Hi all. I currently own a 2002 Audi S4 (tiptronic...I was stupid), and I'm thinking of selling it in order to buy a new MCS. The primary reasons are financial. I'd be paying $232 less per six months in insurance, and the S4 is a gas-guzzler, so it'd save me money on gas (currently paying about $25/200-250 miles). I also think the MCS is more fun to drive (test-drove one last week). I like the standard tranny, so that's a pro rather than a con. I'm just wondering what you all think would be the down-sides for me if I decide to do this.

BTW, I know I'd lose a lot of cargo space...that's pretty much a given.

Thanks,
Fenian

 

Fenian, welcome! Let me just say my boyfriend would die if he knew you were considering getting rid of an S4. He loves them!

Anyway, I can't see too many cons if you were to sell your S4 and get into an MCS. You've already driven one so you know they are a blast! :smile: )

 

Welcome Fenian!!! "Downsides"? Heck, no! :smile:

If you are checking out this website, you're finding the small complaints. But we love our MINI's, and perhaps you will too.

God speed.

 

I love the S4 - absolutely and totally. Driving a mini is a totally different experience though - and if thats the type of car-driving experience you want... then absolutely get it..

Although beware that the gas mileage looks great on paper.. but once you become addicted to the lovely post-4krpms.. watch it drop

I have a cooper, and i get about 27 in normal city driving and it drops to 24 or 23.7 when i REALLY want to have fun driving int eh city..

I took a trip up north to the poconos this past weekend and was getting 31mpg most of the trip (which involved quite a few uphills)

Sorry to mostly discuss mpg - but i saw you were interested.

If you excpeted the smaller cargo space (whihc is deceptive.. i carry quite a bit at times...) then the best way to find other downsides is to read though the pessimists that post in Mini-talk about their problems

 

Selling a car to save $10 per week is a bad economic decision. IE the depreciation of the car is a heck of a lot more than $520 per year. I love my MINI, but I think you need a better reason for getting it than saving a few bucks on gas. I think the gas economy arguement is the weakest of all reasons for buying a car. The MINI S can be a gas guzzler if you drive it will lots of RPM as stated before. I get around 25 to 26 around town. I get around 30 to 32 on the highway, but the city numbers could get ugly if you drive it hard.

jc

 

Wow...thanks for the quick replies so far. As far as mpg, according to the trip computer, my S4 seems to average about 19 overall. So even 23 in the city sounds pretty sweet to me.

Another question: For people who've put a lot of miles on their Minis, have you had any real maintenance problems. I've heard from a mechanic who used to work at an Audi dealership near me that Audis (and particularly the S4) tend to develop lots of nasty maintenance problems (particularly leaking various fluids) after about 50k miles. Has anybody encountered any gotchas like that with the Minis?

 

Again, you can check other threads, but the only "gotcha" leak many have had is the coolant overflow tank. I had mine replaced at the last scheduled maintenance trip. (No hastle) I'm at 32k miles and no other maintenance problems!

God speed.

 

I'm sure everyone understands that fuel economy is relative to driving style but I'm sorry, if Fenian drove the MCS as s/he drove the S4, s/he's STILL going to get better fuel economy.

Anyway... I'm not toooo high on mileage (~24k) or time owned (9 months) and I haven't yet had any major problems. I've had the sniggling problems common to the MINI (coolant tank, boot latch, stumble, etc.) but nothing major. And as annoying as those problems were, my MINI is still totally worth it.

But those problems are kind of an extension of what Jersey said: coming from an established vehicle to a new make/model there are going to be some issues. The majority of them are likely worked out, but unforseen stuff can always crop up with a new car like the MINI. It is a fabulous car and it has amazing potential once they work out all the kinks. So, they're loads of fun, and worth every penny, in my book, but they're still a bit inconsistant.

 

Don't let the perceived lack of cargo space even enter the discussion. Unless you take a long trip with all 4 seats filled, you won't miss the extra cargo space. IMO, 95% of the time most people don't use all that cargo space their big cars and SUVs offer. It's just wasted space. The MINI's boot is perfect for a trip to the grocery store or throwing in your stuff you need for work. After that, on a day-to-day basis, how much cargo space to you really use?
Plus, with the rear seats down, I've hauled some pretty big loads.

 

Well, despite JerseyGirl's comments, I would take a MCS over a tiptronic S4 any day... Now if you had a 6 spd Avant, I may be singing a different tune... That car was a chore to work on. The M3 can be challanging and frustrating at times, but at least it's an M3!

Dinner is getting cold and I've probably rambled enough...

 

Fenian, I'm doing the same math you are. I'm replacing a Mercedes 420SEL; here's the numbers...

I do 25,000 miles a year, thats 1,700 gallons of fuel a year @ $1.65 = $2805
MINI should do about 28mpg average. Fuel costs estimated at $1475

Fuel savings = $110 per month

Repairs and maintenance on the Mercedes are about $3,000 a year.
MINI for the first three years is free.

Savings = $250 a month

Total savings with the MINI is $351 (est).

Finance cost on a 5 year laon with some cash down is $351 but at the end of this term I own the car and it should be worth somewhere around $10,000. And so I conclude that I will save a pile of dough changing to the MINI and get a cool car into the bargain instead of an old man's conveyance.

Oh, and the Mercedes is terrible at Autocross

 

Buy the vehicle that suits your absolute needs while offering the most driving enjoyment. The economics can be rationalized in any direction. I have owned high performance Saabs, BMWs, and Audis, and I can honestly say my MCS is more fun at one-half the price of the other cars. The MINI will not offer the substance and solid feel of some of the others, but its other attributes more than compensate. The MINI cannot do it all; I use my Suburban if Ineed to carry people and gear. However, with the shorter length of today's racing skis, I plan to use the MCS for one passenger ski trips with the skis in the vehicle.

 

Love the S4 too, but as it seems that your decision to drop it and get an MCS is purely based on financials (or lack thereof) Yes, a MCS is much more economical to own than an Audi S4. Then again it lacks the prestige of the Audi, as well as a lot of the performance. You will be going from 250 hp to 165 hp, you will have much less space, only two doors, but you will gain $$ and IMO a better driving experience with the MCS (at least away from the track). If you don't need AWD and four doors, get the MCS, it is a blast to drive. Also if you know anyone with an MCS, see if they would "trade" cars with you for a week-end. That way you will have a much better idea of MCS pros and cons.

p.s. (I don't know any MCS owner who wouldn't jump at the chance to use an S4 for a week-end)

 

Okay everybody, thanks for the input. I decided to buy the Mini. Today I put a deposit on an Indi Blue MCS with cold weather, sport, and premium packages, anthracite, black roof, rain sensor and dimming mirror, and harman-kardon. Right now she's sitting on a dock on the other side of the pond waiting for a ship to bring her home.

 

Damn, thats a fast build time

 

LOL...the dealer had the car on their list of cars they were going to be getting in. I didn't custom order it, but then I didn't need to. It's exactly what I wanted. The only things it doesn't have that I want are dealer install parts. I got lucky.

 

>>LOL...the dealer had the car on their list of cars they were going to be getting in. I didn't custom order it, but then I didn't need to. It's exactly what I wanted. The only things it doesn't have that I want are dealer install parts. I got lucky.
That MINI had your name written all over it.
It was fate that it was ready when you went a looking.
Don't fight it, get what you want and enjoy the ride.
Should be great. The MCS is a driver's car.

 

Here are some pictures of an IB/Blk MCS with S-lyte wheels


With sunroof but in a IB/Blk MC

And in similar IB/Blk MCS with R90 wheels and sunroof



Near big sur



_________________
ALOHA

 

y'know, I wasn't planning on getting stripes, but those look REALLY good. Now I'm going to have quite the hard decision. Thanks for the pics, minihune. :smile: