New girl who wants to buy a mini
 

I really want to buy a convertable mini Cooper S and have been wanting one for over 5 years. Finally got to a mini dearlership by where I live. Do you guys have any thing I need to know?

If you like music get the Harmon Kardon sound.

Thanks Josh! That's very helpful. I'll keep those things in mind

biggest thing as they already said get what you want the way you want it...to add later is truly impossible unless your a DIYr...you will love the convertible...i drop mine every chance i can even in the winter..great times

No Mini convertible experience but I bought a 2002 Porsche Boxster -- mainly for the mid-engine layout.

I tried the top down thing and it was ok for about 2 weeks in the spring and 2 weeks in the fall. The rest of the time it was too cold/wet or too hot/muggy to drive with the top down. (Oh, was living in the KC MO area at the time.)

You want to be very sure you want the top down experience and are willing to deal with the trade offs.

Oh, and my advice is test drive a hardtop model then the convertible model over the same stretch of road, preferably something the represents the road conditions where you live and drive.

Before I bought the Boxster I had rented a few convertibles and the cars were wobbly as all heck. The reviews of the Boxster were very good and spoke very favorably of how rigid the car was. It helped the car was designed from the ground up to be a roadster. Durng the road test the salesman drove over a series of rail road track crossing. The car was very rigid. After a bit I got behind the wheel and drove the car over the same tracks and was very impressed. No where near the amount of flex I experienced with other cars.

Generally convertibles are heavier cars. The top mechanism and the additional structural bracing/strengthening to make up for the lack of a rigid roof. They are often more softly sprung to reduce the tendency of the car to flex due to the missing rigid roof. And smaller wheels/tires help soften the ride. My Boxster came with 17" wheels/tires and other Porsches I owned had 18" wheels/tires and the difference in ride, the increase in harshness/noise, due to the larger wheels/tires was striking.

My Boxster had a plastic rear window and it eventually cracked due to age. I had the rear window replaced. A few years ago the top then developed a leak and I had the top replaced. I chose the aftermarket top (the factory top was $3000+) with the same plastic window as I preferred the shape and the plastic window was bigger than the top with the glass window.

The soft top requires some extra care. I never treated my car's top with anything. Many owners liked to use stuff that caused water to bead up on the canvas. They felt this was somehow beneficial. But the canvas is not the barrier to water it is there to protect the sheet of rubber underneath that keeps the elements out of the cabin.

For the canvas the best thing is to keep it clean so air can circulate and dry the top out. If this is not done mold/mildew can take root. (A canvas top with what looks like something bubbly under it can be a sign of mold/mildew. The canvas wants to be smooth!)

So what I did was make it a habit to avoid parking the car under trees or plants to avoid (reduce at any rate) the amount of trash that fell on the top (and the rest of the car) and the number of bird mess hits. This stuff is very acidic and if any falls on the car's paint or top it should be removed -- rinsed away with plain water -- ASAP.

R52 2005 Owner here. The 2005-2008 R52 are good. The R57 2009+ is more refined and a softer suspension, the F57 are the newest and have all the newest electronics and have the softest ride. They dont tend to rattle and make noise on the top like the older generations. At your new dealer most if not all will be F57's. You can get a Union Jack top now on those.

The handling on the Older MINIs is better in my opinion. But you can mod the newer ones to get that.

So I take it you are going for a brand new Cabrio??

I agree with the concerns with owning a convertible. As long as you realize that there are compromises and that you are willing to deal with the down sides in exchange for open motoring, it may be the car for you.

I find that in the summer, early morning and evenings are great for convertibles through the summer. Nothing is better than driving a MINI convertible on back winding roads late in the evening. It is not as much fun on the highway at 70mph when the temperature is 95 for an hour.

The trade-offs I would consider are the risk of significant repairs for the top mechanism, reduced viability when the top is up, and less comfortable driving in the winter.

Rear visibility is horrible in the first generation. It has improved in the later generations, especially with a back-up camera. With the first generation, I learned to ALWAYS back into a parking space.

For me a convertible MINI is a great second car, but I could not drive it every day with my commute.

Ok, these are generic convertible comments. I'm assuming this would be your first convertible. If not, then ignore the rest of my post. :).

I'm female. Since '91, all of my cars have been convertibles and all have been daily drivers - '71 beetle, '95 miata, '97 miata, '99 miata, '06 z4m, '19 mini. All with a 40-60 minute commute to and from work.

Anyway, commiting to a convertible (any kind) as your primary form of transportation is as much of a lifestyle as it is a car. It involves compromises.
This means driving with the top down and being part of the outdoors, even when stuck in traffic. I see so many convertibles with the top up when the weather is perfect.

Assuming your hair is long enough to tangle, are you willing to stuff your hair into a hat, pony tail, or otherwise keep it from getting all tangled? If you don't and if your hair has any length, your hair will be whipped forward into your eyes if you dont secure it. You have to be ok with wind, even with a wind blocker.

Are you light skinned? You REALLY need a hat and use sunblock. I wear a floppy hat now, which is quirky and somewhat eccentric. I have had one occurence of basal cell carcinoma on my temple/ face. I suspect my morning/ afternoon work commute was a factor, given the direction of the commute (east/west). Just something to consider...It does not prevent me from driving top down, but it made me more aware.

Be willing to pack minimally and small if you need to travel. This is a good thing. I consider the mini to be gargantuan, but I have a warped perspective. Hauling larger things involves careful measuring, creativity, mail order, or rentals - this comment is based on my life with a 2 seat roadster, but it is still applicable.

Why do you want a convertible? This is a question for yourself.
For me, I want to be outside, and not trapped inside a car, yes even a mini. With the top down, I'm no longer inside. It is a relief (the sunroof is a wonderful compromise though)

At what outdoor temps do you think you will want to drive top down? Here in Georgia, I'm ok up to the upper 80s if I have the AC going full blast. The lower extreme depends on my own desperation to be outside. When I had my bug with no AC and black vinyl seats (and a 1990s business dress code), I changed clothes for my commute. Pollen season is much worse in a convertible, if you live in a region where everything turns yellow/ green and/ or have allergies.

Both my husband and I have convertibles, and would not have anything else.

Hi and welcome to NAM! Keep us posted on what you get!

I will keep you guys posted on what I decide to get. Everything that has been said has been really helpful. Thanks for all the comments and experience!

It is sooooo much fun to drive topless. The fun factor is a BIG thumbs up.

I have wanted a mini since 1995 and I finally got one. specifically wanted a blue convertible mini cooper, automatic with turbo. low milage and newer year. it took me 6 years of solid searching to find what I wanted. having known how much FUN they are, I would've got a new one and financed the whole deal. I would be on my 3rd one by now! My favorite things are the interior lights. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you can change the colors. The 'whipablilty" of them. I cannot tell you how many accidents Ive avoided by being able to whip outta the way. And the convertible top. I did have a bird poop in my eye one day, but, at least it didn't get on my car! Me and the hubby at christmas went to see a light show you drive through, and we did it with the TOP down! WAS A BLAST. with the heat on and the seat heaters cranked on high, was toasty in the car. I dont think you will be disappointed

New to the Forum and recently purchased my first mini. Its a used R53 with 80K on it. I have done a few PM type things so far: Aftermarket dipstick, replaced water pump and flange, thermostat, cold air intake, replaced interior center switch panel, and O2 sensors. Initially purchased it as a small commuter but I'll end up doing a whole bunch of stuff to it. Any one has any tips or suggestions feel free to ship them my way.