I'm looking at a new car sometime in the next couple months. For the longest time I had been planning on a used 350Z or G35, but I was underwhelmed with the test drive and overwhelmed by the price tag. On a whim my buddy and I took an R56 Cooper S for a spin one day and had an absolute blast. My goodness that car is fun to drive, but of course you all know that.

And so I've narrowed my choices to a brand new MCS or a low mileage used Mazda RX-8. Very different cars, and I think both would put a smile on my face behind the wheel. Right now I drive a moderately modified Hyundai Tiburon GT. With the aftermarket suspension and high performance tires she handles like a dream, but I'm craving a manual transmission and a bit more pep under the hood.

I can probably pick up a really nice RX-8 for around $20-22k. The MCS I priced out was in the $27k range. So I need some convincing from you MINI owners out there that the extra money will be worthwhile. Thanks!

Brian

 

This has been talked to death in many threads. Bottom line is, if you love the MINI drive experience, there's only one car that offers it..... Good luck!

 

I can't. For me, the Mini is all about personal choice. Either you want it,..badly,...or you dunt(tm).

Good luck! Whatever decision you make should be the right one for you.

 

I couldn't do a better job of "selling" than you've already done.

 

Read the entire thread linked below, then ask yourself again...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=103380

 

As a rotary/Mazda nut, I can only say to test drive them. BTW, the RX-8's aren't selling as hotly right now. Supposedly the redesign isn't coming until 2010, so you can walk into a dealership and get a nicely optioned one for around $24k.

The RX-8 handles amazingly. The brakes are some of the best I've ever used. However, if fuel consumption is any sort of concern... stay away. Expect to see about 18mpg mixed driving. Also be aware that the rotary engine requires a little bit of different maintenance than you may be used to. They burn oil as part of their design (aiding lubrication of the apex seals) so you need to keep an eye on this. Most owners report about 1qt per 3k miles usage, but the oil metering pump is throttle-dependant. Give it more gas and it'll give more oil. The engine also requires one to be a little bit more diligent with oil changes. Every 3k, not 5k. All this is really no big deal, it is just a little different than what most people are used to.

Also, the RX-8s back seats are great. 4 adults easily fit in the car. So if you plan on carrying 3 or 4 people around often, it may be more for you... I've never tried putting 4 people in a MINI, but the RX-8's doors make getting in and out quite easy.

My answer is to test drive both. Both cars offer a lot of fun driving experiences.


Just thought I'd throw up some RX-8 info, since I know most of the other posts on this thread will contain all the MINI info he could ask for (and maybe some he didn't )

 

They are small in size but have big hearts. Buy one.

There ...is that good enough?

dean.

 

18 MPG? Oil changes every 3000 miles? Yikes!

 

simple..TEST DRIVE BACK TO BACK TO BACK AND SEE WHAT FLOATS YOUR BOAT. Put the car you tend to favor on the front and back ends of the 3 test drives. It will be obvious.

 

Hey, thanks for the rotary info. I've been haunting both NAM and the RX8club forums for the past couple of weeks just soaking in every tidbit I could find. Of course it's going to come down to which one I enjoy driving more, but the entire reason I even bothered to post this was to see if anyone would mention things that I hadn't already thought of. I didn't know about the oil consumption issue with the rotaries. Regular oil changes isn't an issue for me, I've religiously changed the oil on the Tib every 3k miles.

I did calculate out the difference in fuel consumption between the two, and it definitely pulls the price of the RX-8 up closer to the MINI, but doesn't quite fill the gap.

Thanks for everyone's replies! Perhaps in a couple weeks you'll have another member staring at the calendar waiting for a new arrival.

 

18mpg mixed, yes. Roughly the same MPG as a 350z or Mustang GT as far as observed MPG. Not the EPA guesstimates.

As for the oil changes, I've always changed the oil in my cars at 3k or less. Very good practice to have, especially when driving the cars hard. There is no such thing as changing the oil too often.

Also note that due to the oil burning, sythetics in a rotary are generally a bad idea as they don't burn cleanly and can lead to nasty carbon buildup. There are a few sythetics that are designed to burn fully without the buildup, but if you don't know which is which, just stay away.

 

No problem. I'm Tessai on the RX8club boards as well, but I rarely post there. I've been on the RX7club boards since '04, since that is what I drive. I don't currently have a MINI but I'm looking at one to replace my RX7. I wanted an RX8 for a long time, but I don't think I could deal with the gas mileage difference. Thats just me, though, as my MINI S configured out to 25k, making both cars effectively the same price for the options I want.

If you were to buy an RX8 used, avoid the 04-05 models unless you get a really good deal on one. The oil metering pumps on those didn't pump enough oil, causing some engines to prematurely wear. Therefore, quite a few of them are on their 2nd engine already. I know my mom's RX-8 (04, Winning Blue, 6spd GT) has had a motor replaced because of this. The issue was fixed late '05.

I know I'm pointing out a lot of "negatives" but this is only to help you make an informed decision. I'm actually still debating the RX-8 vs MINI myself... both are great cars and you just can't help but smile when your car is powered by an engine so smooth that they had to install a buzzer to let you know you're nearing redline. A 9,000 rpm redline at that. And the exhaust note of the rotary... WOW.

Both cars offer great handling combined with a practical package (seating 4 with cargo room as well). I highly, highly recommend test driving both.

Oh, btw... the RX-8 has one of the best shifters ever. Seriously. Its amazing to drive.

 

If 27K is too rich, picked up a slightly used '06 MCS and save yourself $6k or so.
BTW, I get 30-33mpg highway on my 100mi RT commute...

 

Yeah, I had considered that as well. I did a bit of searching in the area and didn't find very many with low miles and good color combos. I guess one of the big positives for the brand new one is being able to fully customize exactly what I want. That has definitely been part of the draw.

 

MINI is all about personal style, so for somthing like $25K give or take you can have a nice MCS to your exact specs, (30mpg actual, real life) and when it's time to sell probably much better resale than the mazda.

 

Before we purchased MS MIni a 2007 MCS my wife looked at RX8. Sure it looks attractive and handles great, but we were turned off by its mechanical record and its bad bad fuel economy. I would stay away from it at all possible cost unless you have a very large bank account to pay to fix it with.

 

If you have to be convinced by people you don't know, you better move on. Make your own choice, pay your own dues. Just so you know you're hearing from a real nutjob (or a guy with serious guts, depending on your viewpoint), this 07 Mini is the THIRD car I've bought without ever DRIVING or sitting in it. #1 is my Grinnall Scorpion, #2 was my original 62 Austin Mini Cooper. NO REGRETS on any of them. That's right, I can honestly claim that I bought a modern Mini Cooper S, built to my spec, without even sitting in it or driving it. Hell, I never even went to the dealer. I just studied up and ORDERED IT, then mailed them the thousand deposit and waited. Can anyone else in this NAMM forum make this claim? See my gallery. The cars are there. Only the 62 Cooper is gone, and that's only because of space issues. Life is an adventure, and performance cars should be too. Did my homework, talked to owners in real life and observed the NAMM/Motoring File posts, and then when the big day came, I honestly climbed into a modern Mini Cooper for the first time when my MA handed me my keys and accessories in April with a big smile on my face. It makes that first drive very exciting!!! YEAH!! ME? I LOVE THIS CAR!!! I love the Scorpion, too!

 

I am no expert, but it sounds like you are pretty much sold.

I am not a small car driver, I have owned a Ford Truck for the last 13 years (same truck). I bought my wife a Dodge Durango, to replace her Ford truck she had for 9 years.

I am looking at a good commute for my new job and need a car that is good on the road and good on gas mileage. So i looked online. I do not buy japanese cars (person pref on where the money is going). I will by euro as seen from my dodge durango thats more german than dodge.

Which lead me to the mini and a vw.

Mini is more expensive so I did some research. Then i went to drive one.

Having driven alot of cars, I find to to handle great, smaller yes, but engine gives you the power to pass and the size prevents passing a small parking space (wifes durango needs ample room)

I really like the feel both dirving and the as a passenger.

I have found its very customizable and personalizable (i have no idea how to spell)

I have told others to go drive it, then make thier judgements. If you drive it and like it, its the car for you.

Oh and there is one added bonus I have found, that comes with the car.

MINI People, (not midgets) but the people in the mini community, what a great bunch. Everyone I have talked to or met, is excited for me about getting my mini and want to know about it. People glad to see you at events even if never meeting you before. Sure this may not be a draw for some, but to me its great to have someone to ask about the best cleaning products or what is going to happen at pickup or to get me through the waiting period (skuzzy).

Its not just a car you are getting into, but a great group (cough...cult..cough)

Thats all i gotta say about that.

 

Yes, I can make this claim

While there is a MINI dealer here in my town, they had no cars until the 27th of May. I ordered my MINI around April 10th. I'd never seen or driven one before. At the time of order I had not been back to the US in over a year.

I'll let you know how well I did on spec and overall purchase after I pick it up

 

to respond to the comment 2 posts above. My wife has a phrase...owning/driing a MINI is like walking aorund with a puppy. Everyone wants to get involved in conversation. The MINI community is a special bonus...and its FREE......................

 

Yeh, then you only lose 10 hp and 30 ft/lbs of torque. :~)

 

And two cubic feet of speedometer :P

 

Cut down on the options. You can get a stripped down '07 Cooper that still has a lot of great stuff on it for your 20-22k range (basically <20k for an MC with a few options or 23k for an MCS with a few options).

Check out this thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=101948

I think that part of the problem is that with the MINI there are so many options that you think you NEED to get them. It's really hard to say no to just another $500 here or there even though it may add up to several thousand after your done. But actually, just the barebones package gets you a lot.

Anyway, just my two cents.

 

Surfblue says: WAY TO GO FOR IT!! Let me know how you like it.

 

Yes, I've played with the configurator quite a bit, and it's so tempting to start adding on all those little $500 options. I've never cared much about creature comforts like heated seats or the multifunction steering wheel. But a sunroof is a must for me, and I do drive my cars pretty hard at times, so adding on the sport suspension and possibly the LSD seems like a good call. I live in the Chicago area, so I also think DSC would be helpful in the winter. Arg, it's difficult :impatient

Basically I think it will come down to me picking which car I like to drive more, and then if I pick the MINI I'll just set it up the way I want it with the plan of keeping it for many years, and deal with the higher monthly payments. Nothing worse than looking back later and saying "Aw, I wish I would have gotten ______"