My 98 daily driver passat is very tired, and i need to get a new car. i test drove an evo, wrx, mustang gt, and a mini cooper s last weekend. for the price and fun factor im pretty sure the mini is for me. the wrx is a close 2nd.

whats the best way to get the most bang for your buck when getting a mc s made to order? i remember when they first came out out someone on a car enthusiast[FONT=&quot] forum suggested that you are better off getting the standard rims instead of the 17s with the sport package. because (im going on memory here from a few years ago) "the run flats are garbage, just buy real rims and tires after you get the car; it handles so much better with non run flats, just get can of instant inflate a flat if you get a flat". is this true?

what other options are worth the money? is the upgraded stereo worth it? does the auxiliary imput work with any mp3 player? why pay $650 for a 6 disk cd player if you can buy that for $40 and get an mp3 player for less than $200 with way more space. i was also making fun of the arm rest for $200, but i keep looking at the pic, and im like that is a pretty neat arm rest .

this is my first time buying a new car, i think that the mini makes that special with many options, i can really make it mine. i just don't want to screw it up.

any advice will be appreciated ^_^b
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YEP, find one in "stock" and skip all the waiting angst and the expensive "must-have" add ons. I replaced my PW/B in about 3 weeks with the insurance settlement and couldn't be happier. I doubt I'll ever go the order route again if I can find something close to my spec out there either here or somewhere in the country. But DOWNTOWN MINI has always treated me right and probably I would never go anywhere else as long as the staff stays the same, we'll see after they move locations what happens then.

I liked my PW and now I like my BRG, so color isn't that big a factor with me. I used to hate the RG, but the one I saw with the John Cooper Badging on it seemed to look awful nice and I am glad they sold it real quick. I didn't really NEED a 33K Cooper to make payments on, I did better with the relatively stripped model. But those JCW Kits seemed to make all the difference in a color I didn't actually like.

OH Nooo, I may not like the 2007's very much. Those 2006 JCW models will really be worth something, I think.

 

I have no idea why you WOULDN'T get a custom ordered MINI. Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT any more expensive than a MINI on the lot already. This way, you can get the MINI that you want, exactly. I did it, and I highly recommend it.

I like the aux port. I use mine with my 2 iPods, and my Sirius StarMate receiver. It is much more versatile than any other solution. ANY mp3 player, discman, walkman, or plain old audio device with a headphone port will work in it. I recommend it.

I've heard that the Harmon Kardon stereo is not worth the money, and that you can achieve better sound and spend half the money by going with aftermarket components from your local car audio shop, or from places online, such as Crutchfield. I have no problem with the stock stereo, to tell you the truth. I find the best audio comes from the engine bay, personally!

It sounds like you have a handle on the run-flat tires already. Yes, they're a harsher ride, but you do get piece of mind with them, admittedly. You can't carry a spare, not even a donut in the MCS. Keep that in mind. The sport package also has other things that may be of value to you, like DSC, for instance. Yes, the 17" rims that come with the package, known as the S-lites, are put down very much on these pages. They look good if you ask me, (I have them), but they are among the heaviest wheels that MINI makes. But, if you drive over potholes often, you'll find that they're virtually bulletproof. It comes down to your personal preferences, I suppose.

Good luck!

 

I recomend the aux input also, but either order it and install it yourself, and talk to your MA about having it intalled under the Center 'Stack', where the CD player and stuff is, so that its more accesbile than in the glove compartment. And as far as run flats go, with the S there is no spare, so you might lose 10% handling (making up the numbers) but its nice to know that if you run over a nail you'll be able to get to a tire shop and have it repaired/replaced.

 

One clear reason is so that you have a MINI to drive in a matter of hours and days not weeks and months. It's a sales innovation to be sure, but it only benefits the dealer. No discounts, no cars held in stock costs to the dealer, a predicable income/profit stream, the only good thing is these cars do hold their value. But the custom order process is not here to benefit us, it's just a sales technique where most folks just can't help but add-on to the final price, at least a dozen or so times and then WAIT and WAIT and WAIT some more....

I liked the second deal I made better than the first, except the first one I REALLY held the line on the final OTD price and I don't see many folks doing that.

 

I know the excitement of buying a new car and a couple of years back I went on a binge. In less than 3 years I had a 350Z, Z06 Vette and now the Mini.

When I bought my Mini I had depleted my car savings on losses trading in the 350Z (don't get me started on Nissan). So I started looking at used ones. I was very surprised at what was available with relatively low miles and it very nice shape. I finally decided on mine based almost entirely on what the dealer would give me for a trade on the Vette because the 3 Minis I was looking at were all in such great shape.

Plus going used for under $20K I got a car that was loaded with everything but NAV and HK. The stuff like sunroof and heated seats I never would have paid extra for but they sure are nice.

 

I replaced a '96 volvo turbo with a MCS.

1. very pleased.

2. worth waiting. I like mine the way I got it. didn't change the price, everything I put on it is something I wanted. didn't add anything I didn't want. There was no reason I couldn't wait the 5 weeks.
3. yes, aux input is "universal" way to go.
4. if you really care about the sound, and plan NOT to drop $1200 on aftermarket, go H/K; it's very well "voiced" for this car. If you really want to crank (I mean CRANK) tunes, go aftermarket.
5. my best driving is on hilly, curvy back roads. I'm glad I got LSD, and the 17" A/S runflats are fine. The car is capable of much more than I am at this point.
6. the DSC is worth it. see point 5, sentence 3.

7. leverage the search features on this site. you'll learn a lot.

 

Bang for your buck really depends on what you value.
If you value audio and not corner exit speed, you get better bang for the buck for the HK than the LSD, and vice-versa.

Many opinions on runflats - even with the 16", you get runflats, but the 17" rims ARE heavy (25lbs) vs the 16" (18.6lbs). Do a search and see the massive variety of opinions from 'worthless' to 'priceless'.

HK - depends on your ears. Listen to both to decide.
Aux works for any MP3 player - definitely a better deal than the CD players, which takes up valuable boot space.
I haven't had an armrest and haven't missed one - YMMV.

I've got all the options and love them. Then again, I bought used, so ended up with many options that I would not have chosen had I built my own.

BTW, if you hurry, you may be able to get an '06 - otherwise you move to the '07, which is a whole different ball of wax!

Good luck, and let us know if you have any specific questions!

 

I've always regretted not getting the Cold Weather Package on my '05 MCS... also, I wish I could've gotten the Limited Slip Diff as well (wasn't an option yet when I custom ordered my MCS in Oct '04). The Sport and Premium packages were well worth my money.

I think it would've been best to get more of the factory options when I had the chance. Dealer options can be done later by yourself, and you might save some money in the process.

Disclaimer: This is just my opinion. What you want to get out of your MINI and what you are willing to do yourself may require more or less when it comes time to fill out the build sheet.

 

I agree with going the "pre-owned" route. My 2004 MCS looks like new, no scratches or door dings, is still under warranty and I was able to get lots of extras that I wouldn't have been able to afford on a new one. And you get to drive it home the day you buy it!! My mini does not have run flats and I recently had a screw in one tire, a warning gage on the mini alerted me to the problem. I was able to safely drive to a tire shop and they repaired the tire at no cost. I learned that run flats cost about $200.00/per tire while my tires are about $100.00/per tire.

 

THis car is meant to be trashed.

used car = more trashed.

You can kill a car in one day's driving.

Cant see it for this car unless you got a mini regular and it was obviously a cream puff deal with all the options.

Ordered from factory vs lot is only a few hundred dollars difference. It is a now vs then thing. If you love the setup, well, lot is fine of course.

however, mini lot cars with 100 miles on them were often driven by a drunken ex indi car guy with a spastic muscle condition. I would refrain here as well.

order new if you love cars. I know others who didnt agree, but really, thats some good advice. Unless you cant get the 06 without doing something like that, I would just go new.

Harmon Kardon is 20x better than stock. I didnt realize it. Stock isnt bad though. speakers need to be swapped out one day for inexpensive anythings from best buy, and a cheap amp installed. 550 though is hard to pass up. I almost did and then realized how low profile the harmon kardon is for city parking. the HK setup is really awesome. 550 dollars could not get you better aftermarket.

DSC is awesome, saves lives, might save yours, will possibly save from major fender bender in bad weather or unknown roads.

Everything else is just visual preference.

LSD is a funky option but bumps price. not totally needed, this is a front wheel drive car after all. I got it though as I want to fly around turns even faster.

Upholstery, definitely can save on. Either full english or leatherette, the mid option doesnt seem to hold as well from friends' reports.

16 and 15 inch rims hold the road well. 17's are luxaries that also incur high tire costs and less tire life. Runflats are fine on the 16's. They arent the bucking bronco you might think they would be.

 

150K MINIs sold. How many people do you think truly trash them? Certainly not enthusiasts on this board:impatient

 

thanks for the replies so far, giving me a lot to think about. this is kinda what im looking at as a build right now.

My 2006 MINI Cooper S
Base MSRP* $20,900
Destination & Handling $550

paint
Dark Silver Body Color $450
Body Color Roof/Mirrors STD

package
Cold Weather Package $300
Heated Front Seats
Heated Side Mirrors and Washer Jets

performance
Sport Suspension Plus STD
Dynamic Stability Control $500
16" V-Spokes (All-Season) STD
Front Fog Lamps $150
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash $550
Limited Slip Differential $500
6-Speed Getrag Manual STD

cockpit
Sport Seats STD
Leatherette: Black STD
Int. Surface Alloy Patina STD
Automatic AC $300
Cockpit Chrono Pack $300
On-Board Computer INC
3-Spoke Leather Steering Wheel STD
8-Spkr. Harman Kardon Sound System $550
Center Arm Rest $200

TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED* $25,250

accessory**
Auxiliary Audio Input (installation not incl.) $40
4 R99 17" Anthracite Wheels & Caps (installation not incl.) $1,031

TOTAL ACCESSORIES ** $1,071
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED* $25,250

TOTAL COMBINED $26,321


i wanted to keep it under 26k, this is close enough with some nifty 17 inch rims, i don't know anything about the R99 17" rims, but 17 inch rims for 1k included in the price of the car seems pretty good. im still on the fence about them though. i haven't looked at rims in like 5 years, i guess ill check out tire rack =P

 

I think the wait and tracking your order is part of the fun of buying a MINI.

Often you will find all sorts of BS options already added to the MINIs on a dealers lot. Even if they give you a big discount on paint sealant, undercoating, and other such unnecessary crap, you still get screwed.

If keeping the price down is your objective I'd order the MFSW and front and rear fogs.

Why? At some point you or the next owner will want cruise control, and it ought to be standard equipment. As for fogs, even if I never see any fog I don't like blank holes in my car filled with cheap plastic plugs....plus, more toggles and the fogs aren't that expensive.

For me, all other options would be real easy to do without.

 

Unless you order the premium package I wouldn't waste your money on the automatic AC - it isn't really that automatic as you always have to try and trick it into getting the temperature you really want.

I personally don't like the alloy patina interior and would go with the anthracite.

 

thanks man, that kinda stuff is nice to know before you order. i still haven't made a choice on color yet, exterior and interior. i need to go back to the dealer, and poke them some more. i test drove a cooper s cabrio, and i personally don't like them. thinking of going to a different dealer to try out a hard top cooper s before i place and order to see what its really like.

the auto ac is the same price as the multi function steering wheel. you think that would be money better spent? ive never had steering wheel with buttons on it before .

 

if you add 50 hp to your motor, you race it, you are trashing it. people think that if they have a nice car and its sporty, they can use it like a indy car for 3 years and it's just about the same wear and tear as a car used in a more gentle manner. I have seen 1 week old corvette engines blown out after someone tracked it and then brought it back to dealer. People who race, race for that day and expect to replace a part the day after they race if not during it!

not many people pay heed to break in periods. First off, vast majority of dealers say whatever the person wants to hear. They say unleaded 87 from crapwad's gaseteria is fine to use, the break in periods arent like they used to be, etc etc. THe mini's break in period is LONGER than any other car I have seen ever.

So, you get someone at a dealer who wants to see "what an S can do". The dealer always lets them. Hm. untouched engine revved out to 7+k rpm and gear slamming around for 150 miles. Thats a healthy start. I bet it goes from 1.6 liters to 1.7 with all the metal grinding around in that sucker!

also, leased cars are always trashed where you cannot see them. Why not? the person who leased them was not an enthusiast who buys it and looks forward to keeping it shiney and new for 30 years. If the car is on the lot, it can be from a few factors. One, the nicest one and most unlikely. they bought it just so happened to want a new one, never expecting to get another. That's a bit rare for a car buyer. Second case, it is leased, as I said, leased cars are beat up except for the paint. The leased mini's that come into my dealer look like they were used to dredge the local bay. Third case, someone couldnt make a payment. I would say that anyone who isnt responsible for a payment yet buys a sports car has a high probability of doing other dumb things.

i only would buy used luxary cars or luxary type cars that arent meant for speed just for squishyness and looks.

 

Dude .............your wacked!

 

On the lot NEW or coming in and not SOLD, not USED, is how I bought my second one.

 

MINI didn't invent the custom order process. Ordering cars is nothing new. I've always done it, and always will. A car is a major purchase to me, and I won't spend big money on anything unless it's EXACTLY what I want. I custom ordered my MINI, and before that I custom ordered my B4C "Special Service Pkg." Camaro. As it turns out, there were only 310 of those produced. I had a couple of GM VP's sit in it at a car show, and they said it's the only one they'd EVER heard of with leather seats and a 6 speed manual transmission. (Today, that Camaro has 10K miles, and has never seen rain.) If I'd bought a z28 off the lot with the cloth seats and automatic, I seriously doubt that I'd still own it, and I definately wouldn't have any "pride of ownership" in it.

The waiting can be tedious, but why settle for a car that someone else (invariably with different tastes) spec'd out?

Rawhyde

 

ok, i think im ready to order my mini this week. im pretty sure this is what i am going to get.

My 2006 MINI Cooper S

Base MSRP* $20,900 Destination & Handling $550 paint
Dark Silver Body Color $450
Body Color Roof/Mirrors STD package
Cold Weather Package $300
Heated Front Seats
Heated Side Mirrors and Washer Jets
Sport Package $1,400
Dynamic Stability Control
Front Fog Lamps
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash
17" S-Lites (Run Flat All-Seasons)
No Bonnet Stripes performance
Sport Suspension Plus STD
Limited Slip Differential $500
6-Speed Getrag Manual STD cockpit
Sport Seats STD
Leatherette: Black STD
Int. Surface Anthracite $0
Cockpit Chrono Pack $300
On-Board Computer INC
3-Spoke Leather Steering Wheel STD
8-Spkr. Harman Kardon Sound System $550
Anthracite Headliner $200 TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED* $25,150 accessory**
Auxiliary Audio Input (installation not incl.) $40 TOTAL ACCESSORIES ** $40 TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED* $25,150 TOTAL COMBINED $25,190

see anything i can't live without?

i also noticed the jcw section under accessories for the first time.

i don't mind putting another $1k on the car.

is the $450 air filter/box a good buy or is there better/cheaper stuff in the aftermarket and doesn't void the warranty?

same question for the $945 sport suppension and $320 cw strut brace.

my gti has h&r coilovers and i loves them, are these compareable? my gti also has a tie bar and sway bars (among tons of other mods =P ), is it a good upgrade on the mini? the 1.8t on my passat has air box upgrades that ive seen with similar prices, but i was never into moding the passat like i was/am into the gti. ive heard they sound cool. same for the mini s?

 

Just get a 2006 while you still can.

 

I like the Chrono Pkg. more and more and wish I had one. I find I never look at the center speedo, and the speedo and tach side by side on the wheel is how it is supposed to be and for a bonus you get oil temp, oil pressure and water temp, right? I really don't care for the sport pkg. (my mistake, no sunroof on the sport pkg, I like the regular headlamps just fine) I hate the MINI sunroofs (I am kind of a safety nut and don't think much of all that glass over our heads, plus it's hotter in the interior with it) and can live with out the other stuff and save $1400. Don't care for the S-lites but those web-spokes for $500 more are really nice. I have the Convenience pkg, but that's because it was on the car and I could live without any of it. Everyone I heard says the heated seats just make you want to pee, but for a Northern climate I can see where they would help. The best thing you can do on these cars is hold the line on price, that's how you really make out on the low depreciation factor. All the extras don't increase the car value on resale. What he said, you'd better ORDER THAT CAR NOW, or you'll have to wait for a 2007 sometime after January 1, I'll bet, and you may not like it when you actually see it up close, maybe you will. The stats on the hp/torque curve look pretty good.

P.S. I like the MFWheel a lot and it's only $250, radio controls and a cruise control.

 

You should really consider adding the multifunction steering wheel. That's the only way to get cruise control. The radio controls on the wheel are a bonus.

I'd also consider adding the rear fog light for $100. It's a safety feature to be sure, but if you get it you toggle switch bank will be full.


DO NOT get the JCW airbox unless you are prepared to pay $100 for each replacement (paper element) air filter that you'll ever use. You'll probably only get one free filter under the maintenance agreement. Mine has it, but only because it came with the JCW Engine kit. Just thought you'd want to know this....

The strut tower braces don't do much (if anything) to stiffen MINIs. They are cosmetic only. The JCW suspension has had some good reviews, and so have the JCW Brakes.

Don't forget the Euro Parcel Shelf....best $80 you can spend on a MINI!

Rawhyde

 

Well, i'm on my second Mini, first that i'm ordering new, and the wait is the hard part. As for rims, the S-Lites are pretty heavy, run flats don't help. If you're planning on replacing them, obviously it's worth it financially to skip the sports package. Many people like seeing the Sports package listed, even though you can add the individual components without the rims, it's not the same for some people. Fixaflat works fine for most people, and lots of places sell kits with compressors and the goo that you put inside for under 30 bucks.

As far as options for ordering, you can see what I ordered, but that's far from what most would order. I ordered my Mini completely maxed out. Most people go with the Premium package and Sport Package. I opted for all 4 packages, and Navigation/Lapis Blue Leather, Anthracite Headliner, PDC, LSD, HK because it's really the only car i've ever been able to just GET what I want, and I don't have to "settle" for what the dealer has on the lot. I think at the least you probably want the Premium package, because it adds a host of nice features to your Mini. Like others suggested, I think the Multi Function Steering wheel is a must.

In short, order what YOU want. As long as you can afford it, GO FOR IT!

The Harmon Kardon stereo on the Mini was rated by many sources to be one of the best on ANY car under $40k. Some people hate it, I loved it. The Bose in my current G35 blows compared to it. For my uses, anything more than that is overkill. The Aux in to me is pointless, I hate them, because it doesn't charge your IPOD, and people say it transmits "Noise" that buzzing you get through your speakers. I had a Dension Icelink, which has since been improved, and I think that's great for an IPod. (A 40 gb IPod Video is currently selling for more like $300 btw, not $200.

Note that Mini has 2 different arm rests. One installed at the factory, another aftermarket at the dealer. There are also several aftermarket solutions available at parts centers such as Outmotoring (www.outmotoring.com) and MiniMania.

Having driven cars like the Passat (I owned a 2001.5 B5.5 chassis for a while), the Evo, WRX, G35, M3, etc. I can honestly say that the Mini is the most fun i've ever had on in a car. With gas slowly creeping up to $4.00 a gallon, I'd never be caught dead in a V8 gas hog like the Mustang GT, but that's just me .

Anyway, good choice, and Enjoy!