Also you should see how thinly constructed are some of the most popular Honda products such as the Civic.

You can ding the very thin sheetmetal and scratch the thin paint just by looking at it.

 

>>Has anyone noticed that ALL of the exterior chrome is chromed plastic ?!?
<<

Plated plastic has good integrity if it's not intentionally gouged or scrubbed, and it's cost and weight is significantly less than chromed steel. A poor plating job can flake off steel too, ya' know! I would not expect any brightwork on any new car or truck today to be metal-based.
example: The grill frame on the new Dodge Ram truck is (hold your breath) plastic!

People, come on, this is not the "good ole' days" where you can sit on the hood of your dad's '55 Chevy at the drive-in movie anymore! If you're not an automotive engineer, then you are most likely way out of the knowledge circle; the industry (and it's materials) moves at a break-neck pace, and automobiles are extremely complex, and exteremly price-driven. Remember, Automotive manufacturers are businessmen first, and manufacturers second. If a small percentage of the customers (most likely us, the techno-geeks on MCO) are dissatisfied with something non-peformance or non-safety related, they don't care!

Sorry if I'm ranting too harshly, I have no respect for ignorant comments.
Jsun, I'm disappointed that you actually said "...the lack of storage space is pathetic too" The shortest production car in the U.S.A. and you make a comment like this? Tisk, tisk, tisk.

We may be getting ahead of ourselves quite a bit. Since the MINI has built up a big image, lots of awards, and amazing social reaction; are we expecting too much out of our little subcompact hatchbacks?

 

As for the side mirror - I can vouche that they are glass - had one brokrn by someone throwing an egg. Not sure about your other issues but I have found that MINI did an excellent job on this model (cooper with package 1,2,3)
All other issues should be easy to have fixed by the dealer - I have 11400 miles on my MINI and have only a few minor complaints.
Good luck.

 

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>>Jsun, I'm disappointed that you actually said "...the lack of storage space is pathetic too" The shortest production car in the U.S.A. and you make a comment like this? Tisk, tisk, tisk.
[clip]

Well, IMO it IS pathetic. You allude to a good reason for the skimpy space, but the fact remains that it is skimpy. Actually, my beef is less with the overall quantity of the space than it is with the utility of what is available. I've posted elsewhere about what I feel is the lack of functional space in the glovebox, door pockets, and in the center console. Aftermarket products exist that help with all of these except the doors...but getting back to the origin of this thread, I think it's "cheap" that BMW/MINI makes us resort to aftermarket solutions to "functionalize" these things.

Thats' all.

 

I see your point. MINI did not do a very good job optimizing what space is available. The layout was definitely a function-follows-form situation, although I doubt MINI had an agenda to spur aftermarket products to make the interior more usable. The only "lost space" I see is between the IP pillars under the HVAC controls, where you can put the Hot Pocket. MINI left this space open for aesthetic reasons, it makes the interior more airy and open feeling. Perhaps it would be more appropriate if MINI had a dealer-installed accessory for this space? It might happen.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

I haven't had any problems with the boot space in the MINI. As of matter of fact we were able to place there a very sizeable amount of grocery bags last night, without having to fold the rear seatbacks.

If plenty of room is your priority, then a Chevy Suburban is definetely up your alley.

 

Boo Hoo.
Did anybody complaining about the MINI quality do ANY research before they bought the vehicle??? Many of the issues some of you are complaining about would have been rooted out by reading various test drive notes, articles on the internet and by doing your own thorough test drive. Nothing is perfect no matter how much you spend. Welcome to the real world. BTW, if the boot doesn't provide enough room for all you "stuff" you purchashed it for all of the wrong reasons.
__________________________________________________ _____________________________
MC VR/W, chrome, 3 pkgs, xenon, HK, sunroof, leather, big smile
Ebbey is booked on the Libra Leader out of Southhampton on 2-18-03. He's scheduled to arrive in Port Hueneme, CA on 3-10-03. Final Destination: Colorado

 

The boot seems fine to me. Come on folks, there's a lot of room between a MINI and a Suburban. Saying that the MINI could do a better job with space packaging doesn't imply that one is asking for Surburban-like room.

 

yea, this thread is getting unusually bitter. I think we're all taking it a bit personal.

I think the general idea is: We all love our MINI, and there are a few small (mostly inconsequential) details that we feel could be improved (just like any car).

We need a balance thread: "Lovin' the great value!"

 

I absolutely agree JSUN. Excellent point. The earliest purchasers did have limited access to MINI info. However, there is a saying "Buyer Beware". There are no guarantees. I certainly don't mean to be hard on the people who are dealing w/quality issues. I hope they get them resolved soon and enjoy their MINI! :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

sorry if I started a ruckus with my statement about the chromed plastic...

I really was just trying to let people know to be careful not to scratch it!

And thanks for you guys' reassurances about the side windows! I should point out that they work great and I have had no problems with them whatsoever...

Motor on!

 

I find the MINI versus BMW comments interesting as I have had, and still own, several BMW's- from the classisc 2002 coupes of the 70's to later model 3 Series. I can share a little of what I have learned from these cars over the years, which I suspect may address some concerns you folks have about the MINI. For comparison, I have also owned many other domestic and foreign cars (last count was 75+), ranging from Porsches to Chevys, Hondas, Saabs, Toyota, Fiats, Renaults, and just about anything else with an internal combustion engine.

First and foremost, I love BMWs. They build driver's cars, not appliances. They are fun and even exciting to drive, and to my eye, pleasing to look at. With reasonable care, they last for hundreds of thousands of miles. But they are not indestructable. Trim pieces, electrical accessories, cosmetic stuff, and niggly mechanical bits all can and do fail. I've found that BMW has an infatuation with building really clever electronic ways to do simple things like raise a radio antenna or unlock the trunk, but aren't as good at it as they think they are. Also, they tend to take their time to address design issues (which happily does not seem to be as much the case with the MINI).

Like other European cars, they can be expensive to repair, especially if going to dealers. My concern about the MINI is that once out of warranty, we will need to continue to bring our cars to these same dealers, as so many specialized tools and skills will be required to properly repair them.

In short, although I have been frustrated about some things I think BMW could have built and/or designed better, I always find myself returning to the marque for its class, cache, and fun-to-drive factor. None of which, I realize, is required for a car to be good transportation, but it certainly has fueled my long-lasting affair with these machines. That said, I still expect my $25K MINI to at least hold itself together for a few years longer than its warranty, and to keep me smiling when behind the wheel.

 

Some of the complaining here is laughable- buy a Honda or an SUV, folks, if you want piece of mind about all the details of fit and finish or more storage space, for pete's sake! Not good enough? Pony up and get the BMW or the Mercedes!!! I'm giving up boredom for something entirely different. I bought a MINI, a totally amazing car, very reasonably priced, and part of the fun I'm having w/ it is finding ways to utilize the space it has. Anyone who has done even the slightest of research on MINI's knows that space is at a premium. I've got the storage armrest, the glovebox organizer, the hot pocket, and the driver's side parcel shelf. I'm happy w/ all of them. I've found a way to fit in two very functional cup holders for any sized drink, which don't make the car look trashy. I've got my CDs in a visor holder- works great, looks just fine. When I go out to play music, I can get my amp behind one seat in the boot, drop the other one and fit a large jazz guitar in the case, w/ 2 equipment bags, and room for quite a bit more. When I bought this car, I did it knowing that some of my lazy "dump it in the console storage box" minivan habits were going to change. They have. I've slimmed down on what I bring into the car. There's no room for clutter, and I like that very much indeed.

 

>>Speaking of cheap... Does anyone have any idea if there are replacement parts for the center of the steering wheel? I let a buddy drive my car and he promptly scratched the steering whee with the key. Now i have a big ding in it and it looks bad. Ideas??

Try some plastic polish, used for taking scratches out of facesheilds and motorcycle fairings. Works good for me.


2002 dk grey/black mcs

 

Thanks for the advice. I will call the dealer or mechanic and ask about replacement parts. Thanks again! Yes he is a clumsy oaf but as much as I love my S, I have to keep the fact that it is only a car in perspective! Things happen!! :smile: