Minis seem to hold their value REALLY well.. which is great for all of you guys who own them... not so great for guys like me who want to buy one!

I have basically settled on ordering a new one since the price difference isn't all that huge... but I have no doubt that there are folks out there who think the first generation new minis are superior...

What do you think? Do you prefer one generation over the other? Is there a compelling reason to buy a slightly cheaper '06 with 30k miles versus a brand new one?

How is the aftermarket shaping up for the turbo cars? Is there more performance potential from the new motor?

Thanks for any thoughts or opinions!

 

there's lots of threads on this, most of them turn into flame wars between owners of each respective gen. Each car has its merits.

Me, I'm and R53 (02-06) guy. The '07's are more refined. To me, this is a bad thing. I like the sound and the character of the R53 cars better. The aftermarket is more developed for the earlier cars, simply from being around longer. I also don't like how the '07's look.

 

The best advice is for you to test drive them both & make your own decision. I prefer the 1st generation many others prefer gen deux. It's all a matter of personal preference

 

Ah, so very diplomatic of you Teresa!

 

bamatt +10

Dunt(tm) trust what we have to say about our cars. We are all bias.

 

Gosh, if you do a search here, there's been plenty of threads on this issue. Everytime a topic like this comes up, it just seems to open a "can of worms" of people going "this is better, that's better, etc". There are advantages and disadvantages to either choice, and it really boils down to a personal decision.

That said, I was in the same boat as you, and will give you my opinions. I also looked into buying a used one at first, but the prices were so high, it was basically like buying a new one. Also, when buying a new one, you can configure it exactly how you want it, and don't have to go searching for one w/ the options you want/don't want.

R53: slightly smaller, many people prefer the body of the R53 over the R56, Supercharged, SC whine, exhaust burble, if buying a 2006, basically problem-free. (since they've had 4 years to fix everything), more raw feeling, better aftermarket support (currently) if you're into mods.

R56: rides slightly higher, slightly bigger, first year model change including engine to turbo (no data on reliability, problems, etc), more refined, more power, more potential (I think)

The best thing to do is to probably test drive both, and see which you like better. Observe outside/inside, feeling, etc. Again, if you do a search here, there's a wealth of info about the differences between the 2 so you can know what to look for. Good luck!

 

Oh yeah, I will test drive as many as I can... just wondering what you guys think. I have driven a couple of early ones; an '03 Cooper S and more recently an '05 Cooper with an automatic.

The S was great...could use a bit more oomph but superchargers are usually deceptively fast. Do the turbo cars feel faster? Handling was very similar to the Miata...which is to say "extremely fun."

The auto cooper was still a nice car but seemingly very slow.

 

 

It's really a personal preference. IMO, you can get a reasonable discount on the >'06 cars - just look around and keep your eyes open.
I like the supercharger and the styling of the R53 - I would suggest an '05+ model, as the gearing is a bit more palatable for in town driving (slightly lower gearing.)
The R56 is reported to be faster by the 'hot shoes' around here.

It took a while for me to get used to the relatively high seating position in the MINI relative to the Miata, but it does indeed handle nicely, especially when you throw on a slightly larger rear bar.

 

There were new 06's still for sale discounted $2,500 when I got my 07 the MPG is what swayed me .

 

Do yourself a favor and test drive an 05 or 06 MCS with manual tranny. They changed the gearing and added a few HP (5, I believe). The gearing alone brings the car alive a lot more. Throw on a reduction pulley (or the JCW kit of course) and it's a completely different beast than a stock 02-04 MCS.Yep.

 

I don't know about feel faster but the 2nd Gen S is as fast as a 1st Gen JCW from what I understand.

I need to get another 600 miles on my new S to be able to tell you how it really feels.

Have you read any of the reviews on Motoringfile.com? Lot's of good stuff and comparisons.

 

Unless you are dying for a first-gen, I'd say order one with your own personal specs. I really like the ability to pick other interior trim colors and the "secret" compartment in the new ones; but other than that, I'm a first-gen purist.

 

I agree with all that's been said about the preferences one generation over the other. But......I will say that, as one might rightly expect, MINI set out in the next generation car to improve on the previous model and in many regards they successfully did just that. What/how one feels about the effects of those refinements is open for discussion. The first generation car has a wonderful, raw, edgy kinda feel that we all learned to love. The second generation feels more settled (less edgy) and yet performs beautifully when pushed because in some ways it is more planted. No scandal here...why would MINI do anything else but dial in the next generation car a bit better. Some folks like the raw, edgy feel, though, and so do I. But I also appreciate the driving quality brought about by the R56 refinements. I'm lucky because I have both and can drive them back to back.

Now...I also have Coopers. Aside from a bit more torque (which is nice...not that R50 wasn't plenty peppy), a big addition to the R56 Cooper has been that 6th gear. If you do highway miles you will love that. It also sends fuel economy through the ceiling.

Driving quality aside, the '07s have completely different engines and configurations of peripherals. Some of these changes may head off problem that were and will be creeping up on the first generation cars...but who knows what lurks for the second generation. In any case, the first generation cars are easier to tune and there are well-established methods for doing that...I don't think anybody will argue that at this point. In the next year or two, though, who knows??

 

If you are prone to mod, 1st gen might be the way to go just because of what is already developed. You can have some fun adding HP with simple mods.

There will be mods avail for the R56 sooner or later and when there is I bet many move to the turbo. Turbos are so much easyer to get high HP gains but until someone hacks the ECU there is not much you can do for more HP on a R56.

If you want bone stock, and you can get a good price on the R56, that is not a bad way to go.

I have a R53 and like it a little more than the R56, but with the right incentive I could be in an R56.

 

You definitely need to test drive an R56, I'll leave it at that.

Better interior materials, more refined ride, MUCH more power (like someone said before, the stock R56 is as fast as the R53 JCW...). The mods will come eventually, but to be honest, the R56 doesn't need much.

 

I test drove an R56 & then I started looking into extended warranty options for my R52. It's all very subjective