New member Karina posted in the "List your cars" thread that she was wavering between a new Cooper S or a Lexus IS. Instead of taking that thread off track, I put up a new thread here.

Here are my thoughts Karina:

Assuming performance is one of the criteria in your buying decision, then you're probably comparing an IS350 against either a Cooper S or Clubman S.

First and foremost: Do you ENJOY driving a manual transmission?
The IS350 is not offered with a manual transmission, while the MINI-S's derive some of their greatest thrills from its six-speed manual.
Granted, you can get the MINI with an automatic, but the driving experience is muted. Mostly, you lose some power, but more importantly you can't get the snap downshifts as you prep to go into a corner, or hard upshifts at just the right moment as you're accelerating out of one.
ANd the same holds true with the IS350, you can get paddle shifters, but it pauses noticably before engaging the shifts as you pull the paddles, and pressing hard on the peddle races the engine a bit but the rubber-band effect of the torque converter means you don't feel it in your gluteous maxiumus until a bit later and it's less of a snap.

However, if you don't drive stick, or don't specifically get pleasure out of it, then you have to rate the two on other qualities.

Costwise, the MINI's start with a lower price, but options add up quickly. You can get up to the IS350's base price pretty easily, although optioned the same way the MINI should still be less expensive.

With a Clubman you will have a bit more space than with a standard cooper S, but if you have people going in and out of your backseat often, the IS will be much more practical.

If you live in a snowy area but don't plan to buy dedicated snow tires, you'll find that all-seasons will be more effective on the Front Wheel Drive MINI than they are on the Real-Wheel drive IS.

If a softer, cushier ride (and seats that are flatter instead of holding you in place) are your thing, the IS will suit you better.

If your personality at least whispers "I'm not a drone who drives a pea-pod car" the MINI will be more your style. The IS has a bit more style than a Camry, but it's still a standard 3-box car design.

If you like to hang out with other fun people, go on cruises where you stop and enjoy the view every so often, and invade drive-in restaurants to order root-beer floats, then the MINI is the car for you.

In fact, it's the MINI community that is a big piece of what made it the car for me. I really like hanging out with people who have a whimsical side and search out others of like mind. Few cars attract the kind of following that the MINI does. Cars that are unique enoughto have an active following are typically based on maximizing performance (Corvette, 350Z, etc), where get-togethers are about who can drive (illegally) the fastest or has the biggest p*nis. But MINI meets are usually about having fun. For everyone. Doing silly things. Making people smile.

Of course, driving, parking, driving, hauling groceries, driving, waiting in traffic, etc. are all important things to consider when you choose a car. But if being part of a community also has some value to you, I can guarantee you that our community is more fun than theirs!

 

you decided on a car based on the community?

wow...