Is there a 4 member family out there that just has a Mini Cooper or 2 in the garage? How was the adjustment?

We've (I've) scaled down the stable of Jeeps. I sold off the Jeep Wrangler and will be trading in the Grand Cherokee this summer when my Mini comes in.

Then there's one Grand Cherokee left.

I've always told my wife we don't really need the big SUV. Granted, its nice when you have 4 bikes to take to the park or when you do large food shopping runs or need to pick up building materials at Lowes or Home Depot.

My wife is hesitant because she feels the Mini Cooper isn't as safe as the larger Cherokee and I 1/2 agree with her.

I think within 5 years or maybe 10, the tides will turn and the majority of the cars out there will be much smaller, tipping the scales and increasing the safety margins of little cars as there will be more little cars out there replacing the SUVs.

 

The safety aspects of the MINI have been discussed ad nausem on NAM. If you want reassurance on that aspect, do a search and you should find a fair amount of threads on the issue. You might be surprised at how relatively unsafe some SUVs are especially when you factor in the handling (or lack thereof) aspect. Good luck with your MINI(s).

 

Grand Cherokees are not that safe. A couple of years ago a family member died in a roll over driving one of those. The car was brand new and not even a week old.

Trucks are exempt from many safety regulations that apply to regular passenger cars.

Personally, I never feel safe inside an SUV. Hate the tipsy ride and poor handling and braking.

 

I have a small Harbor Freight utility trailer for carrying bulky stuff.
I'll be putting the hitch on the Mazda3, though.
I did have a hitch on my former Beetle, and it worked well, though I never went on long trips.

 

What people used to drive and get by before the SUV craze of the 1990's? Yep, cars and station wagons. People could do all the things they claim only an SUV can do today.

The marketing departments of most car makers have sold the American public the derailed ideology that they NEED and MUST have an SUV. Reality is, 90% of the population does not need these gas guzzling vehicles.

If you need to do "large food runs" get a regular MINI or a Clubman and you'll be OK. You would not believe the things I have fit in my MINI to the amazement of passer bys....

If you need to bring sheets of plywood from Home Depot or Lowe's, rent a pickup truck or a small truck for the day (or a few hours). I believe Home Depot lets you rent a full size truck for $19.95 per day.

Never base a car purchase based on infrequent needs. To me, certain situations where a larger vehicle is needed can be solved by renting one. Have lots of family members coming over? Rent a Buick. Need to got to Home Depot for a larger than life purchase? Rent a full size GMC truck.

 

Yes that is another alternative. Install a hitch in your MINI. I have a friend of mine with a '02 MCS and he tows his small boat and has a trailer that dubs as a pick up truck bed. You should see the faces of people when he pulls the trailer in his MINI on the Home Depot parking lot

He is Dutch. He says he doesn't understand American's obsession with full size SUVs and pick up trucks. He can do with his hitch equipped MINI most of what 90% of people do with trucks (Sans pulling a huge boat, etc).

 

I agree totally!!!

 

I have a 4 member family and just one Mini in the garage. For us, it is not very practical for the whole family. It is very tight with 4 people inside. There is no leg room in the back seat for my two boys. It's probably because I am tall and no one can realistically sit behind me. We have a van for family outings and I have a truck for hauling stuff around. The Mini is basically for me and my daily driving.

 

I used to have a Mini and a 4 person family. I now have a Mini and 66% of the time a 4 person family. The Mini is fine for 4. I have taken several trips of 200 miles, one way, with all in comfort. As for grocery shopping, we routinely spend about $300+ a week and it all fits very well in the Mini, with it's rear seats down.

 

I would suggest a Clubman just for the little extra cargo room and side entry door and about the same gas mileage.

 

I would opt for a club man if it was my only car. But it would work out great.

 

I have been driving MINIs since Oct. of 2002. I have the factory roof rack with bike adapters, a cargo box, and kayak carriers. It is amazing what you can fit in and on a MINI.

With 2 children I think the Clubman would be a better fit. It has a nice amount of additional rear leg room and the third door to make getting in the back much easier. Additional rear storage space is also available. Better family choice. At the dealer introduction of the Clubman we put a 6'2" person in the front seat and a 6' person in the back and both were comfortable, no cramped legs.

With the factory roof rack you can carry 165lbs of whatever on the roof. With a little planning it is amazing what a MINI will do.

Others have said it. Don't buy a vehicle for what you might occassionally want to do. 90% of the time the MINI will do it all.

Our other car is an Audi A4. If we need to pick up a new TV, or printer, or air compressor, the MINI is the car of choice. The nice large hatch and flat folding seats swallow bulky items easily.

I switched to a MINI after 20 years driving F-150 pickup trucks. Only occasionily did I wish to have the truck back. The rest of the time I am driving around with a big smile. Couldn't be happier with the MINI.

 

We are 4 person family and 2 mini's MCS. We did the AMVIV5 (600 miles each way) with luggage in the boot (n one mini mcs) and had no issues or problems at all. We kept our large 7 seater SUV for winter stuff and special things since it does seat 7 with ample storage space. But as other had said, if something is needed for the once in a blue moon oversized item, I will rent a truck. Its a lot cheaper all the way around. My mini is 3 months old and already 6K miles on it. We use our minis 90% of the time and have blast !!

 

We're three plus the dog and also are a Jeep family. (Had a wrangler, upgraded to the Liberty and may someday look at the Commander, but that will be at least one if not two kids from now.) We have the Liberty in addition to the MINI for the trips with lots of stuff. It is my husband's daily driver, and the MINI is my mommy mobile, though I telecommute.

I just ordered a cargo box for a trip this month that will require a bit more stuff than we usually take as I had the roof rails put on for delivery. I figure we save AT LEAST half the money we'd spend on gas by taking the MINI places in contrast to the SUV. I'd say it would be just about the same as the Wrangler as far as space, but much more comfortable.

 

I run my four sister's(age 7-13) around to their various lessons now and then along with all their gear.

 

The most we stuffed into the MINI was me plus, one large teen age boy, one small teenage girl, one medium black lab, christmas gifts and food for christmas dinner at my parents house. All was well until a heavy snow squall hit us on the Mass Pike on the way home.

My daughter said "never again" when getting out of the back seat.

+1 for the Clubman.

 

The most I've had in my car was:

1 me driving
1 girlfriend
1 single girl age 33
1 single girl age 28
1 single girl age 35
------------------
5 + extremely happy me

All of this was in an 07 coupe. As we pulled into a grocery store some guy said d@mn man, you need to get a chevy! my only thought was why? why would I want to be anywhere else except squished in with all these gorgeous women?

 

well if your wife is like my parents, this video will change their views on most small cars


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3ygYUYia9I

 

Yeah I would be extremely happy also with 4 girls

 

a mini cooper/s is not a good choise for 4. sorry to say that but like some people told you here you don't have leg room in the rear seats. you will have to put the front seats closer to the dash and if you are tall I can't imagine how to do that..

one point.. there is a big difference between fit and comfort. sure you can get inside the rear seats, but a travel with the front seast against your legs for 2 o 3 hours? or get in/out the rear seats daily.. I think you should choose the clubman or get the cooper/s but not for daily use.

 

Since you've already got the MINI on the way, and you're keeping one SUV, I think you're going to be fine. We take the MINI most places around town simply because it is a whole lot more fun than the Jeep.

You'll be fine, and you'll look for excuses to pile in the MINI once you get it.

 

We have 4.

It has not been a problem at all.
On long trips my ankle gets cramped, because I don't have
cruise, and the seat is up further.

We would need the turtle for 4 people to go
on a longer, overnight(s) trip.

Mostly for those trips we take the passat.

If it will be for 4 people all the time you should
get the clubman. It has extra foot room.
That's really the only part really cramped, the feet.

 

The Mini is our second car and it's working fine for us. We have the cannonical mini-van for longer hauls or cargo runs.

 

If you have to trade in the Jeep Cheroke to afford the Mini then go ahead. But if you don't need to, I suggest you keep the Jeep. I traded in a 4 door mid size sedan to use as down payment for my Mini and I regret it. The "tiny discomfort" of fitting 4 people in a Mini everyday or every weekend can become annoying after awhile.
I have a 4 person family also. And every time we go out on weekends, it's the wife's SUV that we take.
Hope that helps

 

go for a clubman if someone needs to get in and out of the back seat often... it is much easier and much more comfortable than the regular mini