Well, I recently went through this very process. My MA was very helpful in the final decision, but it was reading and knowing what I wanted that made the decision in the end.

The R53 feels like a sports car, its bumpy, noisy, stiff, and you feel like you're involved in the car. The 06 MCS included the sport suspension with the S package, on the R56 its an option.

To me the 07+ look softer, probably ride and drive smoother, but they lose some of the appeal to me.

Have I had days where I'm sick of the rough ride and road noise? Definately. Then again I dont trade in my wife when she annoys me for a day.
The supercharger whine is very addictive, the handling and how the car has minimal body roll is a great feeling to.

I love the R53, its been the most fun I've had on 4 wheels. We have some 20 mph 270 degree on ramps here in town. I had a newer corvette ridng my butt hard going onto that offramp, I just held the car as I normally did in the corner, at the top he wasnt even half way through the ramp, he did come flying up past me about a mile later, stoppd and gave a before showing me he could (or should say would) drive faster than the speed limit than I would on a highway. I know a vette isnt much comparison to a Mini, but there's not alot of high end cars around here that actually drive them like high end sports cars. All I ever get is the kid in the Honda civic with huge wing and fart can trying to egg me into a race.

I say go drive both. That was my plan, but once I drove the 06 MCS I didnt need to drive another one...

 

Desired boost method is one issue. My '02 MCS did not come on until 3,000 RPM. My current '06 MCS comes on at 2,000 RPM. To me, it has a better factory tune, plus the teflon-coated rotors in the Eaton M45. R56 is easier/quicker to tune. Just change the boost level on the turbo, change the blowout valve, etc. R53 requires some work changing out the pulley, but it's definitely worth it.

I had an '08 JCW MCS as a loaner once. Definitely had power coming in at 2,000 RPM, which made me jealous at the time when I had my '02 MCS. It had stupid torque, too.

...

Interior. I love the extra switches in the R56 at the top near the mirror. I also really like the changeable mood lighting. I had none in my '02 MCS, and I'm stuck with orange in my '06 MCS. I'm not a big fan of the R56 dash material. For some reason, it reminds me of the interior in an old VW Beetle. But I do like the hidden glove compartment design.

I like the fact both roof glasses pop up at first before opening fully. Fog lights are standard on R56s. I did not have any on my '02 MCS; I do now on my '06 MCS as an option. I'm not as big a fan of the extra-large R56 speedometer; I think the R53 speedo is the right size. And I certainly don't like the stereo arrangement. There is no provision to upgrade to aftermarket easily.

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As for repairs... most of the mods done to my '02 MCS were my own decision. A friend bought it as a dealer loaner with 4K miles in August 2003, and I bought it from him in July 2005. For absolutely necessary maintenance, I had to replace the windshield, changed brakes/rotors once, oil changes (of course), and the left window motor was replaced (due to tangled aftermarket speaker wiring; was goodwilled by MINI). KW struts went bad around 81K (which all were changed out with a Koni Stage 3 kit), rear control arm bushings were gone (they were also aftermarket), and the casters in the lower control arms were eaten up. AC compressor went down at 105K miles. I had a slow oil leak in the oil pan for years and changed that at the same time. That's about it. Compared to so many other stories, I was happy my '02 MCS was fairly low on required maintenance.

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Suspension... The KW suspension that came with my '02 MCS was lowered and stiff. Combine that with 205/40/R17s, and it was bumpy as hell. But so are Z28 Camaros and SS Monte Carlos. It's a sports car; get over it. I hated the Koni Stage 3 kit. It was not lowered (though it did ride smoother). If I upgrade my '06 MCS, it will be Megan coilovers.

R56s have the option of already having a sport suspension. That's a bonus for them.

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I'm just too partial to the R53. If for no other reason than I can reuse already purchased mods. That's what I went with when I totalled my '02 MCS. And it did not matter what year I bought, so long as it was clean, had reasonable mileage, was in no wrecks, and had a good maintenance history.

 

Really? I musta missed that when I was building mine online. It has the stock suspension, but for another $1500 you can upgrade to the sport, or get the sport and do another upgrade on that to the JCW or something.

Where as the R53 sport suspension was part of the "S" model already.

I also hated the R56's lack of aftermarket radio, sure it could be done, but at what cost?.....at least if I decide to trash my H/K I can replace everything and not worry about it being in the speedo.

 

The sport suspension in a $500 upgrade and the JCW sport suspension is a $1255 upgrade.

 

I found when I was checking out the Helix Minisports web page, that if you click on "News' and then click on the first article, go down a bit there is an excellent article written back in 2007 about the R53 & R56. The heading of the article has the words Juxtaposition and Soul. Check it out. Cheers.

 

Never been a big fan of the Brazilian-built, Chrysler engine in the R53.

 

Let me give some in put, My brother owns the r56 I own the r53. The r53 has that amazing supercharger sound exspecaily with the 17% pulley and other mods and boy does it put you in your seat. The r56 is quite but is very smooth and doesn't draw attention after a long night and driving past cops. If I didn't have the mods done to my car he would pull me like I pull him with the mods. One of these days we will take my girlfriends stock r53 and see how much fast the r56 is. the r56 does not have nearly the amount of mods as an r53 but in reallity you just need a tune, cai, and a nice set of lite rims for the r56, it saves time and money. The r53 has the better interior, the chrono package is the best, wish mini would wake up and bring that back, not everyone loves flavor flav's clock on there dash. If you want power that will jerk your neck get the r53, if you wont smooth power get the r56. Booth awsome cars, but of course I love my r53. I tried racing my r53 with his r56, and if you don't hammer on the gas before my car, its amazing how that thing would fly by, but if you did just right, it wouldn't be as spectacular, but it would be a win for the r53. The r56 has way more stock power. I sick of people saying the r53 would keep up with the r56. Maybe if you had slight mods done to the r53 like CAI,cat back exhaust and the r56 was stock. Thats what I could tell whenever I got a r56 for a loaner. I think I ahv the best input due to being able to drive booth cars whenever I want and being brothers we are always racing each other and trying to one up each other. To put this to an they are booth Mini's and my brother and I have proved to all the Ricer's in buffalo, the mini's are awsome, luxurious, and better quality of a car.

 

I used to say the same thing. In fact it took me a couple of years to get over the fact that it had a Neon engine. Once I bought mine it didn't take me long to realize how wrong I had been.

Now that MINI has started using the Peugeot/Citroen Prince of an engine I'm even happier to have my Brazilian Neon engined R53.

 

Having owned (3 Mini's) and currently two:
2005 MCS - Black H/K
2010 JCW Cabrio - Astro Black (used to have 05 Cabrio Dk Silv-Auto)

Having owned Two R53 & one R57?
I've been obsessed with the burple of the JCW...

What a "RIDE" and fun... it's a joy/ hoot...
a) 05 MCS Light mod (Alta CAI, 1ball, 15% Pulley) - daily drive
b) Weekend fun JCW - breaking in... Weekend fun

I drive both back to back so I can isolate each one...
On the bubble... as each as its advantages...

I am torned about which is better chicken or egg...
Quoting basic transportion this is not...

Overall stance
R53 Cuter (vs) Meaner
R53 Cab - I had must have had a sports suspension... it was tight & had JCW parts (Dealer Adds)...
R53 cAB & R57 jcw Cab gets more comments +++ than the R53 03 MCS

Drive:
R53 H/K > R57 Standard Speaker (Didnt upgrade - regret)
R57 Shifting/ Twisties >>> R53

Comfort Drive...
R57 feels sturdier/ bulk
R53 black > Astro black

Aftermarket parts dimenishing R53, but can find sales/used (However why install - broken in stuff )

So Within the year, I am trying to figure what to do too...
I) Do I keep R53 as-is? or do I want to upgrade exhaust, Suspension...
II) Wait
III) Sell while its still low miles and get a used R56 S 2008 with some factory adds?

Anyways - no clear winner...
If you ask me today R56- last week R53...?
Question is what will i think tomorrow...

Dee