Mini Cooper S
Hey,
At the moment I own a Yellow P5 but was wondering what everyone thinks about the Mini Cooper S. For those who dont know its Supercharged/Intercooled 163 HP. But everyone give me your thoughts Brian |
Trendy (could be good or bad). Cool. Handles really well.
Dealer mark-up is a bitch. 6-8k in SoCal. |
Good: Cool-looking. Really good handling. Quick. Nice interior, although it's a bit plasticky. Really, really nice steering feel. Small and easy to park. Decent backseat for such a small car- you wouldn't want to take a 10-hour road trip back there, but it IS inhabitable by adults, unlike a Mustang or Celica. Good cargo space with rear seats folded down. Good warranty and service plan.
Bad: Laggy throttle + tall gearing = not very punchy at low speed. Stiff ride, but so what. :) Somewhat heavy for a little car. Gas mileage could be better. No spare tire. Very little cargo space with seats folded up. Spotty first-year reliability (mostly disintegrating trim, poor fit-and-finish). Engine isn't very smooth at high rpm, but you drive a Protege so you're used to that. ;) Dealer markups. BMW = parts and service will probably be expensive after warranty runs out. "Girl car" image. Verdict: I really like them. I want one. :D |
There is no markup in Houston at this time, just a really long waiting list. Great car if you can wait to get it in. I just can't figure out whether I would put a roof rack on it or not. I need one, but I think if I put one on that then it would destroy the look. So I may end up having to get something else.
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Originally posted by kc5zom I just can't figure out whether I would put a roof rack on it or not. I need one, but I think if I put one on that then it would destroy the look. So I may end up having to get something else. Actually, I'm not sure if that would work either, given the car's center-outlet exhaust... :confused: |
my suggestion....turbo and LSD the p5 instead. the cooper S is overpriced and underpowered. the aftermarket upgrade kits are also overpriced. you could really do a nice job on your p5 for what you'd pay for the mini. just my 2 cents.
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Originally posted by carguycw Good: Cool-looking. Really good handling. Quick. Nice interior, although it's a bit plasticky. Really, really nice steering feel. Small and easy to park. Decent backseat for such a small car- you wouldn't want to take a 10-hour road trip back there, but it IS inhabitable by adults, unlike a Mustang or Celica. Good cargo space with rear seats folded down. Good warranty and service plan. Bad: Laggy throttle + tall gearing = not very punchy at low speed. Stiff ride, but so what. :) Somewhat heavy for a little car. Gas mileage could be better. No spare tire. Very little cargo space with seats folded up. Spotty first-year reliability (mostly disintegrating trim, poor fit-and-finish). Engine isn't very smooth at high rpm, but you drive a Protege so you're used to that. ;) Dealer markups. BMW = parts and service will probably be expensive after warranty runs out. "Girl car" image. Verdict: I really like them. I want one. :D There was some early ones that has issues. But have not herd about the inside trim or poor fit and finish. Most of it was bad parts like the power steering pump. Lastly you don't need a spare tire it comes with run flats. |
I have not looked into the specifics yet, but I love it. I have always liked minis, and the new ones with the 17" wheels just look nice. Plus, they move, not to mention with the $5k upgrade (cough)...
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Originally posted by carguycw "Girl car" image. Anyway, they are kicking butt in SCCA Stock autoX classes right now, both the non-S in HS and the S in GS. Excellent car, all around. Great power, great handling, and look very cool. If money weren't an issue that's what I'd be driving right now. |
Originally posted by PhotoPro5 Trendy (could be good or bad). Cool. Handles really well. Dealer mark-up is a bitch. 6-8k in SoCal. |
re: "Girl car" image...
Originally posted by cjstringer What? Anyway, they are kicking butt in SCCA Stock autoX classes right now, both the non-S in HS and the S in GS. I don't necessarily find this to be a big problem; I have owned 2 Miatas, another car with the same image among many men. Of course, I quickly discovered that it was advantageous to own a car that girls love. :bt: |
a turbod p5 is like a WRX in that it's a good family car too, if your life goes off in that direction. not sure you can get a xmas tree in the mini, unless it's a dwarf alberta spruce.
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like carguy said: put a tow package on it :)
Anyone been to Germany? Nothing like watching a Mercedes 5 or 7 series with a hitch, towing a trailer... |
Originally posted by PseudoRealityX I've raced the Grassroots Motorsports Project MINI Racecar, and YES, it's got a laggy throttle and the gearing is too long to give it as much "pep" as it should at low speeds. Runflats are a BAD compromise for not having a flat. Ever picked one up? They are HEAVY!! |
Originally posted by glyph_99es ...a Mercedes 5 or 7 series with a hitch, towing a trailer... |
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