I know that posting such a question on this forum is biased, but as a current owner of an '05 Mini S Convertible I have no where else to post. So here goes:

I have an opportunity to purchase an original owner 2006 Mini Cooper S hardtop with 71,000 miles, a 6 year/100,000 miles maintance warranty is transferable, car is fully loaded, automatic, overall great shape, but it does have about $300-400 or less worth or rear bumper damage that I would be responsible for. Vehicle maintained by dealer and comes with full receipts. The seller won't take a penny less then $10,900.

The other choice is an original owner 2007 VW GTI with 91,000 miles, no existing warranty, 6 speed manual, fully loaded as well, comes with an extra set of winter tires, a lot of performance mods, original parts are included in the sale. I would need to do a timing belt in the the next 10,000 miles. The seller will take $9,500.

Both vehicles are within 60 minutes drive time from my house, so that's a bonus as well.

Let's hear it guys and dolls

 

The deal on the MINI seems to be better to me.

As to the cars, my wife is on her second MKV GTI and I bought an '05 MCS a couple months ago,so I'm familiar with both. However ours are reversed as far as the tranny goes - with the MCS being a manual and both of her GTI's have had the DSG. I guess it depends on what you want from the car. Both are good cars, with the GTI being more solid and larger and the MINI being more nimble and fun to drive. If the MCS wasn't an auto I'd say that you would likely enjoy it more as you'd be getting a bit more utility and performance than you're used to but retain the driving dynamics you've enjoyed. If it has to be between those two, the tranny becomes the major deciding point, I'd think.

 

The price difference between both cars is $2,000 with the Mini being the more expensive one. My current '05 Mini S Convertible is a manual, so I am very familiar with how much fun these cars are to drive and how well they handle. However, I am looking for a hardtop right now and may or may not sell the covertible in the near future. One of the pluses of the Mini in question is that with an automatic my wife can drive it, but if she does it would be very seldom.

Let's hear some more comments and suggestions.

 

I would personally stear you away from the MINI. 1. It has been wrecked. 2. I have an auto S and its alright. Wish I had a stick.. That being said, where are you located, how many miles you have on the convertible? I have a nice PW/B mcsa i would trade w/ $$ lol . mine's out of warranty but just 43k miles.
Good luck.

 

I appreciate the concern, but the Mini has not been "wrecked". The rear bumper need to be popped out and touched up. Otherwise the car is clean. I'm in North New Jersey, but am not sure about selling the convertible, since my kids love it too much. Oh and the convertible just passed 109,000 miles.

 

Buy the MINI, you'll have much more fun... IMHO, $10,900 is a good price for an '06 MCS with 71K on the odometer...

 

Is it more "fun" even though it's an automatic and has some minor damage?

 

I think it's a toss-up.

MINI: driving dynamic is better. More character/style (personal opinion). If Auto is what your wife needs, then this is a better choice. I'd recommend replacing the ATF immediately and every 30-40k miles. (Don't trust the manufacturer's "Lifetime Fluid" marketing gimmick.) In the long run, the MINI is more expensive to maintain. My '06 MCSc has only 36.5k miles on the clock and it's has racked up $2k of "warranty" repair/maintenance on relatively minor stuff... motor-mount, thermostat, LCA bushings, convertible top rubber moulding, new front rotors/pads, tranny fluid. The oil pan has a slow seepage right now.

GTI: fun factor is less (in OEM) but not by a huge margin. More space, more practical and more comfortable (if the suspension isn't stiffened up too much). VW/Audi 2.0L engine is much more refine than MINI's Tritec 1.6L. If you like the mods, then it'd be a bigger price advantage over the MINI. If the HP is much higher than stock, I'd be skeptical about the condition of the transmission.... which also depends on the driving style of the owner. Less expensive to maintain (also dependent on mods). Lastly, OEM manual tranny/clutch is easier/smoother to use than MCS 6-speed manual.

The current MK6 GTI or Golf TDI is on my list if my New Beetle commits suicide.

 

I agree with you on all points. I'm thinking of maybe just forget used and buy a new VW Golf TDI 4dr, the 3 year free maintanance and attractive financing are a plus. The $10,000 or so that I would buy either one of these cars for would be a nice down payment and I can pay off the balance on a new car in a few years.

Thoughts?

 

The current crop of 2.0 TDI is very torquey, smooth and quiet. IMO, the newer styling is sharper and the updated interior is nicer looking too. Mated with a manual tranny and it'll go a long way. DSG is very smooth & quick but maintenance is required every 40,000 miles. Durability has improved but keep in mind it's expensive to repair.

You're right about the attractive rates and VW's Free Maintenance. Don't worry if you don't need to buy right away. In the current economy, the auto industry will remain competitive for a while. Even Porsche is offering low rates!

TDI owners tend to be fanatics and keep their cars for a long time. 300-400,000 miles are typical. Check out http://www.tdiclub.com... great source of info.

 

If your going to get a MINI, get a manual. Half of the fun is shifting gears. I bought my 06 manual MCS with 72,000 miles. It is the funnest car I have ever owned. It now has 110,000 miles and purrs like a kitten. I have fixed several small things, however, it has been very reliable.

 

GTI also you could teach your wife how to drive a stick.

 

I thought about that, but that's not an option. It took me 5 years to teach her to drive a car. She grew up in NYC and a Metrocard was her best friend.

 

I agree with you there as well, my '05 Mini S convertible with stick just passed 109,000 and it puts a smile on my face every time I get behind the wheel.

 

The 6 speed auto in the MCS is fun to drive, especially using the paddle shifters in Sport mode - very quick, crisp upshifts.

 

My answer: Neither.

1. An automatic Cooper S (or any car, really) is a no-go. Period.

2. Any GTI built after 1992 is a bloated, heavy, sluggish piece of crap. Stay far away from any VW that weighs more than 2400lbs.

Move along, nothing to see here....

 

oh wow thats crazy. i dont think ive ever met anybody that doesnt drive. well good luck anyways.....maybe you could find her a cooper with less miles?