I’d appreciate some advice and opinions. (I’m sure everyone on NAM is completely objective!) I currently have a ’06 Boxster 2.7. I ordered it new and it’s been reliable and fun, so far. The warranty runs out in July ‘09. I continue to read scary posts on the Porsche boards about allegedly common engine issues (rear main seals, intermediate shafts, etc.) that, if they should strike, require complete engine replacement. Extended warranties are a possibility, but apparently they are not only expensive but may or may not be there when you need them the most (i.e. to cover the cost of an engine transplant). Despite being a long-term Porsche devotee (this one is my fourth), I’m considering selling the car before the factory safety net disappears.

I’ve been really infatuated with new Minis since the introduction of the R53. This has continued with the R56. I may be the only Porsche guy in town that rubber-necks every MCS I see on the road. I wish I had a dollar for all the times I’ve read the MINI sales brochure or for every BRG MCS I’ve built on the MINI USA website. (It would make a nice down payment.) I love the British heritage of the car (even if it’s been made possible with considerable help from the Bavarians, and in the case of the R56’s 1.6, the French). I can’t have both cars, for garage space as well as for financial reasons. I’m a guy who’s always loved small, quick, nice-handling machines. Am I crazy to be considering stepping out of my mid-engine flat six Porsche and into a new fwd turbo four? I don’t do DE track days and I’m not nearly as big of a tearing around town and country lane guy as I used to be. I just want a small, fun euro car. So, let’s all order a pint at this virtual pub and discuss my dilemma!

 

your not crazy, youd be crazy not to buy my AB/W MINI! just kidding but not really. truth of the matter, mini is a very DIFFERENT car. but it sure as hell pulls

 

Reading a few pages in the "Stock Problems/Issues" forum will be time well spent indeed. For us forum residents the rehashing of old stories is both boring and bad for the blood pressure.

While there you may want to look up my own experience:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=150452

Good luck going forward.

 

paddyh,
I would first suggest taking a MCS out for a test drive and see what it feels like behind the wheel and the handling characteristics which you will find to be excellent and very close to your '06 Porsche Boxster.

The other possible option for you is to look at the new '09 JCW MINI Cooper which has more power and even better handling then the MCS and might be even closer to your present car in handling and performance.

 

I was in the same boat as you, only with BMW's. I was on my 3rd, and I leased them thru my company for tax purposes. I always wanted a Mini since I first saw them, but always couldn't see "downgrading" into one.

Well, this time I couldn't wait any longer. I fought with the decision to move to a Mini but eventually decided that I really wanted to give it a go. I decided to purchase this time as I knew I wanted to really take care of this one. I just took delivery of my new MCS last weekend, and although I am still on my "honeymoon" with it I have to say that I do believe I made the right decision.

It really is the most fun I have had driving for as long as I can remember. I would suggest that you go for a test drive, and once you play around on the miniusa web site for one or two hundred hours you will not bear it any longer and you WILL put a deposit down.

Resistance is futile...

 

Well, you would absolutely have to test drive one... they are completely different beasts. However, there are many people on this forum who own Porsches and even more exotic cars than a MINI Cooper, and yet still house one in their outrageous garages.

It is a fun and marvelous vehicle that people of most financial abilities can afford. You can get a basic Cooper or a souped up $40,000+ John Cooper Works. It is quite a lovely website, MINIUSA.com. I've spent a few hundred hours there myself...

Good luck!

 

I have owned my R50 Cooper for nearly 4-1/2 years now, it has been a great time.
This past spring I flirted with the purchase of a gorgeous 1990 944 S2 that was very well kept, drove strong and just looked sharp in Baltic Blue. A rare no sunroof coupe as well, which made it all the more attractive for me, not being vertically challenged.
In the end I let it go, deciding to keep my R50 and order a new R56 for spring delivery.
My reasoning - I would have to store the 944 for winter here, it would be a disservice to the car not to. A new R56 S feels as fast, and of course comes with many more creature comforts, and, I don't have to worry about storage.
It's also more easily replaced in the event of accidental damage or write-off.
MINIs in general seem to make me feel contented - sure I admire Porsche as a marque, and some days think a Boxster would be a great car to own.
But I don't fret over a MINI - I just get in, buckle up, smile and drive away...

 

Ultimately, no advice can be given until pictures of this said Porsche are presented.



However, I will tell you this. I've looked at a lot of cars, and I think it took until today to realize why I love the Mini Cooper S so much. Most sporty cars out there today brag speed first most. But tell me, what good is a ton of power on residential roads with speed limits and obsessive cops? The Mini is no slouch, but the big emphasis is on the handling. These cars handle like no other, including your Porsche.

So, if you'd like to have a car with an incredible heritage, great customization and handling to keep your speed up in the corners, look this way. Besides, if speed is a huge issue to you anyway, JCW is right around the corner.

Good luck with your new Cooper S, errrmm...I mean choice!

 

I totally know where you're coming from. I've been obsessed ever since I test drove an MCS earlier this summer just for the hell of it. Such a fun car to drive, pretty much as fun as my 2006 Cayman S, which cost about twice as much as the MCS I built on the configurator!!! I'm in the same boat as you, really thinking about ditching the Cayman (my only car), which is a beautiful forest green very similar to MINI BRG, and getting a BRG MCS with tuscan beige interior.

Porsches are awesome, and the Cayman is my second one (had an '03 Boxster before that) but the maintenance can be pretty outrageous, especially out of warranty. I traded up to the Cayman right before my Boxster warranty ended. I have until Jan. 2010 left on the Cayman.

The thing that worries me about the MINI is I've read some nighmare stories on here about MINI service departments, such as long waits to get cars fixed, unwillingness to acknowledge certain known problems and even the refusal to fix stuff that you'd think would be covered under warranty like the clutch. I've been going to the Porsche dealer near me for five years and those guys provide unbelievable service. And then there are all the posts on here about cold start rattling from the engine and hood scoops melting from the heat of the turbo after you park.

I've test driven the MCS multiple times and even took out the new '09 JCW and I really think they're awesome little cars. Just love the handling, even without the sport suspension. And the car really comes to life with the sport button on. Shifting is not the same as on the Cayman but it's still pretty damn good. My gut tells me to just get one and see what happens. Besides, be nice to get better than the 17-18 mpg I average in my Cayman And that nav screen set-up is so cool. I love the way it displays the radio and music from an iPod.

 

(long time lurker, first time poster)

I have a 2002 Boxster S (Seal Gray) and a month-old 2008 MC (BRG). The differences between the two are incredibly dramatic handling-wise! The rear wheel drive vs front with so much weight over the front wheels make it quite a transition when going from Porsche to Mini! Takes some time to get used to!

I prefer the Mini for daily driving (fuel economy, comfort, etc.). Each tank I run through never has an average speed higher than 30mph, so that tells you what my daily driving is like. I generally prefer the balance and weight distribution of the Porsche and the handling seems much more neutral with decent tires. The Mini really understeers by comparison!

I also have recently spent a good deal on the Boxster's clutch, rear main seal, and CV boots (total through an awesome independent shop=$2200), but since this is the first thing I've really needed to do to it, I don't have a problem with it. I would not worry about the car being out of warranty pretty soon as even if you have an RMS problem, it's not really that big of a deal and if it is seeping a bit, you can leave it until it's time to do the clutch.

Don't let the warranty thing direct your decision! There are much more important factors to consider.

 

PM Signcarver, he had a Boxter like you.

I let him drive my JCW and he was thrilled and excited. He is currently waiting for his to be built.

How are the Caymans doing?

 

No you're not! Just last night I drove by a guy stepping out of his Cayenne, geez, I swear.... he nearly snapped his neck to get a good look at my MCS. LOL

 

Only way to tell is go drive one its not a Porshe.
Go for it only if it improves your financial reasons and dosent make them worse. Sounds like you might be in over your head with the Porshe and financial things here probably will get worse before they improve.

 

-not at all, I own both a Porsche and a Mini, ...I think there are plenty others as well.

I believe your boxster does 0-60 in about 6.5 sec's? I think the Mini S and the JCW are actually a little faster in a 0-60. They probably are pretty comparable in handling as well.

I will say that my Porsche far out handles and far out performs my Mini S, yet my Porsche weighs less than my Mini has about 150 HP more. It's a RWD rear engine car that just digs it's tires into the ground during accelration, very different experience than a FWD Front engine Mini.

 

If you are in love with the MINI, you have to get one. It's not like leaving your wife for another woman. Porsche or MINI... they are just cars.

 

If I am to use your comparison, I actually think you are wrong.

Your sitting there with your Cayman (wife), and then this pretty little thing goes flying by (other woman), and you think to yourself... maybe I should get rid of the Cayman (wife) and get the Mini (other woman).

Heck, when you get rid of your Cayman (wife), you will probably even have to write a big check to get rid of her

So... it's pretty much exactly like leaving your wife for another woman.

 

I think the OP is gonna be a buyer. Consider the JCW why don't you? Still less than a Boxter. I have a buddy with an 06 Boxster who seriosly considered a Mini (but he's a Porsche guy from wayback). Now he's running out of warranty and has already done a valve or something and is talking Mini again. He only has room for "the guitar, the wife, or the dog" in the Boxster. He want to have it all!
Fact: Anybody that's been on the configurator as much as the OP says he has and has the $$ will buy a Mini eventually. May as well be now, right? Think of all the money you'll save over a Boxster. The JCW is faster and steers better and bigger. What're you waiting for?

 

Thanks for all the responses. They helped me sort some things out. It’s now clear that my next move is to arrange another test drive. After all, this is mostly about how the car feels, right? Since there’s no MINI dealer in my town, this means a road trip. But hey, for a car guy that’s not such a bad thing! I say another test drive because I test drove an R56 almost a year ago while out of town on business. Unfortunately, traffic was very heavy and the test drive was cut short. This time, I’ll be sure to make it a proper test! I’ll let you know how it goes.

In response to Pinky Demon’s request, the link below is a pic of my Boxster during a pre-race Porsche parade lap at the ’07 12 Hours of Sebring. This was taken on the main start/finish straight. I’m probably doing a blazing10-15 mph!

http://www.imsaracing.net/2007/car%2...C_9446_jpg.htm

 

Go for the JCW.

 

make sure you turn the sport button on before putting in a gear.