Well, in the next couple of years my ride (the jeep) is going to be retired to trail duty due to sucky gas mileage, so I was looking into buying a car.

Well, I've always loved Mini's, the "S" to be exact. They seem fun to drive and get good gas mileage.

The thing is they aren't too fast, or don't look too fast on paper anyways, and my friend keeps giving me crap for it. He's like "Why would you spend 20 grand on a car that can get smoked by Neon?", which is a valid point.

So why did you guys choose a Mini? Why are they so much better than similar priced cars?

I guess it comes down to what I want to do, and I think I'll have to get out and test drive a few cars to make a decision, but it's nice to see what the owners think.

 

i recommend you get a hot import sportcompact first, then get the MINI later.

then you'll know why.

 

Rather than start to tell you the many reasons, I'd suggest you find a MCS owner near you to take a close look inside and out and go for a ride. I can tell you it's not a Dodge, nor a Ford. It IS a go-cart with a license plate.

 

Smoked by Neon?? I doubt it.

The handling is incredible, the car fits like a glove, and long drives are fun, any excuse to drive someplace... and so on...

Hook up and go for a ride with someone in a Cooper near you... You'll see why

Good Luck

 

Mini smoked by a neon (132HP=Neon; 168HP=Mini S)??? I seriously doubt it. However, many cars can smoke the Mini in a straight-a-way but there is nothing more fun than when one of those big bad gas guzzling (can't stand for anyone to pass me) boys gets beside me on a curvy road. They will practically lose control trying to keep up with me on a twisty road & when I pass them on a curve they get to see that my car handles so well that my dog (who rides in the passenger seat every day on my way to work & I work right off of a mega curvy fun-to-drive road) didn't even fall over sideways in the seat while I smoked them on that last curve because the Mini handles so well. Lean, my Mini doesn't lean. What's lean??? Ask the Neon driver (or that supa-fast guy I just smoked on that last curve) what lean is. He will know (if he can answer you because he has probably banged the crap out of his head on the window when he tried to keep up with me on that last curve ).

Test drive a Mini. You will see. See the light, walk towards the light, walk towards the light, walk towards the light.

 

Humm.... a valid point? I don't think so. Now I've never driven a Neon - not my cup of tea anyway. I'm on 4,000 miles with my '04 bought in December and have never had such a fun car to drive. The car screams whenever I want it to, out handles anything I've ever owed. My last 3 cars, in order, were a '93 Audi S-4, '98 BMW 328i, '97 A4 = any of which could make quite a few peoples 'short-list' of cars to own. The S-4 was the closest to the MCS performance and fun wise but that car had a list price of $46k in '93!

I'd strongly suggest you ignore your 'friend' in this regard (also ignore any hot 'stock tips' he may have too) and go take a ride for yourself in a MCS. Warning though... that Jeep is going to feel horrible afterward on the drive back home.

 

I agree an SRT4 is faster in a straight line, but I don't think the quality is there and I think an MCS brakes and turns better. It's kinda like in the early 70's - Cosworth Vega or BMW 2002? You could make the Vega faster, but underneath, it was still a Vega. Still, if you get car sick in the twisties and like draggin' better, maybe the SRT4 is the way to go, or a 5.0L 'stang etc.

But all that aside, two co-workers suffered deer hits this fall before I bought my car. One, in a Neon, hit a deer at 55. The car was totaled. Front clip, front quarters, windshield, roof all suffered major damage, with what I felt was pretty significant passenger compartment intrusion by the roof. Another, in a Cooper, hit a deer at 85. $6000 for the damage, but no roof damage and no passenger compartment intrusion. The Cooper seemed much safer from my view.

Oh yeah, my usual too - I can fit in a MINI, I can't fit in a Neon.

I considered all these things, and then just did like everyone has to: put my money down and took my chances.

 

Our responses to your question are unimportant.... Go drive one and you'll answer your own question...

 

I fail to see, even if it were an accurate statement, why this is a valid point?????

Once again we are back to people's friends having any say so in how someone spends their money. This will never cease to amaze me.

The highest legal speed limit in the US is lower than the maximum speed that a MINI is capable of reaching, so the point is?????

If you like it after you actually test drive one, then buy it, if not then don't. If your "friends" will be buying it for you, then I'd worry about their opinion.
I don't like SUVs, per say, which is what about half of my friends drive, but I don't think I've ever told them so, why would I?

Annette

 

Valid point? You a racer? Drag racer? Road racer? Do you gather "street cred'" by smokin' other cars? Sorry, couldn't resist When you drive the car, you'll realize that nobody buys it for its speed. It IS a slow car with a great visceral characteristic that people identify with. Then there are those on this board who mod their MCSs to have over 300 hp...


You said it before we got a chance! The key is in the drive; the car will either latch onto your soul and not let go, or it will pass through your fingers as you long for something...else.

mb

 

I bought my MC because I like the way it looks. Couldn't care any less about whether it could get smoked by a Neon or anything else. If I was wanting speed at a not too ridiculous price I'd have gotten a new GTO, yes, even though it looks like a big Cavalier. Corvette 400 hp engine, good handling, and an out-the-door price of less than $30,000. Still, I like my $19,085 MC better.

I always advise those who have doubts about whether they want a MINI to get something else.

 

Roodki,

Welcome to NAM. Where are you located? If your in/around San Diego I'll take you for a ride over Mesa Grande and then have someone in a Neon take you over the same road then tell me which car you want.

Earl

 

I passed on both a 99 and 04 M3 as the MCS was far more fun to drive.

Slower in a straight line than many other cars? Sure, but I've never been one to believe that racing takes place in a straight line and the last thing I"m going to do is line up next to someone and race at stoplights on the street.

I'd strongly encourage you to drive one before drawing conclusions from paper numbers- I did this a few years ago not expecting anything but was killing some time and I proceeded to put my foot well into my mouth.

 

Because cars are more than the sum of their times in the 1320 and 0-60? I've been in plenty of neon's and while they are nice for what they cost, they really are not up to par with a Mini in the quality dept.

I always thought the MCS was a cool car, but I believed them to be overpriced for what you got. So I decided to go down to the dealer one day and check them out for fun. After the test drive I was hooked, I love the number of options available so basically you're assured there aren't many like them on the road. I then ordered mine a few months later after much deliberation .

Other cars that I was seriously considering were the Mazda RX-8, Mazda 3, Mustang GT, WRX and the G35C, if the GTI was available at the time, that probably would have been the main competitor to the MCS in my mind.

 

I had been looking at getting a newer car to allow my 82 Toyota Corolla with near 400k to semi retire and all of the newer cars looked the same to me. Then I saw a MINI and thought that is a really cool car, but I bet it is some expensive import. I started to look into them and realized that they were not as bad as I thought, so I decided to take one for a test drive. I started with a Cooper and thought “I don’t know if I want to have to drive 600 miles for a car that didn’t have much kick” (Sorry Cooper guys ), but then I took a Cooper S out and said “yeah buddy, now this is more like it” and have been having fun with it since. So for me it was a car that had a one-of-a-kind look and was fun to drive.

 

Why not get a MINI?. I can list a cagillion reasons why to get one, but only about 3 as to why not get one.

1. Size (It's not for everybody, but a lot like it)
2. Speed (The S is quick, not a stock cooper, so you have to pay more money.)
3. Having to put up with all the idiots who are like:

DAHHH HOWS IT FEEL BEIN IN A CLOWN CAR??? DAHHHHHHH IM IN A BIG SUV HARDY HAR HAR HAR THERE FORE IM COOLER THAN YOU. (the DAHHHHH implying their stupidity and ignorance. The effect is better when I do it in person.)

And of course stating the obvious reasons to get one: gas mileage, cool factor, style factor, chick magnet, somewhat speedy, millions of cool owners, european quality, fun factor, price, and more and more and more yada yada yada.

Bottom Line: Mini is awesome. Neons suck. Your friend is a moron. Buy a MINI S.

 

<Grin> Tattman thinks Kenchan answered well, if expensively... .

Sincerely,
Tatt

 

I think it comes down to personality. The MINI has one and others don't. How many people do you know who actually name their cars? If you search here you will find also everyone does!! This car has a tremendous amount of personality. It is not just a ride.

I agree with all of those who said you need to drive it to believe it. I came from an old CJ ('79 CJ-5 and '83 CJ-7). To can a Jeep phrase 'It's a MINI thing, you wouldn't understand'!!

-azminied

 

Well, a while back I actually test drove a neon. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I've been in. I'm about 6' in height and nearly knocked myself out when I tried to look out the driver side window on the a pillar. And I don't recall having a huge smile on my face when I step out of it. Everyone I give a ride to for the first time can't believe how much room there really is inside a MINI.

 

If your looking at SRT-4's amd trying to compare it to a stock MCS, there is no comparison.

Have you driven an SRT4? It really isnt that fast. Its still built on the very flexible, not ridgid, sh*tbox platform the Neon is built on. Its also shared with the sh*itbox wagon, aka, the PT Cruiser.

Why not get a Honda? Vtek baby!!!




(BTW, im not some cenile 45 year old guy either. I fall in the demographic ofthe fast n furious kids. I would much rather have my MCS than any of the crap my freinds drive.)

 

Well being in a similiar situation, I looked at the civic, mazda3 and a few others and decided on the MCS. Reason being the civic isn't really fast either, nor the Mazda, the Neon is about as refined as a ride on mower.

I spend alot of time driving every day, and at first I was decided on the civic(non si), it was pretty inexpensive, great on gas, should be reliable etc, etc. But after thinking about it I realized three things were more important to me than a cheaper price tag.
1. Will the vehicle put a smile on my face when I see it?
2. Will it be enjoyable, engaging, fun to drive, in other words a drivers car?
3. And finally life is too damn short to spend a bunch of money on something I'm not going to love.


I'm assuming your a young guy so on a side note which do you think will get more attention from the ladies? a neon(or srt4) or an MCS? I don't think you can make the neon an attractive car to anyone of the female persuasion over the age of 13.

Also for the neon, do you think it will be worth a dime in 5, 10, 15, 20 years? I doubt it. While cars in this price range aren't great as far investments go I think Mini is the best you could do, especially if you hold on to it for 20-30yrs. Also do you think in 5-10 years you'll ever say, "Damn I really wish I bought a Neon/Civic/Mazda3 back then"?

Your only real choice in the 20k market is the MCS or American muscle, late model or classic Camaro/Mustang. Though if all you want is great little commuter can't go wrong with the civic.

 

Hahaha, im glad you brought this up.

I got flashed by 4 girls in a black Civic SI yesterday. What can I say, the chicks love the Cooper

 

Every time I have to rent a car and go for the cheap one they give me a neon. They are pretty lame. I always ask if they have any MINIs, but they are 3 times as much to rent. Hmm...... I wonder why?

No I don't.

 

Who can stand in the way, when there's a dollar to be made

 

I tried typing them out but twice my computer crashed, theres that many reasons. Feel free to read around this site, a testament to why we love our MINIs. Only a test drive will show you the real reason, (to borrow from jeep) its a MINI thing. You'll know when you've gone through a few twisties. Find a local club, there are a lot of people out there who would love to share their MINI experiances w/ you. I would but my computer won't last long enough. I hope you find what your looking for