Currently have a 2012 Justa manual and test drove three 2015 models. Made the mistake of driving the JCW first--absolutely loved it, but a bit too pricey for my "run around" 2nd car. So, down to the S or the non S. It seemed more difficult to discern a huge acceleration difference between S and non S after driving the JCW. Just wonder how happy owners are with the "base" Cooper. Certainly faster than mine! Dealer is making me a decent offer on a 2015 S manual with 2,200 miles on it and got me thinking.........Any help or advice much appreciated.

 

Extremely happy with my non-S. It's more than fast enough for me personally and the increase in mileage compared to the S is huge.

 

But since you're asking for advice, VicSkimmer makes a good point that I agree with after having test driven both. I couldn't really tell the difference between the S and non-S with my driving style. And I really appreciate the increase in MPG.

I guess it boils down to what's on the lot and what you want and your driving style. Bottom line is that I don't think you'll find too many Justa owners complaining about any lack of power.

 

There was more than the 50+ HP boost and large engine on the S that sold me on mine. For one, it was the extra body styling like the air intakes in the bumper, hood scoop, dual chrome tail pipes, larger wheels (15" vs 17"). It was also that you can only get the Thunder Grey in the S model, which I wanted.

I test drove both and the S was simply more fun and better looking IMO.

 

I've owned two previous generations S models and now am the owner of a non S F56. The 3 cylinder in the non S is a great motor and I'm very pleased with its performance! I also prefer the looks of the non S F56, and it looks even better with the JCW exterior package in my opinion.

 

What sort of a deal are they offering on the Cooper S?

 

They're down to 24,494 and Mini Certified. Still not a great price as this model new is only 3K more. They keep upping the offer on my 2012 and dropped the price another $500. Given the condition of my '12 justa, I'll probably sell it outright, although values have taken a hit with the 3rd gen being out. The used 2015 S doesn't have a roof and I am partial to having the sun shine in. A new Cooper loaded up pretty much with what I want (Sports pkg, roof, armrest, Sat radio, cold weather pkg, LED fogs, Anthracite headliner) is at $24,800. Leaning toward the new Cooper.

 

I have a 15 justa and I love it. I've often wished I had an s but I've never driven one. I agree with everyone so far and I will say I do have 16" black wheels which makes a huge difference in looks. I have a very short commute so I'm only getting 28 mpg ( I do sit in the a.c. at lunch too and I know that dosent help) I imagine an s would be worse. I love this car and I'm sure you would too.

 

There ya go. I'd order a new one exactly they way you want it. Unless I find exactly what I want on a lot (rarely happens), I order the car. I have never ever regretted those decisions.

$3K ain't hay (it's always easy to spend someone else's money ), but factor that cost over the number of years you'll be driving it and the enjoyment of having exactly what you want. My wife always tells me, "a year from now is that X$ difference going to make any impact on you?" I honestly have to answer, no.

Consider when you're not home, you're likely in your car going some where. Get exactly what you want (additionally, you are the one breaking the car in and know everything about it from day one). A used car is always a bit of a risk not knowing every detail of the car's history.

BTW, I have a 2015 MCS and love the car, super fun to to drive and extremely peppy. I do plenty of around town and some highway. Run Mid and Sport mode (more Sport in town) and do not drive the car for the best mileage. My continued average has been 35 MPG.

 

Honestly, if this is a daily driver and not seeing track days/autocross then go with the base Cooper. But if its more of a Sunday driver and having fun car, then go with the S. However, not sure about a USED 2015 Cooper or Cooper S. If it was a loaner or demo, then it wouldn't be considered a MINI Certified. Get the full story on the car first.

 

I think the Justa is the sportier car. It feels lighter and steers slightly quicker due to a lighter engine, I think. If you want faster get the S.
To me the S model is less about sport and more about premium.

One thing I'll add is my car has the sport suspension. I couldn't live with the stock setup. YMMV. Motor on!!!

 

I like the front end of the Cooper a lot. It's supposedly pretty fast. Whatever you get you need to upgrade the suspension, either the SS or aftermarket sway bar. The car has quite a bit of body roll/understeer with the stock suspension, it's the thing I noticed the most driving my friend's F56 MCS recently. A Cooper with a MT would be a blast I bet.

 

Everyone has their opinion, but the F56 Non-S is more than fast enough for having fun on the open road to me. It's faster than the R53 S.

 

Unless you are a speed driver, the three cylinder is just as much fun if not more in the curves. I went from the R56 MCS to the F56 MC and don't regret it for a minute.

 

If you leave this thread up long enough, you'll end up with pretty 50/50 split I'm sure. Maybe more non-S suggestions, since everyones just going to suggest what they have themselves and the non-S are more common.

Get whatever you like most.

 

Thanks all--I was really curious as to how happy owners were with the Cooper 3 cyl. Sounds like no complaints all around from the S or the Justa. I agree that if I buy a 2015 I should get every option I want or be pining for it after the purchase. So, the used 2015 S is off the list.

 

If I were you, I'd keep the car you have. I know I'm not your average car owner, but I like to keep them as long as possible.

 

The F56 Justa is a massive leap forward in quality, performance, and mpg though. It's the first time I've really felt like the S wasn't tempting. The Coopers have always had better looking aesthetics, but the power was so low and the mileage wasn't that much an improvement that it didn't seem like a good enough trade off.


The only complaint I have about my new Justa is the lack of exhaust note. It's way too quiet.

 

Couldn't be happier. I have a cooper F55

 

I agree that the Justa is a little too quiet. A muffler delete is next on my list of mods, and it's an inexpensive one. The crackles and pops on the S certainly make me a little envious.

As far as speed, I found the F56 Justa to be perfectly adequate at getting me in trouble. It no longer feels like a penalty box. More power is always nice, but when I bought my car I didn't feel like the Cooper S was worth $3000+ more, or worth giving up my preferred options for.

The JCW though... different story.

 

I have an 2015 S and love everything about it except the standard leatherette seats. They don't breathe like cloth seats do, so they can get kind of hot in the summer. I should have gone for either real leather or cloth insets. I'll probably get seat covers one of these days.

 

To each their own. I've had leatherette in 3 different MINI's and find little fault in it. Leatherette is hot in the summer, but that's also been my experience with real leather and leatherette is easier to care for and stays looking new longer. If I ordered a new car I would probably go with the JCW cloth seats though. EDIT: Forgot to mention that I actually prefer the non sport seats in the Justa over the S seats.

 

Just curious as to why? I have the standard seats in my 2012 and they are pretty comfy, but the sport seats felt pretty good to me. Guess it's a matter of "fit". I'm just 5'8" and 160 lbs so the fit felt good in the 2015 S I drove with the sport seats.

 

I just like how they look and feel, nothing wrong with the sport seats however.