Who has a mini?

[e34john]

What can you guys say about them. I've driven a few but not long enough to know if it owuld be something we want.

Basically my sister is needing a new car and we want something fuel efficient that can get us around on road trips and it has to hold more than 2 people. I know most coupes have small backs but I don't really care about the people bumming rides, they will suffer.

I really wanted a TSX just because it is great on gas and seems fast enough during the weekend I had one. Plus I would not bother wasting my money pimping that ride. We have always had german cars so I want to stick with BMW but theres nothing I like right now. Maybe I should go down to Mexico and bring back a 130i 5 door, that would be FTW!! DOn't know what they have for diesels I think it might just be the 4 cylinder 2.0

So anyone can comment? There is no way we are going to spend the money to get the Works but I was thinking the S isn't too expensive. Is it worth it over the regular, don't really care too much about speed in that car but we live in the land of 3 ton SUVs so I would like to get out of their ways when needed, and on trips with luggage etc. I dont know if the NA motor will cut it.

Or should we just get a used TSX for the half the price, maybe I can blow my motor on the way to shop for cars and she will give me some and I can do a S50 swap and she can just get a preowned.

I can't decide. The 1 will be too common, the 3 is pretty expensive for the options you get with the car, plus they aren't great on mileage.

Anyone have any other suggestions? TDI Jetta? Hybrid Escape? I don't know and this post is already way longer than any of you guys' attention span.

[e34john]

I also forgot about our Mini options. Worth it to go preowned? I dont know their reliability. She want a convertible but I dont know if it is worth it because the top with never ever be down after the first 2 weeks. I like the Clubman but they are probably charging a premium right now.

[Maluco]

show your tits!!!!

[ak96ss]

I have a 2004 Mini Cooper S - love the damned thing. It handles like a go-kart, decent power, good mileage. You are NOT going to get anyone in the back seat if you are over 5'5", though.

Once you get over the fact that it is front wheel drive, it is a hoot to drive.

[Hick]

not so true. a friend on mine has a 20XX Cooper S and i can sit in the back in good comfort being 6'1". They do handle great, the first day he got it he let me take it for a spin down some good roads along the river. Felt better than my E30 :(

[parkerbink]

We have an 07 Mini S. It is my Son's I like the way it looks, not so much the way it drives. The motor has a narrow power band. It is at the dealer right now, the cooling fan is blowing fuses causing it to overheat.

[ak96ss]

not so true. a friend on mine has a 20XX Cooper S and i can sit in the back in good comfort being 6'1". They do handle great, the first day he got it he let me take it for a spin down some good roads along the river. Felt better than my E30 :(

Perhaps I misspoke - if you (the driver or front seat passenger) are over 5'5", there is very limited room in the back seat. At 6'3", the back of the seat in mine is approximately 1/2" from the leading edge of the rear seat. No one sits behind me, not even my 5-year old.

And in all honesty, it does handle better than the E30. :(

[rodrigo]

I have driven a friend's a few times...fun car.
I prefer the original MKII Mini, though.

[PiercedE30]

Just hope you don't have to have a new clutch put in in the 6-speed models. We had to do that at the shop I work at. First one we did, and only one so far, we had to pull the motor just to get the transmission off.

[alexw]

They are fun to drive. I thought about getting one at one point.

Your best bet is to go drive each car you're thinking about buying...

And IMO Supercharger > Turbo*.


* when it comes to the mini.

[jflip2002]

135d this fall....

[backtrail69]

135d this fall....

Perfect car.

[Erick]

135d is coming? It's probably going to cost more than the 135i, and the diesel is more expensive than the gas. So how long do we have to drive until it pays itself off in savings? :p

[e34john]

I keep hearing rumors of the 135d. But that will be a lot of money Im guessing $40K. E46 M3s can be had with money left for a supercharger. But it would be cool to burn the tires spewing smoke of the exhaust of a three door. She doesn't need a car that can destroy my cars, since she already has that swagger.

Any opinions of the Clubman? Don't know if we need the extra length. I also hate the rear wipers there should be a mono wiper mod!

I drive the E30 with the seats all the way forward (5' 8") and the only rear seat passenger 90% of the time is my grade school sister. We will go check them out next weekend probably. I've driven one and it is nice, not as buzzy as the japanese econo cars. But it won't be my dialy so I'm not the one that will be going nuts driving up those long inclines. It is for my sister she doesn't know anything about driving/handling/torque etc.

[e34john]

They are fun to drive. I thought about getting one at one point.

Your best bet is to go drive each car you're thinking about buying...

And IMO Supercharger > Turbo*.


* when it comes to the mini.

Prefer a supercharger too. I was just on their site again. So the clubmanS are turbo and the regular S are supercharged?