Minimaxx ... But I haunt OT and interesting discussions like this

Jacob ... Beautiful ... Stunning

As to the quote above. Really?

Where are the data points. I'm not going keep posting the R&T Slalom times because its gets real old. You can go look them up yourselves but they tested a 06 JCW that pulled about 66 mph through the slalom. Vette? over 70 mph. http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d...data_panel.pdf

Porsches? I am not trying to be rude but the record was held by the Boxster S at 73.9.

Same driver ... different cars ... IMO, your WAY off base.

 

the weight of the vette will always kill its ability to handle insanely well. theres no matter of wow cool, or awesome tires or suspension that can account for tire placement to the body and a car's weight. the stunts you can pull in a mini would leave a vette swinging. plus, vette cannot deal with poor road conditions, something that exists on almost any drive. I would love to havea brand new vette though, so i could sell it for a mini and have extra cash

 

the cars that run circles around the Mini, and a lot of them are heavier. We fanatics tend to forget that we have worse than a 60/40 weight distribution, and crappy front suspension geometry (at least in stock form). I could hear someone say "no matter what you do to the Mini, it's still an underpowered front heavy front driver". There is more truth to this statement than that the weight of the vette keeps it from handling well...

The Mini is a good, fun, maybe even great, car. But it's not perfect!

Matt

 

Their not going to get it. Sometimes ppl dont want to believe the numbers.

 

yeah people believe price/greed/image etc, all things that have nothing to do with numbers and performance. The mini has always run circles around muscle types of sports cars as the fact that is front heavy stops the car from swaying, and that it is front heavy with front wheel drive. It is not odd weight split with rear wheel drive. add to that the LSD option, you have all the weight being shifted and turned at will vs having to wait for your car to slingshot around turns with rear wheel drive. Of course, like Chowperson said, the numbers for test drives across the board prove this. You can go past 100k dollar cars and still not find one that beats it out. go above that or handmade exotic cars, they will flip and squish in normal driving conditions on US roads, on a track yeah maybe some of them will do better but thats not a normal comparison to a 24k production car

mini rulz! :P

 

I have a 98 Vette 6-speed convertible that my wife drives (I've had other vettes as well). It's a nice car...very quick and handles excellent! I also have a 2006 MC. In my opinion, the 2006 MC with sport package handles as well as the vette. The MC is slow in acceleration by comparo, and when I bought the MC, my MA asked if I wanted to drive a MCS, but I said "no". See, for everyday driving, the MC is an outstanding car! Much more comfortable to get in and out of than the vette, and much more practical. If I want to go faster than the MC will go, I just hop on my Honda 599 (a cheapo "naked" bike) that will KILL the vette in terms of speed.
I mean think about it folks, buy a MINI. When you want to go fast, get a 600 cc sportbike (or better than that a 1-liter sportbike) and go REALLY freakin' fast. My Honda 599 will run dang near 95 in 2nd gear, and it has a 6 speed. Even riding the heck out of it, I still get 50 mpg. SOOOOOOOOOooooooo...my recommendation is spare yourself the expense of the vette. Go buy a MINI and a sportbike, throw the other $25k in the bank and have all the fun you can imagine.

 

AH, wow same life experiences!

I agree, for speed thats usable and insane, a lil mini ultra light bike is king. 0-60 is always going to be much faster, and better than that, is the 0-100 speed is insane. 600 cc is all you need for your skin to come off not 5000+ cc!.

Yeah, that's a taboo topic how a 21k car (mini with sport package) handles just as well as a vette. I like vettes, I owned only the old one though. it was insanely powerful. dual 4 barrel, side pipes, polished out fancy this and that... but couldnt take a turn like a base model MC without the sport package.

I wonder how the 60's mini handles.

 

We talked off line so you know where I'm coming from, and I was going to try not to do this but I can't help it.

I aggree with the following 100% (wow the 2 people that actually owned both agree).

But some other mis-representations:

1. Cheaper insurance, I'm 35, no accidents, no tickets, own my home insurance with Allstate for over 15 years. -- 03 Mini S $23/year MORE that 02 Z06 granted they were both cheap in my book. 03 350 $200/year MORE than vette.

2. Mini faster in the solumns. are we quoting a real test here? A stock S that I have experience with prior to springs, rear sway and trashing the run flats NO WAY IN H311!!!!!

3. Better gas milage: this one puzzles me, I acutally got better highway milage on a trip with the vette, I figure 6th must be much higher. Non-hiway though I would suck up the gas but the change in gas prices makes it tough for me to really tell since I didn't bother to check.

4. More practicle, I'll give you that, even if you remove the rear seat from the mini like I did it still just a more usable car.

5. Cooler, more stylish: tough call I like them both, but in the end I also ended up with just the Mini - because it's FUN, relatively inexpensive to modify and lets me bring my dogs along.

ahh, I'll feel better now.

 

EVERY respectable slalom test has shown a mini s stock beats out a vette, but more impressively, beats out a porche 911 turbo.

It is probably the most well known car stat data piece known about a mini. It is quoted and reference in every review I have seen.

I would also add that not many if maybe a handful at best people on this forum truly have raced in a street setting or in the country. That being said, its hard to have an accurate conversation about it. unless you have broken friction and passed the limits of your car and not your ability, it is impossible to make this determination. Some cars offer more confidence and inaccurate feedback to the driver, making them feel that one is better at handling than another. Not many can drive a 911 porche like it is meant to be, heck not many can drive a viper stock like it's meant to be.

 

What are you talking about. I NEVER said that. I quoted the REAL numbers for slalom from R&T. I think maybe your dreaming.

I have no idea what you read but for the last time. HERE are the actual references from R&T for their 700' slalom ... I am getting sick and tired of hearing how great MINIs are on the slalom when in fact, a VW GTI beats it. You really want to compare a MCS numbers against a Vette or Porsche

READ the references. read the numbers.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d...data_panel.pdf

C6 Corvette .98G Skidpad 70.2 MPH Slalom
Porsche 997S .98G Skidpad 71.7 MPH Slalom
Porsche 987S 1.00G Skidpad 73.9 MPH Slalom

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d...data_panel.pdf

06 MCS JCW .86G Skidpad 66.2 MPH Slalom
VW GTI .88G Skidpad 67.2 MPH Slalom

Not sure what you have been reading but you are WAY off base.

BTW, the 987S Slalom numbers were the fastest ever recorded by R&T, beating the Ferrari Enzo, until 2006. Only its bigger sibling has now beat it.

I am not trying to be rude ... just get the facts straight. This is kind of like I seen M3 owners throw this stuff out on 997 boards to troll .....

BTW, any argument about RFs, or suspensions changes mean squat because ALL the cars can do the same thing (i.e., get stickier tires, add coilovers).

 

I think he's a bit confused on his numbers.

 

Depending on how old a vette you owned, you could have gone from an anemic 6 cylinder with no brakes or handling, to a brute with no brakes or handling, to a less brutish car starting to get good handling to todays vette, that has power, better economy than the MCS, and handling to die for....

Also, if the front drive/front engine is such hot stuff, let's see the list of races that the fe/fd format really dominates... Short list. As you increase cornering forces and power, the front contact patch just gets overwhelmed....

The Mini is a good car, but really, it's that you can get such a nimble package (not the nimblest) in a car with some power (not the most by far) that has some style and some practicallity (but not as much as other cars) all in one package at a decent price that really sells the Mini. But as far as I can tell, it's not the quickest, nor the fastest, nor the best handling, nor the largest internal space, nor the best ergonomics and on and on. I really can 't think of a single catagory where the Mini is #1. But it does place well in enough of them that it's a very enjoyable car to own.

Matt

ps, sure the sport bike is a quick way to really quick and fast... But it comes with lots of other risks as well, as all the scars on my body remind me daily.... Not really a fair comparo....

 

Chows4us,

I am saying, although I don't know the numbers aside from what you posted above and my personal driving experience, that the Vette is faster in the solumn than the MCS.

Do we agree?

 

My only personal experience was with a really bad mantained '99 Vette. It felt like a Malibu with more power (amazingly not that much difference feel).

Is it the same with all Vettes? That keeps me far from one. And the base new one is $85,000. !!!!

You can buy a Viper in the USA with that. Too sad.

 

Today's Z06 is by far the best value for the money. So one wonders, why don't they sell out or sell more?

As to the wonders of a MINI ... some ppl are just not going to listen. They buy into the marketing. They will not even believe the numbers from indendent journlists.

 

They cost $50,000 right? I think the current Z06 has to be my target. Who works in the importing/exporting area that can get me a clue?

I have no idea how much is it here. But conserving the proportions no less than $120,000 I think.

There must be a cheaper way to get one.

 

06's start at 65K plus options. I doubt if you will find one for less than $70K.

I read the 07s have a price kick, I think to 70 so figure at least 75.

 

No wonder why it's not selling well. If this continues, the Vette doesn't going to live for much longer mostly for what Dodge and Chevy have for the next couple years.

These kind of cars must be bought before retirement. Don't you agree?
Thank you for the correction.

 

Ok, so we want to combine the two.
We want a car faster than the MINI, better handling than the Vette, cheaper than the Vette, something that is still nice to look at. Well, with all of that it'd have to be a super car with a mid-engine and rear wheel drive. Probably at least 350 horse power, as light if not lighter than the MINI, and under 40k... Hmm....
It does exsist! Take a look here http://www.factoryfive.com/table/ffr...TM/GTMkit.html . Sure you have to do things like build it yourself. But, thats part of the fun! I am serriously thinking about going this route. If you really do want something as good as both in nearly every catigory (other than perhaps comfort), this is it.

 

this all depends how fast you like to go on the highway :p

 

that thing is under 40k?? Oh if you do go that way.. I use to work for a place that builds kit cars

 

On the FAQ says:

How much will the kit cost?
Launch price is $19,990 for the kit.

I guess the other $20,000 are the C5 parts. Me like it.

 

Or you could get an Exige S and have a factory warranty ... be nearly as quick and probably better handling.

I am sure their are ppl who actually build these kits. I think the Cobra kits are popular. However, I also think its a major investment in your time, skills, and places to shove all the parts while being worked on

Best of luck!

 

I think we also search a daily drive. How much is the cayman there?

 

Edmunds.com is your friend