So my girlfriend is still looking at buying an 07 Cooper S, but she is worried about safety and crashes. I've looked around the net a bit for crash ratings, but I would like a little bit more information to calm her nerves. We both have children, one is 2 and the other is 10. She's just nervous about getting in a wreck. Anyone have some recommended sites for crash ratings or something like that? Thanks again.

 

Modern MINI, July issue, page 7. MINI scored 13 out of 16 in head-on collision and 16 out of 18 side-on, earning it the highest safety scores (5 star) in the Euro NCAP crash test, which is more realistic and tougher than US crash-testing. "Child safety testing also produced excellent results." In offset frontal crash (most deadly crash) test the passenger cell remained intact. So safety is definitely not an issue.

 

That is exactly the type of thing that I am looking for. Is there a link for that article or where do I go?

 

I don't see a link specifically to the article, but the link for the magazine is www.modernmini.co.uk. I actually have the paper version.

 

Here are some US test results....... http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=303 and European
http://germancarscene.com/2007/04/30...o-ncap-rating/

 

Can't find that article online. Good start though.

Anyoen else have an idea?

 

PERFECT!! Thanks guys.

 

Note that the link for the US tests is for a 2006 MINI.

 

HAHA. She said the same thing. What, other than the engine, was changed from '06 to '07? I'm not sure.

That link is great. I have found out that my personal car sucks and now I'm going to sleep great.....

 

The one thing I'll throw in is there's safety in a crash and then there's avoiding a crash in the first place.
Most of this is common sense (once you think about it), but I really like this article from the New Yorker on accident avoidance
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html

 

This is a little old, but provides a great visual. Show her this.

http://www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/Cra...operVsFordF150

 

We saw that one at the dealership, actually. Thanks though.

That New Yorker article was neat and a good read. Like you said, it makes perfect sense.

So, that should cover that part. Thanks guys. Now we'll need to try putting my car seat in the back and see what happens.

 

Check around the forums. There have been several threads concerning MINI accidents recently. One in particular that I remember is here. As helpful as the crash tests are, it may be helpful to hear from folks who have been in accidents in their MINIs, what happened, the damage, etc. I am a former police officer and EMT and my wife is an EMT. We have seen crashes from an up close and personal perspective many times. I was impressed with what the crash tests showed, but real world perspective is also quite helpful.

I was hit in the drivers door in my 05 MC cabrio at approximately 35-40mph(speed stated by driver of other vehicle). Neither my wife nor I received any injuries from the impact. I had two small cuts, less than 1/16 inch, from flying glass when the window shattered. The outside of the door looked like crap, but there was no intrusion into the passenger compartment of the car. We drove the car from the accident scene and, since we were out of town when the accident happened, 7 hours to our house the next day.

The car was repaired with a new door, and dent behind the door removed. The car still drives, rides and works as well as it did before the accident. I don't even have an issues with the convertible top.

 

Forget the F150 stuff, old news.

IIHS has good stuff. Just remember in the front impact ratings its compared against other cars in its class. Not against heavier cars. But it still has good safety features.

 

Good stuff there, thanks for the info. I think we've calmed her fears a bit. Now if we can just get everything settled and close on her house it's time for a new car. It's just one ongoing headache, y'all know what I'm talking about if you've been down that road....

 

I had a pretty bad accident two weeks ago. A Ford F350 Pickup, pulling a Suburban, smashed a Ford Explorer into the back of my MCS and pushed me into a Silverado. (See pictures in the thread called "Crunch...".

I walked away with a bruise from the shoulder harness. The car may well be deemed totalled, but there was no compression or deformation of the passenger compartment whatsoever. Even if they do fix this, it will be someone else's car, as I'm planning to buy another MINI. I'd be glad to talk to you or your girlfriend about the incident. Just send me a private message and I'll give you my contact info... I'll be out of the country from this coming Saturday for 2 weeks.

Count me as a believer. The high modulus frame is worth its weight in gold, if you ask me.

 

The body changes to the '07 were designed to increase its safety for the European pedestrian crash requirements. The '07 should be even safer than the '06.

My wife and I have an '05 MCSa and I was surprised when we went to get it insured. Full coverage on her MCSa is costing us less than full coverage insurance on my '02 Kia Rio that I'm replacing with an '07 MCSa. The difference in the value of those two cars (the Mini and the Rio) is only about oh, 23,000 or so (with of course the Mini being the higher valued). That is what blew my mind. The reason why the insurance was roughly the same cost, the Mini is so much safer that it gets all sorts of discounts on the rates!

You can't go wrong with a Mini!