To any of you use your Mini as a daily driver for commuting? Does it hold up? Do you think of it more as a 2nd car????

How many mile a day to you put on your Mini for commuting?


Regards, Glenn :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

I have used my 2002 MCS as a daily driver for the past 12 months. I just turned 20k miles on Friday. I did have a 2000 Mercedes E320 that I split time commuting in. The Merc became just too boring. I don't see any reason why you wouldn't commute in an MCS on a daily basis unless you have a lot of stop and go or a real rough road to commute on. I am averaging about 27 MPG's as well.

 

I purchased my MINI in 2002. It has been my daily driver since then and it now has 53,000 miles on it. I started modifying it as soon as modifications became available (back around 10,000 miles). To date I have done the intake, pulley, exhaust, rear sway, springs, wheels, and tires. My MINI was built early in the intial production and there were some early problems (windshield replaced 5 times, coolant tank replaced 3 or 4 times, trim bits that needed to be replaced). That said, MINI has now remedied those problems. My MINI has been problem free for the past year and a half. :smile: I recently drove a 2005 Cabrio and was very impressed with how far MINI has come in the past couple years. The build quality has improve and the quality of materials has gone up as well. I would definitely recommend a MINI as a daily driver.

 

I use my MCS05 as a daily commuter car here in Naples, Italy. It is kind of like playing dodge ball, bumper cars, and demolition derby all at once.

Our freeways are very stop and go. We also routinely go and double up cars in a single traffic lane. The MCS is small, speedy, and nimble enough that I feel relatively safe in the traffic. It is also great because the traffic here in the fast lane averages between 85 to 100 MPH. It is definitely fun in this car.

Despite the monster pot holes and crazy driving, this car is holding up very well. I would recommend you just drive and enjoy your car.

A satisfied driver.

 

Daily Drive and Commuter Car, and road trip car when we don't have the infant with us.

We'll have the MINI two years at the end of January, right now we have just shy of 30,000 miles on it. It's held up quite well with only some minor issues (and a burned out clutch but that was an uneducated driver).

 

I've put about 12,000 miles on my '04 MCS over the last year, primarily as a daily commuter through Chicago traffic. The car has held up very well (just went through its first servie) and is a blast to drive, even in bumper-to-bumper traffic. My one-way coomute is approximately 24 miles, which can take 30 - 60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. The small size makes the car easy to maneuver through traffic and there is plenty of interior space for one or two.

 

Two '03 MCS's, over 60K miles in 18 months btw. the 2 of them, 19 track days, several autocrosses, highway driving, suburban driving, city, snow, long trips, love 'em!

 

2003 MC with 29,000 miles in 15 months. I average about 300 miles a week. I'm often in traffic going to destinations that would take 20 minutes without traffic, but instead take me 1-1/2 to 2 hours! My car is holding up great! It's a lot of fun as a commuter car. Just tonight, I looked in my rear view mirror, and noticed a Dark Silver MCS. I drove in front of him for a few miles, then I let him come along side me, so I tailed him for a few more miles. Then all of a sudden, I see a Pepper White MCS to the left of me--and now we got 3 MINI's in 3 of the 4 lines driving side by side. It's a blast! We then all took off in separate directions!

I've got mostly cosmetic mods--except for a Moss MINI intake, MTH ECU Mod, and after market plug wires.

 

daily driver here, 12,000 miles since june 28!

 

'03 DS/B MCS 26k mi. Daily driver. Pulley & Intake.

 

I used it as a commuter while I still commuted.... I got you beat mini giant... 25200 miles since June 10th. Zero problems with any factory equipment.

 

mine's going to be a daily driver. i live about 7 miles from where i work, so i guess i'm going to have to find a longer route to work

 

Daily driver. 52 miles each weekday to work. 3000+ miles in the 3 months I've had Stella.

 

Our MINI is our ONLY car, we take it everywhere... daily drive into the office, long trips, etc. It is holding up nicely, at 7500 miles on the odo. No rattles, quirks or anything!

 

Thank you for all of your comments..... Guess if I get a Mini I can use it as a daily driver... Great.

Thanks, Glenn :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

Hi, Glenn! Welcome to NAM!

Once you have your MINI, you won't really want to drive anything else! It makes simple errands so much fun! I'm on my second MINI, traded in the first Cooper for my Wicked Wanda, an MCS. All together, since 8/02, I've motored over 50K, and love it as much as the first exciting day I took delivery. You will find that a MINI is a fantastic daily driver!

Clover

 

32K

in 12 months.
drive it everyday!

One thing bad about MINI is you can stay away from it.
be very careful with it!

 

MINIs make fantastic daily drivers. Mine's been rock solid and a total blast to drive. imo, there's really no reason to put a lesser car on the road...if you're gonna drive/commute, ya might as well enjoy it, I say. MINIs are fun, safe, and practical...a very hard combo to beat. I've been driving mine about two years and it still impresses me.

My recommendation, though, is to take a good honest look at your commute. If you're doing lots of highway miles...consider an MCS. If your buzzing around town, a Cooper is more than perfect. If you encounter a lot of heavy traffic congestion, consider a CVT Cooper. While people here have their opinions (...and are more than entitled to them) any MINI combination is, in truth, a winner. Each model has distinct benefits to offer....and the car is just good in any configuration.

It's easy to get carried away by the mind-numbing array of options available. You can go with what you need...you can go with what you want...you can close your eyes and go with it all. Any way you choose, for a daily commuter, MINIs are unbeatable (really!) for the price.

One of the things that is so endearing about MINIs is that they actually out-perform their (sometimes substantial) hype. For all the cheeky fun surrounding the car, actually sitting in one and motoring about day by day is absolutely the best thing about them.

 

I believe that in January, the CVT tranny will be offered for MCSs, with paddles on the steering wheel....something to consider if you have to drive in heavy stop-and-go traffic! :smile:

Clover

 

My commute is 75% highway and 25% rough city. I think the MCS with the automatic transmission may be the way to go for me...

Thank you all again for your comments.. only 17 months more to go on my current lease...

Regards, Glenn :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

You should be able to test-drive the MCS-CVT pretty soon, Glenn! We want a full report when you do!

Clover

 

15 months,pushing 40K miles,daily driver,100 mile return commute,plus fun.
No problems,starts at -47F,goes like snot,priceless

 

I have 77K miles since 4/02. I drive it everyday to work and it's great for road trips. My MINI actually makes my drive to work enjoyable. If I behave myself, I get right around 33mpg on the daily commute....:smile: My commute is right around 55 miles per/day.

 

Daily driver, commuter, family trip car, reason to get out of the house car, modify car. You name it it covers all of the bases I now drive it daily for my commute about 140 miles round trip, I have had zero problems in the last two years . I picked it up two years ago tomarrow (dec 28th). It holds up better than any other car I've had.

Nik

 

Daily driver here - 34k miles since '02. It's held up great with no major problems with 40-60 mile/day commutes. We've also taken it on 5 hour trips and it's a pleasure to drive. Our mileage is in the 32 mpg range during the commute which is very good but out other car is a Honda Insight so...

You won't be dissappointed. My family is about ready to get rid of our van and get another MINI. That's a MINI and Insight for the parents and a MINI for me in the latter stages of college.