Hello, my wife's jetta tdi is going away soon thanks to the diesel gate and she had been wanting a mini for a while. We test drove the following so far:
2011 countrymen s manual
2007 2dr cooper base auto
2008 2 Dr cooper s manual
2015 4 Dr cooper base manual

We loved the road feel and go cartiness of the r56's but hated the auto in the base r56. The countrymen was kind of dull but felt more civilized. I loved the 08 cooper s and it was in great shape. I'm a little scared of the death rattle on the n14 motor I've been reading about. He said he never had any on his 35k mile original ownership of the 08 cooper s. But unless there is a final fix I will shy away from the n14 motor.
The f56 cooper felt great on the comfort side but lacked the awesome go cart feel I had with the 08.
I want to try the auto in the f56 s to see if it's as nice as my dsg in the jetta. If it is I will more than likely try for. F56 auto in a base or s version although if I can find a manual 2011-13 n18 cooper s or jcw for the right price and good condition with navigation included I would be sold.

I hope to learn a lot from these forums thanks.

 

Hello and welcome. The F56 will have the lastest updates from MINI and the softess ride right behind the Countryman. If you go for the 2008 S make sure youe get it looked over and check out everything. The 2007 R56 Cooper ( Non S ) should be fine.

Good luck and if you need anything let me know.

 

Please let us know what you decide! In the meantime, how big a price spread is there from the '07 to the 2015, and how about warranties?

 

A warranty or a MINI NEXT CPO is really nice. I'd say avoid the 2008 MINI Cooper S unless the price is way low and you've got some mechanical aptitude to fix engine problems.

I'd also agree with ECS Tuning...the ride in my 2015 is so nice!

Good luck to you!

 

I agree the F56 with Auto is worth a try. The B38 engine in the base Cooper makes impressive power quite low in the RPM range, and seems well suited to an automatic transmission. You might be surprised.

Regrettably the base Cooper no longer offers the Sport Suspension as an option, as apparently feedback from the marketplace was that it was too stiff for most buyers. There are of course many ways to affect the handling.

Good luck, and I hope you folks enjoy your decision making process as well as the outcome.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

I'm voting for the f56, I am biased though. Good luck with whichever one you choose

 

Welcome to NAM. Can't go wrong with an F56 with a warranty. As for the N18 R56, keep your eyes on the look out. There are still some good deals out there. Good luck and be sure to let us know what you decide on.

 

Thats the biggest thing i noticed in the F56 , other then interior and electrical upgrades.