I've had numerous conversations with a buddy of mine about why I bought the MINI. He felt that I should have bought a VW GTI. And I did agree with him that the DSG is the best auto out there, and that the tuneability of the 2.0 is relatively cheaper and easier. But I reminded him that the MCs has better gas mileage, looks wayyyy better interior and exterior (though this is subjective) and I don't like what I hear about VW's reliability and build quality problems.

Also, as far as handling goes, the MCs is better than the GTI. Even when both are modded, I believe the MCs will be better on the track. IMO BMW is the best builder of German cars at the moment.

So...what car did you lose to gain your MINI? And what other cars did you consider?

I traded my 97 E36 M3 for my MCS...and also considered the GTI with DSG.

 

WRX was considered....but they have gone completely ugly.

The car has no style left, and other than the engine and AWD, there was nothing left to sell me on the car.

Having said that, the main selling point for my truck was the engine..

 

I went from an Evolution VIII to my MCS. I was looking at a Civic Si also. I got the mini because I liked the down low torque that the mini had over the Si. I also liked how much more customization you could do with the mini versus the Si.

 

Overall...none. Other cars may have a strength here and there, but MINIs combine performance, economy, safety and practicality in a way no one else does at present.

 

I sold my E36 M3 to get my MINI. I looked at the G35, MazdaSpeed 3, WRX STi and the S2000. All fine cars, but none as "fun" as the MCS.....

 

Coming from an R53.

Considered A3 2.0 T, C30 V2, Civic Si, & WRX but they all fell short in handling and MPG .

 

Well my decision was all based on whether I could get a spot at my local parking lot. If I did, I was gonna buy the Dodge Charger. Unfortunately I didn't get the spot so I knew I needed a smaller car because street parking has gotten worse and worse in hood. My g/f has the Mazda 3 and its a pretty neat ride. However I wanted something more appealing. So one day while I was waiting to park my Galant, I saw some dude pull into a spot too small for my car. He was driving a Mini. I figure the guy was gonna be short but when he got out of the car he was at least 6'3". I was like WTF?? lol. That was pretty much all I needed to see...

 

Same here, it was down to a Cooper S and a GTI. The final decision was made after test driving the Mini . Fuel economy helped as well.

 

Mazdaspeed3. GTI was OK but doesn't turn as well, engine didn't seem as responsive to me. I didn't consider gas mileage a year ago but I understand the GTI's isn't that good. Ran into a GTI owner recently who's wanting an MCS real badly. Made me feel good.

 

I didn't consider any other. I did keep my 99 CR-V which I drive about 2-3 times a week. I runs like the day I bought it and was worth more to me to keep than to sell or trade.

 

Yep, most of the above. I have not bought my MINI yet - waiting for the '09. I drive an A4, which I love. Considered the A3, GTI and Mazdaspeed 3. The MINI has it all though. Power, gas mileage, looks and a great on-line community that loves their car!

 

We were all over the map when we went car shopping for a new car
- checked out a mini cooper S (loved it, but a bit too harsh of a ride)
- then the Benz C350 sport (cheap interior)
- then the bmw 335i (everyone and their mother has one in Cali)
- checked out the mini cooper S again
- test drove a Lexus IS350 (nice ride)
- decided to go back to our first love...the mini

currently have and selling an 06 Lexus Sc430. It's a awesome luxury ride but we felt like it didn't fit our lifestyle (wife and I are in our late 20's). We bought it from our parents when they got the new LS460.

 

I looked at pre-owned BMW E46 M3 convertibles and new BMW 135i. Nothing else out there that I really liked style-wise or price-wise beyond these two cars.

 

Considered many other cars but never made it to test drive after looking them over and doing research.

I still have but don't drive much an Isuzu Rodeo and an old Mazda MX-3 that has been put out to pasture. Literally, it's sitting in my Grandparents field until I can part it out or sell it off.

 

Mini was my first choice. (Well, my first realistic choice -- when my wife asked me what I really wanted to get, I told her E55 AMG, but that's not in this lifetime.)

Looked at some econoboxes (Fit, Yaris), more upscale (Accord), but those are as common as fleas on a dog, and just about as appealing.

I also feigned interest in the Scion xB, knowing my wonderful wife thinks they're uglier than %*! and wouldn't be caught dead in one -- a left-handed way back to the Mini. She refused to test-drive one. (In some defense of the xB, the newer model isn't as noisy, and there's a LOT of room inside -- a great car for sending a kid off to college in.)

The only thing she test-drove was the Mini; after that, it was a matter of waiting for the tax folks to find out how much of a beating we were going to take (can you say alt min?). We only took a mild beating, and I got to order my MCS.

 

My MINI purchase started with the need for an economy car. At first the MINI wasn't even on my radar. We live so far from any dealer that one is seldom seen around here. I was considering hybrids at first. The cost, questions about longevity of the battery, resale value unknowns, and general lack of enthusiasm on my part led to hybrids being taken off the list. So my attention turned to traditional gas cars but something that would get 35+ mpg. My initial search for such a car turned up the usual lineup (Yaris, Honda Fit, etc) and the MC. Researching MC turned to intense interest, which led to a test drive, which sealed the deal. I realized that saving gas did not have to be boring. It was a no-brainer. I now have mine, and my wife's Clubie will be here this summer!

 

My list was similar to the others posted here: Mazdaspeed 3, various GTIs, Civic SI, WRX's, BMW 3 Series and the 135i.

Also thrown out earlier in consideration: Miatas (not enough space), Lotus Elise (space and noise, had to commute well...), Focus, Neon R/T, Scions, etc...

For us, the MCS works out to be right in the sweet spot of price, size, sporty-ness, fuel economy, comfort, style and community.

 

I also looked at the WRX. After 10 years of owning Audis, I really wanted an AWD car, but I didn't want to pay the price for another Audi.

Besides being butt-ugly, and having miserable gas mileage, the WRX has huge turbo lag. I got used to having no turbo lag on my Audi A6 2.7T, and I just couldn't stand the WRX.

The turbo lag on the Mini Cooper S is almost non-existent. And it handles much much much better than the WRX.

No contest.

 

I thought about the GTI and WRX but I have friends that own both of those and wanted something different. I test drove ONE car, the MCS, and didn't even bother trying the others. I ordered my car two weeks after I test drove one and I'm completely satisfied.

 

Only one other.
MINI Cooper S Clubman.

Went with the MINI Cooper S.

will probably get the Clubman next year :D

I sold my 02 530i to partially pay for the MINI.

btw my current company car is 07 Audi A4 (same engine as the GTI). engine is a piece of junk. it has been burning 1qt of oil every 5000 miles since new. now at 24K miles, it's burning 1qt every 3500miles. Audi service adviser had the nerve to tell me it's perfectly acceptable for the engine to burn 1qt every 500miles. My 2 coworkers got the same car at the same time and their engines also burn 1 qt ~5000miles.

 

R32 and 1 series...

Loved the R32, but it was a bit too plain... 135 loaded was nearly the price of a 335. At that price my brain started saying base Cayman...

I kept having to remind myself poor man's aston martin, 30+mpg and fits in my garage with the snowblower infront....

And I also drove the mini and fell in love...

BTW: No offense to anyone with the Aston Martin comment, but the cost to own one is killer as they depreciate like a rock... You really have to have some bucks to have a car drop 100k in the 1st 2-3 years of ownership as DB7/DB9 owners have discovered.

 

I owned two Audis (1998 A4 2.8 and a 2000 A6 2.7T). I really liked both, and I didn't have any problems with them burning oil. But they are very expensive to own, and they get lousy MPG.

 

I considered absolutely nothing else.

In '02 I decided my next car would be a MINI and in '07, when it was finally time for a new car, I bought one.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Dean.

 

Funny...I took the E46 M3 out of the equation when I tried to justify the maintenance costs...valve job alone made me not want to purchase it. 128i might be more comparable though to an MCs. Pricing would definately be higher though.

 

gti, civic si, and mazda 3 speed.

those mazdas are so quick.... still a mazda