Fellow mini fanatics,

Here is a link to a review that i stumbled across. I dont know much about the technical aspects of cars. I would appreciate if any of you could chime in.

I was completely shocked by this line. "Let’s just say the Mini is great fun if you think it is".

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...-cooper-s.html


While I dont plan on racing or anything, I believe mini's are a lot of fun to own and drive and think that it should definitely better than the other cars they tested ( VW GTI and Mazda Speed 3). Wonder what they were thinking.

I am thinking about MC /A color not decided+ premium package + just a few minor extras.

 

I haven't personally driven the GTI or the Mazda Speed 3, but 2 guys in our MINI club have both highly modified MCSs AND Mazda Speed 3s. These two guys know their cars, and they love them both. There must be something to the MS3.

 

I am well past the point of reading reviews on the R56, I did back in april when I was considering purchasing one. They do come in handy when you know nothing about the car. I love the mini, so that's what I ordered. If I want opinions/info on the car I just come here.

Just click your heels together and say...There's no place like NAM...there's no place like NAM.

 

I have driven and tracked the R56, the MS3 and the Gti and Civic Si.

The Gti is vague in it's steering and the weight penatly is there.

The MS3 is fast like bananas but on the street it does not make use of it. The car is very good, but 256hp comes at a price, fuel. So i decided to order a cooper.

The Si is good but i have had enough integras's and civic to last me, in fact i have a RSX (Integra) as a second car now.

MCS is usalble power and performace, but the MS3 is a better track car and comuter. If i only had one car i would be the MS3.

 

MPG kept me from even testing the MS3

 

I seriously considered the MS3 and it is a great car. The reason I went with the MCS is because: The MS3 is a blast when you hit the pedal and leave everyone else behind. The MCS is a blast all the time. (And I still usually leave everyone else behind at the light).

 

I wouldn't get bent out of shape by that quote. In fact, I think it meshes perfectly with my view of buying a MINI. Whne people ask me if I'd recommend the MINI, I always tell them "I love it, but you got to want a MINI." MINI is not a typical car for the typical person, so, I think that quote makes sense.

 

When ordering the hubby's GT500 he refused to put any stock in anything I wanted him to read referring to Car & Driver. That being said, my Mini is in production at this point and I still won't put any stock into their views. After all we all have opinions, kind of like butt holes (did I just say that? Oops!) so take it for what it's worth.

 

"Let’s just say the Mini is great fun if you think it is".

ISN'T THAT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. ITS WHAT YOU THINK OF YOUR CAR AND HOW IT FLOATS YOUR BOAT.

For me--I'd have to wear a brown paper bag over my head looking at the Mazda vs. a wearing a s-it eating grin w/ the MINI.

Alot of car mags test the Z-06 over the 997 Porsches. I chose the car with the engine in the butt and could have saved the price of the MINI. I chose the car that knocked my socks off. I value the opinions of advertising $ driven magaines with great caution.

 

I read all those reviews, including a similar comparison in Road and Track where the VW came out "ahead" of the MCS.

My choice was between the GTI and the MCS. Those two cars in particular because they both came with automatic transmissions with paddle shifters. The Honda and the Mazdaspeed 3 are manual trannies only.

The GTI's DSG transmission worked slightly better than the MCSa, but I was not blown away by it, as the reviewers had me expecting. I was amazed at how well the MCSa worked in Sport mode, and I liked that option over the DSG's characteristics. The GTI didn't handle as well as the MCS, with lots of tire squeal and body roll through the same corners that the MCS took as if on rails. Although there was more horsepower, you definitely felt the additional 700 pounds or so on the GTI.

The GTI is more car for the money, considering you are paying MSRP in most cases for the Mini and that you can get discounts on the GTI. Similarly equipped, you can come away with a four door GTI for a couple thousand less, for whatever that's worth.

However, when I drove the GTI it just lacked a certain something. The MCS just has more style and character. As far as performance goes, I thought the MCS was much more "tossable." To me, tossability is an important aspect in a sporty car.

At the end of the day, as a British sports car fan (the wife and I race MG Midgets and I've got a Jag E-type and MGA in the garage) I had to order the MCS. Having lived in England when the original Mini was commonplace, to me a Mini Cooper has to look like the Monte Carlo winners-- red with white bonnet stripes.

Delivery should be around the end of this month!

 

I'm never reading Car and Driver again.

 

I read Car and Advertiser, Rodent Track, etc. for the amusement factor.

 

+1

 

I also have issues with car mags that accept this much advertising $$$ from Mfr's, you'll notice that when they "profile" a particular care there will be many many ads for that car in the mag that month - yes, this is good for the car's sales to take advantage of the press, but I think it taints the reviewer's comments, he's not really gonna say what he thinks for fear of losing the ad revenue - so I take it all with the proverbial grain of salt.

The best way to review these cars if you're seriously considering one is to go drive it for yourself - period. And be sure you drive it more than just around the block. When I'm seriously considering buying a car I arrange for at least an overnight stay that will let me drive it to work and home. The best way to evaluate a new car is to drive on roads that you're already very familiar with.

When it came time to buy my MINI, I did exactly this, and it helped rule out the purchase of a really nice MX-5 that I was considering.

I'm also a British car fan, having owned a classic Mini, driven many many English cars over the years, and I also have an E-Type in the garage at this moment that I've had for about 12 years and brought back from the dead, so I'm no nube to British cars......

 

You mean, you're not supposed to go to the configurator, create your car and order it and then find out what's it's like when you pick it up? Your way is way too much trouble.

 

I ordered before they were even at the dealers. Test drive was what I did after the fact.

 

I test drove an S version, and ordered a JCW on the basis that if the S was that fun, the JCW should be even better.

 

I recently posted a more recent and favorable MCS review from Car and Driver. The link is here;

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=106449

This may help you in your evaluation.

In the end, you need to drive the car. I drove the MCS and the GTI and came away ordering the MCS. The test drive made my decision very easy.

 

If the dealership will let you. I tried to make arrangement for an extended test drive of a 07 MCS with a dealership, but they refused--saying they need to keep the mileage on their test drive cars as low as possible, since they don't have many cars that are available for sale off their lot (95% of their sales are ordered, not off lot). They do have a 3 mile test route, but I think it's too short, and besides is in an area I'm not familar with.

 

I test drove a GTI on the way home from test driving an MCS R56. We took the GTI out on some back roads in farming country and the salesman encouraged me to push it hard. It handled well, but it wasn't that much fun. I felt like I should be wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase. I'll stick with Levis and an MCS.

 

The last GTI worth purchasing was in 1988 when they produced it with the 16 Valve engine. The car was light, responsive and a true hot hatch. The Mazda is damn quick but...souless. Everyone knows Mini's have souls..

 

Glad I got a MINI. I hate suits. As for ties... I love gloria steinem's remark: "How can you trust the world to a species who, the first thing they do in the morning is tie a noose around their necks." (more-or-less -- don't remember if those are the exact words).

 

I don't understand your shock and outrage 'Fun' is subjective, exactly as stated, it is simple as that - some may not find characteristics of the Mini enjoyable. Everyone is different with subjective opinions, not a surprise..

 

92 2.0 16 was head and shoulders above and the same weight. 88 was the 1.8 16V

 

You know, you don't have to hate every other car on the planet to love your MINI.