Hey everybody! I have only been 6 months since I sold my MINI Justa Cooper and I want to come back! I miss it so much!

My wife and I took a stroll over to our local MINI dealership and test drove 2 cars today:

1) a 2014 MINI Cooper Convertible R57 - ~$25,000

and

2) a 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop F56. ~$23,000

Overall, both cars were great but for different reasons. The R57 felt very similar to my old R56 Justa. It handled great, but (as you know) had some cowl flex over bumps. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, so it was perfect top-down weather.

The F56 was a nice car, but it wasn't as rememberable as the R57. It had a GREAT amount of power, plenty for 3 people and having the AC on, but I don't recall the steering feel. It was quiet and comfy, but it wasn't as exciting. There was an annoying rattle coming from somewhere in the dash that makes me concerned about 1st year "issues". Rear Leg room was much, much better, as was the electronics.

I am SO torn between them, so I thought I would write out this post and the pros and cons of each, in hopes of someone providing some insight that I might not yet have thought about. So, here it goes:

2014 MINI Cooper Convertible
Pros:
Convertible (duh!)
Drives like my old MINI.
Older, more perfected design (reliable?)
Car is decently equipped for my liking (Practically base with heated seats).
On sale for ~$2k off MSRP.

Cons:
More expensive.
Little to no rear passenger room.
Not as good on gas (lol).
Cannot equip exactly as I would like.

2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop
Pros:
New design
Quieter
More rear leg room
Less expensive
Better gas mileage
Can be equipped any way i wish.
Quicker

Cons:
Unsure of reliably
Not as awesome looking
Doesn't feel as Mini-ish to drive
Unsure of Resale value

Anyone else made this choice lately? Any insight? Thanks in advance!

 

You liked your r56 and now would like a convertible. A couple of grand off sounds like a deal. Good luck

 

Hmm, you are right. I did love everything about my old Justa.... I just wonder if the extra weight of the conv is going to be an issue. I mean it's basically 200lbs more than my old car, and that's a lot for 121hp!

 

Topless motoring is motoring at it's best. The only reason to worry about power to weight ratios is if you will be competing on the track. Learn how to pack lite and hit the road. We did a 3 week 5K mile road trip last year and are planning a longer one for next and we never lacked for a thing.

 

I would take the R57 and run like the wind. Personally, I would never buy the first year of any new model, and the F56 is already in the middle of a couple of recalls.

The F56 is just WAY too much of a BMW for my taste. I have never liked BMW's due to their sterile interiors and numb driving experience. They don't build engaging cars, and don't kid yourself, the F56 IS a BMW..

The R57 is a very cool car..I really like the roll hoops across the back seats. And you get the best of both worlds-it's an all season car....and it's $2,000 off sticker?????

Why are you talking to us and not at your dealer right now?

Please let us know what you decide....

 

Thanks for the input! I kind of agree with you about the R57... its such a cool car, that it makes up for any lack of power. This is the way I am leaning at the moment.

And while the F56 is nice and quiet for interstate driving, I care more about having fun and the twistys. Plus, I really want MINI to work out some bugs first. I guess if I got the conv and wanted to trade for an F56 later down the road, I can do that... But there is no going back to a *new* R57

Wow! That is a heck of a trip! I do Autocross occasionally on a local basis, but I am not competing nationally or anything. I think it will be fine. plus its just my wife and I for now, so we don't need a bunch of space.

 

Thanks everybody for your help! I test drove and thought and thought and test drove both the R57 and F56... then to add even more confusion, tried an R55...

After all was said and done, I ended up picking up a 2014 Clubman S for the same price as the non-s convertible.

While I will miss out on the drop top fun, but am very happy to be back in a MINI! See you over in the R55 forums!

 

So, on some beautiful spring evening, soft southern breeze, birds singing in the trees, you're motoring a gorgeous back byway under a fantastic full moon......AND YOU CAN"T SEE IT!!! 'cause that danged roof is in the way...but other than that, enjoy the heck our of your new motor.

 

did you get the panoramic sunroof? it's the next best thing to a 'vert. Clubman is definitely the coolest of the Mini's-chopped, low look, suicide door only on the passenger side, and of course, those fantastic strut-assisted hearse rear doors.

I was this close to getting one instead of my R56..And you got the last of a dying breed. Not sure if you have seen the spy shots of the 2015 Clubman, but IMO, it loses a lot of that quirky Clubman flavor...

Congratulations!

 

Lol! Yeah, gonna miss that! But oh well... at least its a MINI!

No, unfortunately not. There weren't many to choose from and I got the only manual transmission "S" available in Georgia (and I really didn't want an auto). Just the Sport package, black headlights, and roof rails.

Agreed. This actually had a lot to do with my decision. I have always liked the quirkyness of the Clubman and this was basically my last opportunity to get a new one. And with the price, I couldn't turn it down!

 

Ah, well at least you got the most important fun element, the M6

 

I'm a little late into the subject but I would just have said, "get a conv'" !
I've switched from my hardtop Cooper D, no sunroof, to a Cooper S convertible and I've loved every moment I've spent driving it.

I'm glad nonetheless you're back to MINI and happy with your choice - that's what counts. I have a lot of friends who bought a R55 Clubman following up the F56 announcement basically because they don't like the new look and feel (I don't either). Also, a couple of friends test-drove the new F56 and basically had the same observations as you did, i.e. it's comfy and so, but you get less of that MINI-feeling which is why one falls in love with this brand in the first place.

So.... happy motoring !