First Off, Hello!
I'm new to the forums but I'm a Mini Enthusiast! The first time I lay my eyes on a Mini is when my neighbor got his. At first I thought it was small and compact but when he took me for a ride. I was speechless. From that day on I loved Mini's, on how the easily handles the road, on how many unique customs it has, and of course how fast it can go.
Now my question to you guys, I'm planning to get a Mini, but I’m nervous. This would be actually my first brand new car; most cars that I have owned are used. Though I'm quite surprise that my insurance company is only making me pay 10 dollars more on my policy (which is not bad!). My real questions is

• How well do you enjoy your mini?
• Do you have to do a lot of maintenance on your mini?
  and
• What’s better to enjoy an amazing ride...standard or automatic?

Thank you guys for responding to this post, Sorry if this is a repeat on these forums, i just need some answer to help my decision!

 

Hi Goyo903!
Of course you do know that you'll get biased opinions here?

In answer to your questions:

• I'm on my 3rd MINI. Does that answer your question?
• I spend a lot of time cleaning, modifying, etc. It's an obsession. Not much on maint. issues.
• I've had both. Both are enjoyable. I prefer the manual for spirited weekend driving, but for daily commuting, the auto works out nicely.

Good luck in your decision (which color?)

 

Welcome Goyo903..

We are biased, but don't let that color your own opinion.

1. This is my first MINI but not my first sport sedan or sports car. I really love the new MINI.

2. Cleaning the MINI can become an addiction and take away from driving time, which is an addiction with the MINI, too.

3. I have the automatic, I have had many sports cars with the manual trans. I love the manual mode Steptronic with Paddle Shifters.

Can't say much more, go get yourself a test drive and enjoy.

 

Oh I will, I'm actually going to test drive one this coming Saturday! I'm excited! Hopefully all goes well, If I do decide in getting one it will probably be ordered.
To answer your question,3cocinas, ...there 3 choices for me...It's between Chili Red with the black bonnet stripes in the middle or Pepper White with the black bonnet stripes in the middle as well or the Dark Silver with also the black stripes in the middle. It's a big decision! Because I want the exact color that makes my future mini stand out.
hmm If I do get a mini I should name it huh? Decision, Decisions!!!

 

My MINI is one of my most favorite cars that I've ever had experience with, and I've owned a few expensive German cars. As others have said keeping you MINI clean becomes an obbsession because it's becomes one of the family and it must be presentable at all times, you know how children can be. 6 speed for me, much more fun in the twisties. One bit of advice, depending where you live seriously consider roof color, if you live in a hot climate, a black roof doesn't work well. The first MINI I test drove in the summer and it had a black roof and the AC couldn't even begin to cool it off in a 45min test drive. Almost steered me away from MINIs.

 

• How well do you enjoy your mini? After more than a year, and almost 22k miles, I still LOVE driving this car. Enjoyment/$ can't be beat.
• Do you have to do a lot of maintenance on your mini? It's a new car. But, I have NEVER bought things for a car the way I do for this one and I'm not alone in this.
  and
• What’s better to enjoy an amazing ride...standard or automatic? In this respect, it's no different than any other car - depends on you and what your drive consists of. If I did a lot of waiting in traffic, I probably would have gotten an automatic. Those I know who have the automatic still enjoy shifting in the "manual" mode. Personally, I LOVE shifting.

If you are into the "classic sports car" thing, don't totally ignore the fact that the exhaust sound on the R53 has much more character (the much-loved "burble") than the R56.

 

First, WELCOME to the MINI world! You will find EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know and more. Plus you now have 30,000 or so new friends!
As for my very biased opinion, I can add some thoughts of my own.

• This is our second MINI. I have a MCSC '06, and my husband has a MCS '04. WE LOVE THEM! No doubt about it! Love driving them, love MODDING them (we are so out of warranty!!!) and love making them look pretty. They are named- Mine-Cecilia, and Jay's-Soulfire. We have made SF VERY You-Nique and he stands out in ANY crowd, and people actually stop next to us at stoplights and take his picture! (Thanks to Mike and Aesthetic Creations!)
• As for Maintence- That comes with how hard you are on your car, I feel. We have used our warranty well. And it is GREAT to have. We bought both pre-owned, and with Cecilia, the dealer threw in the new 6yr/100k warranty! SO NO COMPLAINTS THERE! As for having a very modded MINI and warranty issues, we don't go to the dealer for anything that was affected by the mods. We have had NO problem getting stuff done by the dealer when we go in for maintence.
• My opinion between Auto/Manual...DEFINETLY manual! You have so much more control of your engine...I feel! I am SURE there will be some Automatic drivers who beg to differ, but for ME..I like the Manual. 2 things- the reverse is on the LEFT, and I HATE the clutch in traffic...But other than that! I LOVE IT. Plus if you get '06 or earlier, you get the GREAT supercharger sound! I LOVE that S whine. Miss it in the Turbo.

Have FUN tomorrow with your test drive! Good luck on the color combos...I am not sure if insurance companies charge extra for a Red sports car tho...I thought I remember in the past they did, since Red cars get pulled over more often than other colors....But the Chili Red is a nice color...As is Pepper White, and the Dark Silver! SO MANY to choose from!

Good luck!

 

• How well do you enjoy your mini?
• Do you have to do a lot of maintenance on your mini?
  and
• What’s better to enjoy an amazing ride...standard or automatic?

Bunches, lots and lots, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I’ve had my MCS 5 years now and can boast as the only person, at least no one else has ever claimed so, I am 100% problem free. I’ve never had a single problem, nada, zilch, zero, nothing! I have my MINI serviced once a year with my local mechanic who is better than any dealer service and 1/3 the cost.

Standard all the way because I’ve never liked automatics.

 

Another Welcome Goyo!

I was in a simular place as you in that my MINI is the first new car I have bought in a while and I found this site to be VERY helpful and honest about the pluses and minuses of the MINI-they may think they are biased but I have also found a lot of truth here.

I love this car like no other I have owned. I wanted something fun, fun in the morning slog to work and on the way home, fun when going to the airport for a business trip and fun when it's my time-this car delivers all that and more.

I will admit to being affected by the detailing bug but it is a fun car to clean and detail as it is small. I just got mine in May so no issues yet but I am planning to change the oil earlier than the recommended interval. There are two camps on this topic but I just don't feel comfortable keeping oil in the engine for 10K miles during the break-in period. After that I feel all will be just fine and the free maintanence program is a nice touch.
I got the 6 speed because I wanted that visceral connectivity that a manual trans hooked to a small supercharged engine allows-but I also live in a fairly small town so I don't have long periods in traffic.

Enjoy the looking-you'll really enjoy the owning!

 

Tons and tons and tons and tons and tons....

You get "free" 3 yr/36K maintenence and 4 yr/50K warranty. a) I think those #s are right, I'm a little hazy today b) You can consider the maintence something you've prepaid, built into the cost of the car, in which case it makes the car seem even cheaper IMO. But longer term, even if the reliability would be considered good, no one would honestly compare it to most Asian imports.

If you like standards, you should love the standard MINI. I have an auto cos of the wifey and am impressed with it. The sport button and the steptronic are your friends! In other words, you can't go wrong!

 

- Still look forward to driving it every day - even after 4.5 years and 146,000 miles
-maintenance- no more than any other car, tires, oil, etc. Very trouble free. Keep adding mods though, but thats for fun, not maintenance
-manual for me

Nik

 

Awesome!
Well, the more I keep reading this forum, the more excited I get. Just one more day and I can test drive the Mini Cooper. Never been so excited to drive one! Of course I will try both option in Manual and Automatic. Though I am leaning toward the manual because it's a little bit less expensive and yet I think it will be more fun. Plus I don't hit traffic when I'm on my daily routines.
Will see, I need to keep my options open, but I'm scared....because If i step inside a MCS and sit down...touch the wheel i'll probably scream out " I WANT IT!" BUT I must be strong! I need to find the perfect Mini for me!
Thank you so much for your replies!
By the way I live in California close to Mt.Baldy and that place has a lot of twisties...ooh I can't wait!

 

1. We're enjoying the MINI to the MAX!! Nothing else like it...
2. Just over 4000 miles on the odometer so far...so far, no maint...
3. Manual is the way to go! It shifts like butter...

Do test drive an MCS...w/ sport button ON, if you can...but be prepared for the G's pulling against your face

 

Love my MINI!!

The reliability is horrible on mine. Others have similar issues, others have no problems. Luck of the draw. Mine has been in the shop much more than my 90 GMC or my wife's 89 Acura.

The car has been in the US for only 5 years and lots of folks are already on their 3rd MINI. Makes you wonder. Sounds like a bad habit.

 

Well...everyone....It has happen.
As I go to the dealer, having a set mind thinking that I'm not going to buy a mini, i'm just here for a test drive and information. So I get all my information that I wanted, practically asking the poor representative all the dumb question in the world about the mini. Though it seem she was up to the challenge. Super nice lady. She answered all my question and even put them in lamen(sp?) terms for me. Which is great! Me...like...easy...slow...answer...yes! Anyways I drove a MCS grey one around the block. Let me tell you, my friends, It was AMAZING! I can't describe how much power these little cars have! Especially that sport button. <333 That thing! So anyways we are talking numbers and I'm thinking "I'm not buying a mini, I'm not buying a mini" until the representative tells me..."so what color you want?" that's where I lost it folks. I basically blab out all the spec I want to her and she just nodded and she also said that she has it in stock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sooo No further delay....Here is my Brand new MCS 07






So I love my new Mini! Is like the best car ever! YEah! Now..I need to name it..still thinking..also on the to do list is to put tinted windows and the bonnet stripes!
Oh man! I can't sleep ...

 

That was fast, Goyo! What a pushover! Congrats on your new baby..what a beauty! You had to have known that as soon as you test-drove one, your plan was out the window! Happy motoring!

 

Congratulations on a beeeautiful car (and nice color choice, you'll love it)!

And as much as you love it now, just hold on... it just gets better and better! Can't wait to see what you do w/ stripes, etc, but it looks great just as is. I used Mike at AC and he did an amazing job on Luie - very original, I think. He has a way of taking your idea and making it even better.

HAVE FUN, and welcome!!!

 

Aloha and welcome to NAM. Good to hear from you and your recent addition to your family.

1. My MINI is my daily driver and I've had it for 4.5 years.
2. Maintence is described in your manual or PDF. I usually do extra oil changes about twice as often as recommended by MINIUSA. Check the tire pressures and rotate tires every 4000 miles. Front tires wear out faster.
3. Manual transmission is best for responsive driving. Automatic is OK but only if you cannot drive manual.

Congrats on your new MCS, looks great. Window tinting is good.

 

Resistance is futile!!!!
I said to myself (the other day when reading about your impending test drive), Self, I says, the next post we see from Goyo after the test drive will be an announcement of ordering a new MINI. Well, you did it one better!
Welcome to the fold, Mate! And that is one Fine Looking MINI, as well!

 

Oh yea! The Test Drive, it does it all the time. When we went to buy our MINI "RDNZL" we already knew we were buying it the test drive was just a formality. After the test drive even my wife was smiling ear to ear!!!
Congrats on the new MINI and welcome to NAM

 

Ha Ha great story... I bought mine the day after I test drove one. Thats all it was woing to be, but well... you know. Only difference I had to wait 6 months for it to be ready.

Have fun,

Nik

 

very nice choice in color!! (not being biased or anything...)
but these mini's i tell you...wat a car.
many of he following symtoms may occur..

ocd in keeping your mini clean
staring at it an over excessive amount
driving for no reason sometimes
talking and braggin about your mini to everyone you know
persuading people to buy one.
and of course...an addiction in adding many parts/accessories to it.

but all in all..ENJOY!!

 

Thats awesome! Congratulations on a beautiful car!
So what does your neighbor think?

 

oooh, Pepper White is awesome! Can't wait for mine

 

Congrats! Looks good in that light. What are the full specs of your MINI.

The test drive did it, I bet you were convinced before you went on the test drive, you just needed another reason.