Hi after driving huge cars for the past 20 years Im about to get a MINI
Here's my question - Convertible or hard top???!! Im leading towards convertible-- but is this just a mid life crisis move I will regret?
I live in southern california
(am keeping old mid sized SUV for big trips, hauling teens etc)
is there a difference in the way a Cooper plain and a Cooper S drives?
any and all opinions welcome!!! thx!!

 

IMHO, get the hard-top Cooper S. It's the funnest to drive, most useable car, with gobs of room and great performance potential. The convertibles are fun, but they're more cramped and vision and performance are worse. With the $3-4k you save with the hard top, go buy a mid 90s Miata for your top-down driving fun.

 

I drove a covertible the other day while my MINI was getting her check-up.. Its definitely cramped, blind spots are big and it was noisy...Had it not been 19* here in NY I would have loved to had the top down.. Test drive both, you know when you drive one...GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

I live in the NW, so filter my comments accordingly. IMHO I'd go with the coupe.

I think they have better looking lines.
Less noise.
Top does not wear out.
Panoramic sunroof does a pretty fair job of opening up your driving experience.
More closed in feeling when convertible top is up.

Now, that said..... only you will be able to judge the enjoyment factor and that's all that really matters! You will be happy with whatever you decide.

 

Go drive them. Hard or soft top is a highly personal preference. If you have an Explorer you don't need the extra hauling capacity of the coupe, and SoCal is a great place for a convertible. As far as a Justa Cooper or a Cooper S, I say go for the Cooper S. The difference in performance is significant; both handling and acceleration. And, oh, the torque in the second generation Cooper S is a joy.

 

Hello,

I will not comment on S vs Cooper, as I have only had coopers. I've owned a coupe (2005), a clubman (2008) and a Cabrio (2005).

The new cabrio has more room then mine, and I would say with the top up, the cabrio 'feels' smaller. It is not really (you lose 2" of rear leg room though). I believe it just feels smaller as it doesn't have the sunroof, and windows in the back, so it is darker. Also, the wind noise is a bit higher with the top up. I actually find the noise to be way less, and much more enjoyable on the highway with the top down, then with the sunroof open on my hard tops.

Handling wise, all are great. If you can afford the S, go for it for sure. It is a great car.

In Southern California, personally, I would definitely get the Cabrio. To me, now that I own one, I love it when it is warm. Unfortunately for me, I live in Canada, and we get winter. Currently it is -25 C. So the top has been up for a couple of months now :(.

I agree though, go test drive the different versions. Whatever you get will be a joy!

 

Practicality says hardtop with the sunroof, fun in the sun, it's cabrio time. Just make sure you really like the open air experience. I was a roadster person until I hit 40, then I got tired of the wind in my face and tops that sometimes didn't go up like they should and dodging hail stones or sleet. Either way you are going to love being a MINI owner.

 

I was also a convertable person until I was in my 40's. Since then I have had several hatch-back coupes. Now I only open a window when I need to pass something through.

As I said before, coupe or cabrio is strickly personal choice.

 

100% agree.

 

personal preference so it will be hard to judge comments here. I personally don't like 'verts. riden in many (all kinds of cars) I just would never own one for no other reason other than I don't personally like them. So obviously I would vote hardtop and yes there is a big difference between the cooper and cooper S -

 

I am in upstate NY, not practical for a convertible BUT I love mine!


In SoCal how can you not go for it?!? Especially since you have a SUV for hauling and stuff...

 

I would vote hardtop. Converts are very nice but IMHO you lose some of the performance when you go for the one with the top down. I've never been a convertible guy but I love my sunroof. If you are a sun worshiper I would go for the convert but if your so so about the sun go for the hardtop with the sun roof. But what ever you get you can't go wrong with the coop.