Why are people buying the mini-Cooper?

[Nebor]

Mini's are too small, cramped, and ugly. I can't believe BMW makes them. Bleh.

A few things, to the guy who rated the Mini w/ a 540i for 65k and a Z4... For 65k, you're in the neighborhood of an M5.... Wanna talk about sporty driving?

As for the Mini itself... a loaded one came out to 30k? How about a Trans Am WS6? Gauranteed to leave the mini sitting still.... Besides, straight lines are all that matter. Although admittedly, Trans Am's and Camaro's are crap, and that Mini will probably last for 200,000 miles....

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Mini's are too small, cramped, and ugly. I can't believe BMW makes them. Bleh.

A few things, to the guy who rated the Mini w/ a 540i for 65k and a Z4... For 65k, you're in the neighborhood of an M5.... Wanna talk about sporty driving?

As for the Mini itself... a loaded one came out to 30k? How about a Trans Am WS6? Gauranteed to leave the mini sitting still.... Besides, straight lines are all that matter. Although admittedly, Trans Am's and Camaro's are crap, and that Mini will probably last for 200,000 miles....

(1) You obviously have no clue as to the Mini's history or as to why BMW decided to keep the Mini franchise and sell the Rover business.

(2) You can get a loaded Mini for roughly $24,000

(3) Straight lines are all that matter?? Maybe if you're gunning it from stoplight to stoplight, but on the track, the Mini would hold it's own.

 

[Sir Fredrick]

Straight lines are all that matter? You sir, have never been in my passenger seat!

 

[chin311]

i agree with the man that said "wrx > mini"

id take the wrx for 24k over a loaded mini, AWD, 227hp, get some of that mini-S.

 

[waylman]

"Why are people buying the mini-Cooper?"

because they are gay or female. if they claim to be straight men, do not listen...they are in denial.

 

[iamwiz82]

i'm becoming more and more attached to them. The gadget are freakking cool as hell. The damned thing will actually let you know when conditions are right for black ice.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Nebor
Mini's are too small, cramped, and ugly. I can't believe BMW makes them. Bleh.

A few things, to the guy who rated the Mini w/ a 540i for 65k and a Z4... For 65k, you're in the neighborhood of an M5.... Wanna talk about sporty driving?

As for the Mini itself... a loaded one came out to 30k? How about a Trans Am WS6? Gauranteed to leave the mini sitting still.... Besides, straight lines are all that matter. Although admittedly, Trans Am's and Camaro's are crap, and that Mini will probably last for 200,000 miles....

(1) You obviously have no clue as to the Mini's history or as to why BMW decided to keep the Mini franchise and sell the Rover business.

(2) You can get a loaded Mini for roughly $24,000

(3) Straight lines are all that matter?? Maybe if you're gunning it from stoplight to stoplight, but on the track, the Mini would hold it's own.

NFS, the guy said "handling" so if you want to compare handling in the Mini versus a big bloated 5series... to that I say "WTF" I'm ALSO an autocrosser and yeah... Minis are definitely very VERY slot car, even some National level drivers I know are interested in switching out to Minis for that very reason. You're in M3 CSL/ZO6 territory and I've driven the Z4 and KNOW it holds the road better than a 540i. I got scared before it lost grip but it did have more understeer tendency than the 330i w/sport package or a Boxster.

Saying an LS1/LS6 is crap? Another "WTF?" That's like saying the Eagle Talon TSi sucks.
For 30k you can nearly get an SVT Cobra, definitely an S2000, 350Z, WRX STi, Evo 8, list goes on and on...

And WRX over choosing the Mini? Sure... as a pure driver's car or a boost junkie I'd have to go with the turbo over a blower but the Mini's interior is much better than the WRX's.

 

[NFS4]

NFS, the guy said "handling" so if you want to compare handling in the Mini versus a big bloated 5series... to that I say "WTF" I'm ALSO an autocrosser and yeah... Minis are definitely very VERY slot car, even some National level drivers I know are interested in switching out to Minis for that very reason. You're in M3 CSL/ZO6 territory and I've driven the Z4 and KNOW it holds the road better than a 540i. I got scared before it lost grip but it did have more understeer tendency than the 330i w/sport package or a Boxster.

Huh?? Where did I mention a 5-Series compared to the Mini. I didn't say that. I'm confused here.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: waylman
"Why are people buying the mini-Cooper?"

because they are gay or female. if they claim to be straight men, do not listen...they are in denial.

How old are you, 12????

I think that Jay Leno sums it up best:

http://www.roadfly.org/milemarker/8/jay_leno_interview.1.html

Or, how about the TR3? I mean, Mazda's Miata has come as close as anyone can to recreating the famous old MG's, but there's obviously an interest in these types of cars. The unfortunate thing about the Miata is that many people refer to it as a girl's car, which is an image-killing moniker to have stuck to your car, especially if you're a guy driving that car.

Collin Chapman used to say, "You build a car, then add lightness," and that's a really great thing to say and do. Mazda did it with the Miata, as did MG and Triumph with the TR3. But we Americans seem to associate light cars with femininity, which is absolutely silly.

The Lotus Elan is about as light a car as you're going to get, they take out Mustangs and Corvettes on the circuits, but most people under the age of 35 don't understand the notion of a lightweight car, so they make fun of it.

Sounds like a few people around here

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Regs
The car is fast, mostly because I weigh more than the car itself. But my head will be sticking outside the roof, just a tad to tiny for me.

not unless you're 7+ feet tall. the mini fits 6'4" people with so much extra room they can't even reach the pedals. don't post about stuff you don't know about.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: N8Magic
To answer your questions about the Cambridge, ON Toyota plant, they build the following models there:

- Camry Solara (the verts are done by a local shop as well)
- Corolla
- Matrix
- RX330

It's about 5 minutes from my house.

My mistake. I thought it was the sedan they made there. Well did they make the sedan there in the past? Or was it always the Solara?

Btw, I went to the Honda plant in Alliston on a school trip once (4 years ago). That was pretty awesome! I remember the lady saying a new car came out every 10s at full production.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: mAdD INDIAN


Just checked, a base model MINI Cooper (115hp model) costs $25,000CDN!!! Thats insane! A fully loaded Corolla/Civic/Protege/Sentra SE-R Spec-V tops out to that price!

Yeah, but now compare the equipment of a "loaded" corolla/civic/etc to a "base" Mini S. You'll see they're pretty comparable, and the Mini has some stuff that you simply can't get on the others. Not to mention, at the end of the day, loaded or not, it's still a freaking corolla. The options on the Mini are there to pull it away from the territory of the cars you mentioned. In base trim, it's still quite competitive.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Tornado54
It's not half as good looking as my car

Fiat 1100

mine is white though

BHAHAHAHAH!!! Ah..I've ridden in those one to many times! They are taxis in India (which you probably know). Built like a rock though, its truly very solid. My uncle had once b4 and I tried driving it, but I couldn't master driving a manual when the gearshift was a stalk coming from the steering staulk!

They are really heavy though. I should get NFS4 to ride in one of those to get an idea of wat crappy interior REALLY is!! It'll make the ION and older Hynduais look like interior sweetness.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: Regs
The car is fast, mostly because I weigh more than the car itself. But my head will be sticking outside the roof, just a tad to tiny for me.

not unless you're 7+ feet tall. the mini fits 6'4" people with so much extra room they can't even reach the pedals. don't post about stuff you don't know about.

True dat! And there is LOTS of headroom in the Mini b/c of the high roof and the fact that you're rather close to the floor.

 

[walk2]

Big != safe.

Trucks and SUV's are some of the most UNsafe vehicles on the road. They don't handle well, they do not stop well, and they are prone to rollovers.

The Mini actually has a very good safety features AND crash test ratings.

Those who say it's too small obviously haven't sat in one. The interior actually has more head and leg room than some other cars in it's class/price range.

I realize a lot of Americans look at a car like that and immediately think small=crap, this is after all the country that brought us the boat-mobiles of the 70's and the SUV... but let's just say, don't knock it til you've tried it.

<- also an Autocrosser

 

[LittleWolf]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
i'm becoming more and more attached to them. The gadget are freakking cool as hell. The damned thing will actually let you know when conditions are right for black ice.

Actually that's no big deal. All German cars, even the lowly Lupo gives that warning.

 

[gourmettea]

Why are people buying the mini-cooper?

I just bought one for my wife to replace her civic.

(plus I get to drive it on the weekends)

Yes, I paid over sticker Still a 3 month wait in CA).
Yes, I could have not paid over sticker. (1 year wait)

This car is sweet. As soon as I test drove the Cooper S I was SOLD!
Faster than a 911 in the 700 ft slalom=gocart w licence plates.(road and track magazine)

Didn't want another japanese car. (reliable but boring)

Test drove a WRX also, nice engine, crappy, tranny, crappy workmanship. Talk about cheap construction. Imagine after 5 years the rattle inside.

Cooper has a roots-type supercharger. Very reliable, very few moving parts, can't say that about a turbo.

BMW suspension. Benz-Crysler engine(due to change in the future because of the BMW-BENZ conflict of interest). British heritage.

To each his/her own.

L8

 

[Wag]

Last time I ever ask a car question.

 

[alkemyst]

there are so many people that form opinions on a small window in 'something's' past

firestone tires, vw electrical, a few make's fires from rearend collisions, etc.

Most of the cars sold today are pretty reliable and definitely serve their intended tasks.

The mini-cooper (esp the 'S' or the 'Cooper Special') is a fun car....not a practical one, or a very safe/dragster/etc car, but fun nonetheless.

They are very popular now and driven by many non-drivers...my Saturn SC2 gets challenged almost every time I 'line up' next to a mini, yet none have won.

My next ride though is a 500hp Bronco (was going to be a Porsche 944 Turbo S) only 10 to 1 HP to Pound but that's enough on the street *most* of the time. Plus even if I don't 'win' I will still have way more towing/luggage/luxury capability (yes lux in a Bronco once I am done....4 point recaro type seating, tunes, cargo space, plushness ).

I have an awesome set of tools

 

[KEV1N]

I will take this any day!!

http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/252000-252999/252934_17_full.jpg

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: boyRacer
The original must have been a lot of fun...

That sucker was barely 10' long and weighed like 1300 pounds!
I'm pretty sure it had 10" wheels.

 

[amnesiac]

I've been wanting a Mini for some time.. but I see a lot of Z4's on the streets now, and now I want one of THOSE. Mmmmmm sexy sexy vehicle the Z4. Mmmmm.

 

[Bigdude]

Originally posted by: FracturedSoul
You can get a tricked out, option laded Mini for 20-25K. Not bad frankly, if I was going to get something non-saturn I would have to go with a Mini. Although the wait time can really suck, not sure I want to wait a long time for a car.

That would be crazy! I can drive a Mustang GT off the lot for $22,000, I would have a real car, with a V-8!

 

[cain]

no idea, it's good in NYC though, limited parking space...

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: KEV1N
I will take this any day!!

http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/252000-252999/252934_17_full.jpg

8o Thats my favorite.