Call me crazy. My wife and I tend to keep cars 8-10 years, alternating who's turn it is to get the new one. (When younger, it was 10 - it is getting closer to 8 now). I am next -- I have a 2004 Acura TL that I bought when we still had high-school aged kids around. Eyed 2-door/2-seaters but decided that would wait until they were out of the house. Well, they are both in grad school now....

Decided to attend the Auto Show to see what was up in cars since I last was shopping. My criteria (in no specific order) are:
1) Fun to drive
2) Good gas mileage
3) Decent storage for my hobby travels (I fly moderately large model rockets)
4) Something with a sticker in the mid-20's - would like to be out the door after tax & license with the total not starting with a "3" (Last two cars were in the upper 30's, and I would rather spend the extra on a nice trip.)

Was drawn to the MINI as my top choice. Thought about a Prius, test drove a CR-Z. Have gone MINI test driving twice - the first time with a Justa Auto and then an MCS Auto. The second time with a Justa Manual, MCS Manual and another try of the MCS Auto. (My wife doesn't drive a stick, but I find myself drawn to the manual versions as more fun to drive.)

Oh, and while it is only 7 years since the TL, my wife went 7 between her last two, so maybe that is ok?? My resale value for my TL is one year better!!

While the MCS would definitely max out the fun factor, it would get lower gas mileage, and it is hard to equip one out the way I want without the out-the-door price being closer to $31-32K. If I could be assured of getting the current incentive, I could do it -- but I have to custom order to get what I want. Then there is the tire costs, and possible higher repair costs.

So, on Saturday I plan to have a good, long test drive of a Justa Manual and Auto, and see if I find one or both zippy enough to satisfy my fun factor. I know those would get great mileage, and fit the pocket-book nicely.

But what color to get..... So many choices, on so many things. Having had only Hondas or Acuras for the past 28 years, I am not used to a brand with so many different variations. Yikes....

Ken

 

Welcome! And good luck with the purchase.

The MINI, whether a Cooper or Cooper S would certainly fit all your criteria... except maybe keeping the MCS under $30k, like you said.

Sounds like you've got the same problems a lot of us had... what model, color, options, etc to buy. You're right, with Honda, there are a handful of options, so most of them are very similar. With MINI, there are literally millions of different combos... so many that I've NEVER seen another MINI just like mine, even online... and I'm sure many others could say the same.

Again, good luck... trying to pick the perfect MINI is a good problem to have!

 

Got a justa manual on the 31st. I drove both the MCS and the justa before going with the justa. Maybe not quite as much fun to drive, but more reliable and lower monthly payments. I'm having a blast driving the new mini. I figure I'd just get a bunch of speeding tickets with the MCS anyway!

Good luck choosing!

 

Go with the Cooper manual but upgrade from the 15" tires/wheels to16". For very short money we upgraded our Cooper with the "S" chrome gas cap, spoiler and Black upper grille. All the looks of the "S" except for the hood scoop. Check out my gallery. I guaranty you will have a blast with the car.

 

When you have to replace your tires you need not replace them with the OEM runflat tires. You can buy your tires from a regular tire store and save a lot of money. Discount tire, Tire Kingdom, Sears, ETC. If you want runflats you can get them from a lot of different brands to choose from. I replaced mine with non run-flat Michelin's.

I think that was your biggest worry so it is not a worry at all.

Go to your dealer and see what they have in stock. You may be surprised to find one you can't live without.

You can also go to MiniUSA.com and look at dealer invantories to find a car with what you want on it.

 

I got my 2010 MCS used with one 7500 on the clock for $21K so you can definitely find them slightly used for way under 30.

 

Wow! We are almost in the the same exact situation, other than the kids.

I have an 05 TL with 90K miles on it and everything is starting to need to be repaired. So I decided to move on and get a new car rather than throw $2-3K more into the old TL. And like you, I've had Hondas/Acuras for the last 21 years - 85 Accord, 93 Integra, 97 CL, 05 TL, 07 S2000. This will be my first non-Honda/Acura daily driver since 1990. Scary! Still have the S2000 for the weekends though.

My '11 JCW just got into port a few days back, so I should have it in a week or two. I think the choices and wait time are worth it...loved driving the car. I think you'll really enjoy it...I know I can't wait to get my hands on mine!

In regards to your choices - definitely get at least an MCS...plus you can always do a nice and easy power upgrade with the ALTA AccessPORT ECU flash updater for the pre-2011 MCS models. On the older MCS, I think the upgrade produces 20-30hp more...at least it's something to think about. I think the 2011 MCS AccessPORT is not out yet due to the upgraded engine/ecu.

 

I would respectfully suggest that you might combine your hobbies...

Just a thought.

Cheers,

Charlie

http://www.vidmax.com/video/2827/Roc...f_of_ski_jump/

 

Thanks for the warm welcome and many suggestions. In general, I tend to buy new vehicles, and always wrestle with how well the original owner took care of the engine of a slightly used car. Also, I tend to be a bit of a techie geek (I am an engineer) so I find myself drawn to some of the new features of the newer models.

I have three main requirements leading me to custom ordering:
1) MINI Connected with Nav (have had Nav on our last three vehicles and have come to depend on it regularly)
2) Heated Seats (I live in MN, and have gotten addicted to them in my Acura)
3) Xenon lights (ditto on the Acura addiction)

Those three requirements pretty much pull up goose eggs when my MA did a search for any MC/MCS Auto/Manual that could be pulled in before the end of April. (I have lots of other things I want, of course). The only one that matched was loaded with $2K of leather/interior trim I did not want.

(Tomorrow I will be checking out a MINI Countryman that just came in to my dealer with the Nav system on it. That will give me my first chance to really play with it, and if I find it sucks compared to the Honda/Acura Navs I am used to, I might drop that as a requirement, which would change the landscape considerably.)

rimtnbiker - I have been running separate snows on their own rims for my TL. I have debated on getting the 15" stock set and ultimately putting snows on them, then getting 16" or 17" rims with summer tires on them later (TireRack!). MN has long, snowy winters.

Is the black upper grill a factory option, or something they do at the dealer? I don't see it in the Configurator.

I had read some threads in the tire section about people doing this, and it would be my path if I went MCS. But, I would want to invest in a Slime kit, and a small spare to throw in for those times I would be on long trips (keep it out of the back for commuting) -- figure there would be an extra $500 in things to buy to deal with the "no spare" issue.

My real worries on the MCS option are:
1) Gas mileage -- I have read through multiple threads on this here, and the info is all over the map. There are MCS drivers who regularly get MPGs in the 20's who swear they don't drive leadfoot. My TL gets just under 24MPG. If I buy something that is still in the 20's, with $4 gas going to $6+ before I get rid of this car (and it will with all of the growth demands of China, India and Brazil), I would be really annoyed. The folks who regularly report MPGs north of 35 are MC owners.

2) Maintenance -- the reports of repair needs well before 100,000 miles seem to be more MCS concentrated. Consumer Reports says the MC is "Average" and MCS is "Much below average" in repair costs/reliability. I am coming from years of cars which are "Much above average" in those rating (and my experience with them correlated with that pretty precisely). If I got an MCS, I would be sorely tempted to buy my first ever extended warranty - quoted in the $2500-2800 range. Ouch!

I have tried this and found the tool to be far less than satisfying. Many of the dealers don't load in the options that are on a vehicle and use "generic" photos. I have found having my MA search the computer to be more complete.

Have to pose that one to the club. We have the weather for it!

 

I definitely agree on #2 & #3.

Re: #1, I got the MINI Connected...but no NAV. I can't stand the Acura NAV - maps work fine, but I find the rest of the interface is terrible. Plus the DVD/program upgrades are pricey.

Instead, I'm going to try out a Garmin unit (either the 1490LMT or 3790LMT - free lifetime updates on maps and live traffic updates) with the EcoRoute HD option (which is the equivalent of an ODBII scanner).

Check out these threads for more info if you're so inclined:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...e-options.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...creen-gps.html

 

I have been reasonably happy with the Acura Nav. Except for the slow initial boot, the screen is sharp and clear (nice fine text so that the smaller roads show up when driving in a neighborhood of closely spaced roads), and routing/re-routing is good. Mine pre-dates integrated traffic, which I would love to have if done well. I guess my main complaint is difficulty finding places by name -- they parse phone book listings, I think, so common names can come up with lots of bad hits.

The integration of Google Local Search and Google send to car could solve that problem on MINI Connected with Nav.

I looked at the EcoRoute HD threads and on the Garmin site -- looks kind of cool. However, when I have played with some Garmin's in the store, I find their touch screen really, really sluggish. Trying to type text, or select an arrow is an exercise in frustration. It missed half of my attempts - kept having to press again, harder. Wonder how that would work when connected to a dash-arm?? And the maps on the screen were far less resolution than the Acura.

I also worry that I would have to put a Garmin away all of the time for "attractive nuisance" theft prevention. At least 1/2 (maybe more) of my Nav use is a quick pull up and check roads as I approach a destination. With integrated Nav, it is always right there. If I put away the Garmin, and have to take it out and set it up to check a map, I would miss doing that on an impulse. Would only do it if I had to stop when lost.

Are portable Navs safe to leave in the open in cars now days? (Their price has come down... but iPods still are causes of break-ins, and they aren't so expensive anymore).

 

Totally valid points - finding places on the Acura NAV almost never worked for me - Pain in the a$$. The rest of the system was fine.

Very good point about the security of an integrated system vs. portable unit & theft though...I guess the safety of the unit depends where you live or where you are going.

If the MINI system integrates Google search/maps, then that would be major reason to stick with that - other than cost.

Gotta think more about a Garmin unit now...

 

Adopted 2010 clubman. She was an"Executive Car", and had 3500miles. Got what was left of the New Car Warranty. I, too, being concerned about mpg, got the Justa Auto. She gets OVER 37mpg Ive never enjoyed driving so much. Now as for the fun factor the Justa has a "sport" button that causes her to respond close to the S model at slightly less mpg's...

The Clubman affords a bit extra room for backseat passengers and cargo, and is only 9.4" longer than the original. She was also fairly loaded, heated seats, xenon headlamps, front and rear fog lights, comfort access package, sport seats, lounge leather upholstery, premium package. But, alas no navi, but I already have a garmin, which sits nicely on the dash. Got out of showroom for just under 25. I feel I got a good deal on a great car!!

I would NEVER leave my Garmin in my unlocked car. My daughter had hers stolen out of her own driveway

 

Went to the dealership today with my custom order list and the plan to test drive a MC Manual and MC Auto, and then check out a Countryman they got in this week that has the Nav system on it.

I did the test drives. I could live quite happily with the performance of the MC Manual transmission. Spent about 1/2 hour driving it around - nice and peppy. (Yes, the MCS is peppier, but for what I do, the Justa has plenty of power.) I drove the Auto hoping to hate it so my decision would be clear. I didn't. It wasn't quite as peppy as the manual, but it wasn't bad at all. Sport mode helped at times. But it downshifts quickly when asked.

Would I regret more not having manual when driving fun turns, and wanting fast passing on the highway? Or will I regret more not having auto when I drive home in stop-and-go traffic? (Not an infrequent occurrence.)

Then I went to check out the nav system. Unfortunately, they sold that vehicle yesterday, so I couldn't drive it around. But my MA left me alone to play with it for as long as I wanted. My detailed review is over on the Nav thread I started - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...376-post3.html

But in a word, I absolutely hated it. When people complain about some of the ergonomic problems in the MINI, that Nav design should be Case 1. I ended up leaving the dealership without placing my order, as I am back to the drawing board about what I want. Can I live with an external nav unit that I have to put away and take out every time I want to use it (PITA!)? Or can I learn to live with an integrated nav that is really poorly designed? If I don't get the Nav, do I even want the MINI Connected feature?

Frustrating -- MINI Orderus Interuptus....

 

I had an '06 MCS for 5+years. Pretty well loaded except no NAV and no leather. I just got an '11 3 weeks ago(against my will)and got the NAV this time. I haven't played with it much, but as I've spent some time messing with it I'm learning to really like it. I did a google send to phone yesterday and that was cool, and worked very nicely. I had a Garmin that I used in my '06 and it was more intuitive, but I'm pretty sure I'll get the hang of this one. I never really use or need a NAV system so it's not something I really think about.
Personally I wouldn't have anything but a manual in a MINI, but I completely get that some people live in areas that make a manual out of the question. I live outside Atlanta and the days I have to spend in Buckhead in stop and go are not the most fun, but as it is only a few days a month I'm willing to tolerate the inconvenience of a clutch those days. I only drove an auto MINI for a few days when I got a convertible loaner, I was so distracted by the blind spots I paid no attention to the rest of the car . Plus it was January, what fun is a convertible in January .

Annette

 

Just got back from a 360-mile trip and averaged 43mpg, doing about 70 all highway. I have a standard base model MC.

Happy motorin' y'all

 

That's too bad.

Hopefully you can figure it out...maybe since it's a different system than you're used to, go back and ask an MA about your problems - maybe he can show you the answer to your issues? If not, i guess it depends on how important a NAV unit is. For me, it's not a necessity luckily. I can always use my iphone plus a purchased program in the worst case. Or none at all...paper maps FTW!

 

Wow, 43mpg! Awesome! BTW, love the color of your Mini! Lol

2010 HZB/ Clubman, fairly loaded, much loved

 

Not only will you save $$$$ but you can have lifetime map updates as well as Traffic information.

A Garmin 3760LMT has a built in speaker in the mount so you do not have to disconnect the wire when you remove it.

Get a gominigo.com bracket for a great installation that looks like it came from the Mini Factory.



Mine is a Garmin 350 with traffic and the power cord plugs into the mounting bracket so it is very easy to remove.

The 3760LMT is the same way and the mounting bracket also has a larger speaker in it so your blue tooth for your phone will sound much better. They also have a GPS 3790LMT that is voice activated.

There are two things I just do not want on my car are the automatic air conditioner & the Factory built in NAV system. (Personal Preference)

Another way to mount the Garmin is a cup holder mount.


You can see this one in my car before I got my Gominigo.com tach mount.



The cup holder mount is down & out of the way but still can be viwed. My GPS does speak street names and tells me when to turn Etc. so having it in the cup mount was not a problem at all.

That is my friend Mario riding shotgun.

 

Thanks!

 

Outstanding! Thanks for that reminder. I was discussion the pros and cons of MCS the base model with my wife. I was wondering how often I would use the extra power of the S (I found that for my commuting, the zip of the base model was more than adequate). I noted that one thing that would make me smile would be great mpg numbers at each fill. The higher gas goes, the bigger the smile.

 

I had the same dilemma. My MC has plenty of power for commuting to and from work. I got a pretty base model and it only cost me 20k at zero %. Even the base model has everything I need - cruise control, a/c, etc. I use a garmin for my GPS needs.

Good luck deciding but I think you'd be happy with the justa manual.

 

Adorable! We have cats - not so cooperative in the car.

 

Well, yesterday I placed my order. My local dealer was stuck at MSRP for custom order price, and ended up giving me a trade-in estimate that was at the bottom of what I thought was fair. So, I shot a query to every dealer that I would consider within "driving distance" (Omaha to Milwaukee). Ended up finding one dealer willing to offer $1000 off MSRP for a custom order, with any incentives available at time of delivery being additional off.

And they had allocation slots open the week after next.

So, I placed my order:
Mini Cooper Hardtop - Manual transmission
Velvet Silver/Black
Convenience Package
Performance Package
MINI Connected with Nav
Xenons, adaptable with washers
Heated Sport seats
Heated side mirrors with washers
Front/back fogs

Now the waiting has begun... Is it there yet? Is it there yet??

Not yet....

 

Congratulations on making the big decision

Familiar question: "Is it there yet?" I ordered my third MINI on March 17, and find that the waiting is just as nasty the third time as it was the first