I have test driven both the regular Cooper and the Cooper S. I want to buy one of the other as a winter/hatchback utility car, and to have a manual transmission car to drive when it is rainy. (Miata is no fun in the rain.) I had decided on a Cooper, but I realize that much of it is because I simply do not trust the S model. All this word of stumbles, yo-yos, hiccups, etc and the fact that they can't fix it permanently scares me. I know Minis are not the paragons of reliability that my Japanese vehicles (auto G35 sedan and Miata) are. I will have the G35 and the Miata to fall back on, but I don't want to buy something with a chronic, unsolveable driveability problem.

I think I could be happy in a base Cooper. Better mileage, better ride, and it's fun to rev the engine and row the gears a little more to make it go fast. But the S- the effortless power is wonderful, and the price difference so small.

So, my options are:

1. Get the Cooper S, enjoy the power, and pray I do not get T-boned from a stumble accelerating into traffic, and that it does not drive me nuts or give me buyer's remorse.

2. Wait until the problems with the S are sorted out. This SEEMS the obvious choice, but frankly I am not liking the way this looks. I don't think they will ever get it sorted out, and with sales as they are, they do not have much incentive to.

3. Get a base Cooper and enjoy it- an S is not nearly as fast as my G35 anyway. The Cooper has a better ride, much better mileage, less expensive, less complicated and less to go wrong. But I know I would like more power...

OK, everyone... please chime in. I may be ordering the car next week.

 

PS- Works is not an option... $26k+ is too much for a Mini IMHO.

 

I'm sure they'll work it out soon. Apparently, the newest aftermarket ECU software addresses and FIXES this problem! So BMW/MINI's solution should be around the corner. If you like the S, get the S.

Check out this thread on the new aftermarket software...it apparently will fix the stumble and give you better throttle response thoughout the entire range AND give you 10-15 more horsepower to boot!


GIAC CHIP

 

>>1. Get the Cooper S, enjoy the power, and pray I do not get T-boned from a stumble accelerating into traffic, and that it does not drive me nuts or give me buyer's remorse.
>>


It's not THAT bad. I stumble, but I can anticipate it, and it truely is momentary, when it happens. It's no where near life threatening, it's just annoying, because once it does kick in, and you get up to 4-5-6000 rpm, you are driving a friggin' land rocket. The difference is night and day. If I were driving a Chevette for instance, I wouldn't mind the stumble, because there is no high end there.

My vote, get an S and don't worry about the 'bad' stuff on the boards. I think, if I had to generalize, people are just picking at minute issues for a product they really love. Sort of the way you love your wife, but HATE the way she, oh, never mind. I probably don't want to go there.

d

 

DonPitt
Hey buddy you have been reading way too much of the wrong stuff. I have had my MCS now for one year and the only problem was the water pump, that's it. What you wrote sounds like you are looking for reasons not to purchase the MCS and that's perfectly okay, just buy the model you want.

 

The primary reason to go with the S in my mind is that once you load up a Cooper there isn't much of a price gap between the two unless you go very spartan on the Cooper. I just configured a Cooper that was almost $24k and that was with plenty left off.

 

Just order it and love it when it arrives.

You are thinking WAY too much about it.

If people thought this much about having kids,
No one would have any!

 

DonPitt, welcome to the MCO!

I forsee a MINI Cooper in your future. Enjoy the MPG and the great handling. Use your G35 to get your straight line accelleration thrills. And the Cooper for your practibility and cornering.

 

the only time my mcs stumbles is when i under rev the car. that isn't the fault of the car, but my light foot! give it a bit more gas and there are no issues. go for it. it's terribly fun to drive, and i'm sure you can't go wrong with either. what ever you decide, have fun!

 

If you're not happy with the accelleration of the Cooper, put in NOS or turbo it. It'll be plenty fast for those "special" occasions. :smile:

 

yes, I agree, you've been reading too much of the bad stuff. Of the huge amount of MINI people I've met in person, not one doesn't absolutely LOVE their MINI, really.

Us MINI owners are a picky bunch. We expect our little object of perfection to be, well perfect. The slightest signs of whatever, we tend to blow out of proportion. We've not no major problems, so being a media-influenced culture, we must elaborate on whatever problem, however minute, is barely annoying us at the time.

Solid Advice: I'm gleefully waiting for my 2nd MINI as we speak. There is only one other car on the planet that I want; a Honda S2000. It is fractionally practical as the MINI, and definitely more expensive, so my obvious choice is still the MINI. If I got a random cash influx, I'd probley get an S2k as a rainy-weather car (not joking!)

Cheers, and just order it already!
Ryan

 

Ok, as far as my MCS, I have had it about two weeks and LOVE IT!!! :smile:
So thats my input.
Buy, enjoy, motor on!

 

get it. you will not be sorry. and yes, all the problems we write about are mostly being picky cause we got nothing else to complain about.

 

Buy an S...

I've had mine since Nov 02 and LOVE IT...the only complaint/problem I have had is I just don't get to drive it enough!

I've seen the issues that people have had, but other than the cold start and a small stress crack in the windshield (which hasn't been replaced yet - the crack is so minute that we haven't been in a hurry to have it replaced). I haven't had the stumbling or anything else...I have a 2002, don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. Just haven't had any of the major issues that some have mentioned. Guess we got lucky with Lola!

Get the S...you won't regret it!!

Cyndy

 

Buy the MC, and leave the MCS for those of us on the lunatic fringe.

 

I'd get the S, stripped but for leather & cruise control. (Better ride from 16" wheels.)

They *did* have the drivability issues solved in an earlier release (I have no issues nor do any of my friends) and so they'll presumably be able to get back to a state where there're no issues.

Were it me, however, I'd wait a few months until you know the latest release is in the pipe and people are having good reactions to it.

I've driven & ridden in both, and prefer power and handling of the S, and the fact that 6th gear in the S makes freeway driving much more pleasant. If I were only driving around town, and it's in effect a second car I could live with the base. I think that they're both fun cars.

HTH, Jeff

 

If your MINI will see lots of rain and winter driving, is an MCS kinda overkill? (...really, just wondering) I have a Cooper and personally never feel I'm at a loss for power....and the mpg, all-weather tires, spare, and suspension package were things I wanted over bhp. Will you get to use what an MCS has to offer? If so, its a great value for the added hp. If not, Coopers do offer some crazy drivin'!

 

:smile:

Cheers!
Clover

 

Don:

Hmm... you said on another forum that you were going to buy a new PC and hold off on buying a car until next spring I think. Maybe you can't shake the Mini bug though. I understand. So does everyone else here!

I still think the regular Cooper is a viable alternative, even though I have an S myself. And don't believe those who minimize the problems some of us S owners have had. If your car had been in the shop 6 times in 2 months, and if your S had a bad enough stumble that you could get hit in traffic, you'd consider them major problems too.

As for whether your particular S will have those problems or be trouble-free - who knows? But a non-Mini-owning friend asked me recently if I would buy a Mini again. I said yes, and I'd still buy an S, but I'd get a new one because it does seem the new ones have far fewer problems. Does that help?

...But here's a thought - if you're looking for a bad weather/winter car, why not something like a WRX with its AWD? It's no Mini but it should handle bad weather very well as long as you stay off the boost.

 

im a very happy owner of my MCS,
with an april o3 build date, and
not a problem to speak of...

3k+ miles since 9-may.

 

People make a big deal out of tiny little things. I have an August 2002 build and I have not had any of the stumble problems and only a minor cold start problem (takes like 1/2 a second longer to start...woo big problem there) and very minor yo yo problem (happens only in very specific situations and it is very minor). The car still runs and drives better than most new cars I've owned and is certainly more fun.
_________________
[img]albums/album25/ama.gif[/img]VinceAndJessica.com
Alta pulley, Stebro exhaust, Pipercross intake, Progress rear anti-sway bar.

 

>>People make a big deal out of tiny little things. I have an August 2002 build and I have not had any of the stumble problems and only a minor cold start problem (takes like 1/2 a second longer to start...woo big problem there) and very minor yo yo problem (happens only in very specific situations and it is very minor). The car still runs and drives better than most new cars I've owned and is certainly more fun.
>>_________________
>>[img]albums/album25/ama.gif[/img]VinceAndJessica.com
>> Alta pulley, Stebro exhaust, Pipercross intake, Progress rear anti-sway bar.

You're not making a big deal out of it because with your car it IS a little thing. Try one of the ones which has the stumble so bad that passengers' heads are thrown forward and the nose of the car drops as if the driver had suddenly hit the brakes. All while traffic is bearing down on them. Or try my car. Although they did fix the stumble, my Service Engine Soon light has come on 5 times in 2 months. Do you think those are little things? If you do then by all means, let's trade. We'll see how you like it and how you feel when someone on one of these forums talks as if you don't know what you're talking about.

 

>>Don:
>>
>>Hmm... you said on another forum that you were going to buy a new PC and hold off on buying a car until next spring I think. Maybe you can't shake the Mini bug though. I understand. So does everyone else here!
>>...But here's a thought - if you're looking for a bad weather/winter car, why not something like a WRX with its AWD? It's no Mini but it should handle bad weather very well as long as you stay off the boost.>>

You got it- can't shake the Mini bug. I vacillate back and forth, but it looks like I am probably going to do it. I'm just waiting for a few things to finalize at work, won't be long. I thought I would wait or just get a base Cooper, but I can't get the S out of my mind- what an absolute blast to drive! I love the styling inside and out, the hatchback... everything about it .

As for why not the WRX... it is because I have the Mini bug!

 

Depends on where you will be driving...if it is in the city or mainly around town, I'd go with the MC.....I have a MCS and around town and under 3000 rpms, very little difference in performance of the 2 cars IMO. I actually really enjoy my friends MC more around town, more shifting (MCS gearing is a little tall IMO for around town) and being lighter, feels like you can throw around the corners more aggressively.....if you are doing a lot of highway or expressway driving...70 plus, then go with the MCS, more performance at the top end, especially on those 50 to 80 mph passes where the supercharger shines...agree the works is way overpriced and I couldn't tell that much difference than the stock MCS, certainly not 5k difference...lol !

Good luck !

 

>>agree the works is way overpriced and I couldn't tell that much difference than the stock MCS, certainly not 5k difference...lol !
>>
>>Good luck !

I drove the Works today when I paid a social call to the dealer, I am becoming friends with the guys down there. It did not feel any faster than the S to me... but it felt much BETTER. More free-revving, smoother, happier in its work, refined, as a premium machine should feel. I considered it as it is in the budget but then realized #1 I can't even get one for over a year and #2 at $7,000 installed, it is a bit much just to get a smoother engine. In my opinion, Mini should build them all that way and tack another $2,500 onto the S sticker price. With economies of scale and mass production, it should be doable.

The Works car had the 16" V-spokes, which is the reason I test-drove it- I hated the ride of the S with 17s. I thought the 16s on the Shad the best ride/handling balance of all. (No Works treatment on the suspension.) So, I am back to the S with the 16s.