I was out making a sells call and saw the convertible mini sitting on a used car lot. I stopped and peaked in....that night I was driving it home. I had no idea I wanted a new car, let alone a Mini Cooper.

 

Apparently the most intense emotional experience of your life wasn't a perfect 3-2 downshift ...

 

Now YOU are the one jumping to conclusions !

 

I will be on my second Mini, so here is my experience.

The first Mini was because I really wanted a Mini. So I got the clubman in 2010without considering others. Now I have put 15k miles on it!

This time, because I am expecting a baby boy, so I got to "upgrade" to a more family oriented vehicle. So I came across with the following, and test drove each Of them back and forth.

The first one I had in mind was the 2013 Porsche cayenne diesel. It was a great car, I got to say it is almost as fun as driving a mini!! I almost stepped my foot in the Porsche brand when I sat down with the sale agent. What turns me away was the price. The starting price of the diesel cayenne is Around $55k, with all those packages installed rocketed up the price to nearly $70k which is way over my budget. If the price was around $60k, I would have gone with a Porsche with a very high monthly payment.

The second one I had in mind was the Mercedes Benz ML 350. The overall quality of the ML is very luxurious, and high class as what we can expect from a Mercedes. The one I test drove was going for $63k, which is acceptable. But the overall riding experience was comfortable/ numb, I would say. I know my heart wasn't going in that direction, so we left telling the sales "we will have to discuss more".

So the third one was the X5, similar to the Porsche. Exciting driving it. But wife didn't like it. lol

The last one is the Mini countryman jcw, all4, and the S.. We test drove this car at least 3 times before we made the decision. It was absolutely nothing quite like a Mini, although it is heavier, 400lbs, it still handles like a regular mini. Very satisfying experience. Has 4 doors, 5 seats, bamm! It is a family car! The price is with our budget, So the second day, we ordered our jcw countryman with "will be using options" for just little bit over $40k. Expecting delivery in earlier August 2013.

Hope this is not too long for everyone to read!

 

What did I almost get instead of my r53 MINI Cooper S ??

Well, at one time I thought I was saving up for a motorcycle.

Later I thought I might build a Lotus Super Seven (replica type kit)

At one time I was considering getting a B18C (Think Integra GSR) engine, and putting it into a 92-95 Civic (right around 2000 lbs curb weight if I remember right).

A-las, I've always wanted a Mini Cooper since I read an article about a 1967 Mini Cooper S in an Autoweek Magazine when I was 12 years old (that was a long time ago). I'm so glad that I remembered my Original Dream

Best decision I've ever made. Favorite car I've ever owned!

By the way, some kid in a lowered Civic came up behind me recently. I left the stop sign turning onto a twisty country road. -I could tell he tried, but I lost him rather immediately! That was gratifying.

 

Honda CR-Z. Wanted to drive the MINI and the CRZ a second time; had originally driven the MINI Hardtop. Stopped at the MINI dealer, drove the MINI Coupe S and never made it back to test drive the Honda! Took the Coupe S home the same day. What a great car!

 

I wanted to drive a CRZ when they first came on the market but all the local Honduh dealers wanted a deposit before they let potential buyers drive one. LAME!

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

Definitely a good thing. My wife is even more MINI fanatical than I am. I might have been tempted by a Porshce (Cayman R), but the wife wouldn't go for that, so we compromised on the JCW instead.

My wife not only comes to club events, but competes along side me, she's the closest competition behind me.

 

My wife thinks that I am crazy spending money on a little car. Envy of you guys.

 

Sounds like you gotta tell her she can't buy no more clothes and makeup, it'll work;-)

 

Know what?

Life is too short to drive the same boring *** car as everyone else.

Yea, it's expensive. It's not perfect... But damn is it fun and turns heads...

 

I did not have to put down a deposit. They let my husband and me take it without a "chaperone." Drove a Scion FRS, too. It was nice, but the MINI was better. :-)

 

And the darn friggin shoes man.

 

What type of tune to the Auto MCS are you referring?

Aaron

 

Trust me I know...it's never fair. My gf always asks for shoes and I respond back with, "where's my alone time with my MINI?".

 

RennTech or PAW tune. It's a good mod to the auto MCS/JCW.

 

I was going for a new Golf R. As much as I love the Golf R (I've owned a mk6 GTI), the mini just put a bigger smile on my face.

I might still probably get one though. It's nice to have a serious machine when required.

 

I considered an BMW M3, but the wife did not let me...

no worries, after i test drove my first, i bought it! have not regreted it since.

 

mazda miata NC, honda s2000, scion fr-s

 

After driving a '98 Corolla since 2000 (it wouldn't die!), I considered a small SUV. I always wanted a MINI but have a wife and two kids (in the Midwest, this is a recipe for a small SUV). I drove the Countryman (not the S) and was disappointed (terribly underpowered). I considered the Honda CR-V but became fixated on the Mazda CX-5 with a 2.5L engine--only available in the 2014 model. Done right, the CX-5 was going to run me $30K. On a whim, I found myself back at the MINI Store driving the Countryman S (better balanced than base model) and the Clubman S, which I really liked.

My wife found a 2010 Clubman S with 13K miles located 4+ hours away. I gladly let go of the Corolla and bonded with the MINI on the way home. ;-)