I was just wondering. I drive a Mazda3 at the moment, but the car is just not for me since it's Automatic Trans (wasn't my choice at time of purchase)

I've been considering the Mini Cooper and the Volvo S40 for months now and waiting till' January to make the final decision. I know they are worlds apart but don't count the S40 out in quickness and handling. My concern isn't the fun factor so much as the overall reliability and physical durability of the Mini cooper.

One issue that Mazda has with the 3 is the paint. It chips very easily, and aside from the exterior, the interior has a few annoying rattles here and there. That said, it DOES have driving dynamics that rival just about anything in it's class and a 2.3L engine that's begging to meet redline. With a classy interior and quality all around fit and finish, it's hard for me to consider much else for the price.

Enter S40 and Mini Cooper. They're both just better. Or they seem to be.
I'm looking for the MC 1.6L Base Manual Transmission. I've driven an S but never a base so I don't know what it's going to feel like going from 160 ponies to a 115. For the base Cooper owners, do you ever wish you went with the MCS?

Lastly, i'm very afraid of the window system. I'm afraid of it failing on me one rainy day or water leaking through. It just doesn't seem 100% solid. Does the window system work?

I checked out the website and found a LOT of answers, but if you guys could post your unbiased opinions about the car durability I'd really appreciate it. I already know the car is more than fun to drive, what I don't know is how it's going to hold up 3 years down the road...

 

I had a 2005 Mazda 3 for a week. I bought it as a communter car (hatchback, 5 speed manuel) I took advantage of my option to return the car to the dealer. I found the car to be cheaply made and didnt want to trust a Ford product. I cant really even compare the Mini to a Mazda 3. Honestly to me the only thing they have in common is that there both hatchbacks. Mini is quality and is super fun to drive.

 

The '06 has been been given very high relaibility marks from JD Powers and Consumer Reports; for what it's worth. Most people I know haven't ever had any real problems with their MINIs. MY last car was a Volvo s90 that went belly-up when it was only 3 years old.


The paint on the MINI is very soft. Probably worse than the Mazda 3. You'll want to get a clear bra for sure. But you're comparing apples to oranges. One of my employees has a 3, and it isn't a bad car at all. But the MINI is made by BMW. Really two seperate classes. Japanese cars lack a lot of the refinement that you'll find that you can't live without after owning a european car. Especially when you consider that you're getting it for about 20k!

I have one and it is quick. Not the fastest car you've ever driven, but it is a hell of a lot more fun that the Mazda 3. You get pretty respectable 0-60 times with the Cooper, and the "S" has that extra umph that some people like. Personally, I would never buy a Supercharged MINI (as opposed to the new "S" that is turbocharged). I just like the purity of the Cooper. You really should go test drive both.

You shouldn't have many problems. You may have a little warranty work, but it should be on par with any new car purchase. All things considered, the MINI is a quick, fun, relatively affordable and reliable car to drive.

 

I can only give biased opinions, but if 3 years is your time frame, you'll be covered by warranty the whole time.

Unless you buy a 2006 model off the lot, nobody here can tell you what the long term quality is for the newly redesigned 2007 models. You'll be one of the first to get one if that is the direction you take.

 

 

And to think, in some countries these little guys are eaten.

 

I had a 2005 S40 T5 before my MCS...I loved it, until the point that it was bought back from Volvo. It spent 54 days in the shop and had the most ridiculous issues I've seen on a brand new car...

I did enjoy it while I had it, but the reliability was awful...

Definitely go with the Cooper...I've had my S for almost a year now, no regrets! I do miss the size of the S40 every now and then, but all of that goes away after you take the MINI for a drive...

 

Thanks for the reply.

I'm definitely leaning towards the Mini. By far it was the most fun I had driving a car and the price is far more attractive with all of the options than a base S40.

Plus Mini's have solid safety ratings which after my last accident, I actually put to consideration...

 

Our 2003 MC has been not only a FUN Car to drive,but also very reliable. We took delivery on 03/01/03 & we have had no serious issues at all.We chose the MC over the MCS mainly because of the price difference.We test drove both & we found the MC had a Smoother Ride & enough Power for us. Also we felt it looked nicer than the MCS. Whatever model you choose, you will LOVE owning a MINI.

2003 MC PW/B, Premium PKG,CVT,DSC,FOG LAMPS,AFTER MKT. SPOILER

 

My MINI is now over 3 years old, I have around 23,000 miles on it. No major issues at all.

 

Having been a Mazda man for many years, 94 MX-6 LS fro 8 years and 03 Protege5 for 3 years, I have to say that my MCS is more fun than either of the Mazdas. Mazdas are very capable and fun cars out of the box but the MINI is just better handling and begs to be driven. As for your concern about paint it's going to be about the same with the MINI as it was with the Mazda. most modern cars seem to have somewhat soft paint the chips more easily, probably somehting to do with the newer more ozone friendly painting process. As for the S40, well it's a more luxury version of what you have. The new Focus/Mazda3/V40 as the same car underneath, part of Ford's cost cutting measures. Obvioulsy the Volvo has a more refined interior and everything that goes along with being a luxury brand but to me it always seemed cramped. As for the window system, BMW has been using it for quite a few years and I've never hear of very many problems with it. It's just one of those things that you design so that it won't screw up as customers will immediately notice it and be pissed about it. Now going from the 2.3 Mazda engine down to the 1.6 in the MINI I'm not too sure about. Even with the weight difference you're going to notice a drop in power that may not be acceptable for you. That is personal choice though so you'll have to drive one to see.

 

I too had a Mazda 3 as a rental for about 2 weeks. Although it was a fun driving car, needless to say I was happy to return it.

The S40 is also a nice car, but coming for the old school Volvo (240s and 700s) it just never felt right. And I hate how little room it has for your left leg. Way more front person space in the Cooper.

The MINI, well what else can I say that has already been said. It just fricken fun.

 

i agree with greg, and also say drive an s and a standard cooper and you'll know whats right for you.

 

When you say window system, I assume you mean how the window lowers a bit when you open the door and then goes back up when you close it? I definitely would not worry about this. As mentioned earlier, BMW has been doing this for years in its other models with frameless windows such as the 3-series coupe and the Z3/Z4. Porsche and/or Merecedes also do the same. It's nothing to worry about. It's a "luxury" feature.

 

I had a Mazda3S and really loved it. It was a great car to drive and had a great fun factor. I think you might be a bit disappointed if you went with a Cooper instead of an S, especially having had a Mazda3. Probably the best thing would be to drive both and go from there. I still miss my 3 by the way, it was a solid car, reliable, economical and fun.

 

Except that some of us are on their second or third regulator

Its actually an easy fix when it breaks - just thump the door just below the door handle on the inside and it works fine again for a few weeks. The 'fix' however lasts less and less time - despite being out of warrently for a few thousand miles, mine where repalced recently (both sides) free of charge.

 

In terms of power, I went from a 238 HP Mazda RX-8 to a 115 HP MC, and have no regrets (although I'm running 124 at the wheels now after some mods). You will quickly adapt to the reduced power, but also the improved handling. The MC is awesome (so is the S, but you can feel the extra weight up front when you push it through the curves compared to the MC). And let's not foget gas mileage! You'll definitely do better with an MC compared to the Mazda 3.

Get one under warranty, or better yet buy a new 2007 MC (you'll get 5 more HP and about a 20 lb weight loss - off the car, not you!).

 

I have a base cooper and like it a lot more than the S. I have driven both, and notice the differences, so it's just a matter of preference. It feels a lot more peppy than my old Honda, which had about 8 less horsepower. Differences that come to mind are the Cooper gets better gas mileage, has a smoother ride, a spare tyre, battery in the normal location, and I think it's easier to check the oil due to the location of the dipstick. I never really wanted an S and don't regret getting one either. My car is currently at the dealer because it has a minorly bent strut that was there before delivery (9/14) that they discovered when I took it in to get the steering wheel checked since it was slightly off-center. So other than that, I haven't had any problems...

 

If rattles annoy you the MC might not be the car of you, other than that everything else seems to be points to the MC.

 

MCS is the choice for the younger and more enthusiast drivers, imo, and the MC is for the gentle older people whose zings are not as zangy. overall both choices will leave you happy.
Merry Christmas!

 

You can't compare the MINI to the Mazda3. You can, however, compare the MINI to the Mazdaspeed3, but even then, it's still apples & oranges.

 

The mazadaspeed3 is sweet, only bad thing about it is if you start the car and your wheels aren't 100% stright, you wont have full power.

 

And therefore you won't get whiplash!

 

Aren't the Volvo S40 and the Mazda 3 on the same basic frame? My understanding is that Volvo developed it, and then Ford used it for the Mazda 3 and the Euro-Focus as well.

Buddy of mine has an early Mazda 3 and although it was pretty sporty, it had a few things that bugged me.

1. If he got the front wheels loose in the rain, you ended up with a violent wheel chatter, apparently it's weak engine mounts.

2. It was pretty cheap inside.

That being said, it's a nice price for a car that will likely last a while. I'd consider it a "first car" option. It also has a bit more room with four doors.

I was looking at the V50 wagon, which is similar to the S40. However it's really expensive. The base price is about what I paid for my MCS. You get up into the $30K+ range pretty quickly. I'm assuming that the S40 is in the same boat.

Obviously it's a nice car, just more than I wanted to pay.

 

The MS3 has 2.5 times the HP of the MC and 100 more than the MCS! In terms of measured performance, it is in a different league than any MINI.

Howver, like you said, the MINI's virtues make it tough to really compare to anything else