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.

 

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.

 

Why not get a trailer instead?

Actually, I'm not sure if that would work either, given the car's center-outlet exhaust...

 

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.

 

Laggy throttle? Not much a low speeds? The Mini has a 4 banger not a V8. It is quick off the line and will kill my Protégé. Gas mileage not that good? Mine has 1K miles and I'm getting 29MPG, mostly city driving.
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)...

 

What?

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.

 

There is no dealer mark up. If they ask for more than sticker try another dealer. I did wait 5 month paid sticker and they thur in floor mates, smokers package, and two base ball caps.

 

I'm not talking about their image among hard-core gearheads and autocrossers. I'm talking about their image to the average guy on the street. Many men view the Mini as a cutesy toy for fashionable young women, and not sufficiently macho. It's true, face it.

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.

 

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.

 

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...

 

Just as a follow-up to the first post, I know that the Mini doesn't have a V-8 and I don't expect it to perform like one. However, there are many, many common compacts that have similar 1/4 mile performance to the Cooper S but are MUCH punchier at low rpm in 1st and 2nd gear. Of course, some other cars that I love also have lousy low-rpm throttle response (WRX, S2000). It's a matter of personal preference, but it's something to consider.

They also don't protect against catastrophic blowouts, or whacking a 4"x4" wood post and bending a wheel so badly that it won't hold air (this has happened to me, as you probably guessed). When this happens, it's comforting to know that you will actually be able to DRIVE the car afterwards, rather than having to trust your baby to some tow truck driver and then try to track down a suitable replacement tire in a rural area. I don't really trust run-flats for this reason, and a lot of other people I know don't trust them either.

 

A Mercedes 5 or 7 series? Whuzzat?