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If I were to sell the MINI

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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 05:11 PM
  #1  
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If I were to sell the MINI

I know, I know - but I might need to to get a more reliable daily driver.

Thoughts on the following possible replacements...
Lexus IS250 (new or a nearby dealer has an '06 awd with all the goodies)
Acura TSX
Acura TL (the dealer has an 07 nighthawk black type s with 6,000 miles on it in my price range)

Others you might suggest?

Even thought about getting a toyota pickup to haul future toys but not sure I could take it every day.
 

Last edited by cadfael_tex; Aug 25, 2007 at 06:25 PM.
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 05:24 PM
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http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/...r=1&orderDir=1

if your talking reliability, that ought to send you in the right direction. Acura not to good.
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 07:06 PM
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how about the Rav4? i think it's the best offering Toyota has at the
moment including all their Lexus cars.

i hear they even offer 3rd row seating as an option...

the TL/TSX did not win my lineup. they were candidates at one
time long time ago though..
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 07:09 PM
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Not a big SUV guy. The X3 intrigued me when my wife was looking at it but not sure it is for me.
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by chows4us
http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/...r=1&orderDir=1

if your talking reliability, that ought to send you in the right direction. Acura not to good.
I don't quite understand this comment about the Acura. In reference to the TSX in cadfael_tex's possible replacement line-up, it rates Top 3 in Premium Entry Car segment. http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Acura/tsx/2007.

I've driven my brother-in-law's TSX when in need of wheels on Texas visits. The styling isn't quite to my liking, but it is a very sporty European handling vehicle that I found fun to drive. Friends I know who have Acuras swear by them, as they do their Hondas.
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 08:24 PM
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the TSX is no Euro-R Accord of Japan. my cousin has one and
it makes the TSX feel like those bloated Accord's honda sells which i believe
were designed here in the states.

if one was to get a sporty honda, it has to be a Civic SI coupe or S2000...or NSX..
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 08:35 PM
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Acura TL Type S always looks nice. However, i don't know much about Acura! But honestly, I love the new Lexus!
 
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Old Aug 25, 2007 | 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by cadfael_tex
I know, I know - but I might need to to get a more reliable daily driver.

Thoughts on the following possible replacements...
Lexus IS250 (new or a nearby dealer has an '06 awd with all the goodies)
Don't do it - keep the MINI! Don't just take it from me, take it from someone else who has been where you're going...

A MINIless man's rant

Keep the MINI! You'll ultimately regret it if you sell it.
 
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 06:24 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Blue Skies 05
I don't quite understand this comment about the Acura. ... Friends I know who have Acuras swear by them, as they do their Hondas.
Click the link. Acuras are ranked 10th, behind Honda, Toyota and even Jaguar and Mercury (albeit better than BMW, AUDI, etc.) I don't consider ranked 10th .. too good.

Ancedotal data concerning friends of friends who "swear" by brand X means nothing. I can probably show you people who own MINIs who have never had any problems whatsoever and also owners in current threads who are trying to dump their cars because of too many problems. Individual ancedotal stories are meaningless. However, accumulations of statistics, such as represented by the link are more meaningful simply because of a larger represenative sample.

I always get a kick out of people who say things like:

"I've never had a flat tire in 20 years so flats are not a problem"

and then they get three in a week
 
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 06:54 AM
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I drove a mazdaspeed3 a couple days ago, very fun car, but according to JD power Mazdas are very unreliable. Thats weird I've had a couple of Mazdas and never had a problem.
 

Last edited by minismitty; Aug 26, 2007 at 06:56 AM.
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 08:20 AM
  #11  
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My MCS will be replaced by a 135i in a year or so - I did plan on ordering one for Spring delivery, but at the moment plan on reading the reviews and driving the demo car first
 
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by chows4us
Click the link. Acuras are ranked 10th, behind Honda, Toyota and even Jaguar and Mercury (albeit better than BMW, AUDI, etc.) I don't consider ranked 10th .. too good.

Ancedotal data concerning friends of friends who "swear" by brand X means nothing. I can probably show you people who own MINIs who have never had any problems whatsoever and also owners in current threads who are trying to dump their cars because of too many problems. Individual ancedotal stories are meaningless. However, accumulations of statistics, such as represented by the link are more meaningful simply because of a larger represenative sample.

I always get a kick out of people who say things like:

"I've never had a flat tire in 20 years so flats are not a problem"

and then they get three in a week
I did click the link, and thus my comment that the TSX is not considered unreliable:

Overall Quality -
Mechanical
:
Overall Quality - Mechanical: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems that have caused a complete breakdown or malfunction of any component, feature, or item (i.e., components that stop working or trim pieces that break or come loose).
Close

Overall Quality - Design:
Overall Quality - Design: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems where controls or features may work as designed, but are difficult to use or understand (i.e., overly complicated controls/features that are difficult to operate due to poor location).
Close

Overall Performance
and Design
:
Overall Performance and Design: Taken from the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, this measure is based on owner satisfaction with vehicle Performance, Style, Features and Instrument Panel, and Comfort.
Close

Green Efficiency:

Green Efficiency: The green efficiency ratings are drawn from the Automotive Environmental Index, which combines publicly available U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data with voice-of-the-customer information related to fuel economy, air pollution and greenhouse gases. Voice-of-the-customer data is also used to help determine the relative importance of these environmental factors. For more information, click here.
Close

Initial Quality: Top 3 in Entry Premium Car Segment

Segment Quality Ratings

Ok, overall Acura ranks 10 out of 34 or so. Guess it's a matter of interpretation whether this is "unreliable" or not. IMHO, it does not translate into unreliable.

I triangulate data with anecdotal evidence, and to me, it certainly does mean something. It's the operating rules of teaching. And, when I research cars, and test drive cars and talk to friends about their cars, I come up with some pretty solid views on what I would want to drive or recommend to others.

Given that, I have unhesitatingly recommended an Acura TSX to a young professional starting out in her psychometric career. One year later, she still has not had a single problem and loves it.


 
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 12:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Skies 05
Ok, overall Acura ranks 10 out of 34 or so. Guess it's a matter of interpretation whether this is "unreliable" or not. IMHO, it does not translate into unreliable.


I did not say it was unreliable. I said:

if your talking reliability, that ought to send you in the right direction. Acura not to good.

This is about the marque, no a particular car withing the marque. If there are 9 other car makers ranking better, I don't consider #10 to be "too good". In "overall quality" its easy to see there are multiple tiers. The top tier, populated by Lexus and Porsche, from the 5 star system, look like a quantum leap above all others.

The 4 star grouping runs from Honda to Toyota.

Finally Acura starts the 3 star grouping.

Sorry, with two clear tiers above the 3 star group, I can't consider Acura to be in the same level/company/whatever.

As to ancedotal data ... thats is all it is ... somebody's story. It is not statisical meaningful. Its just like the flat tire stories. I could tell you I bought a Seagate HD and it failed in 30,000 hours so thats not good. Another person could say theirs lasted 600,000 hours, so buy it. Suppose the MTBF is 300,000. So which person's story do you believe? The person who got 30,000 hours or the one who got 600,000 hours and yet the mean time between failure is 300,000 hours.

Just because somebody has had no problems with car X means absolutely nothing in the big picture. You need a big enough sample size to be meaningful. If I were to tell you the problems I have had with my MINI, you would NEVER buy a MINI ... run ... run far away. But others have had no problems at all. So what does that mean?

Of course people will tell you that you can make statistics mean anything you want or JD Powers is useless or whatever. The fact is, for this set of data at this point in time, Acura is two tiers down in these rankings. Not good IMO. But ... to each their own.
 

Last edited by chows4us; Aug 26, 2007 at 12:24 PM.
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 04:38 PM
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i would go with a new IS250..
 
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Old Aug 26, 2007 | 04:47 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by chows4us


Just because somebody has had no problems with car X means absolutely nothing in the big picture. You need a big enough sample size to be meaningful. If I were to tell you the problems I have had with my MINI, you would NEVER buy a MINI ... run ... run far away. But others have had no problems at all. So what does that mean?
Well, I don't know what problems you have had with your MINI, but someone who does research AND listens to anecdotal evidence, would make up his/her own mind and research some more, and listen to some more stories. Hard to imagine someone would listen to your stories and then run...run far away without further questioning/research.

By the way, the Acura TSX is reliable
 
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Old Aug 27, 2007 | 07:35 AM
  #16  
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Oh man- sorry to hear your having problems-didn't you just get a new SUV (Sequioa vs X5) or had that been put on hold?
 
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 05:37 AM
  #17  
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New Car Idea

Crazy idea - what if I were to buy a new mini with the things I wished I had gotten on it - like nav and real leather seats (miss the smell).

I know there are threads on this but how is the sidewalk leather?
Does the (guess it would 08) cabrio have the 'new' voice nav or the old system?
 
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 09:47 AM
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^^ too crazy.

i test drove a R56 cooper-s when my MCS was being serviced.
the R56's drivability is super vs my R53...that's for certain... BUT,
it drives more like a CivicSi or a Celica or something... it's too refined
making it less of a "MINI".. if that makes any sense. it feels like an
ordinary family sporty car and not as moody.

if that's wat you're after, i suppose that's great, but if i was
going to get just another sporty car, i would get something with
a V6... like your TL option.
 
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 11:05 AM
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The only thing to do is get out there and test drive any cars you are interested in as well as look at forums and such to see what kind of issues people are reporting (and also check with any feedback specifically of your local dealer service). In the end, though, if its the Mini community you love it will not matter how great or reliable another car is.
 
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 01:22 PM
  #20  
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You could always wait and see what's coming. This could be all kinds of fun if it happens. Which it prolly won't.
http://forums.caranddriver.com/auto/...sage.id=76#M76
Or, on the other hand, maybe Hyundai will beat GM (Camaro) and DC (Challenger) to the plate with a new V8 drive platform. Let the race begin, I say.
 
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by cadfael_tex
Crazy idea - what if I were to buy a new mini with the things I wished I had gotten on it - like nav and real leather seats (miss the smell).
Sounds like a mighty fine idea to me.
Originally Posted by cadfael_tex
I know there are threads on this but how is the sidewalk leather?
Does the (guess it would 08) cabrio have the 'new' voice nav or the old system?
Can't speak to the sidewalk leather, since I don't own one. The sidewalks I have seen looked pretty nice.

The 08 Cabrio will still be an R52 (1st Gen), which means the same Nav system that I and all other 1st Gen MINIs have. The new 2nd Gen cabrio (R57) won't be out until the 2009 models.
 
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