2003 Mini Cooper S: Long-Term Introduction

[NFS4]

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=longtermtests&loc_code=index&content_code=09650853

 

[amnesiac]

I could trade in my truck for one of those and end up owning a Mini for $200 a month. :Q
I personally LOVE the Mini but a couple of my friends insist that it's a gay man's car. Not that I care what they think, but is that the general perception?? I could understand if someone was driving a baby blue standard Mini or something..but the S version is pure sweetness IMO.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
I could trade in my truck for one of those and end up owning a Mini for $200 a month. :Q
I personally LOVE the Mini but a couple of my friends insist that it's a gay man's car. Not that I care what they think, but is that the general perception?? I could understand if someone was driving a baby blue standard Mini or something..but the S version is pure sweetness IMO.

A gay man's car is a VW New Beetle.

The ULTIMATE gay man's car is a VW Cabriolet

 

[4Lclovergirl]

My only problem with the car, somehting that tiny shouldnt' require 91 octane. But I guess that's for the S type and not the regular mini? Somehting that tiny shoudl be more fuel efficent, but I guess these guys were looking at it as more of a sporty car?

 

[Tom]

The Mini isn't designed for fuel efficiency, it's designed for fun. It gets decent mileage, though. And the octane requirment doesn't have anything to do with fuel efficiency, it has to do with high compression mostly. A fuel efficient engine might need high octane gasoline and still be very fuel efficient.

You are equating cost-efficiency with fuel efficiency, and they are not precisely the same thing.

 

[Mani]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
I could trade in my truck for one of those and end up owning a Mini for $200 a month. :Q
I personally LOVE the Mini but a couple of my friends insist that it's a gay man's car. Not that I care what they think, but is that the general perception?? I could understand if someone was driving a baby blue standard Mini or something..but the S version is pure sweetness IMO.

It's not THE gay man's car but it's gaining on the beetle.

 

[Spoooon]

I don't really think of cars as being for gay men so much as being girly.

Though, this beetle is neither gay nor girly. 😉

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: 4Lclovergirl
My only problem with the car, somehting that tiny shouldnt' require 91 octane. But I guess that's for the S type and not the regular mini? Somehting that tiny shoudl be more fuel efficent, but I guess these guys were looking at it as more of a sporty car?

It's most likely just for the S version, since it's supercharged, which requires premium.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
The Mini isn't designed for fuel efficiency, it's designed for fun.

With the base version rated at 28/37 mpg, I'd say they had fuel efficiency in mind.

 

[abaez]

I'm debating whether to get this or a subaru wrx hatchback... decisions decisions.

 

[MazerRackham]

I don't think it's a gay man's car.... since I want one and I'm not gay! 🙂 I like small cars, and the Cooper S is a great small car.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
I could trade in my truck for one of those and end up owning a Mini for $200 a month. :Q
I personally LOVE the Mini but a couple of my friends insist that it's a gay man's car. Not that I care what they think, but is that the general perception?? I could understand if someone was driving a baby blue standard Mini or something..but the S version is pure sweetness IMO.

Well, some people say that a British sports car = a gay man's car too. People say that DSMs are girly cars... Tegs/RSXs are girly cars... Jettas, Golfs, Miatas, Mustangs, etcetcetc. SO WHAT! If chicks dig your car, that's fine by me!

The Works edition should be even more interesting to see in a long term. The Mini has always been a strangely sporty car... Honestly though, since I'm a horsepower junkie, the SRT4 would be my choice in the segment. The S is a great car though.

 

[Adul]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: amnesiac
I could trade in my truck for one of those and end up owning a Mini for $200 a month. :Q
I personally LOVE the Mini but a couple of my friends insist that it's a gay man's car. Not that I care what they think, but is that the general perception?? I could understand if someone was driving a baby blue standard Mini or something..but the S version is pure sweetness IMO.

A gay man's car is a VW New Beetle.

The ULTIMATE gay man's car is a VW Cabriolet

so your the authority now gayness? :Q