I am going to put my 99 M3 up for sale or for trade towards an MCS.
If anyone can recommend a good one in the Birmingham area let me know.
There was a yellow 2003 model over at Tom Williams a couple weeks ago but not sure if its still there, not on their site.
Should I only go after an 03 or newer model?

 

2007 and up fo sho!!! i had a 2004 MCS and my 2007 blows it away!! im getting 7+ MPG better with gobs more power. the new prince engine is an engineering marvel.

 

I can recommend mine that is going up for sale tomorrow.

2003 MCS
BRG/W
sport package
premium package
leather
factory roof rack (rare option)

85k miles

I'll have it at the meet and greet tomorrow night if you want to check it out.

 

Used ones are getting 15K or more on resale, why buy used at that price? Stay away from the options "PROFIT MULTIPLIER" and buy a new 2008 S without all the extra crap added on to it, stick with MFSW so you have a cruise control for $250, pick your outside colors, and with 4 year/50K warranty it goes for about 23K, it's a no-brainer. (HECK, stay with a non-metallic paint and the MFSW only and your MSRP is 22.1K)

 

just my 2 cents. If I was buying a Mini today, I would either buy a 2005 or 2006 Model. The last 2 years of the Super Charged version. Alot more adrenaline rush than the newer version turbo and very dependable, fun and great looks all in a single package.

 

+1

 

Not TRUE, the turbo charged version starts on it's torque curve jump at 1700 rpms or so and the supercharged torque curve doesn't come on until after 3000 rpms or so. The ability to use torque to do work (e.g. move weight a measured distance) is what HP IS! So by coming on lower your build-up to max HP comes on lower as well. Some folks like the old motor, BUT I love the new one! Much better mpg to!

 

Some people get an adrenaline rush from more than a torque curve...

 

180 lb/ft at 4500 rpm is good enough for me with no lag.

 

IMHO the best torque curve is NO curve at all, just a flat line across the graph, torque comes on at near maximum low in the rpm's and maintains that across the rev range. Your graph shows its low down on the RPM range, starts to build at 3K or so, climbs for the next 2K to 3K rpm and then drops off, I wouldn't like those numbers, it gives a very narrow range of maximum torque. Only available for 1500 rpms between 4500 and 6000. Lots of shifting to stay in the powerband.

 

Thats why we love our Mini-MINIs. Takes everyone to make the world go round.
Motor On.

 

Even though I am selling my 2003 MCS right now, if I was in the market I would seek out a 2005 or 2006 MCS with full JCW kit, extend the factory warranty to 100k miles, and then proceed to beat the snot out of it on MINI/BMW's dime. . . .

In fact, that might be what I am looking for sometime in the next year or so.

 

So how does a torque curve effect ones steering response? I am not so knowledgeable about such things. I bought my MINI because I love how it handles the twisties. If I had wanted to drive fast in a straight line I would have 'stanged out or something...

Yeah I loved zipping right by this red 'stang in a sharp left curve on Riverchase Pkwy just this morning. He was trying to keep in front but all he got was Petey lookin at him as I went by, zoom zoom

 

Thanks guys, I'm 99% on getting one when I sell the M3 now, you guys have convinced me.
A friend of mine is a writer for European Car and he has done road test on both the JCW and the new turbo model that was non-JCW and he said the turbo was prefered by him.
It will depend on my mood when I sell my M3 but I'll either pick up a nice used one from someone like yucca or fly over to Atlanta and drive a new one home.

 

Just make sure that you drive both the supercharged and the turbo. I've driven both and while I think that the turbo is the "better" car, it lacks some of the raw and edgy feel you get from the first generation cars. The good news is that ALL of them are fun!

 

I would make a day trip over to Atlanta. You can drive a new one & odds are they will have a used S you can drive too. That would be the way to go