i just really loved the old car. For my purpose of treking across the country and such, it will be fine. It will spend the majority of its life at my son's house out in Montana, used sparingly by him and periodically by me when I come back to see my Grand daughter. I'll be moving soon to Costa Rica and down there it'll be a turbo diesel 4x4 (Hyundai Santa Fe?), so when I get back to the states, I bet I'll be thrilled to get back behind the wheel of the clubman. If I had never owned the other car I would never have known the difference. After my 5000 mile trip starting the end of this month across the country, I'll post again to this thread and do an update

meanwhile for anyone who cares I will be posting periodically to this thread on the "other" site.............
http://www.mini2.com/forum/new-york-...ke-states.html

 

In my opinion i dont like the gen 2 as much. they added alot of more safety to it so it is a tad bigger. and the headlights dont stay in the bonnet so you cant put cute lil mini eyes in the black spots !!
ive had an audi turbo a gti turbo and now the mini s.
i like the sound of the turbo better but the feel of thesupercharger better.

supercharger whines and is instant.
turbo blows off every gear and you have to wait for lag.

so i love both but i love gen 1 model most.

 

Dustin,

I know what you mean about safety, shades of the 70's! I had a '07 R56 loaner and a warning light/alarm would periodically sound off while I was driving. Well as it turned out, this was due to the two small items I placed in the passenger seat. So, I pushed them to the floor and all was well. Although, I suppose I could have buckled them up too!

Scrubbly

 

After reading all the posts in this thread, it is obvious that there is a wide range of opinions and criteria regarding R53 vs. R56. My preference is based upon a consideration different than most. I've owned two MINIs, an '03 Cooper and an '06 Cooper S, and 7 Minis and the over-riding measuring stick for each of them has been performance. Currently, it is performance in SCCA G Stock autocross. The turbo MINI has proven to be faster. I'll be ordering an appropriately-optioned '09 for next season.

 

For what? In what state? Stock? Sure... Modded? Not so much...

 

maybe you should bring it to the road track and we can see how fast it is
I beg to differ

 

In my region where we have autocross with MINIs in many classes we have not seen that the R56 is doing as well as the R53 especially so in G stock.

Granted they did not have exactly the same wheels and tires (R compounds) there was never a time when the R53 did not dominate for the entire time both were competing head to head. Drivers of both types of cars are experienced with slight edge to the R53 drivers.

Overall an R53 in G stock consistently finished high (1st to 3rd) in overall PAX and claimed first in PAX for the season 2007-2008 vs very experienced and capable foes that have dominated our region for the last 10 years.

R56 finished nowhere in site (top 10) for overall PAX for any event, we have 12 events per year.

 

R53 vs. R56 in autocross? Check out the results of the national tour or the nationals for a comparison when all the drivers are highly skilled. The R56 rules, period. That said, as a driver, I am very happy with my '06 S.

 

 

boo to r56 ; )

 

---^
"2005-2006 Solo Run Off Champion, 2nd in Points, PAX 8th overall
2006-2007 Solo Run Off and Points Champion, PAX 7th overall
2007-2008 Solo Run Off and Points Champion"

Where is this data to back up that the R56's are "Dominating" anything. We had R53's lapping R56's on the track last time I was there. No domination there either?

 

I would like to bring up the looks first.

the R56's entire shape was pretty much dictated by safety regulations.
The height of the bonnet, the size of windows, bottom plastic trims etc etc.

I personally think the R53 is much better looking, and it drives more like a Mini should. the R56 is more refined, but I just think a lot of the stuff on that car is phony. bonnet scoop is fake, the speedo is now outrageously big, and how about the thermostat control that resembles the Mini Wing?

If you want something a bit more comfortable and refined, go with the R56.
If you want something charismatic with more character and fun, go with R53.

 

 

The R56 is my first mini, so that's what I know and what I'm used to. I absolutely love the turbo as well as all the options I ordered and of course the good gas mileage, but the car certainly has it's issues. I don't have any major complaints about the interior styling, in fact I'm actually quite happy with it, but exterior wise, I have to say the first gen car just looks better, period! having said that I have done some mods that make this much less of an issue for me...but still...and of course the car needs lowering quite badly. Then there's the whole sport button thing. Lame! I had to mod that during the first week of ownership to come on automatically. All in all it's a mini and I love it, but damn it, the first gen car just looks better.

I have yet to drive an R53 and quite frankly I'm afraid I might like it a little too much.

 

EXACTLYYYYYYYYY

 

If I had it to do it all again with the money I have spent on my 02 MCS it would be a R50 with a turbo. But I am still for the R53 Supercharger. And in my past us gear heads called them Blown Cars! Besides I like my personal plate

 

by the time you replace all of the worthless parts on a R50 that will explode when you turbo it.... you just spent more than converting an R53 to turbo

 

R53

 

What the....?!

I think I would need to see some proof of that to believe that comment.

I'll wait...

 

Well, all else being equal, the powerplant in the R56 is significantly better than the R53. Having driven an 07 for about three weeks, and an 06 a couple of days later, the difference between the turbo and supercharged motors is very obvious in all driving situations. Don't let the 4hp difference fool you into thinking the R56 is only marginally faster... the area under the curve, you know, is what makes a car quick. It may not gain much at the top end (I observed this), but low and mid rpm ranges the turbo offers no lag and gobs of torque compared to the supercharger. So, if the cars are ually set up otherwise, and in the hands of equally competent drivers, then yes, I would agree, the R56 will come out on top.

 

[quote=Mini1966;2209746] the '08's have 7 years of experience behind it so perhaps bugs are worked out[quote]

Thats actually the opposite. The 08's are still getting bugs worked out, get and 05-06 r53.

 

Significantly?

Dean.

 

Let me rephrase that... by powerplant I mean engine and all power adders, and by significantly better I mean performance (stock). Longevity, etc. no one knows for sure really.

Daniel

 

I figured that's what you were saying ...but I'm still not buyin' the "significant" part.

Dean.

 

While I was away from my computer rustyboy155, Minimarks and Lawman questioned my assertion that the R56 rules in G Stock SCCA autocross events. They wanted proof. Here is some: at the 2007 National Championships, R 56 cars took first and second. Of the three National Tour events thus far in 2008, R 56 cars took first and second; first; and first, second and third. You can check it out yourself on the SCCA Solo website. These results make sense because the new MINIs are lighter, have more HP and torque, and negative camber can be dialed in. Keep in mind we are discussing stock vs. stock in autocross only. There may be reasons to dislike the R 56, but autocross performance is not one of them.