steve1ddd, I think you would love the F-Type V6 S (accessible torque at all RPMs)! With the F56 MCS as well, I guess I have a desire to scratch both itches!

 

Thanks! The plan is to get 6MT 2.7L, SC (for rev-matching) and always on sport button mod. I am OK with keeping the RPMs high for more power but delaying that test drive (for obvious reasons). That and I want to wait till next year to get 2014 CPOs for an affordable price.

 

Funny, we have two MINIs, but just ordered a Cayman. If it were only for daily driving, I'd be quite happy with the MINIs.

 

"The mini can be pushed every day to its limits in a good way."

That's just plain silly. Break the car in and take it to an autocross. Then you will know what the actual limits are. :-)

 

A car that is off most peoples radar you guys should test drive is the Mercedes Benz SLK55 AMG, 4.5 sec to 60 and responsive at any speed with a 415 hp 398 ft. lb. tuque hand built 5.5L V8.

 

I'll play...

not to sound snobbish but...

My weekend cars are an e30 vert and 500hp mildly track prepped Pcar.

My daily is a jeta sportwagen tdi because I drive about 100 miles per day. I can't wait to get out of this daily and into something more fun like the mini S or possibly wait for the JCW. Just because I'll never sell my Porsche that doesn't mean I have to daily drive it!

 

Truly one of the most SEXY cars on the road is the Cayman, especially the S model in White (made my heart skip a beat first time I saw that one). No idea how they drive, as I have never truly considered the car. Had an Audi S5 for about a year, and while I could afford the payment, it made me sick to drop that kind of money on a car every month when any attempt to use the car on my local roads for what it was created for would have just ended badly.

People get really tied up about how a vehicle will perform at it's limits but how often do we ever get to push a car to that point? Paying a pretty penny for those limits that we never use though.

Funny how a loaded Mini can seem like the sensible purchase next to a Cayman, and seem rather ridiculous when priced against other cars in its class. There is nothing on the road that you can by new though with more character!

 

FWIW- I bought a pre-owned 2007 Base Cayman with 39K miles on it for $28.5K 2 years ago. I am now trading in the Cayman with 48K miles for a new Cooper S. They are giving me $23k for trade in. I'm also trading in my 2006 Cooper S BG vert with 108,000 miles for $7K. The $30K from the 2 cars covers the cost of the new F56. I was always driving the Cooper and never the Porsche. HK sound system blew the Porsche system out of the water. Loved to admire the Porsche in my garage but enjoyed the Coop much more for a DD. Won't miss it even a little.

 

I came across this thread and read all the posts-it hits a chord with me. BMW driver for many years and then sold my E46 coupe and ordered a 07 R56 S and had the JCW power package added. Never could get into the cheap feeling, torque steer, and... the central speedo. My wife got tired of me saying "hate the mini" and we went to the local P-store and they had a brand new boxster (black over back) on the show-room floor. Salesman immediately said he would take 8K off the msrp (I hadn't even acted that interested, but that changed, quickly.). I took it out and drove it for a couple of hours but too much wind noise and not enough oomph at high gear/low rpm (this was circa 2008) and so off to the BMW store. My wife went in ahead and told the salesperson "we (?) want a 135". (surprised me, I didn't know she knew anything...). Long story short: BSM 135 coupe (also with factory power upgrade). great driver and too much torque (LOL!), but I love it. Handles good but not quite in boxster/cayman class-but always enough power.

I also have a 98Z3 2.8 roadster. Very raw but fun to wind out the inline 6.

FF to new F56. It looks as if most of my quibbles have been fixed (interior quality, gauges, etc). And interestingly, I am also now feeling the porsche itch again. But, I agree with many of the above. dropping ~60K on a car that is not all that for a daily driver (if we are talking track time, there is no substitute for the p) we I can get all I want for 1/2....hmmm. (I would still keep the 135 as it is an 08 with 37k miles, so worth more to keep and I love it).

Thinking about getting a S and moving on from the Z.

 

+1, don't miss my '14 Cayman S, even a little bit!

 

spfdhed, I had a fully modded 135i as well and loved it. I was going to get the 1M when I sold it but decided on a Pcar as that was my childhood dream car. Will never sell it.

 

Well I've never owned a Porsche and sadly probably never will and I lust after them everyday I drive by the dealership. But reading this sure makes me feel damn good about owning a MINI.

 

I have owned 3 Minis over the last 12 years and have one on order. I currently have a Cayman S '14, boxster Spyder and had several others over the years. I am not here to say one is better than the other. They can't be compared! But, I can say that many Porsche owners that I know own Minis!! Why? Because Minis are fun to drive! One thing in common is the people that drive these cars have an appreciation and love of driving. We are "Driving Enthusiasts"! It's just nice to have the choice to buy a new F56 base cooper with sports suspension for $24k or a 911 GT3 with Sports PASM for $150k. With that said I have to say that the best car I have ever owned for $ is a 2002 MCS.

 

I think it isn't how fast you are going (unless you are on a race track), it's how fast it feels like you are going. I also have a 2013 Corvette Grand Sport, with 436 HP, but my 2011 Mini S with the JCW package is far more fun to drive every day. The Corvette is fun to drive over 100, but that isn't usually practical, the Mini is fun at 50, 60, and that is more practical. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to drive a really fast car slowly. In the time I've had the Mini, I've had two Corvettes and a BMW M3, and every time I drive the Mini, I close the door and think "jeez, that was fun".

 

As my sig shows, I resemble that remark. While I agree that there's no comparison between my 911 and my newly acquired F56 MCS MT, I would definitely put the Mini at 80% of the way there for 30% of the cash. I haven't been driving the Mini a week yet, but it puts a smile on my face every time I hop in it.

 

Lots of car enthusiasts have a Mini as a daily driver, myself included

I have an 08 Z06 and a supercharged Lotus Exige for my weekend/track cars. Love them both but still drive the Mini 10x as much

I swear it seems like 40% of the guys on the Lotus forum have a Mini in the garage also!!