Greetings all.

I am a new member considering purchase (ordering) a 2009 mini convertible when they become available. Any suggestions regarding must-have (or don't bother) factory options would be greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to lots of responses.

Aloha,

Jerry

 

Welcome to NAM!

Must have's kind of depend on what you like to do. I'm not big on the convenience or premium packages. More into performance.

My SIG shows what I personally like.

 

You mention that you are mainly interested in the performance items, not in the convenience or premium packages.

I think I am probably just the opposite. I have a 2004 PT Cruiser what I got with all of the performance options, including, of course, the turbo. I think that I have only really 'nailed' it once in the 4 1/2 yrs we have had it.

At 69 years old, I think this time around I will be going for the appearance and comfort/convenience items. Also economy. I'm interested in the basic engine, with the manual transmission. I want the car to look good, so the large wheels, good paint, leather interior, etc are on my shopping list. Many of the things I am interested in seem to be part of various 'packages', and I'm not interested in a lot of the items in these packages. I have not visited the dealership yet, so don't know if I will be able to pick and choose the stuff I want, and leave out those things I don't want.

Where I live in Hawaii, in Honolulu, there is virtually no opportunity to 'go fast' but there is lots of opportunity - or necessity - for slow driving with the A/C on or top down year round. This city driving has resulted in our getting 14 mpg with our PT Cruiser, on average, for the entire time we have had it. I am looking forward to doing much better than that with the Mini.

I plan on selling my 1963 MGB, which I have had for 17 years, and getting this Mini mainly as a 'toy' as the MGB has been, but a much more comfortable and economical one. It will likely be the last new car I will ever buy!

Thanks for your reply.

Aloha,

Jerry

 

About the large wheels. The larger you go, the harsher the ride will be. The 17' rims I have are right at the edge of my comfort zone.

NOOOOO! Keep the MGB! I have a 1975 MGB I bought new from the dealer when I was 19. Needs a bumper to bumper restoration, but that's my "when I have a garage" project.

Have you gone to the MINIUSA website, to "build" a Mini?

 

The nice thing about the mini is you don't have to get any packages, just about everything can be ordered a la carte.

 

MUST have heated seats. I added the behind the seat wind screen and it makes a difference in "down the neck" drafts. However, it makes the back seat unusable for passengers. I have the top down most of the time year round, but have another MINI for the worst days. Remember that you control the life of the top by how you care for it. If you don't want that extra care, stay away from them, but if you don't mind a little extra care a couple of times a year; you will love the car. -- Do consider a tire no larger than 17". I have that on the convertible and the ride is quite acceptable. I have 18" on the coupe and the ride is much harsher.

 

Thanks for the recommendation on the wheel size. I suspected that the larger the wheel, the shorter the sidewall, the harsher the ride.

I have had MGB's since my first new one in 1964. Time for a change. No storage room, so gotta get rid of my '63. I have gone to the Mini USA and tried to build the car the way I want it, but don't seem to be able to select some of the individual items within the packages. How is that done?

Jerry

 

I tried to do this on the miniUSA web site, but can't seem to select the individual items that are included in the packages of stuff I don't want. How do you select the individual items?

Jerry

 

No need for heated seats here in Hawaii! No problem with taking care of the soft top. Being retired, I have plenty of time.

Jerry

 

Hey Jerry1, I turn 65 tomorrow and I did it and you can too. And I agree this is the best way to buy a new Mini. Configure it "a la carte" it and order it.

I saw a new 2008 convertible this summer and it looked great....white w/navy blue top. I've been thinking of ordering one just like it.

My top priorities are much like yours and my top options would be: 1) Leather seats 2) Chrome line interior/exterior 3) 16 inch wheels 4) Sirius 5) Multi-function steering wheel 6) Auto Climate Controls

Good luck

 

I believe that every option available in a package is also available individually. The one exception may be the sidewalk package. If you are having problems with the "configurator" you might just want to take a trip to your MINI dealer and have them walk you through it.

If you have been on the MINIUSA site you will know that they are no longer building any '08's and production of '09's has not begun. This is probably your last opportunity to go to a dealer and see if there are any remaining '08's. I am only mentioning this as the '08 is a "gen1" MINI. Different inside and out. The '09 will be based on the "gen2" MINI which, I assume, will be like the current '07 and newer non-cabrios.

Good luck to you.

 

You may want to talk with MINI owners around Honolulu/Hawaii . I have a new-used 2005 MCSc (manual). I was shocked to find that I am getting about 20 mpg, mostly highway driving (although maybe 1/2 of highway is a parking lot). You mentioned economy is very important, you might want to check out the real life stats, maybe even rent a mini for a day or two.

You save money on the packages vs. al a carte features, plus it helps with resale value.

 

I expect to get about 30% lower mileage here in Honolulu than most people on the mainland get:
1) 100% city driving
2) Almost 100% A/C usage.
3) 10% ethanol greatly reduces gas mileage.

That's why my PT Cruiser EPA-rated at 19 MPG city actually gets 14 mpg. Being in the British Car Club here, we get lots of reports from drivers regarding their mileage being much less than anticipated. Don't know yet about mini owners. Hope some in Honolulu reply to this thread.

Jerry

 

I don't understand what you mean by the 'gen1' mini and the 'gen2' mini. Can you provide further explanation? Thanks.

Jerry

 

Except for the Sirius radio (which we don't have in Hawaii) and the auto climate controls (not necessary here in Hawaii), looks like you're looking at the same car I am. BRG, but the larger 17" wheels. Wonder if I would need the turbo to compensate for the larger wheel diameter with respect to acceleration? Any info on the difference in gas mileage between the normally-aspirated engine (115 hp) and the turbo (168 hp)?

Jerry

 

Sirius is satelite radio...available in Hawaii...check it out. The tire/wheel size affects the looks (17" wheels look a little better IMO) and ride (17" wheels ride a little harsher IMO) that's it. The turbo gives you more power and acceleration if you need that and a little less gas mileage. Another must have option...Xenon lights.

10% Ethanol is a rip. False economy with questionable environmental advantage. Also it has caused corn related products and by-products to increase. The only upside is that it can help to reduce the USA's dependence on imported oil...which is important.

 

Actually, neither Sirius nor XM satellite radio are available in Hawaii. Sirius has applied for a temporary, land-based, low-power (2KW) repeater which will likely cover the downtown area only. The application is currently pending.

I would expect a little less mileage with the turbo, but am wondering just how much less I could expect.

 

The "First Generation" MINI went from 2002-2006 for the coupe, and 2005-2008 for the convertible. You may also see them referred to as the R50 (Cooper), R53 (Cooper 'S') and R52 (convertibles, both Cooper and 'S').

The "Second Generation" MINI is the new body style that started with the 2007 Coupe. 2009 will be the first year that the convertible will have the new body style.

The 2nd-gen coupe is the R56, the 2nd-gen convertible is the R57, and the Clubman is the R55. (The Clubman wasn't available in the old body style, so I don't know that's it's technically a "second generation" car, but it does share the drivetrain and most of the body/styling cues with the R56. It's basically a longer version of the R56 with a different door configuration in the back.)

 

Wow I thought it was available everywhere! That's what I get for thinking...right? Just a guess would be about 10% less maybe...you could go by the EPA estimates on the 2007+ models.

 

Thanks for the info on the different 'generations' of the mini. Any advance word on what the 2009 convertible will look like, and how it might differ from the 2008? Really got me curious now. I was going to try to rent an '08 convertible for a couple of days, but don't know if I should bother with that now.

 

This site has some pictures of the new R57, and Motoringfile has a pretty good writeup and discussion in the comments section of the article.

I wouldn't bother with renting/borrowing a 2008 convertible (even though it would be fun!), as the 2009 has a different drivetrain, different body, different interior/dash layout and like the coupe, will probably have a softer ride than its predecessor.

 

I saw a MCc on the big island when I visited this June, it was an artist's car. She had flower patterns all over it. In Honolulu you might not want heated seats but my buns were sure cold in my Wrangler on the big island at night or when the wind was up near the shore.
If anything, check out an '07 or newer hardtop to get the feel of the new interior and ride.

 

Yes, what he said. The best way to see the difference between gen1 and gen2 MINIs would be to go to a dealer. Interior and exterior are very different IMHO.

I am just guessing here, as I never looked at the cabrios, but the gen2 MINIs offer considerably improved MPG and I assume the gen2 cabrios will offer better MPG also.

 

I have an '07 MCS 6 speed manual with turbo and a new '08 MC automatic without turbo.
The specs say that the MC should get better gas mileage.

But I drive the manual and my daughter drives the automatic.

In town, I average 28-30 mpg. She's getting 24.

On the highway I once managed 41 from Baton Rouge to Houston. I got 37 on the way back cause I was in a hurry. But then immediately after Hurricane Gustav, I managed only 21 mpg, since I was driving from work in first gear (no traffic lights for a week).

So it depends on how you drive.

Michael