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2023 MINI Cooper S 2-door Hardtop Hatchback with a 7-speed Sport Dual Clutch transmission, Pepper White,
Wanted a JCW with a 6-speed. Skipping the details of my search I didn't think this was going to happen. While some dealers claimed to have some in stock or in transit all is not what it first seems and several of the cars I tried to buy, at least get the process going online, turned out bust. Rather than try by phone/online decided to hit the dealers remaining on my list and just show up announcing I was there to buy a new JCW.
I was on my way west from AR to CO with my eye on two cars. But I was facing bad weather. And maybe having to drive even further west -- possibly all the way to Sacramento CA -- before I ended up owning a new JCW 6-speed. In the meantime putting more miles on my trade in vehicle -- 2020 M-B cargo van -- and racking up hotel and gasoline charges.
On my initial leg I had time to think and decided to buy a Cooper S if I could find one I liked. When I bought a 2018 JCW -- in Sacramento -- I test drove a Cooper S auto and a Cooper S manual. At time I believed if I failed to buy the JCW I would/could be happy with a Cooper S. Fortunately I managed to buy the JCW at the Sacramento dealer and it was an outstanding car and why I'm now trying to get back into one.
Anyhow this Pepper White car ticked all my boxes (except the JCW one, and the 6-speed manual one) but a test ride then drive found the car to be quite nice. So I bought it trading in my van and writing a check for the balance. Oh, I bought the car at the Marriam KS MINI dealer which was but around 200 miles from home. (I have bought more cars from Merriam KS dealers than dealers in any other city. This MINI is my 3rd car and I have never lived in Merriam or even in KS.)
Really fell in love on the drive home. Even taking it easy what with break in the car has some get up and go. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Got other options I will not check on my JCW order but they don't get in the way of me enjoying the car.
I see MINI still doesn't believe in supplying too much telemetry. Just speed -- in the center -- tach on the left and fuel level on the right. No coolant temperature let alone oil temperature and oil pressure. Heck my 2023 BMW 230i can display oil temperature and pressure.
Installed the MINI app on my iPad, but I have yet to really link it with the car. After I do maybe using the app I can configure the dash display to show me more telemetry.
Oh, yeah, forgot. The car came with Hankook Optimi 205/45x17 tires (mounted on black wheels). Hard to see the side wall details but think they are all season and maybe run flats, too. That is what I remember the sales manager telling me. But Hankook tires? Well, I should not be surprised. My 2020 M-B cargo van came with Hankook tires. They've been ok but its van not a MINI.
The kicker is I'm going to order a 2023 JCW w/6-speed manual in 30 days. When the car arrives -- in 4 maybe more months after I order it -- I'll trade in this car for the JCW. I have to wait until this car is registered. When I order the JCW I get a $2000 loyalty discount being I have a MINI registered in my name.
Why did you get rid of the 2018 JCW? And arent you worried about how much you're going to lose buying a car for just a few months?
Was leaving CA and where I was moving to there was no MINI dealer closer than ~190 miles. There was a BMW dealer but the internet reviews were not good.
So I sold the JCW (to the Pleasanton CA dealer; I bought the JCW from the Sacramento CA dealer) and kept the 2018 Hellcat (with an 8-speed automatic).
But as soon as I had a permanent address I bought a 2020 M-B cargo van to use for my "daily driver".
Then a few months later the Hellcat was gone traded in for a 2020 Scat Pack (with a 6-speed manual).
Then in May of this year I decided the Scat Pack no longer suited me so I traded it in for a new 2022 BMW 230i. And this after I had talked to some locals and found the BMW dealer to be quite good. A few early services on the new 230i and so far all is well service wise.
Then I recently came to realize the van no longer suited my needs. A couple of bags of groceries a week does not a cargo van take to haul...
Talked to the BMW service department and was told it can service the new MINI using MINI fluids, filters, etc. It can't do warranty repairs nor anything that requires special/proprietary MINI diagnostics computer like flashing engine controller updates, etc.
I wanted to get back into a MINI -- really liked the JCW -- and so I decided to get a new MINI and in doing so traded in the van.
As for for depreciation on the new MINI yeah, that's a bit of a risk. But I will not put a lot of miles on it. It is garaged. Unless an emergency requires it I will not drive it with snow on the roads.
And trade in values are good. For my 2020 M-B van with 20K miles and in excellent condition and with better than factory servicing and documented servicing the trade in allowance was what I paid for the van in August of 2020. Combined with the fact the trade in allowance reduces the amount that sales tax based upon means I get back what I paid for the van including 6.5% sales tax.
I may be disappointed but I'm thinking when I trade in this current car I'll do "ok". Maybe not as good as I did with the van -- which being a commercial vehicle is a bit less price sensitive to buyers -- but good enough.
Thanks very much. I'm liking the car the more I drive it. But I still think a new JCW is my future. The S has good power but the JCW has more. I will say the 7-speed "sport" dual clutch transmission is starting to impress. Fast but smooth up and down shifts. 'course the engine controller rev matches so that's to be expected. The info I have though is the 7-speed is not rated for the JCW's output so a different automatic is fitted to the JCW, an 8-speed with a torque converter. In this case I will go with the 6-speed. The 6-speed in my 2018 JCW was superb and in sport mode had rev matching that made me a MINI me Lewis Hamilton. Well, at least in the shifting department.
