I'm thinking about getting a MINI. It will be used mainly by my wife, so i am limited to the automatic Cooper. She likes the car and it seems to have enough zip for her so that's all that matters. I'm wondering what you would consider the necessary and nice to have options to have on the car. Traction control, leather, heated seats, tires etc. I'm new to the MINI world so any input would be appreciated. Also, how are the cars holding up, and do you still think they are alot of fun. The only things that concern me are the fact that you have to use premium fuel, and the ride is a little rough. It sure seems like a fun car though!
Thanks

 

Welcome cobra03! Have you and your wife driven
a MINI yet?

I've an '02 with 38k and it's holdin' up just fine,
still lots o' fun!

Godspeed.

 

cobra,
Try out the search function (upper right section) for more details than you can imagine, but folks here love their options and there have been lots of discussions about pros and cons of just about anything. I'd recommend seriously considering sport seats and the multi-function steering wheel. Would your wife enjoy a sun roof? I'm a world-famous minimalist so I don't go in for too many gadgets personally. The important thing is to really do the research and figure out what YOU or SHE wants. MINIs can be configued in almost endless ways, so its important to create a MINI that is YOURS!!!

As for premium fuel....I think I've just gotten used to that. IMO, its not really a big deal and worth it to keep my MINI happy. Your Cooper CVT does get pretty good gas mileage.....except your wife will probably want to drive it A LOT!!!!

As for ride, I have a standard suspension and 15" wheels and non-run flats. Early on it was tagged as the "best" for ride comfort and I wanted that because I do frequently carry passengers. Even so, I've been thrilled with the ride which is still very, very stiff. MINIs are just that way. Sure, you can get stiffer, but all MINIs essentially ride like go-carts. Insane fun!!!!!!


_________________
'03 IB/W Cooper

 

We drove the S and the regular MINI. Lot's of fun, and it gets alot of attention. We like gadgets, so I think sunroof, multifunction wheel, heated seats, and maybe 16" wheels. Do any of you know anything about the BMW smart finance program?

 

Two options I couldn't live without:

Multifunction steering wheel, which I didn't think I would like as much as I do
Sunroof, you find me a bigger, nicer sunroof even on a high-end BMW/Mercedes and I'll be impressed

One option I wish I had:

Sport seats, the standard seats are very "bench" like and not to comfy on the twisties

 

Welcome!
I have a 2003 Cooper with 27,000+ miles. Many autocrosses, and many highway miles, with many, many trips over 300 miles. My car has been as reliable as the Accord I traded for it. I have had two issues resolved on the first visit to the dealer. One was V3.6 upgrade and the other was a shock bolt replacement. The one gripe I have is the floor mats, I had carpet and they wore way too quickly, so my dealer replaced them with the rubber mats, which have turned a light grey. Take the fact that I am complaining about floor mats as there is nothing else worth mentioning.
As for options, I have the Sport and Premium packages, and upgraded to SS+ on my own. If I had to order one, I would trade the sunroof for Xenon headlights. The sport seats and MFSW are MUST haves.
Welcome, and tell us when you get your MCS, because after driving your wife's you'll want one as well.

_________________
Moderator: SOLO 2 DISCUSSION and H STOCK
cboling@northamericanmotoring.com||PM me

 

Welcome,

I have and 03 MCS and I LOVE IT. I have all three packages and I really love the mulit function steering wheel. My wife just bought a Lexus ES330 and I miss the controls being right at hand.

I would get the car and look around at the wheels for a while. I got my MCS last April, found some wheels I liked, got them, found some I liked better, sold them and got the new ones on now.

I have other mods but you can do things later as you decide what you want and what's available.

Have fun - or should I say to your wife - HAVE FUN and tell him to keep his hands off YOUR MC.

YOU WILL LOVE IT.

earl

 

>>We drove the S and the regular MINI. Lot's of fun, and it gets alot of attention. We like gadgets, so I think sunroof, multifunction wheel, heated seats, and maybe 16" wheels. Do any of you know anything about the BMW smart finance program?

cobra03,

Aloha and welcome to NAM.
There are many threads on what options to order but it might be a little different for the MC than MCS and a little different for performance vs comfort.

Sounds like for your wife who drives an automatic that a MC with CVT will be the starting point.
The premium package is good because it includes the spacious sunroof, auto AC, trip computer (a gadget), and the good multifunction steering wheel.

Heated seats are good if it gets cold where you live.
Leather seats are good if you like leather but do try them out first- Cordoba brown leather is my favorite and I have the Lapis Blue which works for me but is pricey at $1300. Aftermarket leather is also an option. The cloth seats are also good and if you like really durable the leatherette is good for small kids, pets, and sports people because it is really easy to keep clean and resists everything. Plus if you get tired of it you can always cover it with leather or a seat cover that doesn't interfere with the seat airbag like wet okole covers.

For that smoother ride-
Test drive an MC with the stock wheels and non runflats. I like the smoothness of the stock MC with CVT and stock wheels, but it may not be the best set up for cornering fast. Under normal use it works fine and the light wheels really help make the MC feel nimble. Normal suspension is OK for daily driving while the sports suspension plus is better for autocross or spirited driving- the ride quality is a bit harsher though but not too bad. Again- test drive these options and see what you think.

Sport seats come with the Sport package but so do xenon and fog lights, and larger 16" 5 spoke rims with hard runflat tires. Personally I think the sport package is OK (a good value) if you don't mind the ride of the 16" wheels.

NAV system is fun (gadget wise) and useful if you do long trips but is costly at $1600.

Stock audio is good. If you don't like music and listen only to public radio then stick with the stock system. If you really like music then bring your favorite CD with you on a test drive and play it while driving and see if it is OK. For about $550 more you can get the better bassy Harmon Kardon upgrade. It's not perfect but it is pretty good for the price. If you are into audiophile music then stick to the stock system and upgrade later.

Premium gas is not a problem for the MC because you get great gas mileage like 30-35 mpg with mixed driving.
The better performance using premium is worth it. The MINI will run fine on regular gas as well if needed but I'd use the better fuel.

The CVT is actually very good. Some CVT units have stalling problems, stumble and bad gas mileage but they are in the minority. The newer ones seem better for 2004. There is a bit of lag but that can be minimized by shifting manually.
You can use the full automatic or manual settings very easily. If they offer paddle shifters on the steering wheel that would be great.

Modifying the MC is possible but the gains are limited even with intake, exhaust, ECU, and most people really don't need to do anything like ignition system upgrades, headers, re-bored throttle body, polished cylinder heads, shrick cam and the like. A turbo kit for the MC is about $3000 in case you get bored- see Peter at M7.

Have I missed anything? Send me a personal mail or PM and Have fun.