This is a bit of a rant so ignore if you don't want to be bored....

I've had enough, the 2006 MINI Cooper S has driven me around the bend, All the problems and the aggravation has finally taken its toll.

Friday night I got in the car, (those stupid!!! doors that don't hold at a decent position force you to either open at nearly 90 degrees to the car or have it so nearly closed that you can't fit in or dirty your pants leg getting in) I was trying to get in and (start laughing now) I bounced my head from the top of the glass on the door to the roof. That was it, I was going to dump this 20k mile rattle trap and get something more sensible for driving to and fro to work, I know these cars are made for the twisties but my windy back road drive to work in the UK is very bumpy and broken up so I end up with a rattle filled agro drive. Anyway, I start looking, there are so few cars that even interest me, the MINI is the only car (well and the previous model M3 and Scooby) that I still get excited when I look at. I start looking at the ford focus, don't ask but it would make the most sense, I get on the message board and lo and behold the same exact complaints that are on there are on here. Noise, harsh ride, bad dual mass flywheels, horrid fuel consumption, strange error codes, Rattles....I could have changed MINI for Focus in almost all of the posts and felt at home. I have decided, for the time being anyhow, to keep the devil I know.

I just wish they spent another 20 minutes screwing it together, I cannot believe that 8 years or so after introducing the car it is still made like a 12 year old did the finishing touches and final assembly.

Rant over. sorry. Peter

 

Peter, the Euro Focus is a vastly superior car to the US Focus garbage we have here.

I think you have the right to rant all you want However, it seems to me you still love your MINI in despite of its shortcomings.


To me some of the interior rattles are simply caused by a combination of very stiff suspension tuning, a stiff body and interior plastic trim components that act as shock absorbers to all that vibration coming through the car. Eventually, you'll have rattles.

This was one of the reasons why the softened the suspension in the R56.

Also bad roads make the problem worse. Here in Miami our roads are decent.... We don't have potholes like they do in the snowbelt states but our pavement is rough because it is sea coral base which means a little more vibrations and tires wear down faster. However wet traction is really good on coral pavement.


My 2005 R53 S with 52K miles has been fantastic and I want to put another 200K miles on this car. Its been rock solid reliable. Not all of them are bad..... And remember that internet message boards tend to be populated by people who have problems and are very vocal about them.

You rarely see posts from people saying" "My car worked great today, I had no problems".

It is the hospital ward mentality. There is a vast majority of owners who are happy with their MINIs and don't post here (or ever).

 

I ditched my '06 for a Scooby and haven't regretted it.

 

Today my MCS drove awesome on a great highway drive in New Hampshire! Yesterday on back roads full of frost heaves, bumps and pot holes I was not so happy. I must admit that my emotions about this car change with the road conditions... If I had my 17 RF's on instead of the 16" Snow Tires driving on that crappy road I might have parked it and walked away.

 

http://jalopnik.com/367869/alfa-rome...ter-from-italy

 

And I know a MINI owner that did that, and did regret it ... mind, they also regretted coming back to an R56 instead of the R53

 

I know it's these little things that infuriate ... but you should find there are three stop points for the door, not quite open enough, open fine, and open too far.
Of course, finding that door stop won't eliminate the rattles!

I thought there were lots of interesting car choices in UK, compared to over here? Some sort of "mean" Renault?

 

which one though? I got a GR chassis STI ('08+). Stock, it handles as well as the modded R53 on Cross coilovers and rcomps I had. It's faster to boot. Only thing I miss is the seats in the MINI, but, they weren't OEM in any case so....

 

The most track ready one, WRX STi, an '06 I think ...
(this one)

 

The Renault sport versions are quite hot, of course there is the V6 hot hatch version they had out a few years ago that makes your loins yearn but to be honest, I am a 40 year old guy with a 40 minute commute to work and 2 large dogs and a wife. I'd buy a boxter if I didn't hate the sterotype so much, Or an S2000 or a scooby or.... you get the picture, I have owned dozens and dozens of cars in my life and I finally have realized you can yearn for a car but it must fit your lifestyle. I am not ready for a big bloated stationwagon and large cars don't work well here. I wanted a MINI since the day they were announced and had to scratch the itch,
As for the door opening thing, here the parking spots are so tight that you don't have the ability to open it a fair way in most cases.

I'd love the scooby but i have read the same comments on that board as well. Petrol is VERY expensive here and it would ruin me to have to pay that much for fuel. Even with the mini I am looking at 0ver 200 pounds per month to keep it fueled up, Kind of painful. I am going to have to go for a diesel of some sort, 50mpg and all that.

I would honestly keep the mini if it wasn't so frustrating to own.

Peter

 

Where's the best Scooby forum?

 

yeah, they're cheap inside and run an old suspension design. The new ones are based on the Legacy chassis with multilink rear and have a much more luxury feel. They handle better too, though with more squishy bushings they feel 'soft' in comparison (the main gripe with people).

 

The Scooby is a great machine, I just can't get over their looks (Although the latest generationis an improvement).

Don't mind owning it one day, but Subaru doesn't excite me enough to go down that route.

Future MINIs would have to either get uglier/more expensive for me to even consider leaving the brand.

 

You may see them on MINI showrooms side-by-side.

 

So a new 2009 Subaru WRX Sti starts at $35K

Too rich for my blood.

And only a 3 year/36K mile warranty. Reasale value must be so-so as well.

Great car otherwise. Impressive tech sheet. I just don't know if I am prepared to dump that much cash on a Subaru...

 

My car worked great today, and every day, since I bought it! Just had to be said.

 

[quote=Gromit801;2633708]My car worked great today, and every day, since I bought it! Just had to be said.

Thank you. I knew you had to come out of the woodwoork to express your support

 

My Mini is and has been a fantastic little car!! I have no intention of getting rid of it now or in the future and when I do a Scooby "WILL NOT" be on the list of considerations period. Now it's down to the garage to do a clutch fluid flush and put in some new Denso's as part of my winter preparation for another great spring motoring with it!!!

 

it's always refreshing to see MINI owners hate on other cars. <thumbsdown> Other owners I've come across (like Subaru ones) love the MINI. The STI guys loved driving my MINI. The local MINI people wouldn't show up to install days at my house if Subaru's were there.

 

Who's hating?

Not considering buying a Subaru, is not hating.

 

you're right, but in combination with the previous post minimarks made, it's clear there's a disdain for the marque. That's what I'm talking about.

I'd never own a Ford, Alfa or many other marques but I can like some of the cars, being a ''car guy'' and all. Many MINI enthusiasts are zealots and treat other brands as second class.

 

Like I said, I generally like Subarus from the days the BRATS were sold in the 1980s. I am not a huge fan of the way they look, but as a "car guy" I know they are very respectable machines. The WRX Sti is impressive but I find it difficult to deal with the $35K to start price tag.

 

Thank You!

Scooby's are neat cars just not for me.

 

Unlike MINI's, they aren't sold at (or above) MSRP. I got mine for less than the base price of the JCW, out the door. Hard to find a more capable car for the price.

 

have you looked at the audi TT (the >07 version) not the flattened VWNB version? friend of mine has an 08 with the v6 and 6speed. with the all wheel drive, the ferrari like magnetic suspension, awesome interior and all black exterior, it's a pretty bad ride. and at least for right now (with OEM pulley) he still has a lil bit of an advantage on me through the canyons, but that may soon change

at least here in the US (and we're in soCal where there's enough ppl and cars that it's not uncommon to see everything on a daily basis) - i've only seen a handful of these new TTs. the subaru's are awesome cars but it's like buying a crotchrocket - you're automatically lumped into a category (although a resident friend of mine who did his training in the cold/snowy nether-regions of michigan) joked that his wrx was cheaper, faster and handled the snow better than many of his attendings bmw's!!!!).

consider the TT, especially if you're willing to spend >$35k