Looking at ordering my first mini as soon as i am able to sit in one.
Playing the darned configurator game, i am now into an S and am upwards of 30-31k before TTL.
What other vehicles should i be looking at? I have looked at:

GTI - dont like the exterior styling, small sunroof.
Mazda 3 grand touring - colors, interior dash, small sunroof (i guess all sunroofs are small compared to mini.
audi A3 - small roof again. pricey (about the same price actually), the handles by my knees (like the GTI), paying for stuff that i dont want in the packages.

when will the volvo C30 be here?
thanks

 

Volvo C30 will be here next year. I see it more of a direct competitor to the VW GTI and Audi A3 than the MINI Cooper. European test drive reviews of the C30 speak favorably of the car but the handling doesn't seem to be its strong point (This problems plagues the current entry level Volvos that share the same chassis, which also happens to be the same Mazda 3 underpinnings, with the C30) unless Volvo works on improving the suspension by the time it hist the American market.

I agree, the Audi A3 is a competitive car but too damn expensive, even with a few options. Nearlly $30K for an Audi? No thanks, I think a BMW 3 series is a much better proposition for that kind of dough.

The new Civic Si 4 door is a very nice car. You can have one loaded to the gills, including NAV for around $23K and looks better than the frumpy coupe version.

The Mazda Speed3 5 door model is a very good value too. Top speed 155MPH but the car looks like any other regular Mazda 3. I am on the fence on the styling of the car.

Good luck.

 

The A3 has a full glass roof similar to the MINI.

However, the A3, optioned similarly to a MINI, is quite a bit more expensive.

The five door GTI is very similar to the Audi in all repects except the sunroof, interior materials, and some convenience options.

Our A3 was just under $31,000, my Cooper S was $23,600. I'm not a fan of MINI leather, I don't need navigation, and I've never really seen the need to spend $1400 for DSC, Xenons, etc. (Plus MINIs ride and drive better on 16" wheels, in my opinion).

Being an A3 owner, and a guy who test drove the GTI extensively, the MINI is a much more fun car. Heck, we (family of four) take the MINI when we go out instead of the A3, just because it is more fun. We love the A3 as a trip car (more luggage space) and for my wife (she doesn't like to drive stick, the DSG is a great compromise) but the MINI is the fun car, which just happens to get used every day.

FWIW, it is about impossible to get into a 3 series for under $38k at this time.

 

And starting next year -- we also face the BMW 1-Series.

 

thanks YellowMiniS, Its good to hear from an owner of both a mini and an A3. i just loaded up an A3 and it about the same price ($700 over invoice is what they sell for here) as my loaded up mini S.

the 2007 mini S that i configure is up there. i get the premium, sport, cold, and most of the conv.. auto tranny. chrome, headliner, audio.....it just all adds up so fast.

When i told my wife i was at 30k, she suggested we look at others. she likes BMW. i told her that they are way too much $. i agree with the 38k statement.

The BMW 1 series (3dr) looks like a good match for what i am after in a car.
But who knows if that will even be offered here?

I really hope i am as fond of the R56 as i am of the current...because then the others lose easily.

I made the statement that the Mini as a BMW. my co-worker retorted sarcastically that the Echo is then a Lexus.
I couldnt respond to that......

 

Not really. My local dealer has at least 10 new 328i sedans and coupes for well under that.

They had at least 3 coupes (which are more expensive) for like 36k. And thats with xenons, sunroof, everything....its standard.

I saw plenty of 328i sedans for 34k-ish

 

Lexus IS. I've cosidered selling my car for one, but i just love my mini too much. The 2008 IS with a v8 is one of the best looking sedans I have ever seen.

 

well, actually the lexus is a toyota, but that is a different discussion.

yes, the options kill you on a MINI purchase. to me the value of the car is as a fun sporty car, not a small luxury car.

I'm guessing BMW will put the one series right between the MINI and 3 series from a pricing standpoint.

the latest news I've heard on the 1 series is that the two door will be offered, at least.

I've owned 2 MINIs and 6 BMWs. The MINI feels like a BMW to me in a lot of ways, which is a good thing. The best thing is it feels more like an E30 3 series than an E90.

 

When people pay $30k+ for a MCS, heck, mine was pretty close to that figure...whats wrong with $30k for an Audi, which argueably is a more prestigious vehicle?

Besides, the A3 starts around $25k, and still comes with plenty of features. THAT is the value leader of the A3 line. The problem with the car is that the options are all bundled in huge, expensive packages. So it adds up way too quick.

 

The A3 cloth interior was not to our liking, nor the steering wheel on the base. We upgraded to the premium just for those two things.

I was wrong on the 3 series, I guess. I must have only seen cars with more options, or something. It is still about 5k more than what I paid for my '01 325Ci. I think they've moved the 3 upmarket to make room for the 1.

The A3/GTI thing is a real interesting one, though. The 5 door GTI and the A3 are almost exactly the same car, with the Audi just being 'nicer'. We might have gotten the GTI, but the 5 door wasn't available when we got the A3.

 

Hey, I've also owned an A3 and currently have both a GTI and an MCS. Personally, I think the Audi is worth the price premium you pay for it in terms of quality and design excellence, but value is an individual thing. My wife loves her GTI - likes the VW image better than Audi's, (she was the primary driver of both) as well as the slightly more aggressive tuning on the GTI. The "open sky" system of the A3 (Audi's dual panel sunroof) has had some problems that sound fairly similar to the MINI's (creaking, flimsy/weak sunshades, problems with seals).

In my view, there is no question but that the MINI is the most fun to drive of the three.

If you have to go automatic though - the DSG offered by VW/Audi is really unbeatable in terms of performance, fuel economy and cool tech factor. On another note, one of my first planned mods for my MCS is to get the JCW "fatty" steering wheal, which more approximates the fabulous steering wheel offered on the A3. It's a little thing to be sure, but the little things do add up.

I travel to Europe for work and if/when the BMW 1 series actually makes it over here - that will be really tempting. Also, Audi is supposed to start bringing it's diesal engines over here in 08 or 09, that will also be interesting...

 

According to the NY Times and Edmund's, the 1-series will be here in 2008. In fact, in today's review on edmund's Inside Line of the new M-inspired package, they wrote:

 

Well that was 6 years ago.

I dont think the 3 has really moved upmarket TOO much. In basic form it's hardly what I'd consider an expensive car.

 

I was out the door for just under $25K. That included; cold weather, MFSW, Xenons, DSC, LSD, factory roof rack, and clear bra.

I passed on the sport pkg because of the 17" wheels (the 16" perform and ride better). Passed on the premium (sun roof put 60+lbs in the wrong place). Passed on the auto-tranny(love the 6-speed). Passed on the extra stereo(I just love the whine of the supercharger)

JOHO

 

however, most people get the sport and premium, along with the other things (like I did)...so the price approaches $30k pretty fast. The A3 is fair game.

 

dustin- wat do you mean like YOU did? more like what YOUR PARENTS did, right? jk

ok, now if all of you are comparing MINI's with other hatches, then you
have it all wrong. MINI can only be replaced by another MINI. there is no
substitutes. you have a MINI or you dont.

hehe.

 

You kidding me!? A RAV4 is a perfectly acceptable substitute for a MINI... Just ask Chows.

 

No? It's my car. My parents dont really like it.

And I meant price wise, the A3 is competition. Other than that, not really.

 

The A3 is a nice car, but at $25K to start is not a very solid value. Audi should have priced it at $21K to start. The A3 price scheme overlaps the A4, which is Audi's best selling model.

 

Though I am another one who "got out the door" for around $25k on my MCS, I still think that at $30k (or even $35k) the A3 works from a value perspective.

Both cars are small premium European hatchbacks, so yeah, I'd say they are in competition with one another. For me personally, when I was looking at the A3, I wanted sport and luxury in a small package as I live in a mostly urban environment, but like nice cars. I know Americans tend to think bigger=better, but hopefully here on NAM we have a clearer perspective on that!

I love my MCS, but particularly if a person was looking at an auto, I'd start with VW/Audi's DSG.

 

I think that the BMW Series 1 will put a dent in A3 sales, hence Audi needs to either lower the price or make the car more competitive to countereffect the presence of the 1 series.

 

dang we are starting to agree on things... we're on a roll!

 

I think that's right on --- especially with talk of putting the 335 engine in the 1-Series.

 

yeah, i drove the A3 and that auto tranny sure was beautiful.
i should open myself up to them again, research and all so that i am more informed come 03/07 when i would (could) order a mini.

i can see it now..... (projected bad luck)
03/07 order mini
06/07 receive/ buy mini
07/07 new options revealed by mini (ie flame spokes available as part of sport package)
07/07 BMW sells 1 series in USA at special introductory pricing
07/07 Volvo sells C30 in USA
late 07/07 Audi forced to lower price of A3 due to direct competition. Offers options a la cart.
08/07 Mini dealers in So Cal continue to laugh at offers below MSRP or even MSRP because mini's are a boutique car and in high demand. would you like Lowjack with that....nevermind you dont have a choice! (i guess this would be a good thing since i would have mine)

 

Order 1 of each. Problem solved!