Reply With QuoteHey, I thought this was a Civic/RSX/S2k/RX8 forum?!
Why not ring up metroplexmini.org?
Mini Cooper
I know a few of you kids have Mini's how do you like them?? Any problems or issues with them??
What's your thoughts on the '07 hardtop??? Looks like the '07 convertible is a carry over from '06.
TIA
Hey, I thought this was a Civic/RSX/S2k/RX8 forum?!
Why not ring up metroplexmini.org?
Last edited by redmenace; 12-12-2006 at 08:44 AM. Reason: *honk*
Send a note to mvalant...he's a Mini owner on the board.
MadMerv is also a Mini owner (2005, I think)...
--
Dave"Opinions are like
..."
Nice!Originally Posted by redmenace
Hey, I thought this was a Civic/RSX/S2k/RX8 forum?!
Why not ring up metroplexmini.org?
Thought I ask folks I know first, but I am already a lurker at http://www.metroplexmini.org/
2007 tin top is all new. The engine is no longer the Brazilian Chrysler lump, but is instead the product of joint development between BMW and Peugeot (which will use it in several cars). The hood scoop on the Cooper S is now fake, since the turbo doesn't need it.
Early reviews are quite positive. I think the interior remains a weak point. There is almost no cargo space with the rear seats up. The dinner plate central speedo is ridiculous, and the US won't even get the good Euro sport seats, but if ya got the, the Mini seems like a great choice.
If I were going to drop close to 30 large on a BMW hatchback, I'd wait until they give us the 1-Series.
S.
I test drove an 03 Cooper back in May, it had a whiney power steering pump, it sounded like an old Ford truck.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague longing for something salty" - Peter Egan
The Mini is a close to a BMW as the wife will get she is not a BMW fan, don't know why and I don't care. The center Speedo seem odd but I guess it's a mini thing, better than a bi-level space invader looking setup.
blackzx3_13 good to know I was thinking about looking at some preowned Minis to see how they hold up.
The only thing I’d be concerned about is the fact that you’d be buying the first year of a new model. There are a lot of carryover parts, but the drivetrain is all new and unproven. Do you want to be the guinea pig?
That said, I like the Mini Cooper. I almost bought an ’06 S instead of the RX-8, but with a new model on the horizon and me looking for a car that would be competitive for a few years, I decided not to.
Has Vivid ever driven an RX-8? Maybe you guys should stop by Hiley this weekend…
What about an NC? While they’re a little softer around the edges than the NA or NB, they’d make a much more civilized daily driver imho, especially in PRHT form.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Screw the naysayers, buy the car already.
Perhaps better looking, but much less functional. Whoever thought it was a good idea to make somebody look down and to the right to check their speed wasn't thinking clearly. The Civic's set-up puts the speedo a fraction below your line of sight, where it's easy see without taking your eyes off the road. The design is, as you correctly point out, a little loopy, but it works great.better than a bi-level space invader looking setup.
If the wife wants a Mini she's gonna get one. No Civic Si or RX-8 will do. The Mini bug is powerful. Is she getting the Cooper or the Cooper S? Rumor has it the new Cooper will crack 40mpg on the freeway. Oh, wait, we're not supposed to talk about gas mileage here.
S.
The one I test drove was still very fun to drive, and the Mini itself still ranks pretty high up on my cars I'd like to own list. I didn't really notice the speedometer, I was watching the tach the whole time. Its right up front where it belongs.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague longing for something salty" - Peter Egan
The Convertible Mini is winning in early voting, so I guess we wouldn't be a first year guinea pig.The only thing I’d be concerned about is the fact that you’d be buying the first year of a new model. There are a lot of carryover parts, but the drivetrain is all new and unproven. Do you want to be the guinea pig?
That said, I like the Mini Cooper. I almost bought an ’06 S instead of the RX-8, but with a new model on the horizon and me looking for a car that would be competitive for a few years, I decided not to.
Has Vivid ever driven an RX-8? Maybe you guys should stop by Hiley this weekend…
What about an NC? While they’re a little softer around the edges than the NA or NB, they’d make a much more civilized daily driver imho, especially in PRHT form.
We don't like the RX8 and aren't keen on many of the people who own them.
The NC doesn't offer a spot for the kid, we have done the 2 seater thing a few times in our past with the Vette, TR6, and the 3 Miatas. We are looking for a more family oriented sports car.
You're sure she can't wait for that 1-Series?
S.
Let's review
You're sure she can't wait for that 1-Series?
S.
Actually, it is Shelley's Mini...................she loves it. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. It's just NOT a Miata!
Does this mean that VIVID (the car) might be up for sale?????????
Last edited by MadMerv; 12-12-2006 at 10:24 AM.
Meh. A $40k "hatchback" that has less rear seat space than my car just doesn't seem that appealing. I think the 1 Series is going to end up like the X3 in the States - not a terrible failure, but not exactly a success, either. It's another Bangle-ized answer to a question no one was asking.
You're sure she can't wait for that 1-Series?
S.
Personally, if I had to spend $35k on something with a roundel on the nose, it'd be a used E46 M3 or E46 330i ZHP, but that's just me.
Last edited by altiain; 12-12-2006 at 10:38 AM.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
What about a $30k hatchback, this one also lacking any space behind the rear seat?
If the 1-Series were $40k, then I would agree with you that the 3-Series is the obvious choice. If they brought a 135i here, even in basic trim, for $32k-ish it would be an appealing choice (to me, but as we all know, I'm weird).
S.
More space in it than a 2002 Miata.
Well Merv any issues with Shelley's car??
I wouldn't pay $30k for a hatchback either. Heck, I was too cheap to pay the ~$23k for an '06 Cooper S optioned the way I wanted it, so I paid $20k for a low mileage RX-8 with $5k of extra goodies instead.
The cheapest current "real" BMW (a zero-option 328i sedan) starts above $32k. That's the one with the vinyl seats and 16" wheels.I highly doubt that the 1 Series with the uplevel 3.0L turbo engine will be available here for that price. You could probably build one reasonably well equipped with the base engine for that price, but with the 300hp variant? Fuggedaboudit.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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