I used to own a 2004 Nissan Sentra. I wanted a better built car, with a sunroof, leather, fun to drive factor, 2 doors, decent gas mileage, and small. I don't know any other car that fits those needs better than my mini. I love the little bugger.

 

just look at my car...then you will know.

 

We bought a 2007 mcs becasue it was cute and did not look like the other blobs on the road.

 

I too had a '72 Inno Mini 1001 which sparked my interest in cars in general and MINIs while I was living in Italy. I think this burned the Mini style into my psyche.
My needs were along the same lines of the '59 Mini, a fuel efficient, 4 seater that handled very well (an accidental side effect).
My '06 MC gets 30+ MPG in brutal stop and go with all the creature comforts. When Pepe gets let loose on the weekends, he really likes to play and looks good doing it.
I've only used NW MINI to reset the DSC light on mine that got stuck on when I self installed the iPod integration. I told them what I did but they still ran a full check to make sure it wasn't coincidence.

 

Simply put, our 06 MCS is the only car we have ever owned that makes me smile.

 

It first started with my dad owning a Classic Mini when we lived in England and I was a kid. I have always wanted one, then they came out with the new MINI. I loved it imediately. As grew older I came to love cars, wanted something fun to drive. Unique. Small, and good gas mileage. But Mainly I just wanted a MINI because its a MINI

 

My wife bought her MINI about 2 years ago. When the head gasket on my truck let go 6 months latter my wife suggested I get my own MINI. She was tired of my borrowing hers every chance I got. At 6'3" the MINI was the first small car I was comfortable in and it's just too much fun to drive. I'll buy another some day when this one is worn out providing it's a good a car. As for the Service department, let's just say I'm glad I can do almost all my own service.

 

I bought mine because I work at a MINI dealership and have to look at them all day and I was sick of being jealous.

 

I was enamored of them since watching "The Italian Job" and "The Bourne Identity." (I'm a young'in, more or less.) The father of one of my friends from college is an original '02 owner; every time I visited, I was tempted by the MINI in their garage. I loved the huge speedo and the toggle switches. I test drove an MCS in '04 or '05 (can't remember now) and was completely sold on it--the handling, the performance, and the price was perfect. It was a bonus that the car is pretty unique on the roads. Every MINI or Mini I see puts a smile on my face

I loved my old 2000 Nissan Sentra and racked up 115,000+ miles in it, but it was time for a change.

 

I'll be taking delivery sometime this weekend (according to my MA), so my reasons might not be as galvanized as some of those who have already owned one for years, but here are a few thoughts:

I've done the musclecar thing more than once. High HP and Torque are nice, but nimble sophistication is so much better.

I'm sick and tired of everyone wanting to race me at each and every stoplight. (take it to the drag track, morons!)

After toiling around in a Ford Escort for 3 years, I don't want to just drive a car anymore. I want to motor, I want an experience.

I am completely floored by the genuine goodwill throughout the Mini community. Rarely did I see this with the Mustang clubs I had belonged to, it was more about testosterone and frankly, I got sick of the membership seeming to be getting younger and more immature. Maybe I'm just becoming a curmudgeon at 35.

I want a car that is going to put a smile on my face, but won't kill me at the pump.

There is more to life than simply going very fast in a straight line.

I want something that is different, that makes a statement. The Mini seems to make quite a few statements and is about as different as one can get without buying an exotic.

And most importantly....

I want a car that I can drive 12 months out of the year. Nothing was more frustrating that having to store my Mustangs for 6 months a year.

 

+1 I couldn't have said it better. I am even more excited now to order one for myself! Hopefully in the next few weeks.

 

here's a list of why I asked my parents for a MCS
1. I had to have one after I'd seen the Italian Job
2. It's supercharged and it's very spunky and has a good exhuast note
3. I was able to get it with everything I wanted
4. and a mini suits me becuase I'm just 5'5
5. and John Cooper Works rocks.
6. good gas mileage, uh speaking of that my mom wants to get a pruis big no, no I said why don't you get a MC becuase she drives mine a-lot especially after it got the works , what do I do to talk her out of it and into a new mini

 

For us, having just given the CR-V to the eldest, I needed a daily driver. Further we decided it would be fun to have a convertible. So we looked at the Miata, Bug, Eclipse Spyder and MINI. When all was was evaluated it came down to the Miata or MINI and the MINI was front-wheel drive. I've seen too many rear-wheel drive cars stuck on the hills around here during the winter to want one of my own so the MINI won!
I'm an engineer so I tend to be overly pragmatic and excessively analytical.

 

I used to have a job close enough to my house to bike to work. I'd go out of my way to ride by a 2002 MINI parked in front of someone's house. I knew it was a strange car attraction when i rode by the beautiful owner one morning and almost told her to move so I could see the car.

So we were shopping for a station wagon to replace my wife's expiring lease vehicle and she asked me, "What car would you really like?" The MINI is the only car which fit that question (as opposed to other questions which she could have asked about cars). We went for a test drive in a convertible. I pulled off in a mostly vacant restaurant parking lot when I realized things like I didn't know how to adjust the mirrors or seats. She said, drive around a little to get the feel. After the first dozen donuts I was sold!

I'm trying to get her to buy our second MINI. I'd like a choice between coupe and cabrio. The Clubman may swing the deal.

I've very satisfied with the MINI service department. I'm having convertible top problems and my only complaint is that they haven't a clue how to get it to work right. They've replaced every part and although it is functional, it takes a different route down every trip. I've recently recieved my Bently's manual. It seems clear from reading the section on the convertible top that it would be easier to build a thermonuclear device than to replace the entire top mechanism.

 

I was shopping for a convertible when my officemate suggested I give the mini a try. I wasn't expecting much as my heart was set on a Mustang, but WOW. The MINI test drive blew me away and I fell in love with the cabrio. The mini (handling) spoke to me in ways that no other car had before, and on top of that the car is uber sexy.

All's good with my service at Morristown Mini so far.

 

Looking into the Mini because I'm getting tired of the older cars I've been driving / working on / Autocrossing.

I do love my CRX, but it's aproching 20 years old and seriously showing it! The MINI Cooper S is the only new car I've found with a ballance of power, weight, handling, economy (both fuel and initial cost), and driver's leg/headroom anywhere CLOSE to that of the CRX (MINI just slightly excedes CRX in these areas where all others fall short) And at 6'7", that last spec is an important one.

Also, the MINI 'comunity' is a big attraction. up until I moved to AZ last January, I was the pacific Northwest chapter leader of the CRX Owner's club, organizing events and meets, and let's just say I was starting to get a little tired of organizing "High School and College Student gatherings" (No offence to any High School or College students on this site. ) It's nice to see some slightly more "mature" people getting together for a common love of cars.

There's probably not too many people on here (with the exception of Gromit and his 75 MGB) that can say they upsized into a MINI. :P

 

Well .. Let's see now. I wanted a car that

. Handles like it's on rails (fun to drive)
. Accelerates briskly from any speed (the wow factor) AND Gets good gas mileage (an unlikely combination)
. Looks tight and feels tight (BMW like)
. Has a sporty look to it
. Stands out, a car that's unique
. Puts a smile on my face each and every time I drive it
. Doesn't look cheap or common
. Has virtually all the ABS safety spinoffs - Stability/traction/cornering Control for instance (lots of active safety features)
. Has front, side, and head curtain airbags (lots of passive safety features)
. Gets 5 stars in the U.S. and European crash tests (U.S. results aren't in yet but the Mini Cooper is one of the few cars that got those 5 stars in Europe)

And I want all the above and still have the car cost less than $25,000.

The MINI Cooper S is the only car in the world that meets all these criteria. It was a no-brainer.

A special message for Green Goblin: I had a Prius. When I bought in 2004 it it was unique; it was months before I saw another one like it on the road. Now that car is common as dirt. But it's a good car, it gets excellent mileage, you can carry lots of stuff, and there's lots of back seat leg room. It's good car for those who think of driving in terms of the destination as opposed to the drive to the destination. A Prius driver thinks, "what's the shortest route". A Mini Cooper driver thinks, "what route is the most fun to drive". With regard to your Mom's choice of a car, the question is, which category is she in?





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A special message for Green Goblin: I had a Prius. When I bought in 2004 it it was unique; it was months before I saw another one like it on the road. Now that car is common as dirt. But it's a good car, it gets excellent mileage, you can carry lots of stuff, and there's lots of back seat leg room. It's good car for those who think of driving in terms of the destination as opposed to the drive to the destination. A Prius driver thinks, "what's the shortest route". A Mini Cooper driver thinks, "what route is the most fun to drive". With regard to your Mom's choice of a car, the question is, which category is she in?

My mom is spirited driving I recently bought the JCW kit for my MCS she drives it just as much as me she even raced a few people since it got the works, she even autocrossed one saturday with me . I told her why not a cooper it gets close to 40 MPG (no comment back) I know she wants one and since were going to get my serviced at Mini Center this Monday I'm going to persuade her more

 

Sounds like your mom is definitely a Mini Cooper kind of lady. Good luck!

 

1. Wife bought it for my birthday
2. Haven't had any service done yet...4000 miles and still celebrating...

John

 

Thanks I know she likes Dark Silver hopefully they have a DS R56, the crazy thing with pruis's is thier $27,000 no thanks I'll take a mini.

 

Wow. Bummer, man.

 

Dang! I wanna wife like that.

 

I used to race gokarts... nuff said

 

Why did you buy your Mini? If you have to ask... well, basiclly it's the funnest car I've driven that would still carry around my wife and two small kids when necessary. The thing is perfectly balanced and rails around begging to be pushed father. I love it.

Is this your first? Yes, but I've had the opportunity to drive quite a few before I ordered.

Are you satisfied with your Mini's service department? So far I've got nothing much to complain about, since after 5000 miles I haven't really had any issues pop up that would require service. I've done some small things-replaced trim under warranty, installed a couple accessories and did an oil filter change. But that's it.