I'm looking at buying the Cooper and can't decide if the sports package is worth it. The two main upgrades are the sport seats and the 16" sport tires.
Are the sports seats worth the extra cost?

And are the performance tires a good idea as I understand that they are not all season like the 15".

Any comments are welcome.

 

I had the same questions you pose two months ago when I ordered my yellow/black cooper (page 6/7 in gallery). I've had it nearly two weeks now. Definitely go for the seats - you'll appreciate them big time on those fast corners - extra thigh support too. I wasn't sure about the 16" perf. tires in the beginning, but I'm glad I have them. The ride is nice - great for the driver, and my passengers haven't complained at all. I'm going to put snow tires on the front this winter - you may not need to - So yes! go for the Sports package and make it leather while you're at it

 

As far as the wheels and high performance tires, they don't matter to me because I wanted to get aftermarket wheels and tires so that I would have something that looks a little different. So, I got to pick exactly what I wanted there (a picture of it is in the Member MINI's gallery). The seats are another story. I have the regular seats - cordoba beige and black leather. They look very nice, but I really wish I had the extra support offered by the sport seats when whipping around the corners. Right now, I have to rely on the seat belt to help hold me in the seat.