Hello all and any who case their eyes upon this post,
I'm looking to buy or lease a 2011 Mini. Is there anything I should look out for? About the Mini, I'm pretty sharp on car sales tactics. I've always been a Jeep, or Chevy man. I started seeing more and more Mini's running about and think they're pretty cool. I was in Princeton, NJ the other day. I must of seen 50 Mini's running around, parked on the street and lot, and in driveways. A real Mini hotspot!
I commute about 500 miles a week. My Sliverado cost me $480 per month in gas. I can lease a Mini, fill it with gas, and pay the insurance and still pay less per month. I could get a Toyota or something cheaper, but I'm needing the WOW factor. Oh BTW, I'll be keeping the Silverado, it's my retirement gift to myself. Thanks for any info!

 

Go for it ! Drink the kool-aid
Enjoy the ride !
I am on my second Cooper now . Had a Lighting Blue 09' very nice . Now i have a 2011 Chill Red very nice ride ! Good Luck ! El Tiger

 

Are you looking for a regular cooper, an S, or a JCW? Clubman or countryman? They're all cool cars and a blast to drive. If you've never test driven one, I suggest doing so and checking out the options available. You may even want to configure one to your exact preference rather than purchasing an inventory.

Since you will be leasing a new car, there's really nothing to look out for as far as reliability is concerned since everything will be covered by warranty. Just find one you like and enjoy the drive an the wonderful community.

 

I guess I'm looking for a Regular Cooper. I haven't been able to discern the difference between a "Regular", and an "S".

 

The "S" model has a hood scoop up front and dual center exhaust out the back. It is noticeably more peppy (I've owned both). The regular or 'justa' cooper is still very sporty, more reliable, and a blast to drive. I definitely vote on test driving both

 

Justa Cooper, I like that LOL. I'm all for sporty and peepy, maybe I will check out an S. Thank you!

 

Justa Cooper/121HP/Base $20,100
Cooper S/181HP/Base $23,700
Cooper S JCW/208HP/Base $29,800

I do want to emphasize that these are base prices. There are so many options on these cars and you'll find that the price can and will go up significantly as you configure one for yourself. When I was looking at a new Clubman S, the base price started at $25,500 and quickly found myself with a $7k in additional options. Whatever you choose, I hope you choose one that has all the options you want. It makes it that much more fun Good luck!

 

I just got a "Justa Cooper" and I'm very happy with it. Paid 20K for it and got 0% financing. I liked the idea of the s model, just didn't want a huge payment. Like evasive said too, the regular Cooper is more reliable according to Consumer Reports.

Good luck with your decision. I think either way you'll be happy. I am.

 

The Cooper S has a turbo on it. Its quite a bit quicker power-wise, but the regular Cooper has enough to still be fun. It just depends on what you want to spend I guess. Both of them require premium fuel BTW. This isn't a big deal as in this car its the difference of $2.50/tank. I am getting 31-32 mpg consistently with my S. Its a really fun car! Welcome!

 

OK, I took a test drive in an "S" with a stick, and a "Justa" with the automatic. The S was fun to drive, had some getty up and go. The Cooper with the auto was more fun to drive, I guess I just grew out of the stick. I did get a kick out of the Sport button. I'm leaning toward the Cooper, I'm after gas mileage and fun. I can get my fill with the Cooper. One complaint, I found my big foot would get wedged between the brake and gas pedals. This is due to how I rest my foot when I drive. If I keep my foot more vertical I don't have the problem. Next, color..............