Hi,

I am purchasing a new car this fall and have narrowed it down between a Mini and VW.

I am really wanting the Mini
However I live in southern Indiana and the nearest dealer is either Nashville (2.5 hours away) or Indianapolis (3.75 hours away).

This makes it a little worrisome in buying one out of simple logistics if something goes wrong.


I have found a lot of answers to some basic questions here and I find the site helpful and easy to navigate.

I wish there was a section on helping newbies choosing between new models from actual owners.

I am still in the phase of deciding between a Cooper S and regular Cooper.

Slippy

 

Howdy Slippy! You really are the only person that can decide between a Cooper and a Cooper S. There is plenty of pep in the Cooper, but there is another beast hidden under the bonnet of the Cooper S. Both models share the same go-kart like ride. So it's all about what kind of power you are looking for. I'd suggest finding and S and an Non-S and taking both out for a test drive.

 

Thanks Jeremy,

I guess what I am wondering more in the differences is:
Is the regular Cooper power enough? Will it do just fine on interstate driving? If the S is just a matter of extra performance I can live without it. I am not a hot rodder and rarely exceed the speed limit. But I do not want to be underpowered on the highways around here.

Secondly, is there any reliability or unforseen situations with the S verses the regular Cooper? Is the "turbo" prone to more maintenance problems?

I would rather buy the regular Cooper and get the packages I want instead of buying the S and sacrificing some of the options available. On the flip side I would hate to get one and then realize I NEEDED the extra power.



I realize it is a personal decision, but listening to those who have went before me sure helps.

I have never drove a Mini BTW..

Slippy

 

The Cooper is plenty powerful enough. I've tracked mine up to about 120MPH. You can move from 40MPH-70MPH in no time at all, so coming off a ramp to highway speeds won't be a problem. The Cooper is less prone to problems then the Cooper S, because it has less stuff going on under the bonnet.

For some personalization. I bought my 2003 Cooper on Aug. 19th 2006. I am now in the final waiting game for my 2009 Cooper S Convertible (its at the dealer.) I loved my Cooper, but being a young male, the extra power is just too enticing .

 

I drove both regular and S before buying a 2009 S convertible. The convertible is heavier than the hardtop and I enjoyed the extra pull of the S.

The S really "squirts" from a lower speed to a higher speed effortlessly. It is worth it to me but the regular Cooper is no slouch.

I live in Atlanta and was able to rent a regular Cooper overnight to see if it was for me.

Drive them both. Accelerate onto the interstate and take it up some hills. I don't race but I enjoy the effortless acceleration of the S. Any turbocharged car has more to go wrong than a non turbo but it seems that MINI (BMW) has put alot of thought into proper design of the turbo unit.

To me it sounds like you would be happy with a regular MINI but I'd definitely drive both several times and not rush your decision. Happy motoring!!

 

Agree with other posters regarding Cooper vs Cooper S. You really need to try both out and figure which one is right for you.
In my case, I drive on the highway frequently and so acceleration on entrance ramps, etc were important to me. I still have my '98 Prelude and that was fine for daily commuting. I liked the acceleration from it. It has 200hp but is a bit heavier than the Cooper. In buying a new car, what was important to me was an upscale small car with decent horsepower, no larger length-wise compared to my Prelude, with an Auto transmission w/manual shifting option (since my spouse does not drive a manual) like my Prelude, enough room to transport boating gear and equal or preferably better gas mileage. Based on the above, I narrowed it down to the Volvo C30 and the Cooper S Clubman. The Cooper S about 172hp (Cooper w/~112hp) and the Volvo C30 - 227hp (and uses regular gas vs premium for the MINIs). Coming from a Prelude with 200hp...the Cooper S drove most similar to my Prelude and was fun to drive with more responsiveness than the C30, so I went that route.

I guess what makes this question for you so difficult is that since the dealer is so far away, you have not had a convenient chance to go for test drives. Then you could compare the two MINIs against what you are driving right now and see how each one stacks up. I guess you need to also ponder the difficulty of potential maintenance with a dealer that is located so far away versus potentially buying a different car (ie the VW) that I suspect has a dealership muct closer. This is a difficult decision but there are others on this Forum that have indeed sought out and bought MINIs from dealerships also not in their backyards. This is not necessarily what many others would do and for many may be a decision point on whether to get a MINI or not. In my case, I had to ponder getting a MINI from a dealership that is about 35-40 minutes away versus other cars with dealerships and other facilities that are within 10 minutes away......and I thought I had a difficult decision !!! But I am happy with my MINI and now w/4700 miles and no defects or mtn concerns from day one, I have not had to go back.

Good luck with your decision(s) !

 

Well i have a 09 Just a Cooper Automatic Trans and love it ! I test drove both and extra power did not matter to me . I have almost 5000 miles on mine now . Have been back to dealership once because of window problem and comsiline problem oozing wax like stuff out under the bonnet . They put it on all Mini;s to ship them to the states from england it helps with rust from sea water i think . Im getting 37 mpg now with my Cooper with Auto trans wow !With stick you would get better mpg ! I have a little lagg when i hit the gas peddle but its fast ! Now that engine has broken in a little for me its sweet ! I play golf and have back seats down all the time to haul my golf clubs around with me . I have enough room for everything ! Twisty roads are a blast ! Consumer Reports did it for me 09 issue . Good rating from them ! Interstate driving very nice and lots of power to rumble past them 18 wheelers ! Overall im very pleased with my new Mini Cooper . My Wife owns a Honda E but she is always getting my keys and making a run to the store with my Mini LOL ! Test Drive and see . Good Luck !

 

Thanks very much for all the kind replies.
My two teenage sons and myself went to a local dealership where I bought my F150 new at in 2002.
They had a 2005 Cooper, not the S. Five speed manual. This was my first drive in one.
I liked it. With the three of us it had plenty room. (we are not big guys)
I took it out on the interstate where the speed limit is 60 but regular traffic is always traveling 70.
I liked the vehicle, I liked it alot however the power was just not enough for me. I need to seek out a S and try one.
The leatherette seating was nice and comfortable. The fit and finish was nice. The instrumentation did not bother me as some I read are on about.
I will say it was a blast to zip around in and if I was just a city driver I think it would be great, but I live out in the country and travel the country highways and interstate mostly so I will keep looking.
I am going to look at the Volvo C30 also and the GTI. We have a local dealer for these. I am not sure it would make a difference as far as having to drive to Nashville with the Cooper but it is a consideration.

 

The Volvo C30 was of interest to me because of the reasons i stated in my above posting. But it a bit sedate looking. From the front seats up it is like many other Volvos. The rear is stylish as it has been redesigned/designed specifically for the C30 but for some, they may not care for that styling. For me, it was okay but from the outside, looking into the rear hatch it is a bit too open for me being able to see all the way up front. Visibility-wise, it's fine but just a too open and you would want a security/cover for the hatch area as everyone cane see clear though it. The Volvo C30 has the most comfortable seats and with the weight and 227hp motor, it would be tops on long drives. It is faster to get from point A to B than the Cooper S but it's the way you get to Point B. The C30 does not like to be driven fast from the start, it is not as responsive as the Cooper S. The Copper S is way more fun to drive as the C30 is a bit sedate. It does not get as good gas mileage as the Cooper S but it uses regular fuel so that offsets the difference a bit. My impression is that Volvos arer safe, dependable transportation, engines supposedly last a long time just not as peppy. The automatic w/manual sport shift, the sport shift reacts very slow. Comparing the manual mode on my Prelude to the Cooper S to the C30, the C30 switches gears in manual mode very slowly and not to my liking for how i would use it when I would use it. Actually my Prelude manual mode is quicker to respond than the Cooper S and my Prelude is a '98 ! I think this has to do more with the size of the engine as the prelude has a 2.2Liter compared to the Cooper S with 1.6Liter. When switching via manual mode, the Prelude's engine helps to slow up the car faster and so when in bumper to bumper traffic and moving up and braking, my Prelude i manual mode minimizes the braking significantly. But not everyone even uses the manual mode that much and if you get a manual shifting Cooper S well then you are not even compariing the manual mode **** on an automatic so it's not even a consideration. OH ! it is likely you will get a break on the price on the Volvo C30 if it does turn out to be of interest to you but compared to the GTI and the Cooper S, the Volvo C30 ...my impression is you are looking for something a bit different than a small sporty, zippy handling car. It's really what is right for you at this time.

I think you have a good short list of cars to check out. Good luck with the decision-making.

 

I am 250 miles from both the St. Louis and Chicago dealerships, and was worried about the distance when I bought my first MINI. I had two instances where my 2007 MCSm had a frozen throttle in below-zero weather, and was barely drivable. I phoned MINI Roadside Service, and, without hesitation, they sent a flatbed to take my MINI to the dealership. They also paid for a rental car while my MINI was in the shop.

If that kind of service allays your fears, then please do as the others have suggested, and take a few test drives. My 2009 MCCm has enough power for cruising at 75 all day long, and for negotiating freeway entrances. My 2007 MCSm was even better -- and more fun to punch occasionally. Only you can decide what is best for you.

The turbo is likely to have more problems than the normally aspirated, just by the nature of turbos -- more stress on the parts, more parts.

 

VW GTI all the way!
Dealership in your City is cherry on top.
But Test Drive is best.

 

Thanks again to all who replied.
I have made my decision to go with a Mini.

The Volvo and VW are great and I do like them, but they are just not going to make me grin quite like the Mini. The community and the ability to make it "unique" are what sets it apart..and ok I am abit of an Anglofile

I will take future posts on particulars in the proper forum from here.

Thanks gain,

Slippy

 

Slippy,

I know what you mean. Once I caught the MINI bug it just grew and grew. I had a perfectly good BMW 3 series convertible with only 45k miles that I had for 9 years and I sold it to get the MINI convertible. I was concerned that I was having a passing mid-life crisis and must have test driven the MINI S convertible 4 or 5 times before I ordered one. I drove a non S once - plenty of power for the sane but I fell in love with the turbo.

Everytime I drove the MINI I loved it but still fretted over selling my beloved 3 series. Once I picked up the new MINI I was oh, about a mile up the road before all my second guessing was over. I have about 1,300 miles on the MINI and still look for excuses to drive like it just like I did when I got my first car at 16 years old.

It is hard to explain the attraction of the MINI and I have owned many wonderful sports cars over the years including several Fiat 124 spyders (including a rare turbo), turbo Mazda RX-7, and various BMW's but the MINI is the most fun of all. It is just so darn eager to play that it makes a mundane trip to the gas station fun.

Congrats on your decision!! Now is it going to be an S or regular?

 

Going with the S for sure..just not too certain if I will wait for the 2010 or not....
I could get by with the regular Cooper but would always have the "what if" about not getting the S. Plus at 43, why not! The price difference is negligible.

Still would like to hear more about peoples expirience with long term issues with the turbo to have a clearer idea of what I am getting into.

My next dilema is weighing the packages, I will go to the proper forum for that!
Please follow to continue the discussion!!
Slippy

 

Options are just that. They are nice to have but you mostly can do without. Having said that...I went with 3 optional packages. I never had leather seats before, so i went that route and got the premium leather. Those that have gone with the cloth seats have indicated they are fine as well....so, once again, a personal choice. One thing though, if considering leather seats, rcmd sit in a MINI with each leather option. The seat contour along the hips is a bit different with each. The standard leather is a more sport type seat and the sides come up a bit more than with the premium leather seat. Depending on how wide the butt....may find the premium leather a more comfortable fit....but you then pay about $1000 more for going with the premium one....which may then get you back to thinking cloth seats and saving...about $2K.

I would highly recommend the steering wheel option w/cruise control and radio control. If you are one that likes to sample various radio stations, doing that on the radio panel is tiring for the hand/arm hanging in mid-air but a piece of cake if on the steering wheel. Same goes for lowering the volume when at a traffic light or getting off the highway - very easy with controls on the steering wheel.

 

I've enjoyed reading this thread as I, too, got the bug late last year and ended up with a Clubbie S with most of the trinkets. The leather seats are very good and I do enjoy the controls on the steering wheel. I also like the spoiler which, in my opinion, really compliments the rear end of the Clubbie. I just wish the OEM brakes were not so dusty...it took some effort on my part but I convinced my wife that I could not tolerate the dust any longer...last week I installed Carbo Tech Bobcats...wow...dramatic reduction in brake pad dust! Go for it!

 

I think this is a great thread also, this sight is very friendly. Another reason to like a Mini. The community seems very strong.

My quandries now are which actual performance options are best for the S (and what is the abbreviation for a Mini Cooper S?)



Dynamic Traction Control

Limited Slip Differential

Strut Brace

Things I am getting for sure are:

Winter package
Lumbar support seat ( I have a back injury, this is a must )
Upgraded steering wheel for cruise control
Rear fog lamps
Front driving lamps (I am a country dweller and drive in low lying river areas so this is a must too)

Still contemplating my iPhone issue...I listen to iPod only. I also would like to get the confort access system.

So the convenience package MAY be worth it.


No sunroof for me thank you!

And oh yeah..the map light!

I have decided to contact aftermarket vendors for the stereo and the wheels. I feel this will save quite alot allwowing me to comfortably get an S model.