You had a choice (had your MINI built expressly for you) -- why did you chose the options and packages you did?

I ordered the Roadster because it was what I've wanted forever. Had a Fiat Spider in the 70's, a '67 MGB in the early 90's (almost went broke restoring it, but that's a story for another day.)

I ordered the "S" because even though the "Justa" would have been "just" fine I didn't want to have buyers remorse and wish I'd gotten the "S".

I ordered the power top, but turns out it became standard with the 2013 MY. Why? Because I'm old enough and fragil enough that wrestling with a manual top in the rain was not an option.

Sirius because I've had satellite radio for too long to give it up now.

Climate control and keyless start because if you're spending $30,000+, what's another grand?

Automatic transmission because at my wife would never drive a 6-speed and when I need her Outback for Home Depot and Sam's Club runs she will be using the Roadster.

This could be the last car I ever buy, so I didn't want to have any regrets. While I hope to live a long time and will continue to be a "car nut" for as long as I live, (I've owned over 50 cars in my life) it's that time in life when I want to have fun!

So, what's your story?

(I didn't want to hijack the 15" or 16" thread.)

 

We got the first Cooper because we never thought about getting a high(er) performance car, the Cooper was enough. There weren't any other choices back then, Cooper or S was it. We got the first Cooper-S because we could, thanks to the impressive performance of the company stock. We got the second Cooper to replace the first because it came with a 6 speed, something that we'd wanted but couldn't get originally (5 speed only). We got the second Cooper-S because the R53 felt too different to an R56 to drive both together. We got the JCW to replace the Cooper-S because we wanted to get something a little faster around the track.

We didn't get too many options originally, we didn't think we needed them. We drive manuals, and don't like autos (if they did a decent dual clutch auto I might consider it.) We did get the auto A/C as it came with the carbon filter, which would be good for my allergies. We got cloth sets because we prefer cloth. We got rear fog lights as I think they're essential. We got DSC as it sounds like a very good idea. The on board computer sounded useful. I can't remember any other options we ordered. We got a white roof and wheels because we liked it and fluid silver interior because we liked that best.

For the first Cooper-S we ordered the chrome line exterior as we liked the way the Cooper looked, and wanted it to look like that. I also looked over the options for anything and everything else we might like, because we could. I added the limited slip diff and the garage door opener. Those were the only two I thought we might like. I didn't know I'd ever use the LSD, but its difficult to add later and I thought it might make him easier to sell on. We still got DSC, cloth seats, auto a/c, rear fogs, on board computer, white roof/wheels and fluid silver. I might have opted for park distance control because we could, but I didn't like the ways the sensors spoiled the rear bumper.

For the second Cooper, I wanted him set up like the Cooper-S, I liked the way it handled. So I wanted the sport suspension and the 16" wheels (reading commentary on the R56s I got the impression the sports suspension option was similar to the R53's standard sport suspension). Also I much preferred the sports seats to the standard seats in the first Cooper, once you spring for 16" wheels and sports seats you might as well get the sports package and get the front fogs and the spoiler for free, we didn't bother with the stripes which also would have been free (too flashy). We opted for cloth/leather seats as we'd hired a MINI which had them and found then to be more comfortable (slightly wider to fit our back ends) and they came with adjustable lumbar support which is good for my back. On board computer was now standard. We still got DSC, auto A/C, grange door opener ((we found that really handy, and includes auto dimm), rear fogs, white roof/wheels and fluid silver. We opted for the dark grey color line to null it out, we didn't want to be too garish and the colored seats were already a bit troubling. (The cloth/leather only came with blue or red leather depending on exterior colour. They didn't do the black ones they had in Europe.) I might have gone for the rain sensing wipers, but we'd just had a windscreen replaced (at enormous expense) and the auto sensing screens as even more expensive to replace. Comfort access was interesting, but pressing a button the key fob seemed easier than pressing the little button on the door handle.

For the second Cooper-S we optioned him like the Cooper. We didn't want the 17" wheels, so didn't get the sport package. Front fogs, the spoiler were standard as well as 16" wheels. BlueTooth/iPod was now an option we took it. After the iPod adapter in the Cooper-S (dealer installed), I'd gone off the iPod adapter so wouldn't have bothered if it weren't bundled with Bluetooth. Bluetooth sounded like a good idea (it is). We still added the sport suspension, LSD, DSC, cloth/leather seats, auto A/C, garage door opener (with auto dim), rear fogs and grey colourline. This time we opted for a black roof and red leather to be different, this only came with silver wheels.

For the JCW we opted again for the black roof, but the interior was all different. They now did the black cloth/leather which we'd previous wished they had but didn't. Though this time we'd be open to other colors but the color choices weren't good (only toffee or creme). With the dark interior we opted for piano black, but added a satellite grey colourline to break the monotony of dark (the anthracite headliner was standard). We had to have 17" wheels, and opted for the black star bullets, they look best (and are lightest). DTC is standard, but still added sport suspension, auto A/C, garage door opener (which includes auto dim and compass), rear fog and bluetooth/iPod. Satellite radio is standard. Now I'm wondering if we should have got the alarm system as this allows you to wind up the windows with the key, a standard feature on the previous MINIs. We didn't go for MINI connected, even though it sounds interesting as it requires the centre arm rest which just gets in the way. I considered a Nav system, but after having hired a MINI with Nav I preferred using TomTom on my iPhone.

 

I needed to replace my well loved but high-miles Miata, and wanted a similar great-handling fun vehicle but that a) was FWD for our occasional snow days (needing one more vehicle in our house that can go in snow...our Z06 hides in the garage on snow days), and b) can carry at least one of our GSDs with my wife and I on out of town trips. Oh, and that was easy with fuel while commuting.

I'd originally thought Fit/Fiesta/Yaris with some mods, but...for me...they were just too 'generic'. So then I was shopping more iconic rides, esp. after I saw a new Turbo Beetle, and knew the Abarth 500 was coming. Last fall / early this year, no one had 6mt Turbo Beetles, and the Abarth was still a ways off. I test drove a MCS just to "cross it off" the list, but instead was amazed by its performance, solid feel, and handling.

My MA was very helpful; hearing my goals, he spec'd a MCS for me with the bare minimums in his view: anthracite headliner, BT/USB, sport suspension. Pretty cool, actually, and not expensive.

But then.

I pondered a while that a) I spend a couple of hours a day commuting, and b) I tend to own cars a while, so this might be a "next to last" new car for me. Hello, MINIUSA configurator! I built 10-15 different ones, and made 3 additional dealer visits for another test drive and checking out various options.

So I ended with a "well-equipped" MINI

It helped that they had 0.9 financing when I purchased mine...adding the JCW tuning kit was a last-minute choice mostly b/c I wanted a bit more "sound track" from that amazing 1.6T engine. Oh, and you can't get a factory JCW in Ice Blue.

So that's my story.

8,000+ miles later, this car still amazes me every day!

 

I got everything but the LSD, (which was a mistake that I corrected by installing a Quaife), and the Sirius, (cause it sounds like crud. worse than very highly compressed Ipod). Manual, because why have an automatic?, Cloth seats, because they are cooler in summer, warmer in winter, easier to clean, and hold you better than leather. Black headliner because it looks better with my color combo. And everything else (Sport, Conv, prem, cold), because I could.

All in it was just over $28K. (2010 MCS. Only thing I might have done differently, is not get the sunroof. But after putting 5% limo tint on it, it's not bad.

 

Some really good stories here - thanks to the Rev for starting the thread; My story is probably not as interesting, but here goes. I wanted a small, efficient and FUN car to drive on my short commute to the train station and back everyday, as well as something I'd enjoy on the weekends. Always wanted a Miata, but the Wife doesn't like them - too small. A few years ago, I bought a sensible, efficient sedan that turned out to be more lethargic than I thought it would be - a Saturn Aura Hybrid. It's FINE car on the highway, provided that the roads are long, straight and Flat. Hills are not this car's forte in any way, shape or form. I'm keeping this car for the Wife, who is not the gear-head I am.

I chose to order what I did because it would be small, simple, economical and FUN. The manual was a must-have for me - I think that's it's part of what makes the MINI DNA what it is. Everything else I have is a slush-box, so I can appreciate those too, but for me, this car had to be a manual. The test drive proved that, in about 2 minutes...

The rest, is kind of like the advice received above: a basic car with Anthracite headliner and BT/USB. I added front fogs, the white roof and mirrors and Spice Orange. No turbo, although tempting, I wanted the purity of the Justa for my first MINI. No sunroof, because it seems as if the potential for problems is higher than what I wanted, and it's damned hot here in SoCal. One of my Wife's cars has a moonroof, and it seems as we never use it - and it leaks. So I passed.

I feel like I put a ton of thought into this car (and didn't ALL of us do that??) and now, I'm waiting for it to show up - today or tomorrow!!

That's my story...now, let all of us have a chance to hear yours!

 

My story is sort of backwards. About a year and a half ago, a buddy at work came back from the holidays with a new S. After a couple rides, I decided I needed to go to the dealer and check them out. After test driving an S, I decided I had to have one. I played around with the configurator for probably a couple months. I had lots of trouble deciding which options I "needed" and which I really had to have.

I was still having problems deciding on color and wheels, so one Sunday my son and I drove to the dealership to look at the cars on the lot again without worrying about being approached by a salesperson. I noticed that the JCW that had been on the lot ever since my first visit was still there.

The next day I contacted the MA I had been working with and asked if I could get a deal on the JCW since it had been sitting on the lot for so long. He said to make a reasonable offer, so I did. He countered a couple hundred higher, and I said "deal".

So I ended up with an almost fully loaded JCW, Eclipse Grey with Chili Red roof/mirrors. At first I wasn't sure about the red roof and mirrors. Now I love it. The only options I can think of that it was missing are Connected, Nav, rear fog and backup sensor. It has every option I was toying with in the configurator, plus it is a JCW which I hadn't really considered before.

This has quickly turned into my all-time favorite car to own and drive. The bad part is that I have spoiled myself. When it comes time to get a new MINI, I'm not sure if I could consider anything below a JCW.

 

I was replacing a Honda CRX, which is a small nimble and economical car with a massive fun-to-drive factor. I wanted something similar, small and fun and economical.

I drove a few cars, and decided that a MINI Cooper was what I wanted. After playing with the configurator for a while, I was going to get a Horizon Blue car with the JCW Sport Suspension.

Then I saw Horizon Blue in person--it was much darker than I wanted, so I decided that Ice Blue was a better fit for what I wanted. And then I found out that the JCW suspension was installed at the dealer, not at the factory, and its cost was a lot more than what you see in the configurator.

So, my options:
Ice blue - I liked the color
White roof - I figured it would be cooler in the summer
White bonnet stripes - just because I could
Manual transmission - because I want that third pedal, not even a PDK or DSG will do!
Cloth sport seats - because they should be cooler in the summer and a little easier to clean
Sport suspension - so I don't have to slow down for corners, EVER
Bluetooth - because hands-free is the only way to go with your cell phone in CA
15" twin-spoke wheels - because they have non-run-flat tires, they look good, and replacing the tires won't cost an arm and a leg

No other options. I didn't want too much extra "stuff" in the car; it is more to pay for, often more weight to haul around, more complexity, and more stuff to break.

If a red leather interior had been available, I would have probably ordered that. I think the red would be a very good contrast to the Ice Blue! The closest I could come is the black/red seats and red color line, which wasn't enough. (And I wasn't willing to pay for the JCW just so I could get the red dash.)

If I had it to do over again, I would add the heated rear-view mirrors and the rear fog light. The mirrors do fog up here, and heated ones would be nice. And the rear fog just seems like a good idea. I might also get the heated seats; I think the wife would be happy with those. But that's all I would change.

 

I knew it was time to start looking into a new car but was putting it off because nothing really spoke to me. I have looked at Mini’s in the past but for some reason never followed through, but it was the one car I kept going back to.

One Saturday I spotted a Mini Coupe drive by and I was both confused and delighted at that same time. I started looking into it but was disappointed that there wasn’t a sunroof option. Then I saw the Roadster and was done and put down a deposit by Friday. When building my Roadster S, my thought processes was very similar to Retired Rev:

"S” rather than a Justa. I had originally planned on the Justa but was worried I would regret it.

Heated seat - I fully plan on driving around with the top down on sunny winter days.

Semi Automatic top - this is the reason I had to build my mini. We couldn’t find a built version that have both the heated seats and semi-automatic top in the color I wanted. I almost caved to immediate gratification but knew the first time I wrenched my shoulder opening/closing it, I would kick myself.

Chili Red – It was between this and Eclipse Gray. I live in Seattle and everything here is gray so I wanted a little fun.

Automatic – lots of city driving and hill and a bad left knee. I did drive the manual and it was a ton fun but am glad I went with the automatic due to the knee.

I have a few other options, but didn’t go too fancy- mainly because I had upgraded to a “S” was spending more than I planned. As she is scheduled to arrive at the dealership tomorrow, I have started second guessing myself. I don’t regret ordering the Roadster itself, I am just worried about my design choices. Did anyone else have similar feelings? Did they disappear once you saw it?

 

I looked at 'Fenimore' a lot when I was deciding, and I ALMOST went with the Ice Blue, but the color left my Wife...ahem...cold. Since I needed her to support me in this crazy purchase (I will have 4 cars at home) I decided that it was better to defer to her on the color, since Spice Orange was growing on me, anyway. BRG was a contender, but I decided against it at the very last minute, because it seemed too dark. 'Fenimore' most certainly influenced my wheel choice!

However, the rest of your logic (white roof & BT) is right in line with mine, right down to the heated mirrors and seats, which I decided I didn't need. I wanted the cloth too, but in the end decided that the fake leather would wear better...only time will tell there!

 

Very cool! Glad that my choice of car helped you make your decisions too.

 

I needed something simple, comfortable, fun and no nonsense. I went for the Cooper with 15" twin spokes on conventional all seasons, 6 spd automatic transmission, cold weather package, bluetooth and iPod integration, rear fog light and Sirius radio for the long trips. I really couldn't be happier with my MINI!

p.s. I find it interesting how many people say they bought the "S" because they didn't want to regret their purchase. The Cooper is perfect, and no regrets. (and my wallet is a little thicker because of it )

 

I was going to replace my Volvo xc90 with another suv when I decided to get something fun instead and keep the Volvo for when I needed the room.
I had owned a Miata in the past, but I quickly tired of the cheap looking interior and decided that a convertible in the Seattle area had to be used too much with the top up, which isn't much fun.

My wife has had 3 Bmws over the years, and they are great cars to drive, but I wanted something less expensive, still fun, and something that got better mileage. I ordered a Horizon Blue car with the Tuscan beige interior (both now retired). I love the pano sunroof-next best thing to a convertible around here.
To make it more BMW like, I added leather to the armrests, to complete the interior.

Since February 2010 not one major problem with the car.

 

We didn't order our MCS, we just went to look, and it followed us home!
My wife commutes 100 miles everyday, and I'll be joining her this fall. We decided to start looking for something that was more fun and got better mileage than her Escape. I always wanted a Mini, and The Go-kart was parked right in front of the dealership. I went right for it and surprisingly, my wife did too!
The whole time we were there, however, she was staring at the Roadsters. So, when I finally get done with school and have a full time job again, she will be getting her Roadster and I will keep the Go-kart.
She will be sitting down and building her own, and I can't wait.
She's finally "into" cars, and I love it!
She's a graphic designer, so she will be very interested in the visual part, but she's already mentioned a JCW