Hi,
I'm considering purchasing a MINI (non-S, manual). This won't be my only car, I want maximal fuel efficiency.

I noticed that 02-06 MINIs are rated at 24/33MPG and 07-08 at 27/36MPG. With my current cars, I found the revised 2008 EPA numbers are quite accurate. Are these numbers dead-on for 02-06 MINIs?

Basically I'm torn whether to get a 07, or a 1st gen. Obviously I can save some $$ buying an older MINI, but I wonder if I'll regret it later. Exterior-wise, I can't tell any diff. myself.

 

Well, my 2005 MC Manual, driving around town I usually get 33-35, going down the highway at 70-75 loaded down with a full duffel bag and a bag full of laundry I get 31-33

 

Morning, well i've got a MCS and the most i've seen was 428 miles out
of a tank with mostly freeway driving but most of the time i get about
28 to 30 mpg good luck

 

I took a look at fueleconomy.gov, and I'm looking at your numbers as they would be for the new ratings, correct me if I am wrong. I can't speak for Cooper owners but I have an S and rarely do I drive with the mindset of maximizing fuel economy, yet I see low to mid 20's city and high 20's to low 30's highway. If I tried I could do better I'm sure. The "new" EPA numbers on my car would be 22/31, so what I get is dead on. So to answer your first question, yes those numbers are good.

Some quick math tells me that if you drive 15,000 miles per year and spend 3.30 per gallon on gas, you would save about 165 bucks on gas by getting the newer car and using about 50 gallons less. Hardly worth spending more on a car for.

So if you are looking at spending more to save money on gas, it won't work out and you won't regret getting the 1st gen car. So the only question is what would make you happier. If you can't tell the difference in cars, look again, drive both, see what floats your boat. Something newer or new will give you more warranty time and the maintenance plan, etc., while the first gen will save you some dough. But fuel mileage is IMHO not justification for spending more.

 

I have a first gen mini, and on the highway, using premium fuel, going just slightly above the speed limit, i had no problem seeing between 38 and 41 mpg. i do almost exclusivly highway driving, this was my commuter car for a while, and you cant beat the miliage on this thing.

 

thats got to be with a cooper and not a cooper S

 

The MCS

The MC

Get a MCS! You'll get 3 MPG less but you'll have loads more fun being surgical through traffic!

 

R56 Cooper #s (manual) get 38-40 mpg around town!!! All the MINI handling, plenty of power/torque, plus good mpg...nice package!

 

They're both fine choices-- I was taking into consideration that for a used MC or MCS, he'd pay a lot less than a new MC-- even with a better fuel economy rating, thus giving him the full MINI experience without the $ hit.

The only real difference in price would be the insurance which is probably a bit more on the MCS. Both used Cooper models are pretty close in fuel economy according to the new ratings and I don't think gauging a car by its reported MPG is enough of a standard metric. You can drive a MC like a madman and a MCS like a grandma and come out with opposite numbers.

I bought my MINI 2 weeks ago so I just went through this process-- thought I'd pass along my logic that landed me a MCS for about $10K less than a new MC that feels brand new.

 

Interesting you posted this, there's a similar post in the 1st gen cabrio group. My wife and I have lead feet (heavily leaded), and her R56 non S (2nd gen tin top) with the 6sp tranny gets around 32mpg in 80% hwy traffic. So I would be very inclined to agree with MiniGT50 that the gov figures are pretty much dead on for a "normal" driving person.

In contrast, my 05 non S cabrio just gave me its first report card, a measly 27 mpg, in similar driving conditions. But as pointed out, the money saving difference is not that drastic. On the other hand, my old car did 22mpg, and the mileage difference between it and the 05 actually translates to a decent sum.

Daniel

 

Another thing to consider...the R56 Cooper (besides exceeding mpg expectations) also has much more low-end torque than the first gen Cooper and a 6th-gear for easy highway cruising. A lot of folks who may have been on the fence on the first gen Cooper (and went with an MCS) may find the 2nd gen car much more capable for everyday driving with plenty of power and cruising capability.

 

They're both MINIs-- tiny compact cars-- they're not SUVs so the savings are perhaps $200 dollars/year for the MCS vs the MC in gasoline costs. I say, make a choice based on the car, it's features, it's build and your excitement level driving it vs the negligible savings in its consumption. For my money, the MCS was the right decision. Plus, I've heard that the automatic and 5 speed transmissions on the pre '06 MC are subject to issues and repairs can be costly.

 

Exactly my point earlier. If you are buying one car vs. another because of fuel economy, you just can't make up the difference in price with the fuel savings. (I still laugh at those who justify the added cost of a hybrid in some cars with the fuel savings they are going to get)

Buy the one you like and can comfortably afford. If the newer one floats your boat, great, if the older one, have at it. Like I said, drive them both. Many like the more "pure" driving characteristics and the look of the 1st gen (like me), and others like the added refinement and increased mass appeal of the new ones.

 

03 MCS with 15% pulley and CAI.

Winter city driving 21-24mpg
Summer City driving 26-28mpg
My commute is 6 miles and avg speed is probably 30mph.

Highway cruising north of 75 and 80mph gets 32-34mph.

On back road highways when only allowed to go 55-60 mph I have seen 38-39mpg for the entire tank.

 

4 tanks of gas in my 04 s, I average 30 mpg in HOUSTON... pretty dang good

 

+1.

- Matt

 

'06 MC, I keep a spreadsheet of mileage. My overall avg is ~30.75 mostly stuck commuter traffic. Best was 38.22 where I got 495 miles on one tank with a est 15 miles of fuel left. Worse was ~28.75. Just over 15000 miles.

It would be a much tougher decision now with the '07 MCS getting better mileage than my '06 MC. Furthermore the gap between an '07 MCS and '07 MC is much much smaller.

 

If only we could get the MINI Diesel here in the states.

 

Depends on the goal. Do you want higher mileage as a feel good, or as a way of saving money? Given the higher cost of a new car (now that the used MINI market is not stratospheric) including tax, lic and reg fees, odds are you'll save more money getting the older car.


Time for an optometry appointment. If you see them side by side, you make notice there are quite a few differences.

 

I have a 2006 Cooper w/manual trans. I routinely get 27 - 28 MPG in mixed urban driving, including a commute up and over Portland's West Hills. While I do not typically use it for long distance trips on the freeway, I have attained 38 - 41 MPG on the interstate. I find the 2006 Cooper, with the updated transmission, has plenty of get up a go for the urban environment. It offers a nice blend of performance and fuel economy for the price. Like anything else, it depends on what your priorities are. There are fast cars, like the S and many others and they usually cost more to purchase and to operate. If I were taking my Mini out on the open road in Western and Eastern Oregon, I'm sure the MCS would shine. However, I have other vehicles that I use when traveling outside of town and found the Cooper to be a good choice for urban driving.

 

Okay...update on the R56 Cooper (manual). Yes, I was driving for economy and yes, I was realistically averaging 40 mpg around town. So I decided to relax things a bit and apply the "economy" skills in a more average way...you know, with some spirited driving mixed in (gosh, I love this car). Anyway, doing that I'm getting 37.5 to 38 mpg. I wanted to post this as I was afraid I gave the wrong impression...I was really trying for economy before. The lower #s might be more realistic for the average driver.

 

Holy Moly! That's still very impressive imo.

 

To further clarify, on my 2006 Coopers 27 -28 commuting mpg, everyday I climb up and over Portland's West Hills on some steep residential streets in 1st and 2nd gear. 500+ feet in elevation gain in the AM and closer to 900 ft on the return. I'm sure this leg of the trip eats into my overall mpg for the commute. I know of others who achieve in the low 30's in Portland's stop and go freeway commute. It certainly sounds like the 2007 has tweaked the fuel economy for the better. I noticed that they spec my 2006 Cooper at 2,524#'s versus 2,546#'s for the 2nd generation. A slight weight gain, but less than 1%. When the 2007's 1st came out, I recall hearing that they shaved weight off relative to the 1st generation. This is not supported by what I found posted on Mini USA versus the literature I received with my 2006. If I've got this wrong, I'm open to feedback. Anyway, the newer technology in the engine and transmission of the 2nd generation must be paying off.

 

Test drive them both. I think the differences in ride, handling, and interior will end up being bigger factors than the difference in mpg. Some people prefer the way driving an R53 feels, and some prefer the R56.