What kind of cars have you owned in the past? What cars are you comparing the Cooper to? What did you like about those certain cars that you don't like about the Cooper?

 

Firstly, do you mean the classic Mini Cooper or the new MINI Cooper? Secondly, this site is made up of enthusiasts...meaning owners/admirers of the MINI Cooper. Why ask this question on this site? Lastly, here come the flames....

 

What do you mean flames? I'm looking to get a Mini Cooper. One of the new ones and I've heard a few people on here complain about the mini's and their quality. I'm wondering what they are comparing to because if they are comparing them to cars that are beyond anything I've ever used then I'll disreguard those statements. If they are comparing them to cars I've used, then I can get a feel for how good of quality the Mini Cooper really is. I am posting this in this forum because more people have drivin minis in on this site then an other site. I figure I'd get the most responses here.

 

well the car is small, and is packed with lots of stuff! of course there will be problems.

My 1994 Mitsubishi montero with 114,000+ miles on it held great, even with all the features it had, 4x4, great stereo, power everything, tilt meter:p, then it started going down hill, started burning oil, guzling gas like no tomorrow.... Then i sold it.

My 2000 toyota echo with 34,000+ never had any problems what so ever. Seemed pretty solid. Then again it was a bare bones car. Manual everything.

My 2002 MINI Cooper has its share of problems, it had the stumbling when first starting it and driving it, coming to a stop could be a nightmare in the city, car would almost stall or just plain stall, very scary while pulling out into an intersection. the new software that came out pretty much cleared that up. I had a small "electrical fire" which was scary, left rear wheel well light burned out and started smoking, was in the shop for a week waiting for parts to come in. The car rattles alot in the winter, i noticed it doesnt rattle as much in the warmer weather. The car sounds shitty when first driving until warmed up in the cold weather, other than that the car is solid, I have a 2002 with 31,000+ miles on it (its 4:48am i cant remember how many miles right now)

I'd take the mini over the echo and the montero (although it was fun being a mean SUV driver:p) anyday...

I do get dissapointed when things dont sound right or arent running right, but i just take it day by day.

Hope that helps...

Probably not, im just rambling.

_________________

 

>>What kind of cars have you owned in the past? What cars are you comparing the Cooper to? What did you like about those certain cars that you don't like about the Cooper?
I had 3 Honda civics over a 12 year period previous to owning my 2002 mcs.Other than the fact of having gone through 5(yep you read it right) windshields and having a bad morning when I couldn't get the car out of first gear,I really think that regardless of what BMW states about their badged cars,THIS is the ultimate driving machine.Read road and tracks latest thread about how the mini beat porches and vipers through the cones,and you'll get some idea.Mini usa IS addressing my windshield issues with a promise of a new design incorperating an increase in tensile strength in the glass.We'll see.I promise that I'll keep everybody up to date with what progress Im making on this score.Clover, I can't understand why you think that this is an inapropriate topic for a forum like this.I have reccomended to several people that they cruise this site to get BOTH positive and negative feedback about this car.

 

Having had many cars over the years, I can’t compare any of them to my 02 MCS except possibly in price. The size, handling and just bang for the buck, I’ve never had a car that was such a joy to just drive and drive and drive. My MCS is flawless in both maintenance problems and annoyances I’ve experienced with other cars. The sheer fun factor alone puts it in a class by itself. :smile:

 

Compared to my '42 Chrysler, my '02 MCS is small,
light, fast, manuverable, and smells better.


Totally love my MINI!

God speed.

 

>>What kind of cars have you owned in the past? What cars are you comparing the Cooper to? What did you like about those certain cars that you don't like about the Cooper?<<

Good question...
I've owned many...many...many...cars over the last 30+ years.
In thinking about it..the only car I could possibly compare to my MINI ...was a MG Midget that I owned for a brief period back in the early 70's.
It's not the best comparision..but the best I can come up w/ from my personal experience. It was a blast to drive, underpowered for my taste, problematic, and had a kool quirky look.
My MCS came underpowered by my personal standards (that's been addressed in spades), is a blast to drive ( I'm a spirited driver and it shows :smile: ), I luv the look and have made mine... mine (if ya know what i mean :smile: ), and my MCS has been problematic as well....by my standards.

Peace,
D

 

May 03 build MINI Cooper for me... past cars inc several VWs inc a 95 GTI VR6... Saab 9-3.. and some old Datsuns...

The MC has been a great car.... no major problems with it at all.... just a few rattles here and there... but being a long time VW owner I am used to that... I do have one door rattle that I will try to get the Dealership to fix... I heavily autocross the car and it has near 25k on it ... The power in the MC is good enough to get out in traffic and if you keep the revs up it is nice and quick but not fast.... In the curvs though it is wonderfull (I have the SS+ suspension and sport seats...my only options).... Makes for a great autocross car...which is the main reason I bought it.

my biggest gripe with the car... I wish it had a progamable intermittent wiper setting and I probably should have gotten the cruise controll option for long trips...

 

I have a lot of comparison points also. Here's a brief list of the cars I've owned since I got my drivers license in 1988 (in order, roughly). some of them were my wifes car, most were mine. (This list always makes me feel nostalgic)

1981 Mercury Cougar
1952 Chevrolet
1984 Camaro V6
1969 Camaro
1972 Chevelle
1966 Mustang
1986 Mustang
1995 Firebird
1996 Grand Prix (wife)
1991 Cherokee
1986 Alfa Spider (My third favorite)
1987 Alfa Milano
1998 BMW 318ti
1986 BMW 535i (wife)
2000 BMW Z3 (Second favorite)
2001 Chevy Tracker (wife)
2001 BMW 325Ci
2002 Mazda Miata
2002 Mazda P5 (wife)
2003 Cooper S (All time favorite)
2003 Jeep Liberty (wife)

Having said all of that, these current two are the first combination of cars that we have been truly happy with. Since we had our baby, I've been looking for a car that was as fun as my Spider or Z3 but still had family functionality, and my wife wanted a dependable car that can haul a lot of stuff and still get reasonable gas mileage. We've found them with these two cars.

I guess to really answer your question better, I'd have to know what you are looking for. The MINI does have a few rattles (probably more on mine since I put on the new springs) and I do have the 'yo yo' (but it doesn't bother me like it does some people, I guess I'm not that picky). It isn't as refined as my Z3 or 325Ci, but it is definitely as well put together as the P5 was (I really liked the P5, my wife hated it). The bottom line for me, though, is that this car is so cool, fun to drive, and economical that I can overlook a few rattles here and there.

My Z3 and my 325Ci were in the dealer for repair more than my MINI has in the first 10,000 miles. The 318ti was bulletproof, and a blast to own.

There are poeple on here who complain a LOT about features, or power, etc, but in my opinion that is something you should be able to figure out before you buy the car. Speaking of how much power the car has, it is faster than my 325Ci was, and only slightly slower than my Z3 2.3 was. It has plenty of power for me.

it comes down to this. Are you a type of person who will nit pick every detail (for example: one of my aux driving lights vibrates a little. I choose not to worry about it) or will you just go out and say "what a cool car" and then drive it like you stole it every day?

Anyway, that is a lot of words to describe what is basically just my opinion. Take a few test drives, and if you don't love the driving experience or the look enough to forgive a few rattles, don't buy a MINI.

 

To date I've owned about 45 cars, with at least 25 of them being British and includes two classic Mini's. It is not a fair comparison whnen matching modern machines to cars from the 60's, 70's and even early 80's. The cars I've owned that I could compare the MINI to are a 96 Cavalier convertible, 98 Toyota 4Runner, 96 and an Acura
First, the Cavalier was the biggest piece of junk I have ever had the misfortune to own. Rattles, scuttle shake, electrical and mechanical failures constantly. Poor fit and finish of pretty much everything.

My 1998 Toyota is amazing. 123,000 miles, no problems, ever. Just do the maintainance and keep the fluids fresh. Fit and finish is excellent.

The Acura (Vigor) basically the same as the Toyota, except that the transmission failed at 47,000 miles. Replaced under warranty. After that, no real problems for a total of 120,000 miles, when it was sold. I did however crack a headlight once, which cost $450 to replace!!!

My MINI (2004 MCS) now has 5,600 miles and is doing fine. No rattles even when 10 degrees outside and the fit and finish is very acceptable for a $20,000 car. There is a slight stumble in second gear, but the original Mini's also showed a similar characteristic and I find it quite nostalgic. I'll get it fixed when the dealership has software that works. It does not detract from my enjoyment.

Several years ago I had a Porsche 911 Turbo. The MINI handles as well and corners better. Obviously not the same power though

Today I would choose the MINI over the Porsche for style, fun, comfort and economy. The Porsche was a pig to maintain; try $3,500 for a new clutch or $1,100 for a tuneup. $1,200 for a set of tires that only last 10,000 miles due to the LSD rear end. I could go on..

So it's MINI for ME.

_________________
"You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"

 

My previous cars include an X body Pontiac Phoenix (guess that makes me pretty old, now!), Honda Accord, 88 Acura Integra, 94 Saab 900SE, and now my 02 MC. The car has plenty of pickup for me, though I thought the gas mileage would be better. I get about 31 during the winter. Obviously, none of my previous cars could come close to the handling of the Mini, though the Integra came close with really good new tires on it. My Saab was solid, but I needed to budget about 1300/year for maintenance. My Mini has been problem free and would recommend one to anyone who is looking for some fun windshield time and wants to turn a few heads in the process. Come to think of it, the quickest car I drove was my Dad's 66 Dodge Dart, 273 V8 with disc brakes!! They don't make em like that anymore.

 

My previous cars include:

2001 Chevy Tahoe
1997 Jeep Cherokee (rolling on 33's, rockcrawling suspension)
1991 Jeep Wrangler
1979 Porsche 924
1970 VW Karmann Ghia
1967 VW Bug (very, very fast)

The MINI mostly reminds me of the Porsche 924 as far as handling and performance goes - without all the mechanical nightmares I fixed on the 924. My MC isn't anywhere near as fast as my '67 Bug was (which was built for drag racing), but handles better (not much better, as the '67 had coilovers and beefy aftermarket swaybars). I think the MC is by far the most fun car I have owned - although surprising 5.0L Mustangs in the '67 Bug sure was fun!

 

I used to drive nothing buy GM vehicles. GMC to be exact. They were good cars and I never had any problems with them but there was also nothing unique about them either. You'd get from point A to point B and that was about it. NOTHING compares to the Mini. It's easily the best purchase I've made in years. I love to drive now. I have yet to have any major issues with mine either. A few small things, auto dimming mirror didn't dim, rear wiper fluid didn't work, and a plastic thing popped off of my emergency brake. Nothing major. My only real issue now is whether or not I'll ever drive a different vehicle. :smile: We'll see. Good luck.

 

Here are my past cars:

2004 MINI Cooper S
2002 MINI Cooper CVT
2001 Chevy Impala LS
2000 Chevy Impala LS
1997 Acura 2.5TL sedan
1995 Acura Integra LS sedan (5-speed)
1994 Honda Accord LX
1990 Honda Accord DX
1989 Honda Accord LX (5-speed)
1988 Ford Tempo GL (3-speed automatic and 2.3 OHV 4cyl engine)

The MINI beats them all in fun factor

_________________
'02 Cooper CVT PW/B, Bone stock (Hers)
'04 MCS CR/W/Chrome Grille and mirror caps (His)

 

What am I comparing my Cooper to?

Only two cars worth mentioning...my old '66 Spitfire and my '91 Geo Metro. In comparison, my Cooper is the height of luxury. It drives like a dream and delivers more power than I dare ask for in city driving. Tons of thrills! I do miss that 43mpg on my Metro though. IMHO, the Metro and the Spitfire both had ample power...but the Cooper is just nuts!!!!!

 

pontiac bonnevile 88
honda accord 2dr hatchback 89
honda civic 4dr 90
mazda mpv
astro minivan
Pontiac 6000 STE
honda accord 4dr 92
honda accord 4dr 93
(various other cars that I had for short time becasue my dad deals cars)
Mini cooper cvt 03

mini cooper rocks over all of them, and compared to teh others, teh warrenty issues where much better taken care of then all the problems I had with those.. (The MPV had the tranny rebuilt / replaced 4 times)
plus this car puts a smile on my face, like non other has, that is ttoaolly worth it.

 

My first real car was a '76 Datsun 280Z. I bought
it in '78. Had it 10 years. Loved it.

1) Compared to that Z, driving my MCS provides a
closer connection to the road. It's more fun to drive.
2) The MINI is less intimidating, has an image that people
really like to talk about; the MINI makes people smile.

God speed.

 

'94 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (still have)
'98 Honda Civic EX
'90 Mitsubishi Montero LS
'88 Honda CRX Si


Um, the MINI is the absolute best vehicle I've had -- hands down. It does remind me of my 88 CRX Si a little bit; that thing was fun. But, handling, fit-and-finish (yes, even compared to a Honda), and style marks have to go to the MC. I absolutely LOVE to drive now and that hasn't really happened since I was 16-17 years old!

All this in a car that hovers around $20K depending on options!? Wow.

 

I've had a couple of cars (72 celica, 86 GTI, 75 935) but I LOVE my mini. It rattle, cracks windsheilds, rips seats, but despite it all I will never give it up. Its just too much fun to drive. Even after a bad day at work when all else has gone wrong, I get in my car and smile because I get to drive it home. I don't think I can sum it up better than that.

 

'69 Mach1
'68 Shelby GT500KR
'70 Torino 429SCJ
'58 Porsche Speedster (fun but lethal)
'86 BMW 318i
'65 7 Litre Galaxie Conv.
'65 289 Cobra (replica)
'65 GT40 (replica) (lethal weapon)
'92 Maxima
'86 Cherokee (sold after 278,000 Miles)
'96 Garand Cherokee (POS)
'02 Passat
'02 Lexus GS300
'04 MCS (my favorite!)

 

OK, here are the cars I've owned:

'75 VW Scirocco
'81 Renault LeCar
'83 Nissan Pulsar NX
'88 Pontiac Grand Am
'91 Honda Civic
'94 Ford Taurus
'99 Volvo V70AWD
'03 MINI Cooper

The '75 Scirocco was a lot of fun, but had atrocious build quality.
The '81 LeCar? It was cheap. Everyone's entitled to one mistake.
The '83 Pulsar was middling, compromised fun, but was the most reliable and best-built car I ever owned. Bulletproof.
The '91 Civic wasn't really a lot of fun, but kept going without much complaint for 13 years until its engine went last year.
The '94 Taurus was no fun at all, but a better car than I gave it credit for at the time. Cheap to keep and nothing major went wrong.
The '99 Volvo is the most fun you can have in a station wagon, but I have real misgivings about its quality and durability. Major things do go wrong. It carries the highest ownership costs of any car I've had.
The '03 Cooper is the most fun ever, despite minor build-quality issues.

 

i haven't really compared my MCS to anything else... This is one of
those specialty cars only a person who has money to spend on a fun
car should buy.

If you're looking for a all-round econo-box, get a Focus or Protege5
or something. You'll be much better off with more cargo space and
all round practicality for your daily activities. :smile:

 

I'm not disappointed with the MCS per se. Apart from a few minor quibbles, I think it is brilliantly engineered and executed.

I do have a problem, though, with the arrogant and cavalier take-it-or-leave-it attitude BMW and its dealers routinely display toward their customers. On top of that, the dealers seem to be ill equipped and poorly trained. Maybe it's time for a management shakeup...

 

>>What kind of cars have you owned in the past? What cars are you comparing the Cooper to? What did you like about those certain cars that you don't like about the Cooper?

Boge,
First, most of us are not disappointed with our MINIs. A few with chronic problems are and part of the problem may be from service depts that are not able to fix a problem on the first try or refuse to deal with a problem due to the MINI being modified.

Am I disappointed with anything to do with my MINI?

Sure. I'd say that I think the paint finish is less durable than my 1982 Honda Civic sedan or my 1995 Nissan Maxima SE. The MINI paint tends to scratch easily and shows watermarks and dirt. But when it is clean it is really nice and looks great.

I'm also disappointed with not getting better gas mileage with my Cooper S but those with regular coopers do get decent mpg numbers. Part of the reason is the MINI is too fun to drive at a leisure pace so even with spirited driving I'd say I still get 27 mpg. It's not a big disappointment but my Maxima with V6 can get 27 and my old Honda got more like 45 but neither was a fun to drive.

I'm disappointed that the cost of upgrade parts aren't cheaper like those found for a Toyota or Honda. The upgrade parts are more inline with other lesser BMWs or Audis or VWs. Not the most expensive but not cheap. This has to do with the small number of MINIs sold and less profit for the upgrade market.

Despite these shortcomings I'd have to say that the MINI is by far the best car I have ever had and any negatives are outweighed by the sheer delight of driving the car. The handling is excellent even in stock form for the MC and MCS alike.
It is far better than any other brand of small car for about $20,000. It has character and spunk and it is definitely different and uncommon.

Finally I am disappointed that people don't leave me alone and keep asking about my car when I take it out for a drive. I'm getting far too much attention.
It's "horrible", I just want to drive and be left alone. People are just too darn friendly when I am in my MINI. :???: