new, but it looks like they a plenty of life in them... for now.

Is it something you're seeing specifically?

They do look really smooth in the picture.

I think that's just the shot. Lots of tread there, but I'm working it off quickly. LOL!

[dustinhxc]

After about a month of research and scouring the earth, I came across a deal that I simply couldn't pass up.  Saturday night, I bought a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman in Pepper White with 63,000 miles on it. It's a six-speed manual and a ton of fun to drive.

Show Image

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. This thread was a ton-o-fun for me.  :-*

Clubman S very cool! The rear doors look sweet on those!  :thumb: Congrats!

[mashby]

Took my Mini into the shop last week for an oil change and general inspection. $1,500 later she's in tip-top shape. Sucks to have to pay that much, but the two things that needed fixing were necessary. What also needed fixing was my tires. Kudos to you TJ for the eagle eye! 

It wasn't until I turned the wheels out wide that I could see the inside treads were the ones that were super low. You can see the belt low.  Ordered a set of Nitto NeoGen 205 /50 R16 91V XL BSW and I'll have them installed on Thursday.

Sucks having to spend 2k after just buying a used car, but I knew there were going to be some repairs necessary and it's my fault for not inspecting the tires closer.