Read this and I had to chime in.

I have a 2014 BMW X1 3.5i Xdrive and a 2014 Mini Countryman JCW

The BMW is better in every way: faster, more powerful, easier to drive, more comfortable, more amenities (power/memory seats, heated steering wheel), roomier, iphone USB doesnt require AUX jack, except for one.

The Mini puts a bigger smile on my face.

Dunno what else to say
(Now why didnt BMW put the 3.5 tt into the JCW)

 

Because it didn't need to! You said it best!!

 

"Wasn't special enough" translates into vehicle sucks... Hmmm yes I agree, I prefer a car that has passion and soul, but that doesn't make it a bad car, just not the one you want. You should have known that a VW would not be the true hot hatch you were looking for.

 

Whelp, OP, I'm glad you ended up where you wanted, regardless of the expensive test-drive. I guess the dealership didn't have a return policy.

 

It's too bad it cost that much to find out you made a poor choice, but as was said, at least you realized it sooner than later.
I've almost always driven small bore cars from 1200cc VW bugs, to SAAB 99s, Toyota Celicas, Toyota Tercels, etc. But there has only been one car that makes me smile like the MCS that I bought last December, That's my 1958 Austin Healey Sprite- IT's got NO power (<1000 cc), but I never have to lift in a corner and it handles like a go cart- much like the MCS.
The MINI has the power that I've never had before so I have many more smiles to the mile! And yes, both of the cars are in my garage, much to my wife's dismay.

 

[QUOTE=SupeR53;4176256]It's too bad it cost that much to find out you made a poor choice, but as was said, at least you realized it sooner than later.
I've almost always driven small bore cars from 1200cc VW bugs, to SAAB 99s, Toyota Celicas, Toyota Tercels, etc. But there has only been one car that makes me smile like the MCS that I bought last December, That's my 1958 Austin Healey Sprite-

Hmmmm, I think that there's a rule that says... if you mention owning a vintage English sports car on this site, you must post a few pictures of said car!!

Please?

 

[QUOTE=MiniRoadstah;4176310]Here are the two of them, the MKII on the left is gone, but it paid for my MCS!


'62 MKII Sprite and '58 MKI Sprite, the MCS has supplanted the MKII





AutoX at the Elkhart Lake karting track in 2011


THE BugEye isn't pristine, but I'd be scared to drive it like I stole it, if it were.

 

That bugeye sprite, so classic. They run those at the PVGP and its awesome to see it track.

 

Bring it up to spec! Bugeye Sprites are so cool looking, too. Love it!

- It's even being featured Geico commercial.

 

Its a very classic design, when I go to the British car meets, the car makes me smile.

 

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread .... but I had the exact same experience!! Except that I waited 4 days. HUGE cost to trade in a car only 4 days old. But I couldn't see driving a car I hate for the next 3-4 years. I took a bath on the tradein, put down $6500 in cash and paid basically full price on a 1 year used MINI (no trade in value; $6500 just to bring me up to 0, but some of that was from my Ex, a few years back .... nevermind).

It's still worth it.

My tale: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...y-old-car.html

 

From the time I bought a derelict MGA when I was 16 (53 years ago) I've always wanted my cars to be sporty to drive and smaller than average. Speed mattered but was less important than the car's feel when driving. When needing a family car I bought Mazdas for years starting with a rotary-engined RX4. But I always had my wonderful Austin-Healey to relieve me of sedan blues. Any day I drive the Healey is a good day. Now my sedan is a newish Subaru Legacy. Very nice for long trips or hauling lots of stuff. Biggest car I've ever owned. It's character is like that of one's mother: "Count on me to take great care of you." I drive the Healey less than I'd like because the traffic is really scary with all the SUVs and other beasty vehicles racing down the roads. Which brings me to the series 2 Clubman S I bought a couple months ago. It is super fun in the category of driving the Healey. Plus it handles traffic and weather much better (not to mention safety). I have a new love. The sole reason for the Mini is to have fun taking it places. I have the Subaru to do the mature stuff. Don't worry, the Healey is still my joy but it now has fun companion.

As for the topic of this thread, cars that try to accomplish too many purposes often are disappointing overall. It sounds like the Golf R has that malady. Minis are becoming more all-purpose but still seem focused on fun over practicality.

 

Couldn't help but smile, when I was 16 my first car was a '58 MGA. Was a piece of junk, paid $250 for it..

 

Friday I had my kids R56 at the dealer for diagnostics, they gave me an '17 MCS as a loaner - it was a twin to my beloved R53 in color.

I was afraid I would be 'forced' to buy it, but it was an auto and while the seats were awesome it felt way bigger than even the R56. It was too quiet, felt too subdued. I wasn't compelled to buy it and was happy getting back in the R56.

Might try the JCW with a manual to see if that pulls me in more.

 

You too?! The story of me and two friends buying a '56 MGA for $200 with the engine in pieces in the guy's basement is material for a terrific standup comedy routine.

 

HMMMM! Have to correct... my bad on this one, even if it is an old thread. Geico Gecko is NOT driving a Bugeye Sprite... that's a Triumph TR3.

I don't know how I missed that. Let the punishments begin!

 

I loved my 135i until I started to do mountain runs, trackdays and autocross, it's gone now and I have another mini

 

I am a gen 1 Mini lover. It is so fun to drive. I always tell people how it keeps me young and I mean it. I raced motorcycles in my youth and have owned many sports cars and none of the others gave me the feel that my 06 MCS JCW gives me. It is not that fast, but in the twisties, it is a kick in the pants and thankfully I live in twistie world!
Ya just gotta love them!

 

what dealership was this?

 

I total agree about the "Fun Factor" of MINI's...Ive got an 05 JCW that I bought to clean up and sell ...but every time I take out on the backroads I can't get myself to sell it...I think I have had more fun driving it than most other cars I've had including C6 Vettes, and 3 Series BMW's...maybe not the fastest thing on the road but it runs circles around cars many times more expensive on the twisties.

 

My parents were British car addicts^. My mom's first car was an MGA coupe*. When I was a teenager there was a couple of MGAs, a frogeye sprite like yours, and a TR4 in the garage. I used to sneak out one of the MGAs when they were at work and drive it.

I'd really love an MGA now but I can't work on cars very well. My wife has given me permission for a newish Aston Martin in a year or two.

^obviusly passed in to me.

* her dad tried hard to get her to get a reliable fairlady roadster but she'd have none of it.

 

Great story... This past August we took a 2,500 miles roundtrip to see the solar eclipse near south of the smokey mountains. It's been 4 years we've had our MINI and we put 43,000 miles on it. It's the second long distance drive we did with the MINI. And just like the previous one, it's been a blast driving through the smokeys, and on the blue ridge highway.

Our other car is a Volvo S40 Turbo 5cyl I bought new and modded quite a bit doing all the work myself. It has close to 300hp and only 70,000 miles in 12 years. I bought the car in 2005 and I still drive it every day to my time consuming but short distance drive to work.

But since we've had the MINI it's been so much more fun to drive the MINI when ever I can.

Your story add to my recent anxiety. I'm getting nervous from how many miles we put on the MINI in 4 years, and from how long we'll be able to keep it if we keep driving it like so, because I just love to drive it and could keep doing so for a long time to come...

 

In the over 11 years I've owned my Mini, I've come across the thought of selling/trading it in on a number of occasions, if only to think, "Maybe it's time to move on," or "there might be something better out there." All I have to do after those type of words is drive Egan, and my worries and concerns are eliminated.

There's a very good automotive channel on YouTube that I highly encourage all to watch. It is called Petrolicious, and I think it perfectly describes what emotions we feel, and the urges we have when we drive our Minis. More to the point though, it always puts a smile on our faces, and we simply do not want to give it up.

Last summer, I went on a 3,443 mile trip to the Smokey Mountains. I drove for the first time the Tail of the Dragon, drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway, many B-Roads, and through a couple National Parks. It was the single most exciting, and most fulfilling driving experience I had with Egan. After ten years of ownership at the time, I felt it was a perfect way to commemorate, and sum up those ten years. I finished it off by visiting a very good friend of mine who I had known for years online, but never physically met. It was the perfect way to end my week-long trip.

It was that very trip where I realized I could not sell Egan. With just under 25k miles when I picked him up in 2006, to now over 161k miles, I've had very little unhappy miles when driving it.

I would love to make a video in the future, like Petrolicious does, to try and describe what it is like to own this car, and what it has meant to me over the years. Egan is my buddy, who has always been there for me, never got stranded, been there for the hard times, and good times. He's like a loyal dog: Always has your back. Horsepower figures, lap times, or speed records can't do that. Those things must be earned/awarded from the joy and experience of driving.

 

I love this. This is exactly why when it came time to trade in my 2008 Justacooper on something with a little more room and a little bit more sass, I went back and bought another MINI. In the 8 years that I owned Viola, she was always there for me. If I had a bad day, I got in my car and drove out to the country to see some beautiful scenery and motor along for no other purpose than enjoying the drive. My husband tried to talk me into something else, but I could not imagine owning another car.

 

This is by far is the biggest crock of $#@#@## I haver ever heard, I am a finance mgr at a large dealer, we take cars back up to 3 days no question asked, 150miles is absolutely nothing when the dealer has not transfered the title under one's name the car is brand new. This a f $#$#@ VW with its company name in mud not a porsche or ferrari, BTW: I drove my 14- 911for 4 days to make sure it's the car I like with over 450miles under my belt,, $2500 for what? they begging people to buy there cars. One phone call to better Business Bureau and that dealer wood be kissing your Butt.
Sorry but this was the first time I red your post got pretty upset dealer taken advantage of fellow car enthusiast.