[Update: MINI ordered!]

Hi guys and gals,

First post... so HI!

I currently have an '05 G35C 6MT. It's all kitted out with genuine Nismo S-tune and R-tune parts. Its really cool... but for whatever reason I find myself really wanting an MCS. It seems like a blast to own, but I'm preaching to the choir.

I don't have a clue what my car is worth, or rather what someone would pay for it. And I wonder what kind of hit it will be. I like the idea that the MCS is less expensive, is better on gas mileage, and is certainly trackable. And the community seems much better.

Oh, what to do?

 

We went from an 02 MCS to a G35 Sedan 6MT. More room, more power. Two totally different cars though. We had nothing but a horrible experience with our local BMW / MINI dealership (Hawaii). Fun car, but really lacking on space for someone who's 6'6" like myself (my '66 Cooper S has more space!).

If you're looking for a "fun" car to hop around in, then the MINI is certainly a fun car. Sounds like your G35 Coupe is pretty tricked out though - going from nearly 300 horsepower to like 170 is going to suck!

Go drive one. Check 'er out.

 

Latka, you had problems at 6'6"? I'm 6'7" and fit just fine, better then I do in my 1975 MGB which I've owned since new.

 

You will probably miss the Hp and torque of the G35 and the rwd feeling but you will be part of a great community and you'll have a lot of fun driving a MINI.

With that said or written, I am considering selling my MCS to buy a Porsche 993 or 996. Not because of the fun factor but because it's something I always wanted. The Porsche a work of art.

 

Test drive the MINI. You'll want to get rid of the G35 pronto.

 

FortyTwo,

Aloha and welcome to NAM.

First, what are you going to use your car for and how much of the time?
For street use (mostly) the MCS is going to be fine especially with a light set of rims and non runflat tires which is an easy upgrade from stock rims (16" are better).
For track use you will need to do quite a bit of changes but it is doable but also less comfortable on the road.
How often do you track your G35 now? If you go to the track each week or two then keep your G35 but if you go only twice a year then the MINI is more practical. You'll go from 16 mpg in the G35 to about 32 mpg in the MCS stock.

When selling your modded G35 you won't get that much for all the upgrades you invested in. One option is to keep the G35 for the track (if you do that often enough or have that interest) and keep the MINI stock for street use- it's fun enough and the reliability of the current model year is much improved from the 2003 model that Latka had. I also have the 2003 MCS and it's working just fine.

See if you can find a local MINI club in your area and go for a ride in some MINIs both stock and modded. See what you think. A good combo to start with for you would be MCS with 6 speed and Limited slip differential option from the factory, stock 16" rims and minimal options to keep the weight down. Skip the leather seats to save on $$$ unless you really like them.

 

Gromit - our 02 MCS had the sunroof, so my head was almost always touching the roof. That and the front seat is snug against the rear seats... yet in my 40 year old car someone can sit behind me. Lol... sometimes "progress" is a very subjective term!

Have you ever driven a G35? There's a lot to be said about a V6 driving the proper wheels.

The MINI is fun, but I think that the cars are definitely aimed at different crowds.

 

I have not driven a G35 but I have had some seat experience behind the wheel of a 350Z which essentially shares the same underpinnings with the G35 coupe and sedan.

Very good cars overall, but there is something missing from the 350Z but I can quite describe it. The car rides too damn harsh for my tastes and the interior is sort of a let down for a vehicle that retails in the low $30K camp.

I would think the G35 rides better and has more useful interior space than the Z car.

Honestly, I still prefer a BMW 3 series with its creamy 6-inline engine over the Nissan/Infiniti RWD'ers with V6's but that's me.

I agree. The MINI is a different beast altogether but I also finding interesting how the MINI gets cross shopped all the time with higher priced, higher powered GT and sports cars.

Test drive the MCS and come to your own conclusions. The excitment this cars brings behind the wheel, its well, hard to describe.

 

Well, they are completely different.

I got my MCSa (MINI Cooper S Automatic) in March '05. I knew nothing about MINIs. I test drove one, fell in love and bought the car in 3 hours. Since then I like the car more and more. I mostly drive alone, however we've had long trips with my wife and 2 daughters, 12 & 16 years old, and no one complained, moreover, they usually ask for MINI ride, than my wife's '05 Audi A4.

My friend has a '05 G35 Coupe. I drove the car many times. Well, I like it. It's got a lot of power and good performance, but the MINI is different in terms of handling, style and even performance. The MINI handles so well, even expensive exotic cars won't match. I feel my car like my shoes, and it has the most responsive steering I have ever experienced. I basically became obsessed by the MINI and finally, as a result of this obsession I placed an order for '06 MCS with full JCW package. I am going to sell mine and get the new one in about 2 months (the new one is waiting for shipment in GB) I am spending a lot to get this model. It costs more than the most expensive G35 coupe, but I don't care, since that's the only model for me in that price range that I would buy and keep for a long time.

Other models I considered: Audi A3, VW Golf GTI, BMW M3, Porsche Cayman S. I test drove the Audi: something was missing, not as dynamic and responsive as MINI was. Same for the VW. M3 is the way to go, but too expensive. I like Cayman S, since Porsche offers a wide range of customization, the problem is that the price goes over $80 grand.

Test drive one, I suggest going with S, it will tell you more than all the writings and good luck with your decision.

 

Welcome to NAM,

There are a few threads on the G35 here on NAM I'd suggest you read them (search function), there a those who own both that have commented in the past. Good things said about both rides.

 

Totally different cars, unless you plan on gettin JCW or modding, you won't get near the acceleration that the G35 has. I think the G35 is one of the best looking sport coupes out right now, much better than the Z. What can I say, it's a great car, but it's missing that "something" that makes the MINI special.

The MINI is more interactive, more of a feel based car, the handling is tremendous and the engine/supercharger sound is a unique experience. I can tell you that you will get more stares, points and comments on your MINI, which adds to the appeal. It's just more fun (to me). I've had more "serious" sports cars in my past, yet the MINI is more fun to drive.

Good luck making your decision!

 

Thanks for all of the responses. I was in no way trying to compare the two cars, outside the fact that I own one and want the other. I previously owned a modded WRX (before the STI was out) and it was totally different. That's kind of what I like about switching cars.

I would expect to thoroughly mod the Mini also, I can't leave well enough alone. I practically learned japanese trying to find parts for the G35, and everything I bought had to be shipped from Japan. God forbid anything need to be replaced. I can certainly say that the G setup right now is wicked. Its 260 whp, on lightweight Rays/Nismo forged alloy rims, Sport suspension with Nimso sways, etc, etc... the mods alone are barely less than a used MCS.

But, I worry about it too much... I am afraid of putting miles on it, tracking it, running it too hard. I want something I don't worry about so much about, and just drive.

I know, I need to go drive one. I have a friend with the following: G35 Sedan, Nismo 350Z, Evo, STI, and MCS JCW. I think he likes the Mini best, he's always buying parts for it. I think he has the full JCW catalog from UK, crazy. And he's always raving about it. Maybe this weekend I can find time to test one.

If anyone is curious here is a pic of my G:

 

Just test drive it. You won't believe the base S starts at right around 22k. MINI has COMPLETELY different feel to it compare to 350z, g35cs.. (driven all, you know, typical Asian youngsters' cars.. ).. a fun car that i cannot stop driving... i just cannot stop driving this damn thing..

 

i had the same thoughts coming from an e46 m3. The driving characteristics are definitely different but its now a different game all together.

I still drive the m3 when i need to go places but take the mini when heading into the city. Parking is just way better!

 

Sheesh...ain't that the truth!

With all this talk of MINIs it's making me want to get another one...dammit. Once I finish with the restoration of my '66 S I might have to get a matching MCS for it.

 

WOW.
i just traded my 04 G35 coupe on monday and got 25.5k for trade. i picked up a 05 Pepper white cooper S. so far so good. i love it. modding is less expensive. i bought a whole set of tires for what i would have paid for one 19" x 10.5 rear that i had on the G... its a good feeling.

i "traded down" as the dealer put it, for all the reasons you mentioned... so far i dont regret it.



cheers on the 1st post.
davo

 

You bring up some excellent points... Many of which is why I sold my 2004 Z06.
It's much more fun driving a less expensive car. You don't worry near as much when you are driving it. You actually enjoy it more.. The mini is unique in many ways.. One of them is handling.. It is a street legal go-kart. Everything else feels big, fat and heavy.
I could have kept the Z06 too.. but I decided to let it go.. Just did not enjoy it enough to justify keeping it. The Z06 was a monster... 405HP at 3145 lbs. On the street.. there is no room to play with this kind of power... You can't get on it without going too damn fast. It was great knowing that I could blow away most of the cars out there.... but the fun factor was not as high as the mini...
I did a few cheap mods to the mini and now its awesome. It is quite quick, very responsive and much more fun to drive than it was when stock.
Driving a slow car fast... is more fun than driving a fast car slow...

 

32 mpg for an S seems a tad on the optimistic side, MH, esp for track driving. The only time I come close to 32 mpg in my "stock" 05 S is going 70-75 in sixth gear on a relatively flat, unspirited highway cruise where I'm enjoying the scenery and ignoring the ricer-boys challenging me in their soobies and mitsus. And 16mpg for the G35 is more like a city mpg #.

Of course I drive at higher altitudes, not sea level....

What are we comparing here? Highway? City? Average? (FYI to the G35 driver: I average just over 25 mpg, a little less with the A/C on, fairly spirited city/highway driving, about 30 highway and 20 city.) Jimbo

 

The G35 coupe with the 6MT was my second runner-up to my MCS in my car search a couple years ago (it was also $6k more than my MCS). I think the G35 is one of the most stylish japanese cars ever produced (I'm also an NSX freak), so much more than its ugly ducking sibling the Z. Sounds like you got a good deal Davo Welcome to the MINI world. JB

 

Welcome to NAM!

A MINI is the best decision you'll ever make!

Good luck!

 

So, it took a full year, but I ordered an '07 and it will be finished with production on tuesday! Can't wait, and thanks for the advise even though it took me forever to pullthe trigger.

 

Welcome back and you picked a good year to try the MINI.

The new redesigned R56 MCS turbo is a different car. Right now you can't mod it that much so you'll have to wait a little to let the tuners try things out.

Lighter wheels and non runflat sticky tires helps.
Cat back exhaust if you want.
Suspension changes when you are ready.

Hopefully you ordered the optional LSD.

Take it to the track, have some fun.

To get the best gas mileage you have to be gentle on the throttle but at least you have a choice.

 

After my first MCS (Which I loved to death) was totaled through no fault of my own, for reasons which made sense to me at the time (Mostly that I didn't want to drive a Corolla around for 3 months while MINI built me a new car) I went with a G35 6MT Coupe. I can honestly say that I HATED the car. It was a major disappointment in the power department (I was coming out of a 260+ HP MINI), not to mention the body roll was so bad I thought the car was going to tip over every time I changed lanes or turned any faster than about 30 MPH. I ended up selling the G35 after owning it for about 9 months, between the tax and depreciation I ended up eating about $9k in the sale, but I didn't give a damn. I recommend driving the car QUITE a bit before you purchase it. To me the G35 is more of a car for people that want to pretend they drive a sports car while not making any compromises in ride comfort or luxury. The MINI is more focused towards that "On Rails" Go-Kart feel that most of us as enthusiasts love.

The Harmon Kardon system in my MCS is 50x better than the POS Bose system my G35 had. Being a major audiophile I didn't like it at all, and found it impossible to do much in the way of an upgrade without losing all but about 4 cubic feet of trunk space.

I also found the transmission on the G35 to be very clunky and temperamental. I bought mine brand new, and within a few days of driving it I realized that it was completely different than the MINI. The MCS is butter smooth and consistent, the G35 is surprisingly notchy and unforgiving. I found myself guessing the engagement point almost every shift (it moved around depending on it's mood I guess). Sometimes it'd engage right on the floor, while other times it'd engage at the top of pedal travel, for very jerky, inconsistent shifting.

I also got ridiculously bad gas mileage. Despite the fact that I drove nearly 50 miles a day round trip on the freeway, the best I could muster was a paltry 17 mpg average. There were times that I put 19 gallons in the tank and had only driven 215 miles (Do the math on that one )

As you can tell, I'm very sour about my ex car. Perhaps it's just not for everyone, some love them, but I hated mine.

Take your time, they both have their merits, but for me the MINI was a hands down no brainer.

*Edit* I see that you ended up going with an 07 MCS, while I personally don't like the 4x4 and goggle eye looks of it over the previous generation, i'm sure you'll enjoy the drive over a G35 .

 

Of course I got the LSD! And I have already signed up for track days with it. Fun stuff. I cartainly had time to figure out exactly what I wanted.

Rustyboy - I already have the G35, I think I've waited so that I could take some of the sting away from losing $25K+ after having it for 18 months...