You may be right and the sales numbers will tell the whole story next year. There are a minority who are either, as the kids say, fanatic fanboys or haters of the 2007. In most part I feel that many are just motoring enthusiasts with a keen eye for detail. So having some discussion over what people like and what may be better still keeps the car alive and well and with a great following.

The VW and Neon guys only wish they had such interest!

 

The single item that disturbs me the most is the new headlights.

I love the simple large and upright stance of the current model lights. The new ones are more angular which, IMO, takes away some of the bulldogishness of the MINI. And it makes the MINI in a teeny way look more like every car out there that has corner placed lights.

 

R53 Ftw

 

I dunno, to me the changes are more stylistic than substantive. Really doesn't look all that different to me. Squint at it and it's the identical car.

I DO like the slightly squashed look to the roof, though. The current car looks a little too tall and top heavy, contributes to the clown car look it is sometimes accused of.

 

I agree. Just got my new Road and Track magazine with a rundown on 07 cars. About the MINI, they start by saying, "It may look the same, but the MINI Cooper is all new for 2007". Few people are going to see the changes that have resulted in such 07 hatred from a few people on NAM.

 

Isn't this is first mini totally designed by BMW? Some of this might have been what they wanted the first time but Rover had started the work.

 

Wish I could give you a succinct answer, but from my experiences and what I've seen others go through it can vary. If there are issues it can take a quite a time for them to be revealed and diagnosed enough times to narrow it down to the correct fix and perhaps issue a TSB, yet other problematic things just stay with the cars, like the weak sunroof track that would break all of the time on the E46, bad window regulators, door seals that came apart, HK rear shelf rattle, rear shock mount/subframe issues (which has plagued BMWs model after model), etc. They tried to improve some things later in the production, yet others they just kept the same, repaired with same flakey parts and/or came up with bad band-aid fixes to hold the issue off or "cannot duplicate" until it broke or went past warranty.

The thing is, you can buy the first 07 off the line and have it be perfect or get one in 08 and have it be full of rattles or whatnot, there is just no telling for sure. My 2000 328ci was among the earliest in the all new E46 coupes at the time, and it didn't have *more* problems then the later ones and 330s (actually had less in some cases, esp when it came to ECU issues and boosted steering they introduced) but then again, it had the tried and true engine and programming - since the new Mini has an all new powerplant, ECU and iDrive too I'd probably wait 6 monthes into production myself to see how they are working out and let them iron bugs out if needed. Plus, Mini has pulled the mid production upgrades before, so there might be some goodies/options worth waiting for.

Whatever you decide, best of luck with it.

 

This is a discussion I had recently on a Ducati owners site... the conclusion I came to was this:

All mechanical devices... particularly vehicles... have quirks.

First year, third year, tenth year. Every one has particular issues that those owners learn to fix, live with or give up in favor of another car, motorcycle, boat, jet ski, airplane etc... Just because somthing has been around for a few years does not devoid it from it's own particular set of issues. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Buy what sparks your interest or strikes that certain somthing in your soul... too hell with the haters out there! Drive/ride/sail/fly it to your hearts contant and don't look back!

 

It's not being a hater by any means, it's just using your judgement to try to make a choice that will more likely work in your favor. You simply can't "Drive/ride/sail/fly it to your hearts contant" if the thing you want to use is in the shop; it's not just quirks when you can't rely on it.

I was with a bunch of Ducati owners last night as it happens, and as there was one guy having to lemon his new bike the discussion came up about issues plaguing certain new models since there is a problem with the ECU and oxygen sensor (sound familiar?). Anyway, seems like good number of people are having issues related to that (surging, the engine getting stuck in high revs are two things as I recall) and are not happy since Ducati is still not able to resolve it at this point. As people interested in buying the bikes find out about this they are either choosing to risk the problems and deal with them or are buying other models or brands, they get to consider the problems and make that choice. In the meantime the issue is being worked on and people are figuring out mods that help.

IMHO, unless you have a stable of alternative vehicles and endless patience, it's better to be aware of the likihood of key issues before buying the effected models and make an educated choice rather then blithely jump into it and then be the early adopter guinea pig - so waiting a bit on a new model or one with significant new changes to it just allows you to do that.

 

Actually the most rescent issue is the valve guides on ALL 1000 dual-Spark engines manufactured for the last 5 or 6 years... ARE RECALLED!!! All of 'em!!! So there's an issue with an engine that many people felt Ducati FINALLY got right (reliability-wise), and they discovered somthing. You just can't predict just because an engine has been produced for a few years.

As far as the "haters" comment. I was trying to say pick which range of cars strikes your fancy. Then buy one. Then drive and enjoy.

 

A recall is one thing, by the nature of it there has been time to identify a problem, diagnose it and determine how to handle it. Being a guinea pig on a new product is something else. Hey, if that's what you want to do go for it, I already had said that it is luck of the draw and that buying an established model doesn't protect you from having problems, there is just a whole different element in play when you buy something when it is brand new or has significant changes (like the ECU) and it has not had good time being used in the real world to test it out.

 

but I've learned my lesson with the Porsche Caiman. Not a particularly beautiful car when photographed, but when you see one in the flesh, er sheetmetal, it's a whole new experience. I think I'll reserve judgement on the R56 until I actually see a production version at my local dealer's showroom.

Regardless of where I wind up falling on the R56 aesthetic scale, all will be forgiven if the new Peugeot/BMW Turbo powerplant can be modded to create a street reliable 250hp. Power, that's where the new MINI has to distinguish itself from the first gen. BMW MINI.

 

The new R56 looks like a bucktooth fish. Terrible. No doubt a redesign will occur for 08. If sales are down now, hate to see the tumble after this guppy design hits the US market.

 

Ain't gonna happen.

 

What?! You didn't hear? Whereas MINI's inspiration for the R53 was the bulldog, the R56 was designed after a pufferfish!

 

All I can say is thank god I ordered an 06. To each there own though...

 

I can't say that I agree. Funny thing happened, though...I was looking at R56 shots and by coincidence was over on a classic Mini site. Bang!...all of a sudden the less contoured bonnet and the one-piece grill made much more sense to me!!! In fact the two-piece grill, while I like it fine, always seemed a compromise (and a bit of an optical illusion) because of the bumper....I mean, the bottom part of the grill is only there for looks, isn't it? I really like the one-piece unit alot....it makes sense and is very Mini. That's all I need to give it a . (although I'll never argue with the original Stephenson design)

 

Another observation.....about the controversial the C-pillar. Now as much as I love the wrap-around glass and the clean look it imparts, I confess I've been warming to the new plastic trim in the C-pillar location. First of all, it's a match of materials (hopefully) for the A-pillar and that makes sense. Second...well, it's really not a window back there so on a practical level...why should it be glass? Third...not sure what this little aerodynamic feature really is supposed to do but it does theoretically offer some advantage. If so, then it has to be plastic...just like a spoiler or similar. So...I'm not saying the new C-pillar is "better" than the old, but I am saying that is does make sense on some level and has some valid motivation....so it works for me!!!

 

Well, one of the things I was thinking that was missing from MINI's was a pop-out rear window. I've actually been wondering if it would be possible to somehow customise my rear quarter windows to be electric pop-outs. It would offer better air flow and reduce the cabin buffeting with the windows down/sunroof open.

By not having a wrap around quarter window, I wonder if they might be considering making those windows pop-outs? If not, I bet it would be a lot easier to customise and make them pop outs.

 

Here's a meta analysis I guess you could say:

1/2 the people on forums or more dislike they new 07 compared to 06. Not just a little bit, but by a large degree it is disliked.

Some say this wont affect sales. How is that? everyone on forums likes the previous design, the VAST majority of the public does as well.

they fixed something that wasnt broke on account of greed. Let's see how well that plan works.

 

I think that people on forums who pay attention to these things are enthusiasts - I'm guessing that the general public, who outnumber the likes of us, won't even notice the difference between the R53 and R56.

 

People dont buy a mini because of its name, it has none actually. People buy it because it looks good.

if it doesnt look as good, people who are buying it to because it looks good will begin to wonder, so long as they have eyes, a pulse and the ability to understand shapes.

the rear with the chrome on the S does look cool though. thats it. 06 was a little simple, not bad just a little simple. more chrome circling is nice and more detail. I give it that, the rest looks like feces.

this is the largest fastest enthusiast forum i ahve ever witnessed. There are MANY people on here, enough to dent sales quite a bit and the opinion of the forum is a snapshot of those who would buy!

 

Judging shape, looks, design is a highly subjective matter. Many of us really like R56, some don't. To each their own. It's probably true that most folks won't even notice a difference.

 

Many who dislike the R56 and post here do so, IMO, (notice I didn't say all), because they feel the need to validate their purchase of the "superior" current new MINI.

Most of the VAST majority of the public who, as you say, like the current version, will see little appearance difference between the R56 and the 02-06 MINI. As for the people on this forum liking the 02-06 MINI, I don't find that too surprising, I love my 03'. Those members of the public who thought the 02-06 MINI rode too stiff, didn't have enough low-end torque, should get better gas mileage than than it does for such a small car, ought to have a telescoping steering wheel and more comfortable seats, and if it's gonna have such large sunroof, it should also open in the back, are probably going to prefer the 07.

They may even like the idea that the engine is actually built by BMW.

We'll see, but I think your intense hate of the 07 covers a very small minority of current and future MINI owners.

I want one!!

 

yes it is. the R53s have more Rover (and pre-merger Chrysler) roots in them than BMW. BMW got smart and dumped Rover off to Ford, while keeping MINI--perhaps one of the best car moves in recent history.

So Roach yeah the R56 is all BMW. This is good, except for the window regulators....

Oh and for all of you R56 haters out there--good money is betting that at least 75% of y'all will flip-flop once you've seen and driven the new car.