I am not yet a mini owner, but with any luck I will be soon. I currently drive a 2007 Charger R/T that I am trying to sell (Upside down on trade, right-side-up on Private Party). I love my HEMI, but I'm ready to let it go and move on to something different. There's only so much fun you can have when all the car will do is accelerate hard. I test drove a 2011 MCS last week and I was sold after that. The mini is a blast to drive even at the speed limit! A big deciding factor for me was the fact that the MCS not only handles like a go-cart but can also hold it's own in a straight line pretty well too. I've had a car before that would handle well but wouldn't get out of it's own way. No fun at all.

Now...on to the important stuff. I plan to buy a car off of the lot as I don't want to have to wait several months just to get what is probably going to be a base S model anyway. I have a price limit so most options are out but I do have questions about a few. Is the HK stereo upgrade worth the money if I plan to upgrade anyway? Is the convenience package easy to live without if you don't opt for it? Lastly, have any of you gotten your dealer to negotiate price on a new purchase? The salesman sort of laughed when I suggested working on the price...I thought that to be a little f'ed up. If anyone has any other advice to give it is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and I hope to learn a lot from you all soon!

 

I just got a 2011 MCS a couple weeks ago, it has Premium and Cold Weather but not Convenience. In hindsight, I wish it did have Convenience, I've already ordered a center armrest, and have already been annoyed by the lack of auto headlights and rain sensing wipers. I think once you've had those in a car, not having them in a new one is just bothersome. I know what you mean about a car that handles great but has no giddy-up, I had a Miata that met that criteria, once I found myself floating around on the internet looking for bolt-on turbo kits, I knew it was time for the car to go! Oh, and the HK stereo is by far the nicest stock stereo system I've ever had in a car, I'd say if you are not planning to further upgrade the stereo with aftermarket upgrades, then go with the HK, if you're going to fiddle with it then just get the base system, I've read on here that it's easier to upgrade the base one.

 

I figure I can do without the convenience package, but then again I made that mistake on my Charger. I bought used, and I found one I could afford and went for it. In hindsight I should have waited. There are certain options I really wished I would have had. As far as rain sensing wipers and auto headlights, I've never had either one so I guess I don't know what I'm missing.

I wasn't impressed by the HK stereo in the MCS I test drove. The 6-speaker Boston Acoustics in my Charger sounds better IMO. Not a big deal really. It really just has to satisfy me until I can upgrade the 6x9's and the front plus a nice amp. I guess what I should have asked was which one is a better starting point for future sound upgrades.

Never driven a Miata, but I had a Neon that surprised me a little. Stock that thing felt like it was gonna roll over on itself through a corner. A set of wheels/tires and springs later and it was quite the little corner carver. Only problem with it was the useless go pedal (and the fact that was a Neon without that little "SRT" badge on the back lol). I got rid of that car in 05 for a full size truck and have been itching to have fun around some corners ever since!

Coming from a V8 with nearly 400 ft lb. of torque (granted in a 4200lb car) to a compact car is something I would have punched myself for a couple of years ago, but I really need some better gas mileage and I feel the Mini's power to weight ratio will be more than suitable for a fun to drive replacement. I can't wait to get my Mini and hit some of those mountain road twisties back home!!!!!