OK, so I have now lived with my late build 2006 Mini (Titan) for a year and 12,000 miles. Here's my list of likes and dislikes:

Like: The size...I am a small car guy (BMW 318Ti, 2nd Gen RX-7) so the Mini fits me.

Like: The gas mileage. I average 31+ overall and routinely hit 40 MPG even at enthusiastic (wink to the mods) freeway speeds.

Dislike: Having to use Premium to get that MPG.

Like: The layout of the internal controls. I am especially addicted to the steering wheel mounted radio controls.

Like: The brakes are very linear in both feel and response, much better than my Ti's anti-lock system.

Like: The fact that Titan has been totally reliable and trouble-free.

Like: Mini's Free Scheduled Maintenance and my dealer's (Bob Smith Mini) great free Mini loaner program.

Dislike: The Mini's somewhat nervous ride quality. Both my Ti and my RX-7 handled great with far more confident road manners.

Dislike: The lack of utility of the dual pane moon roof. Again, both the RX-7 and my Ti could be driven at freeway speeds with the roof opened without an ungodly amount of buffeting and racket. Why can't I do this in the Mini?

Dislike: The fact that Mini was too cheap (lazy?) to provide a complete sunshade for the moon roof. This totally sucks in the summer.

Dislike: The feeble AC/Heating fan. Is this supposed to remind me of my 1969 VW or what?

Dislike: The cheap feeling of the door pulls. They sound/feel like they're going to break every time I close (and open) the door.

Like: The OBC. Got used to this with my BMWs and I won't be without it.

Dislike: The fact that when the seats are folded down they create a huge ledge in the storage area rather than folding flat. Again, just some lazy engineers over at Mini.

Like: Of all things, cruising on the freeway. The Mini just seems to love a long, fast freeway ride and so do I.

Dislike: The fact that the bonnet pull is on the right. Oh, I know, the car's made in the UK. They managed to put the steering wheel on the left, didn't they? Again, this just seems like a kludge to me.

What's just not as good as I had hoped: The overall handling. Both the Ti and the RX-7 bested the Mini across the board. I have upgraded to a very nice set of summer-only tires and that has helped but not closed the gap. Quick steering is not the sole requirement of good handling, but that's mostly what the Mini has. Perhaps it is a pure limitation born of the wheelbase, etc. but for me it is an undeniable truth.

Conclusion: I admit that it's been an off and on affair for Titan and I. My hope was that the Mini would be a great car like my Ti and RX-7 had been. Each of those cars were beloved from the day I picked them up. I bought the RX-7 new in 1990 and the 318 Ti in 1997. Each moved on to new homes at well over 150,000 miles each (I drove quite a lot more back in those days).

Now, I find that I am beginning to respect my Mini. The Titan seems like a solid car and has served me well. I had hoped to love the little monster and maybe by next year I will. I'll be sure and let you know.

Thanks for reading.

 

Don't forget, both your Ti and RX-7 are also RWD. Which, (arguably) is a better setup for a more sporting, better weight distributed setup. Probably why you're making these comments.

 

Yeah, I hear you. Maybe I'm a RWD kinda guy. I guess that means a BMW 135 for me next year! Cool.

 

I have a feeling a lot of MINI Cooper S guys will be going 128i/135i as their next step from the MINI.

 

Surprised by the feeble AC blower comment. Is yours manual or auto?

O/T about 128/135: did it have to be so ugly?

 

Mine is auto. Do the manuals really blow better? Sorry for the sexual reference. It was unintended (kinda).

By the way, my guess is that the 128/135s will look just fine from behind the wheel.

Someday Chris Bangle will leave BMW and we can forget about all of his questionable designs.

 

Mine is a manual (05 but I'm betting there were no changes) and both the AC and the blower work quite well. Obviously you have to rotate the air flow control **** to the correct position to direct the air flow where you want it.

Re Bangle: it's too late for me. BMW has lost me as a customer forever (including Minis now that they're becoming more BMW-ized).

 

Agree with you, but I recently installed a H&R 19mm anti-sway bar which improves things quite a bit.

 

I put the fixed camber plates in my 06, initially due to paranoia over mushrooming strut tower structures. (I also have the M7 plates).

I noticed the moderate increase in negative camber (or should I just say decrease in camber? ) improved the ride (steering feel) even on boring old highway driving, certainly more on more twisty back roads. The little extra front end plant was something I noticed. That and dumping of runflats for Khumo tires couldn't have hurt.

Thinking on that larger sway bar now (d*mn mod fever)

Cheers

 

Have to agree with you here .....

Not quite as good for me but I tend to be a spirited driver so that is part of my issue.

Have owned numerous european cars and I am used to it. You should not be upset at MINI for this and be more upset that we still sell crappy gas in this country.

I agree 100%!!!!

I have a late Oct. '06 build and have verified I have the JCW brakes but with plain calipers. For me the braking is perfect and confident.

Pretty much the same here. A couple of very minor issues but nothing to write home about.

Unfortunantly the dealer nearest me is an hour and a half away but one may be on it's way near me. The dealer is OK but nothing great. I once drove a little further to the one that was just over 2 hours away and they were awsome.

Same here but I have driven another car with the 19mm swaybar and non-runflats and the difference was night and day. Car was smoother on the highway and the bar eliminated almost all of the oversteer without making the rear end slide happy. Still just as easy to control but without the bad oversteer felling. I used to drive rear wheel all of the time and prefer that feel.

Bought the MINI sunroof visor (one with the tiny wing) and that resolved almost all of it. Goes on and off quickly and even came with a storage bag.

Had 20% tint applied and that resolved the issue. Car no longer is a toaster even with the AC on and still lets in some light without being intrusive.

When I first get going (if I need it) I just hit the blower I want on the right side and that issue is moot. Once the temp is comfortable I hit the auto button again. The system should have a little better control in full auto mode but just doing this resolves the issue.

Haven't had that. Mine feel strong like the plastic covers a structural member. If you mean the armrests I do not pull my doors there.

Had it on BMW's and Audi's prior and will not get a car without it.

They actually make an awesome hard storage bin that resolves this issue as well as giving a covered storage container. Go under the rear sometime and you will realize quickly the engineers were not lazy but that is about all they could do. Make the car a little longer and the issue would have been resolved. Of course, the car would have been longer.

Yup, taken mine on multi-state trips and love it. Once I make some changes to the suspension that will even be better.

I like it myself for the unique aspect of it.

Driven both of those other cars and don't agree. The fact of being rear-wheel drive made them better in that aspect but every bit of the handling og the MINI is far better that they were. Yes, I did have extensive time in those cars.

So far I totally enjoy this car. I have owned some very nice performance cars and none have ever given me this much enjoyment as this little car. Only thing different I would have done was get the full JCW kit. I could have got the exact car with it but opted not to and wished I had. I am now going to go that route.

If it takes you 2 years to decide if the car is for you then the 1 series will probably meet your needs more.

Overall I could be happier with the car. It has been reliable and fun to drive. I miss my M3 but not the continual trips to the dealer and the engine seize that nearly got me killed.

 

Nothing beats a RWD platform..

But the MINI is by far the best FWD car currently in production.

just my .002

 

Let's see...13 gallons at $2.92 is $37.92 a tank full. Premium is $3.12/gal so that is $40.56 a tank full. The difference is only $2.64 a tank full. Whoop-dee-do! I don't think it is that big a deal and a non-issue for the performance I get going with premium gas. A tank lasts me 2 weeks under normal driving, that is only .20 cents more a day using premium, I bet you blow more than that on soft drinks a day.

I have owned MGs, Fords, Chevys, Jeeps, Chryslers, Hyundais, Datsuns (now Nissan for those who are too young to know) and driven many, many others both front wheel and rear wheel drive (and a couple AWD)...I have no clue what you are talking about. My MINI is extremely sure-footed and has a very, VERY positive handling response.

[quote=TorroPerro;1966236]
Dislike: The lack of utility of the dual pane moon roof. Again, both the RX-7 and my Ti could be driven at freeway speeds with the roof opened without an ungodly amount of buffeting and racket. Why can't I do this in the Mini?[quote]

I know the RX-7 sunroof slid back into the roof structure, where the MINI opens and slides over the outside of the roof because the aft roof window precludes the ability to slide into the roof as the RX-7 does. I could turn this around and say the MINI has a better overhead view than the RX-7, why couldn't Mazda provide a better overhead view?

I think you are just looking to complain.

Wah-wah-wah-wah. Thare's the problem...you have the sunshade installed on the moon roof, I have the sunshade installed on my sunroof. I've never had an issue and I don't have a lot of hair protecting my shiny mellon. I like the filtered sunlight!

No idea what you are talking about...are the vents open?

How are you opening your doors? You know you have to squeeze the handle to open the door, right? Again, my '06 MCS feels solid.

Being manufactured in Oxford, and using the same body for RHD and LHD MINIs, the pull was left on the right to eliminate the added cost of manufacturing different interior panels. Having owned British autos in the past (MGB and MG Midget) I agree with the concept and I actually like having something like that that ties the US spec MINIs to their English counterparts.

I guess one could complain that the power is nowhere comparable to the power my co-worker's Corvette has, or the handling the MG Midget had I used to own, or even the ease of maintenance my '64 Chevy Impala afforded me. I guess I really don't know why you're on the forum trashing the MINI, this forum is for MINI enthusiasts who are basically rating the MINI on its own merits and sharing their experiences/issues with the MINI community. If you really do not like your MINI maybe you ought to sell it and go back to driving your RX-7, which by the way has a host of issues of it's own. Maybe this isn't the message you are trying to present here, but it sure sounds as if it is.

My Conclusion: The MINI is indeed a solid car, not without its share of idiosyncrocies that most new cars have. The 2002 and 2003 MINIs had issues that were resolved through 04 and the 05 and 06 MINIs are for the most part very dependable IMHO, having delt with our '06 and '07 now, and dealing with my wife's previous '05. Many members of our local MINI club are extremely satisfied with their MINIs as well. Hey, I loved my MGs, I wish I still had them, but I wouldn't trade my MINI for them or the world. My '06 MINI has been a very solid car, and with nearly 32,000 miles she drives as well now as the day I brought her home.

Try giving your MINI a chance and judge it on its own merits.

Oh, wait...You were talking about the Mini, I thought you were talking about MINIs. What did you expect for a car with a 988cc or 1275cc enging and 10 inch tires?

 

In regards to your performance impressions... These are when you road race or track the car correct? Because, I've had an RX-7, and the MINI performs every bit as well, despite being a FWD setup, on even roads where I'm breaking the speed limit. I can only imagine that if you're really noticing a deficiency, you're VERY MUCH exceeding the posted limits for the road(s) you're travelling on. I'm not saying that in a judgmental way, as I too like to drive fast, but I AM saying that if you want "track handling" at track speeds, you have to expect to upgrade the car with some more track-worthy components. The sway bar is a good start, as is the USS system, if you're noticing too much understeer in the "road manners" (whatever that means to you) of the car.

Bottom line is that a RWD car delivers power fundamentally different than a FWD setup, and if you're used to getting near the edge of a slide in a RWD car, you'll be waiting to compensate for OVERSTEER. Hence, the MINI will indeed feel vastly different, possibly dangerously so, dependent on the speed you're traveling at, due to any FWD car's tendency to understeer.

I'd recommend a good driving school/track day, or at the bare minimum a few days of friendly Auto Cross before you make any final judgment on the MINI's handing. "Different" does not necessarily mean "Worse" or "Better"... just different.

 

Well We got ours, an 06 Cooper S JCW in September 06 and have 20,000 miles on it. I love everything about it!!!!! Only wish it had 7 miles on it again so we could do the first 20,000 over again!!!

 

I've owned two 318tis, a 96 active and a 98 sport. The ti, for those who don't know, is the hatchback three series and was named 'Best Handling Car under $30,000' when is was out (95-99) I'm also on my second MCS and my wife currently has an '06 Cooper.

If you ever autocrossed the ti, you must not have autocrossed the cooper yet. The ti had 138hp stock, your cooper has about 116 and will absolutely destroy the ti on an autocross course, where handling really matters.

You have to drive it completely different, however. Trail brake into the corners to get the back to rotate, then put power down later.

However, what I think you are probably noticing is the really narrow stock tires or (worse) the run flats if you have the 16" wheels. Trust me, change those out to whatever you had on your ti and you'll think completely differently about the car.

 

Geeze louise, I didn't realize I should have been complaining for the past two years about my sunshades and door pulls and that frightening, horrendous, gawd-awful ledge when the rear seats are folded -- now that I look back and see it, how dare they foist this design flaw on us! Since my HVAC fan is rarely past Position 2--and I stay plenty warm here in the upper Midwest--I never realized that the dang thing was so deficient. And the audacity to put the bonnet latch release on the passenger side! Unthinkable!

"Nervous" ride quality? What does that mean? All I know is that my MINI handles as nimbly and solidly as any car I've driven in my 34 years of driving. I'd probably should go rent a Lotus for a while, just so I have an appreciation of how "nervous" my MINI really is.

Yeah, they told me that premium fuel was required up front. Why didn't I walk away when I had the chance?

Sum: I hope you recognize how petty and hollow your complaints will seem to the subset of NAMmers who've unfortunately had to deal with honest-to-goodness reliability issues. Fortunately, I'm not one of them. I've had nothing but happy motoring. Yet your complaints seem petty even to me.

Suggestion: Since you've openly stated that you feel your MINI is not a "great" car like your Ti and RX-7, your best bet is to sell your MINI. Be free and clear of all of your dislikes and go back to the cars that you "love."

 

From the site guidelines "RESPECT: When posting, both members and vendors must ALWAYS be respectful of fellow members and vendors." - the guy is not a troll and entitled to his point of view, no need for some of the rude, snide comments.

ToroPerro, nice write up.

 

eval, if you're looking for disrespect to police there's dozens of active threads that go way, way beyond this one in terms of lack of politeness and respect. I re-searched this whole thread and found no name-calling or overt rudeness to the OP anywhere.

BTW, sarcasm does not equal disrespect.

 

I wasn't looking for anything, the disrespect was very apparent and since you rather snarkily replied you seem to be revealing that you are someone who was not being respectful with comments such as "Geeze louise, I didn't realize I should have been complaining..." or "Yet your complaints seem petty even to me.". You are not alone, but I think your quick reply to tell me to "police" somewhere else shows that you might not understand what being respectful, is (and I do understand what sarcasm is, and actually yes, it conveys contempt and mockery which by definition is not respectful).

I just get sick of people acting like anyone with an opinion different then theirs which might not laud the Mini, or there is *gasp* another car they like, is somehow okay to target with demeaning comments when they do not deserve it in a posted review like his; speaking up for that, my opinion and the guidelines, is not policing. Sometimes I just have to respond to it when I see it, I don't go looking for it.

Anyways, cheers, back to visiting on and off and mostly lurking.

 

I know the RX-7 sunroof slid back into the roof structure, where the MINI opens and slides over the outside of the roof because the aft roof window precludes the ability to slide into the roof as the RX-7 does. I could turn this around and say the MINI has a better overhead view than the RX-7, why couldn't Mazda provide a better overhead view?

Sorry boss, but the RX-7's sunroof slid above the roof structure. Not sure what the overhead view has to do with the fact that when the Mini's roof is open it sounds like a hurricane at any speed over 45 MPH.

 

My only purpose was to convey my view that the dislikes listed by the OP appear extremely petty when compared to all of the other issues folks on NAM are dealing with. All are free to disregard my opinion, of course. Sorry if my response troubled you; I certainly did not intend to dis the OP.

I throw myself at the mercy of the NAM court.

 

That's the main reason why I did not get the sunroof. It seems to me the MINI sunroof is a constant source of rattles and squeaks. I much prefer my clean solid roof.

 

His Likes/Dislikes seemed pretty reasonable to me, anyway... Hope nobody thought I was slamming him. But it does seem like the OP is a driver who is very used to the handling of a RWD car, and YES, that's going to be a hard set of skills to "unlearn" for a FWD car. That's all I meant. As such, a day or two on a track or Auto Cross, where you can really push your tires and suspension up to and even beyond their limits in a safe space will be invaluable. As my wife learned to our dismay, it's FAR better to learn first-hand what understeer feels like and how to compensate for it on a wide-open Auto-X parking lot, than it is on, say, the Dragon.

As for gas, wind noise, cargo space an the like... I figured that was all personal preference. My RX-7 certainly had more cargo space in the rear, but GOOD LUCK getting two full-grown adults into its joke of a rear seat, for example. It's all personal preference at that point - personally I'll settle for less boot space but a functional rear seat, for example...

 

Before I bought the Cooper I did the math and the Ti and a MC have about the same power to weight ratio. Also, I did can the stock tires for some pretty sticky (though admittedly slightly less sticky than my Ti's Contis) summer tires.

I never did either SOLOI or SOLOII in either the Ti or the Mini but I did both in my old CRX Si. By the way, I owned that FWD drive car for over 200K miles so I do have a pretty good idea of how to drive FWD.

In the end, I just find the Mini's handling to be a touch overrated compared to other cars that I have owned and driven.

 

All is well and I don't feel at all dissed. One guy's petty dislikes are another guy's deal breakers. My feelings about my Mini are a bit conflicted, but that's life. It's the car I own now and I enjoy it. Do I wish the car were better? Sure. Do I have fun driving the car? You bet.

I hope that NAM does not become a place where we all need to feel the same about our cars. Most of us bought these cars because they are not cookie cutter cars. I just think that we as owners should be as individualistic as our cars.

Rock on bros.