I have my order in and my car is currently EN ROUTE. I'm wondering if I'm doing a good thing or not. I've owned a couple of Hondas in the past and loved them. I wonder if finding a good Prelude or Civic for aroud 5000 bones would be a smarter move than to fork out $22000 for a Mini Cooper.

I've been through this spell before and I still am sticking with the Cooper, but this time I'm not so sure. I've never bought a brand new car before and I kind of upset that I didnt get to choose piece for piece on what I wanted since I ordered a 2005 and there was no configurator at the time. I had to go with what was offered on the 04s. I missed out on the Anthracite lining and the MP3 playback, and the 16" 5 spokes. I'm really sad and I'm having regrets right now. I can still get out of it!

Why is the Cooper so much more special than other cars? Why do I care to have one over any other car?

 

Boge,

I think everyone ordering 05's are feeling the same way. I've ordered a Cabrio & I keep thinking that I've missed something. The MINI is a great, fun car & if that's what you want stick with your decision. The Cabrio will be my 2nd MINI & we're keeping the 1st And MINIs are tricky little devils, sometimes they come with things you didn't expect. "Louie" has MINI1 door sills The MINI1 isn't even imported to the USA. I figure it just makes him unique Congrats on your new baby

Lois

 

Purchasing a new car is a large financial decision for most of us. "Cold feet" is a normal reaction (just wait until you get married for real cold feet reactions). The Cooper is a special car, but not as special as those who drive it. Check out some of the British car clubs in your area, maybe there is a MINI club too. Get to know some folk through rallyes, fun runs, auto-x, even modders (we don't bite too hard). I think you will enjoy your MINI more than you've even thought possible.

 

As Ryephile was, uh, kind , enough to remind me today, sometimes you just need to drive the thing. I know how you feel about the 05 thing, I was only weeks away from getting a 04, but ended up with a 03. There were updates to the 04 I wish I had. Getting the 05 was a good idea. If you needed the car now, you did the best you could. Don't worry about what you missed, think about what you got !!

I can only offer a few words of encouragement.
1. Don't let all the info posted here make you start expecting or looking for problems on your car. The 05 is certainly a more "mature" product than the 02's and a lot of issues have been addressed. You should expect a nice solid car. No offense to 02 owners !! Car companies today (Not just Mini) seem to be taking the Microsoft approach of putting out a product and letting the users find the problems. Think of your car as Service Pack 3.
2. If the roads in your area aren't horrible. Your likely going to LOVE YOUR CAR.
3. Resale is still very strong, and if for some reason you do change your mind, you won't have any trouble selling it.

 

What are you feeling bad about? You get the ability to play MP3's because it is standard in the U.S. - The Anthracite lining will be available for such a short time that no one will notice it in a few months, and you can probably work out a wheel swap with your dealer or some other buyer. Don't panic - there's nothing like the feeling of owning a new car.

 

boge- don't chicken out now!

This is where boys and girls turn into real men and women.

 

If you're willing to wait a few more months, why not let this one go and order another one exactly the way you want. Maybe you won't get the anthracite headliner but everything else will be exactly the way you want. I'd be disappointed too if I had custom ordered something and it still wasn't going to turn out the way I really wanted it.

Besides, the dealer might be able to expedite delivery on the second order somehow.

Either way, I'm sure you'll enjoy your first brand new car!

 

There's nothing like that new car smell and mini's are so unique!

 

I guess most people that have never bought a new car before in thier lives have a valid reason to be concerned when it comes to make such a large investment of money. Don't fret, your fears are valid but think about it... For the first time ever you'll be buying a car that is worth every single peeny you paid for it.

You'll have a new car that is safe, reliable, with a WARRANTY (4 years/50K miles), 24 hours roadside assistance, etc, etc None of these items you will get when buying an old and raggedy Honda for $5K.

The time for you to "indulge" yourself has come and perhaps after many years of used and "hand me downs" now you for the first time can afford to get a brand new pristine car that no one has used or touched before.

The MINI is a VERY SPECIAL car. Words can't describe what this car is all about, but the MINI is not just another means of transporation but a whole culture and lifestyle built around it.

You'll understand when you get it.

Remember the old Packard motto? (The famous luxury American car manufacturer that went out of business in the late 1950's)

"ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE"

'Nuff said.

Enjoy

 

Excellent idea from 911Fan. I just picked my car up today (MY04), and I can tell you that it just feels different from any used car you're going to find. The Mini really is special, and everyone I dealt with today - the woman handling the delivery, the (2nd) smog checker, the DMV clerk, my co-workers - got that feeling (and they didn't even get to drive it).

I think if you've driven a Mini, you know whether or not you want one. If you're disappointed in not getting the exact car you want, take 911Fan's advice. If you don't think a Mini is right for you, you're probably right. Best of luck either way!

 

Boge, also, my '04 MCS (September 2003 build) with nearly 11K miles has been absoultely troublefree ZERO PROBLEMOS since taking delivery on October 3rd, 2003.

The quality of this car has been amazing, and I have no doubt that your new 2005 will far exceed all your expectations in terms of quality and reliability.

Ditto for our 2002 Cooper CVT with 25K miles on the clock.

Take it from me a guy that owned nothing but Hondas and Acuras for 12 straight years!


I haven't looked back since I came to the MINI family.

 

It comes standard with MP3 playback through the in-dash player? That would be excellent!! I think I'm just a bit worried about the reliability of the car for the price. I have this thought that if I get 1000 miles for every 100 dollars I buy a car for then that's a fair deal. So if I bought a car for $5500 and it had 118000 miles on it, it would have to go to 173000 before it died. If it went more, then I got a great deal! This means that my cooper will have to go about 220,000 miles before death! I just don't know. It's not known to have that kind of reliability, but then again, nobody really knows.

I'm sure I'll stick with the Cooper. I just get this practical mind sometimes and I feel like getting a Toyota Prius or some other Hybrid seeing as how the F*%#ing gas prices!!!

 

Whatever you do, stay away from Hybrid cars. Those cars are not all that when it comes to fuel economy. My ex-1989 Honda Accord LX 5-speed returned 50 miles per gallon in the highway with a mundane 12 valve SOHC 2.0L 4 cyl carburated (Yes the last of the Carburated Hondas ever made) with a cable driven 5-speed manual.

That old car still beats handsdown the Priuses and Insights that cost double in Today's Dollars and have 100 times the complexity.

A new car will always be more realible than an old clunker because this time around you will be the one doing the break-in, not some other clown that might have beaten the heck out of that old $5K car.

STOP thinking about it man! Just be happy and enjoy your new car. You won't regret it!:smile:

 

You are stuck in used car mode. You don't worry about reliability with a car with a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty and roadside assistance. That's for people with used cars. Its all free, buddy. It breaks they fix it, Free. When my nearly new Land Rover had a head gasket problem, they came and got it and put it on a car carrier with all four wheels up on the truck and drove it to the dealer 125 Miles away! When it was fixed, they brought it back the same way.

Relax....

 

If you are that worried about buying the MINI then don't. Buy that used Honda. I think you just have the 1st time buyer jitters. If you can get out of buying it, I'm sure there is someone else who will buy it in an instant. Unfortunately, you will miss out on a whole lot of fun. And I agree with Joe Dentist, it's got a great warranty. I've had my 03 MINI for 18 months with no problems. Just a minor tinny sound from underneath & it was fixed in 5 minutes:smile:

Lois

 

My MCS is my first and probably will be my only new car purchase. It is completely worth everything. A sheer joy, you cannot know until you have driven it a while. It is so easy to handle, people wave and point at you all the time for absolutely no reason (I like to think they are drunk, or I forgot to wear clothes). It is not a car for everyone, and if you have found NAM, then it is probably right for you.

MP3...well there are alway aftermarket head units that are better than the stock (unless you went to the HK you are kinda stuck with it)...and you loose a lot of sound quality with the compressed format....

 

The first time I saw a new MINI, (about a year before I bought mine), I knew I had to have one. I drove other stuff and tried to like it because the nearest MINI dealer is 4 hours away. I posted a lot of "am I doing the right thing" post.

My MINI showed up and everything was suddenly just fine. It's a great little car and nothing else for the money would have made me happy.

Also, when you're 61 like me you can always use the reasoning "not long left to enjoy my toys" and justify anything.

R.E.

 

Hello to ya !! We purchased our "Tootles" in April and still love her after making three payments She is a result of just "window shopping" after a wonderful vacation. We left in one vehicle and drove back in the new one. This is the first brand new car we have purchased in twenty years and if finances permitted would be a second. Funnest car I have ever owned and find myself going out of way if there are some twisties. As a Mini owner you will soon envision yourself as the greatest road racer that ever was . Why buy something like a rice burner that just makes you get lost in the crowd? Almost every time we take the Mini out there is someone that just has to ask about it. Maybe we Mini owners are starved for attention haha

 

I've not had any second thoughts about ordering a cooper s, well maybe on the spec, but thats ok. Seriously if I was you, go and take another test drive.

I went to my dealer the other day and everyone was busy so one of the other MA's that i know handed me the keys and told me not to take it too far or crash it.

It was best test drive I ever took (third one so far) as I got to take it some twisties that i had found close to the dealer. It totally re-affirmed that I was getting an amazing car

 

How can you say that the Mini Cooper is reliable when not many, if any, have even reached 100,000 miles yet (I haven't read the sticky to know)? All I hear about reliability is,"My car has 15000 miles on it and no problems!!" If someone could say,"My car has 150,000 miles on it with no problems!" then maybe I'd feel a bit more comfortable. Here is where I am coming from:
I bought a 93 Honda Prelude VTEC about 2 years ago with 118,000 miles on it for $5500. It was solid, fast, fun, comfortable, and original. The only thing I did with it was change the rotors and the oil for near 30000 miles. Now this isn't a brand new car with worry free 30000 miles. This car was 10 years old with over 100,000 miles on it and still worry free! I ended up wrecking it in November and have been looking for a replacement since. I've driven the RSX, Mazda 3, WRX, and have looked into many other cars that just don't quite feel right. I drove the Mini Cooper and it felt like I had been driving it for years. I loved it! Then I hear all this stuff about Mini problems and reliability issues. I haven't heard that about the RSX or the Mazda 3. Not as much anyway. These are as new if not newer than the Cooper.

I know this is my first car and I probably just have the jitters, but I keep thinking that there are those $5500 "Preludes" in the world and I'm not sure this car will live up to that, especially for over $20000!

I think I need another test drive. Maybe today after I wake up (its 1:00am). Anyway, I've never bought a new car before and I have to experience that. I don't think there is a better car to do that with so, for now, I'm going to stick with my decision. Thanks for reassuring me and if you guys see me complaining about the same thing again, please just do the same thing until about mid to late August!

 

Boge: Here's what I like about my MINI:

Sports car handling with sedan utility (sort of). I call it my "sports utility miata."
Great styling. I've had my 2003 MC for 1 1/2 years, and there are lots more on the road than when I first got it, and it still turns heads.
Great features for the price--the tire inflation sensor has already helped out, the DSC had kicked in a few times, the sports package was a great deal, and I love the multi function steering wheel.
Knowing what its capable of, I can relax and laugh at the drivers who risk their necks to prove... who knows what.
It's a small package but still meets my needs.
My "Mr." friends love it and love the chance to drive it.

Here's what I don't like so much:
The ride is pretty rough and the visibility is not wonderful.
The gas mileage is not as good as I expected, especially considering that I'm paying for premium!
Amenities like cargo handling capabilities, cup holders, etc. were not well thought out.
I ended up without a sun/moonroof because I think MINI's is overkill (especially here in Sacramento.)

What I like most about my MINI is that I bought after carefully considering what I wanted and needed and could afford, and looking at the options. It wasn't a decision "made" by some salesperson or my friends and family. It sounds like that might be important to you -- whatever you end up with, I hope you'll be able to say that it was your choice.

And by all means, treat yourself to a new car!

MINIMS

 

I say, if you are cross-shopping between a Honda and a MINI, you need to get the Honda. The Honda is a boring, no-fun, A-to-B kind of car. The MINI is much more than that.

 

Well, I have keys to two cars - a Honda and a MINI, so I think I am somewhat qualified to provide an opinion on Honda vs. MINI.

We had a 2001 Civic, and it was replaced by a 03 CRV. The Civic was so problematic that we dumped it in less than two years. The CRV is doing better - but we just got the third recall letter in a year and a half. This time, they found out that they have been wiring the airbags wrong for the past three years worth of productions. The first thing Honda did after discovering the wiring issue was to test if the wrongly wired airbags are still acceptable. We buy Hondas because they are pretty good cars, with good resale value; but they are built cheap, and it shows.

The MINI on the other hand, is so much better. Sure it had some issues, but once my dealer took care of them, the car has been basically perfect. It has been more troublefree than either of the Hondas.

In conclusion, MINI good, Honda bad.

 

October 02 build for an '03 MCS. I plan on keeping my car for 30 years, so I'll be buying the Bentley manual when it comes out and learning how to maintain it myself. And compared to other cars I've worked on, routine maintenance seems easier to do. Changing the oil can be done without jacking up the car; on my 94 Sentra, the oil filter is between the engine and the firewall and the only way to reach it is to raise the car and reach up from underneath, frequently getting oil all over - major PITA! I've been very impressed with the overall quality of this vehicle; it was my first new car purchase as well, and I'm VERY happy with it. I'd recommend it to anyone. I believe Eaton rates the superchargers to last around 100K or so, but given how much pleasure the car gives me in the twisties, it's well worth it.
-Cor.

 

New cars are always more expensive to own, and you will not get the same mileage to dollar ratio. Never.

It seems like the real question is: Is the Mini what you will really enjoy. I was searching for a completely different car when on a whim I thought it would be fun to test drive one....and immediately forgot everything about all other cars.

As far a reliability, all cars are designed and built by humans, and are prone to error. Yes, some cars have PPM reliability superior to others, but there are still lemons in there. Even Toyota and Honda.