It's time for a new car, and I want a MINI. Please help!

First, some info about me:
My current car is a 1996 Dodge Neon. My last car was a 1996 Dodge Neon. If they still made them, I'd probably buy another one, because familiarity equals comfort for me.

My daily commute is only a few miles, but the traffic is heavy (speed is variable, but volume is always heavy - I'm in northern VA.) About once a month I drive 2 hours to see Dad.

No kids, but I am married and have a 90-pound golden retriever that will be riding along.

Hubby has a Dodge Charger SRT-8. While I love the fact that his car can go up a hill WHILE the a/c is on (unlike the Neon), I don't need ridiculous amounts of performance. I will not be fussy about tuning and tweaking and mods and whatnot. I just would like a reliable car that goes when I tell it to (and will be OK in the snow).

My questions (and yes, I've searched the forums and the web, but would still appreciate input here).

1. Cooper or Cooper S? I heard you have to use the "expensive" gas in a MCS, is that true? Or can you use regular? (Bear in mind I will be getting an automatic.) I have no objection to a non-S unless it is less mechanically sound and will be costing all kinds of money to fix.

2. I heard 2005 was a bad year - is this true? Any problematic years at all?

3. Does the fact that I would like Electric Blue or Oxygen Blue limit my choices?

4. Should I just give up and get a New Beetle instead?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, this is my first post and I haven't been researching too long.

 

1. second generation cooper, first gen cooper s auto. expensive gas for both models.
2. 05-06 are the best for the first generation.
3.not sure, i think one color is for first gen and the other second gen.
4.no, i owned a turbo s new beetle, mom had one and another friend had one. I had to have mine flatbedded twice and so many electrical issues i have heard from alot of people who own them. i would not recommend them.

 

Thanks, kb30. To clarify your first answer, do you mean to say that for an automatic, the base model is fine in the second generation, but if I am looking at first generation, I should go for an S?

 

yes the first generation mini cooper has a cvt transmission for the auto, it has it's share of issues and costs alot of money to replace.Do a search on "cvt transmission" and you can see all the posts about them. The cooper s has a japanese made aisin auto transmission and is very good. if you want a first gen definetly get a auto cooper s. Good Luck!

 

'05-'06 Cooper S Auto would be an excellent choice!

 

Yes '05-'06 S is allright in automatic, but then '07 on (2nd generation) base Cooper is also good in automatic and would probably be less money than S in '06 and possibly even '05. Base Cooper better mileage and probably more reliable than super charged S. Stay away from '02-'06 automatics because of CVT transmission.

 

You are about to make dramatic move up-market, as they say.

I'd recommend a '07 or newer model since they're the new design with better mpg, power, etc. Don't consider anything but an S with a 6 speed. A really sweet ride. I should know, I own one.

 

I suggest getting an S, new or used - '05 and '06 are good and can be found with fairly low miles. I have an '03, but I found it with only 36k miles on it last October, and another guy who joined the local club the same day I did found an '03 with only 27k. The S will definitely go up hills with the a/c on. All MINIs require 91 octane, IIRC. It's not *that* much difference in cost when you really look at it. Heck, I was running 91 in my old Ford Escort, because it got enough better gas mileage that it was actually *cheaper* than using the cheap gas.

I, too, have heard some bad stories about the New Beetle. Plus, they're very girly (not a problem for you) compared to the old air-cooled ones (of which I've owned a bunch over the years)--and they put the darned engine in the wrong end of the car....

Good luck and happy hunting!

C ya,
Dutch

 

You'll hear no end to the electrical problems on the new beetles, my friend's mother in law even had one burn to the ground from it.

 

Electric Blue (the best MINI color) is exclusive to the S model, first generation., unless you buy a Canadian car. There is a great buyers guide on www.motoringfile.com that covers all model years and their respective plusses and minuses. My Electric Blue is NOT for sale.

 

If youre big on familiarity, and big performance is not a requirement, go with an 05 or 06 base Cooper. It's basically the Neon engine, so Im told, and its simpler and more reliable than the S, simply because theres less parts to go bad. All Coopers want 91 or higher octane. The 05 and 06s benefit from the end-of-the-line development of the model, and are the best of the series. Some think theyre not as charming as the 02 and 03s, but theyre all close enough in looks for me.

 

Hi Seasquirt.

I had a 98 Neon. Only I had the Plymouth version because I wanted the stupid thing to say "Expresso" on the side of it. I had a lot of trouble with that car. The head gasket went early on and there were multiple problems with the emissions parts. Oh and I can't forget the way the moonroof got stuck all the time. I am glad you did not suffer the same problems I had. At least the car was purple.

I currently have an 03 Civic. It has 127 hp on a good day and loses a lot of power when the a/c is on- just like the Neon did. I swear there are days when I wonder if I should do the Flintsone thing with my feet or get out and push it, it seems so slow.

For this reason, I am going with an S. The justa I believe has 118 hp. With the ac on, I don't feel like that's enough to get me on the highway here in NY. Of course, where I live, it may not be enough to go anywhere.

I don't know much about colors for the years you're looking at. However, I know for me, the justa justa made me wonder if 118 hp was enough. You have to think about where you live and how much power you need. I'm sure there are more differences between the justa and the S. I personally went with the S for more hp.

Good luck in your decision!

 

give the dog a break and get a Clubman!

 

Well, I test-drove a "justa" yesterday. (I insisted on testing the Oxygen blue one.) To me, the car had zip, but still felt a little heavy. I am going to have to try an S to see if the extra hp makes a difference.

@sekhmet101 - I had the head gasket problem with my first 96 Neon. This 96 Neon (which belonged to my grandmother) hasn't had that issue (yet) but it does have a problem that a lot of Neon owners have had - the speedometer (and sometimes the whole instrument display) only works when it wants to. Sometimes it will fix itself when I hit a pothole.

@Radioflyer - I am sure the Clubman is a fine option to choose, but I am just not in love with the way it looks. If I wanted a car of that size, I'd probably buy an Outback (the Impreza one) or a Dodge Caliber. The Clubman extension detracts from the effect of "Haha! That car is the size of a toaster oven!" effect - at least to me.

 

Well try the S then see how you feel about it.
I never had the speedometer problem. I was considering an Outback but I decided to go with my true love- the Mini. I was thinking about a Clubman thinking I'd have more room for stuff including the dog (she's a Rottie) but I decided it wasn't worth the extra room for a few more inches of space.
Keep us posted on your decision.

 

You will feel a significant difference in power/torque with the S.

 

switching from my eclipse RS (which was literally the neon DOHC sport drivetrain with a different head configuration) to my mini S has taken a bit to get used to, but it shifts nicer, the clutch is a little less tacky and a bit lower than my old car (then again, my clutch was dying)...

test drive one, stomp on it, once you hear the supercharger whine you won't go back.