oh my god theres no comparison. if your lookin to go buy bread and milk get the mini. if you wanna have fun every time you get in the car, you gotta have the ssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Who said you can't have fun getting bread and milk

 

To S or not ...

See http://www.gbmini.net/sales.shtml

The public has spoken ... MC wins.

 

too bad everything in the MINI world is S biased!

 

S is "winning" for 2005 on that site...

 

So far for 2005.

For a more definitive look at all US sales over the years see
http://myfilelocker.comcast.net/fdmeloan/MINI_Sales.pdf

Not sure if there is a trend there or not BUT clearly, MCS has ~47% of sales and MC ~53% ... a HUGE margin, at least in presidential elections.

If you look at International Sales ...

"In the first two months of 2005, the rise in sales is 9.0% to 30,554 units (prev.yr.: 28,034). The product mix and level of equipment remain at a high level: the best-seller is the MINI Cooper, with 45% of sales (13,828), followed by the basic MINI One (30%/9,253).
The top-of-the-range MINI Cooper S accounts for 25% of sales (7,473)"

http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cfm/newsid/2050308.017/bmw/1.html

No contest ... S in minority by far.

Bottom line, there are FAR more MC owners than MCS owners in the world.

 

I am glad I am able to unsubscribe from this thread because it's really become stupid.

 

This is really dumb... How does the MC win? Let's see, Ford sold way more pinto's so it's really the winner!
What a loser Ferrari is! They hardly sell any cars!

Maybe the MC sells more because its more affordable. Maybe MC buyers are just cheap skates..

Give me a break... this thread is getting really stupid.
The MCS is the flagship mini. It is designed to be faster and has more options and performance parts.
People who want more basic transportation and dont need the extra power and added cost will most likely choose the MC and be content. The rest of the speed junkies will most likely choose a MCS. Both cars are designed to be enjoyable at different levels. Buy which one suits your needs and enjoy..

 

i've really gotta stop looking in this thread, i'm getting sick of all the ignorance in the room......

 

BMW/MINI actually predicted only 1/3 of MINI buyers would want the S. That's why there was such a shortage of MCSs the initial year when Coopers were readily available. That may also be why they put what seems like $6k worth of extra stuff in the S and only charged $3k more for it. IMO, the biggest advantage the S has is all the extra "stuff" for only $3k. There aren't a whole lot of "upgrade" bargains like that in the automotive world.

 

Lets see.

More MCs sold than any other model world wide,
MCS only 25%

Therefore, in terms of the best selling model, the MC wins. Yes, I know this forum is full of speed junkies but it appears that in the real world, they are the minority (vocal as it may be).

do the math

 

So far in 2005, 52.5% of MINIs sold in the US have been Cooper S models

Source: http://myfilelocker.comcast.net/fdmeloan/MINI_Sales.pdf

 

Ok, one - why do I care what percentage of Coopers vs S are sold in Asia? And anywhere else for that matter?

Second - the MINI One is available outside of the US so the Cooper is actually the MIDDLE model. Thus like most things with 3 models or levels, the middle one is the most popular. If not, there is probably something very wrong with the market research.

 

You can add 1 & 2 to an MC--I bought my 2003 MC configured with SS and Sport Seats (didn't think SS+ was desirable for a daily driver)
#7, my 5 speed is just fine--I use mostly 3rd and 4th anyways--keep the revs up for quick acceleration.
#8 & #9 option--I got white 5 Star Alloys with runflats for no charge. These aren't heavy wheels--not exactly light, but not that heavy either.

Anyhow, I'd say get the S as well. I love my Cooper and am perfectly happy with it. You won't know if you like to Mod until you've owned a MINI for awhile. I grew into it over time. I still don't want an S, but my modified Cooper (exhaust, intake, ecu) is plenty fast and I stay hot on the tails of S's and JCW's in the canyons--where it comes down more to driver skill than pure horsepower.

Coopers also require a different driving technique. If the sound of an intake and exhaust are music to your ears, then downshifting for more power isn't a disadvantage. I don't miss the Supercharger whine.

If I were to buy another MINI today, I'd probably want a barebones S---no sunroof, leatherette, no nav, no runflats, but I intend to keep my MC forever or as close to forever as possible.

Richard

 

It's a little known fact that the MCS accelerator pedal is made entirely out of lead and that under the floorboard is actually a high-tech gravity well generator powered entirely by dilythium crystals. This is where the real cost difference comes from. Only sheer psychic willpower is able to keep the accelerator from contact with the floor during normal operation.

I strongly urge any prospective MCS buyers to spend several weeks meditating and improving their powers with The Force before attempt to drive the vehicle. Also, the MCS has been known to automatically apply brakes when a traffic light is detected to be turning yellow, if there's any chance it can be at the front of the pack when it turns back to green, at which time the gravity well generator will be recieving maximum power.

I'm just saying that there are many other tricky factors to think about when considering an MCS rather than an MC. The truth is out there!

 

... Please step through...

 

Both the Cooper and the Cooper S look cool when setup right. Look at these two cars:


Both are VERY different, but VERY cool. It pretty much depends on how much you want to spend.

 

Look, Most 1960's Mustangs were ordered with 289's and 302's once they were available, but there were other much bigger motors out there to choose from. However, they had some bigger $$$$ attached to them too. Just like most of the old Mopars could have had 440's or 426 Hemi's in them but didn't because people couldn't or wouldn't shell out the extra cash. Just like now the "S" costs more than the Cooper. Plus there are also many Women buyers out there that aren't as performance minded as men might be. How many women do you see on the road in Z28's or Mustang GT's not many... How many in the 6 cyliinder versions? TONS! It's all about money or your sex... There are plenty of you that will disagree with me and that's fine. It's your opinion, but lets not start throwing out insults... Just because you have a different opinion than someone else doesn't make the other person less intelligent. That form of argument is really cliche and tired.

 

Seems to me comes down to priorities - I know how you feel - I've delayed ordering my Mini over just this issue. I think that if: 1) fuel economy is a priority; 2) you have a long commute and 3) either by limitations of the road you travel or your own inclination you aren't going to drive that hard, the MC is really attractive - keep it light weight, maybe add a rear sway bar and good looking, light-weight wheels, and enjoy the same overal "Mini-ness," great handling, over 30 mpg and quite decent acceleration. As for all the strengthened engine internals - fine, just realize that they're there due to the additional stress from the forced induction. I doubt that the S engine is going to be any more durable given the same maintenance. But if you want a fast car (as opposed to a quick car), don't mind getting quite a bit fewer miles out of each increasingly expensive gallon of gas, are inclined to race away from stoplights, and like torque at low revs - Go for the S if you can afford it.

 

and everytime you look at it you are being a part of it

 

I agree completely. For those of us who are enthusiasts and choose to drive a Cooper, it's because we simply like the car. Frankly, I just don't get the whole "go fast" thing....musta passed me by somehow. My old Spitfire was quick and nible, but not particularly fast. Some frightfully good motoring though.

Automakers are throwing more powerful engines around like candy these days...even though the overall balance of the car may be crap. It's a non-starter, imo. To me, if you can't have a really rewarding, exhilerating motoring experience and still stay well within the law....that's just lame. Join the space program. Again, that's just me.

Getting +32 mpg is a big part of why I got a Cooper. It's an excellent daily driver, is quite capable, handles like a true MINI, is somewhat practical, AND is highly affordable. All that adds up to tons of fun...but perhaps of a different variety. The car balances so many of my driving priorities...and does it so blasted well...driving anything else, for me, would be less desirable...even a venerable MCS.

I do very much respect the wishes of those whose hobbies/passions include tracking and tuning their cars...we just have to remind ourselves, on occasion, that Minis are also very much about practical transport. That they offer a transcendent motoring experience at the same time is what legends are made of.

I'm delighted to see so many Cooper and MCS owners understand and embrace this reality.

 

Here's my two cents...

I'd love to see a track time comparison between a stock S and a Cooper with about $3500 (the price difference between a Cooper and an S) of suspension and brake work done to it. I know which car my bet would be on.

Sure, base to base the S is a better performing car. And with unlimited budgets, the S is a better performing car. But, there's a zone where they're pretty much the same, and perhaps the scale tips in an unexpected direction. Ignoring that between $17,000 and $20,000, the choice is clear (as there's no S available at that price).

It's funny how when comparing a MINI to pretty much anything else with more horsepower, the chorus chimes in with "it's not about power, it's about handling... wait until that next curve comes" but when comparing a Cooper to an S, it's all about power.

 

not exactly overwhelming, is it ...

 

Because you live in a global village?

 

Uh that's b/c in stock form (which is usually how comparisons work), the S not only has more power, but a better suspension also. So you're talking about two models of the same car. One has more power AND better handling. So which are you going to choose in a straight up comparison??? :smile: