Hello folks.

1. In 2006, I ordered a MCS with a manual gearbox. I ordered it with the clutch LSD. HK audio. Was incredible. I sold the 16" wheels day 3 of its life and put on Konig Rewind 15" wide and light wheels. This car was a beast and reliable aside from the common smaller issues. It ran for 11 years as my only car, a good chunk over 100k miles.

2. I currently own a brand new 2023 Porsche 718 Boxster T. The sucker is the pinnacle of handling and style. I put just about $28k in options into it as well. But, I would like to get a second car. Right after the 2006 mini, I bought a new BRZ limited with performance pack. That was wonderful. But I replaced it with a MX-5 RF 2019 in machine grey, new. I let it go to justify to people around me to pick up the Porsche.

3. I live normally just north of NY City, often going into the Catskills on trips rather continuously. I have driven only sport cars since 1991, and drive them, even my Porche 718 T, in the winter. I always get a set of winter performance tires to compliment the summer performance tires. I stick with OEM suggestions normally if they exist. It does not snow a lot here, but it is messy and certainly not a dry place to live. Interesting tidbit is that the "lower Hudson Valley" gets more precipitation from the sky than some rain forests. (they have internal rain as well). It can freeze, it is slushy, we have corrupt politicians who dont manage the roads right, pretty freakin rough to drive.

Conundrum of Golf R vs. Mini JCW hardtop:

A1. Golf R is holds a lot more in its boot. I never will ever fold down the seats to store luggage, so the boots are the comparing things here.
A2. Golf R in lapis blue 20th anniversary edition is quite pretty.
A3. Golf R has real RWD with a very advanced LSD system. It has a lame FWD system, but then sends 50% as needed to either rear wheel. No more poorly designed "haldex" or whatever it was.
A4. Nyack and the Catskills have HILLS. Your street has probably Two slopes, not just one going down, but sagitally tilted as well, and on a curve, so possibly three slopes.
A5. Thus far, the Golf R 20th anniversary edition is +$7000 above MSRP. That means it is $47,700 + $7000 for $54.7K.
A6. The minimum ground clearance on the Golf R is 4.7" - that's kind of low, possibly negating some winter use.
A7. Golf R requires, no question, a "skid plate" of some kind to protect the oil pan. The hidden ice in NY means that the bottom can get whacked if a bit low. Kind of dumb to need an altrac skid cover thing or an aluminum skid plate proper. but that's a lot simpler than an LSD install on the Mini, which is below in "B".
A8. It is really easy to get a roof rack system for a Golf car. I wont use it much ever, but i might here and there on excursions. I could get a Subaru or something one day i guess, but for now, that is my extent of cars.

B1. Mini JCW Hardtop is incredibly beautiful. Island Blue, Chili Red Top and mirrors, no sunroof, Iconic trim, Lounge leather. The Golf R in person is quite beautiful in a flowing minimalist way. MOst reviewers have horrible senses of style and art, the MK8 is definitely more beautiful in a R than previous models. But, a pig compared to JCW.
B2. Mini has better seats. Better leather.
B3. Mini has switches aside from the steering wheel touch ones. Switches and *****, calming interior in general.
B4. Mini no longer has a LSD. This is the killer problem. FWD sucks at going up hills. RWD sports cars with LSD's are fantastic at going up hills. Every car I have owned since 2006 had a LSD. It is fantastic digging out of snow with traction control off.
B5. I would have to buy a Wavetrac LSD and put it in. Kind of sucks. Modifying a beautiful new car is sad. I am a fan of simple clutch LSD's in the snow, and Torsen was pretty great too in the rear. I think Wavetrac would be probably perfection for NY roads + FWD.
B6. Mini at MSRP delivered with a few accessories and black belt line (i might ditch it not sure) is $46,500.
B7. The minimum ground clearance on the Mini JCW is 5.7"
B8. I do not want black roof rails on the Mini JCW. It would kill the look I feel. Getting a short roof rack for occaisional ski transport would be a nice thing. I have the parts for it, i just dont know if they will fit (Found on Ebay new parts from Thule only sold in Europe).

Concern is capabilities in the snow, on constant hills. I will not drive in deep snow, but it is needed several times per year, and ice and slush is the norm for several days after it snows.

The difference is about $9k dollars between the Golf R and the Mini JCW. I dont want that to be a factor, as buying the wrong car is the worst thing.

 

If I had to choose between those two, I would lean towards the golf r.

If it were me looking and I owned new Porsche like that I would look for a gently used low mileage Audi coupe S5 or RS5.

 

Have you considered a JCW Clubman? It's the exact same size as the Golf.

 

Never mind, I just read your other thread about ground clearance. It's definitely unfortunate you can't get a manual JCW clubman anymore.

 

The R you are leaning to. And on a Mini forum! that does say much. Any reason for that, Xplct? I am not into a used car. i use them so infrequently that buying new makes a heck of a lot of sense. i can get 15+ years out of them easily driving them below 5000 miles per year. I mean, jeez, that's like 70k in 15 years haha. I drive a lot less but mostly trips and dates weekly. I live near to my office, put it there, own the business. no commute more than a 30 minute slow walk.

I have a rule about 168 inches. No car (aside from a Porsche) can be above 168 inches approximately. The MX-5 RF, BRZ, Golf R, all are and were in that section of no bigger than. It's a certain number, you know? I love the smallness of them. The Mini is 152.5 inches LOL. I love looking up its specs.

Yes, the Clubman JCW in manual would have been the perfect car. Yup. Sad.

 

I'll second the golf.

VW seem to value their core customers and does well at maintaining styling cues when modernizing. At least from the exterior. It's a great looking car that seems to tick more of your boxes. Mini, on the other hand has a more bait-and-switch design and culture ethos. They branded themselves as the anti-suv; pure, simple cars that just put a smile on your face - even when standing still when you weren't driving. Now, the cars are bigger, heavier, and bloated with a design (especially that front end) that just leaves me scratching my head and with busy interiors. They have become what they initially eschewed. That bothers me. I know a lot of people like gen 3 cars, but they're just not my cup of tea. I'll never but another brand new mini. I could see myself buying a new Golf tho.

​​I'd go V dub.
​​​

 

I do really like the F56 series, particularly the new "LCI".

I had a R53 MCS. It was badass. I would love for it to be that small again, so seriously would. 2007 it got cheaper to produce and got a peugot motor and a turbo. down from an Iron block daimler-chrysler with Edelbrock supercharger and much more expensive to produce body and interior. Was bait and switch. I am sure though that they are great cars to drive, they also exploded for a few years. I remember rushing to get the last group of cars ever built. Mine had reinforced strut towers, it had different wheel bolts of the 2007, and it had new door sills that wouldnt collect water. it also had an LSD. I really regret selling it, i shouldnt have but i was like 1/8th the wealth i am now :( 11 years it was my thing

A lot of people find no joy in the VW, but recognize that it is a very fast car. It is a beast in all ways one normally needs a car, that 40-100 mph blast that doesnt end, just keeps going. It also is comfy on bumps, for certain. Hm.

 

The Golf R is just made better. I went and looked at the new Mini's last year and just shook my head, I would never pay 50k+ US for any of those. I got into a brand new 2022 1LE 2ss camaro for what they are going for. I just wanted a faster track car to play with. Yes I also own 2 R53 Minis's ones a JCW the other MCS that is fully modded with interior gut. I just cant stand how much bigger they got over the years, they no longer deserve the MINI name. All the first gen owners flash and wave to one another, its a cult thing.

If your not into used cars, then have you considered the new Audi TTS and TTRS? Those come in short on length also. They are all wheel drive also.

Also the new Circuit edition GR Corolla is pretty neat small and compact all wheel drive.

 

Well, they are still 153 inches long. The next shortest for a four seater is 167 inches. which just so happens to be a Golf R. R53 was cool, but youll no survive the level of collision that a F56 was redesigned for. I had an R53. IT was highly rated for its time in 2006. Now, it is C level safety, and that does not include the auto safety features, just crash worthiness. I had one for 11 years. Things changed a LOT in design safety. I would rather buy a 1960's Mini and was looking at them, if i just did not care about modernization and safety, which i do.

A GR corolla is 173 inches. doesnt break the bank too much, but it is bigger by six inches. Issue number one is the 2024 is the one i would want as it has fixes on it. A circuit edition. And they are marked up a lot. like $10k. Fugly for 10k. MSRP? and Available to order? great. No one can order them, just wait around and hound dealers. Bad model for business.

The Audi TTS looks really awesome. No manual. A bit expensive. But it's short and i bet insanely awesome. thank you for that. i dont know how that works. I like the weird blue one I will inquire at an audi dealer.

 

The Audi's are removed from the 2024 lineup :(

no more TT's in the USA. jeez. Horrible woke state of affairs. We need to remove socialists instantly. Ruining of the planet and western civilization.

 

Get a new 2023?

https://www.edmunds.com/audi/tts/202...3/?radius=6000

 

All the more reason to get one now, it will be worth more due to not being able to get anymore.

 

I spent a long time at the dealership today. I sat in various things. Fondled several Minis. Rubbed on leathers and cloths. Sampled their delights.

I always was shown things I never knew existed, untold taboos.

Such as how the hatch can be converted to 90 degrees. How it can fit three Cabin Trolleys and almost a 4th! And then the salesman exposed the place underneath panel that could easily hold a Kitty Litter tray, goth girl boots, and sandwiches. (Goth girls ALWAYS make sandwiches for road trips for their suitors. A clear pattern since the '90s. Without asking, they do appear in little Tupperware containers.)

I also sat in the front of a manual shift one, and noticed that both of my forearms can rest on the driver's door thingie as well as the center armrest. That's a first. Not even the 2006 MCS I had could rest my left arm, it was far away and kind of just there.

I then sat in the backseat, right behind the driver's seat, and noticed that a 5' 7" person could sit back there still without squashing their knees. The passenger side, of course, is even easier to sit in back of. My goth girls come in two sizes: Pint sized and really f**** tall. My girlfriend is really ***** tall. taller than me although she says she is not. But, she is fit and I imagine she could be jammed back there if needed. I have not checked if platform boots fit back there though, like, sometimes they have a hard time going underneath a front seat.

I sat in a cloth JCW dynamica seat. It was scratchy. Goth girls in fishnets and mini skirts would really hate that. I sort of did too, a bit rough. Not bad though. I cannot see a Dynamica and Leather one near me, so that's not happening. I like the bolsters, although they hit my tricep area sometimes if im in a shift mode and not resting on the armrest. Hm. I sat again on the Lounge Leather. Which fits the theme of decadence. It is the most supple and stiff at the same time things i could sit on. (Hm.) well, I think i will keep them unless I can find more info on the Dynamica and Leather. It looks kind of ratchet in the videos i see, looks motley a bit. without a crew even.

Well, I am thoroughly enamored with the JCW Mini. Darn. It really is freakin cool. It's cooler than the R, but the R obviously is the real race machine by a long long shot. It's faster than most porsche's from a few years ago, let alone crushes any other hatch or racey type car aside from a 6.2 liter supercharged type.

Eh. So for the moment the Mini really blew me away. I will keep it being built for the while. There is a STOP for building right now due to vacation in August type deal. Three weeks. So, i have some time and there are 10+ golf R manuals in lapis blue 20th anniversary edition to be had within a semi-reasonable distance to my home. shrug?

did i smoke the wrong crack?

 

If the VW ID3 GTX version coming soon was to ever be available in the US, I would have a hard time saying no to that. The single motor version does 0-60 in 6.9 sec. I can only imagine what a 2-motor AWD version would do. Shame even the base model isn't available here or that might be another option.

 

wow!

 

I didn't learn much about cars reading this thread but I learned a lot about goth girls.