Hey folks,

My name is Mike and I'm 24. I live in Orlando, Florida and I'm a one-year-old college grad working in the military simulation field. I've had my first car, a Scion xA, since it came out in 2004. Over the years, I've done quite a few mods, mostly bolt-on. The suspension, wheels/tires, peppy acceleration...I just want to hug it to show how much I love it.

I love my car, but I've been thinking about a transportation upgrade. I tend to think about buying a new car when I'm not driving. However, when I get into my car and drive, I have second thoughts about buying a new one.

One car I've been thinking about buying is a Mini Cooper S. Yes, I'm finally getting to it! I'm guessing R56 is the new chassis code. I built one on Mini's website and it came out to just under $28k. This was my "no-holds-barred" setup. I'm sure I could do without the Cold Climate package in Florida, but those powerfold mirrors are so cool! I want to find out what options should be dealer-installed at purchase and which I can install myself...

I'm not in any rush to buy a new car, but I'll definitely want to be more knowledgeable than the salesman before I put my money down. So I hope you don't mind me lurking around the forum and asking questions when curious.

Thanks!

 

Welcome aboard. At one year old, you're way too young to drive a MINI.

 

Welcome! It's true that you don't need the cold climate package in FL, but it is cool! I had it on my 1st MINI and I am in NC....as I am a little impatient and didn't order my new MINI, just picked it off the lot, it didn't come with that package. I miss it! Cold leather on your butt in the winter is not fun! Hope you find the MINI of your dreams

 

Welcome to NAM - you can spend hours in the configuration menu playing around!

 

Welcome. I'm also a current Scion driver. I'm going from a 2006 scion tC to a MCS. I was never really interested in the minis, until i test drove one with my fiance (he's been wanting one for a couple years). We ended up ordering 2! I really like the go-cart feel and responsiveness of the Mini.

 

Put up a list of options you are thinking about and we can give you a better idea of what is what and how the process goes.

Welcome to forums good luck holding off buying.

 

I too felt that I was betraying my current ride when I was lusting after and then building my Mini. It will get better. Now I just think that Greta is in hands that will appreciate her even more...the same way I now appreciate Bella, my Mini!

Anyway, one thing I would say to definitely get factory installed are the fog lamps. They are like $150 pre-build, but after market you're lucky if you can get them installed for under $500. I'd go for the primo suspension too - being able to drive manual, auto and sport when you please is well worth it. Plus with that you get the leather.

I'll also say this - once you've been bitten by the Mini bug, it is only a matter of time before you cave Good luck!

 

Thanks for the warm welcome, folks. I just got off the phone with my insurance company and they told me something I didn't want to hear. With my corporate discount, insuring a 2008 MCS is cheaper than insuring my xA.

As for options, I want to get all of the ones I want. I'd like to know which options are better off being purchased at the car's purchase. I'd also like to know which options I can purchase afterwards without penalty. My coworker said he paid $2100 for the JCW tuning kit for his 04 MCS, including installation. Is that normal?

AHHHHHH!

 

I'm just impressed that someone so young could have graduated college. Me... I was only in 3rd grade when I was one year old.

 

Make sure if you want LSD get now when you order!!!!!!!! thats the only thing I regret not getting!!!!!!!

 

I was surprised when my insurance company told me the same thing. Made my decision even easier....

 

Obviously Mike is not married (or old). I live in SoCal but I will never make the mistake of buying a car without heated seats again for I will not hear the end of it.....

My 2008 has the Cold Weather package.

 

WNR

Are you sure you don't mean WITHOUT heated seats? I have the CWP on my 04 S as well as my 7 Series BMW and really MISS it on my wife's RX-300. Great even here in So. Cal and I would always order it on something new.. Wonderful back relaxation before and after a round of golf, on a long run, etc.

When going out to lunch at the office with the ladies, they always wanted to take MY car since they LOVED the seats.

Jim

 

Don't underestimate the power of the heated seats! My dealer kept trying to convince me to take a MINI on the lot without heated seats. That was the ONE option I wasn't willing to budge on. Well... heated seats and black stripes.

 

pretty much everything is a pain to add on after the fact. If your going to do suspension and wheels like a lot of folks do I would leave off the sport package and just add the xenons individually. the color line interiors you can do a vinyl overlay after the fact, but to order the parts and do it right is way more expensive. Any stripes you want on the car you can wait on and do yourself, you will also have more options that way.... what exactly are you wanting to order? that would make it easier for us to explain whether or not to order it or add it after the fact...

 

Opps - yeah "without"

 

you can do all the upgrades yourself. but for warranty reasons i would suggest you get the LSD done ahead of time. as far as the JCW package, its alot of fun to do yourself but again the engine parts might want to be done by the dealer for warranty reasons again. as long as your dealer is cool you can definitely do the rest. the suspension mods the sway bar the Cold Air intake and all the others. if you are going to upgrade the internals i would just order it that way. p.s. the aero kit was a ***** to install on my friends. read the threads on here are very helpful. thats why i joined.

 

I actually went to the dealership this morning to take the Coopers for a test-drive. They had a Clubman, but the sales rep said I couldn't test-drive it until the 16th. I took the Cooper for a spin and I was impressed by the peppy acceleration. Afterwards, I tried out the Cooper S. I fell in love with the Cooper S's extra power. The handling was great in both cars. Is the suspension and steering the same between both cars?

Some issues I had include the pedal placement and shifter. In both cars, I felt the gas/brake pedal were positioned a bit close to each other. I had on a pair of casual dress shoes and I could feel the brake pedal on the side of my foot while driving. Anyone else find this to be an issue? Also, maybe I'm just used to the short shifter and upgraded shift linkage bushings in my xA, but both Coopers' shifters felt marshmallowy. It reminded me of my stock xA's shifter. I like my shifts direct...maybe even a little notchy.

Overall, I'm sold on a Cooper S. Though, if I want to save some money, I would still be happy with a regular Cooper. Now my problems include color choice, options, and the 2008 JCW MCS. I'll probably head back to the dealer sometime after the 16th to test-drive the Clubman and to evaluate the interior of the Cooper S...I totally forgot to do that.

Anyway, here is my "realistic" specs for a MCS:
Any input is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Michael,

Your build looks spot on for keeping the initial purchase price low. The only optional item which you might save money on is deciding to go with leather seats or not. My car is a 2006, heavily optioned (I bought it used and didn't spec it out) and I *really* like the cloth seats with heat that the previous owner chose. After being in leather seats for 20 years in various cars, it's funny that I'd strongly prefer the lower cost route. Leather is a perceived luxury and not as comfortable in cold and hot climates.

John

 

I also default to cloth. However, this time around, I want to go with the leather. This purchase is more of a "luxury" purchase than my previous "conservative boy racer" setup...

 

I just watched an old episode of FIVE's Fifth Gear (Series 10/Episode 4) with a review of the 2007 MCS. The reviewer said that the R53's transmission was notchy...and that the new R56's tranmission was "more sophisticated." I guess I might be in the minority.

In other news, I just talked to my sister in South Florida. She works for a big dealership network and said she might be able to get me a lower-than-MSRP on a MCS.

Also, here are some pics of my custom 2003 Mini Cooper S in Forza Motorsport 2:

 

Definitely go for the Cooper S! Let me know if you get one and we'll go for a drive one day.

 

Very cool. Is that the corkscrew at Laguna Seca?

 

The one and only.

 

The more I think about it, the more I want the JCW Tuning kit. Since it's just an intake, exhaust, and ECU...it shouldn't be a hard DIY install, right? I mean, pay $2100 +install or pay $1700 for the kit at Morrison Mini (NJ) and install it myself? I sure I'm competent enough to install it myself. What could go wrong with the install?