Hi all. On Saturday (two days from now) I am going back to my local Mini dealership and will hopefully be ordering a new car!

But I have still not decided which car to buy and what options I want! Maybe you guys can offer some help.

Of course I would love to buy the S to get the extra power. However, with my current budget, if I get the S, I will probably have to skip some options. On the other hand, I can get the regular Cooper, which looks a little nicer to me (hood), gets better gas milage, and would allow me to afford more options. But then of course I would not have the extra power of the S, and I might regret that later (this seem to be the biggest discussion on this forum!)

So any advice on the two would be great (I have read many of the threads on this subject... but feel free to add).

Now.. if I go with the S, I will probably have to cut out some options. I know I want the Premium package, because I want the sunroof and MFSW (by the way, the Mini dealership told me they have a new cable they can install that will hook up to an iPod and allow you to control it with the MFSW!!!!).

The sport package is where I might be able to make some cuts. I want the wheels that come with it because I don't like the stock S wheels, but I am unsure about other things in the Sport package:

Dynamic Stability Control. Is this necessary?
Xenon Headlights. Do I really need them? They are just brighter... right?

If I cut out the DSC and Xenons, I can just get the 17 S-Lite wheels and fog lights for $740 vs. $1,300 for the Sport package. What do you guys think?

As for the interior.. I would like to get the Cordoba Leather (would look great with the British Racing green that I am getting).. but that is another $1,300. Should I just go with the standard Leatherette and save myself the $$$? I am really trying to keep my monthly payments down and much as I can.. so I need to cut some corners here and there.

Of course I could just get the regular Cooper and get all these options and be just fine.. but then I am back to the original question..... HELP!!!!


Thanks!
Bill

 

That's a lot of questions.
First off, I would get the Cooper S. I have a MCS and I test drove a MC which to me was not enough power. The gas mileage is very comparable between the two. About the sport package, I myself have it and I never use DSC. I would not get it if you don't care to have the xenons. I like them because they make your car look good even in the dark. I would skip out on the stock 17" wheels. Just go aftermarket because you will want them sooner or later anyway.
About the leather. I would skip it just cause it is a pain to take care of, it cracks. The leatherette looks nice and is easier to maintain.

Hope that is a good start.

B

 

Bill:
Welcome to NAM! Get manual A/C controls, work great, look great, get the job done and you save $300 over the tricky automatic climate control (Not needed on a car the size of the MINI).

9) Depending on your location, the Cold weather package may make sense or not. if you live in a sunbelt state, skip the DSC and save $500 (Go with the standard ASC+T all season traction control).

10) Front fog lights are effective, inexpensive and recommended not only for safety but for looks.

11) if you drive in really dark areas frequently or do a lot of rural driving, get the Xenons. Otherwise save the $500 and go with the excellent halogen headlights.


12) Not matter what interior trim you choose make sure to get Anthracite for much better quality and durability. Avoid Silver and Alloy Patina trim like the plague (Peels/scratches easily).

If you have any questions, feel free to send me a Private Message. I own 2 MINIs (Cooper CVT and MCS) so have quite a lot of experience with these cars. Will be glad to help you decide.

_________________
'02 Cooper CVT PW/B, MFSW, CD Boost, 15" 8-Spoke silver wheels.
'04 MCS CR/W, UJ Roof Flag, Aux Input, HK, Sport MFSW, Rain sensing, Auto dim mirror, 16" silver V-spoke wheels, Chrome grille, Chrome mirrors, OBC, front fogs.

 

I don't have the Xenon headlights but it's hard to believe you will ever miss not having them, same goes for DSC, it'll never be missed. I too like the looks of the Cooper better but if your decision between it and an S lies in options, I'd say get the S with only what you consider the necessities. I would think the S-Lite wheels and fogs for $740 would be a better deal for you than the Sport package. In spite of the name, the S-Lite wheels are very heavy and for this reason a lot of people prefer to skip them and buy aftermarket wheels. Aftermarket wheels also help individualize your MINI. Also, make sure you order the rear fogs.


Forget the leather, way overpriced at $1300 and poor quality.

I love the looks of the auto air condioning and mine works perfectly. I set it at 68 degrees six months ago and I never need to mess with it.

R.E.

 

Last month I had an opportunity to spend a few days with a new '04 Cooper CVTequipped with Xenon lights. These lights are great when you have to drive in pitch dark roads, but under city lights I didn't really see their advantage over the halogens. they wash out almost completely. But in really dark places, the Xenons are really an advantage.


Xenons have 3 or 4 times the lighting power of regular halogens and if you drive way too often in dark or poorly lit roads, then they make sense, otherwise save the money, weight and complexity and go with the halogens.

 

Unless you have a specific requirement to have an automatic car (Cooper CVT, another excellent choice) skip the 5-speed Cooper and go straight to the MCS. For $3K more you get many enhancements and mods over the Cooper that make the S a true bargain.

 

I am telling everyone I can that the BRG MINI's are just awful. You should not order one. They are all made on Mondays (apparently the green paint is delivered on Sunday afternoon and it comes from ireand on the ferry). So first of all, no BRG, then, let your pocket be your guide......I like the S, then again I believe the Cooper is a 'saner' car.......

 

>>I am telling everyone I can that the BRG MINI's are just awful. You should not order one. They are all made on Mondays (apparently the green paint is delivered on Sunday afternoon and it comes from ireand on the ferry). So first of all, no BRG, then, let your pocket be your guide......I like the S, then again I believe the Cooper is a 'saner' car.......

Why are they awful and why does it matter that they are made on Mondays??

 

>>>>I am telling everyone I can that the BRG MINI's are just awful. You should not order one. They are all made on Mondays (apparently the green paint is delivered on Sunday afternoon and it comes from ireand on the ferry). So first of all, no BRG, then, let your pocket be your guide......I like the S, then again I believe the Cooper is a 'saner' car.......
>>
>>Why are they awful and why does it matter that they are made on Mondays??


Bill:

Quick hint:

"April Fools"

 

Get the S by all means! If you don't care about performance get a Cavalier! Seriously though, one of the cool things about the Mini is that you can get into one for pretty cheap that is very basic. The average person looking at it just sees a Mini, it's the Mini owners who are going to evaluate what you did or did not put on it. Get the cheapest one you can find in the best color to please you and you're going to feel cool driving it. The other cool thing about the Mini is that you can load it up with all the toys including GPS and get into it for half of what most cars with options like GPS and Xenon would cost you. That's the route I went, got just about everything and it's a blast!

 

I was also debating on the MC and MCS. I ended up ordering the MC. Then my dealer made a mistake, I found NAM, and realized I didn't have to pay a mark up (didn't do enough research the first time). So I dropped my order and ordered an S from out of state. Now I amd so happy that the dealership messed up my order because I am very happy with my S and I think the I would have liked the MC but its just not the MCS :smile: And I didn't get many option (msw and onboard computer) but I haven't missed anything the car is pretty nice with just the basics.

Colleen

 

get fogs ($140), premium pkg ($1300), H/K ($550), stick with the 16's ($0), leatherette ($0) no DSC ($0)

I have CB leather and like it but it's not gonna hide alot of dirt or scuff marks and you will need to be carefull.

I like the xenon's but whatever...

I am very happy I got the sunroof after I considered skipping it due to the lack of a solid sun shade but it's not a problem at all and I really like the view, extra light and airy feel.

I have the S because I hate underpowered vehicles, however I never tested the MC so maybe I'm wrong about the power.

Good luck trying to keep the cost down, didn't work for me my 04 mcs was $24600 before taxes etc...

 

How long are you going to keep the car? If you are planning on keeping it for 5 or 10 years you might regret not getting all the goodies. What's another 3 or 4 thousand when you are already spending 20? It works out to be another $60-$80 on your payment.

I got pretty much everything except the navigation unit. I ordered the sports package items separately so I could stay away from the 17" S-Heavies wheels. Personally I like the leather. It smells great. Just take care of it.

 

I just knew I wanted that nav system for some reason. It's a heck of a toy, and when I open the door and the screen lights up with the mini logo I say "I love that thing!"

I also knew I needed leather, but just try to find a mini with a Nav in St. Louis where the Mini dealer stocks up on base minis and rarely even brings in an S! I had to install aftermarket leather, but it is nicer (with perfed red leather middle and black sides) and was $1000 instead of $1300!

Get your goods and smile on the drive home! :smile:

 

>>Why are they awful and why does it matter that they are made on Mondays??

a) don't believe what cooper4us says....he's a little weird in the head, I've heard.

b)The ugly truth is that BRG MINI's are apparently all manufactured on Mondays because of the green paint coming from Ireland on the weekly Ferry from Armagh to Holly Head and on to the Oxford Plant. All the other paints come from Germany. the Ferries from Calais to Dover and then on to Oxford are a lot more frequent and thus afford a vastly larger flexibility of production at the paint booth.
Now, the reason ALL (not some, but ALL) BRG MINI's are dogs is because they are made on Mondays by a bunch of half drunk, half hung over brits who call in sick half the time and rookies have to take their place in the assembly line. It is an unbelievable story. Word is the BRG's are gonna get discontinued soon because of this...... :smile:

 

the high end head lamps are a must :smile:

 

I love my rain sensing windshield wipers! Xenon headlights are nice, they are self leveling.

On a budget I would ditch the sport package and pick your own wheels/tires. The DSC is annoying for me, but it is probably great for people without extensive driving skills in adverse conditions. I am unimpressed by the HK stereo upgrade for the money.

I would not order the leather seats, they are nice, but it just seems to be over-kill for the price of the car. I just happened to find this MCS loaded (minus nav), with my favorite color and it was alread on it's way to the dealer via boat.

Randy says the BRG's always have the most power on baseline dyno runs....

 

>>Hi all. On Saturday (two days from now) I am going back to my local Mini dealership and will hopefully be ordering a new car!
>>
>>But I have still not decided which car to buy and what options I want! Maybe you guys can offer some help.
>>
>>Of course I would love to buy the S to get the extra power. However, with my current budget, if I get the S, I will probably have to skip some options. On the other hand, I can get the regular Cooper, which looks a little nicer to me (hood), gets better gas milage, and would allow me to afford more options. But then of course I would not have the extra power of the S, and I might regret that later (this seem to be the biggest discussion on this forum!)
>>
>>So any advice on the two would be great (I have read many of the threads on this subject... but feel free to add).
>>
>>Now.. if I go with the S, I will probably have to cut out some options. I know I want the Premium package, because I want the sunroof and MFSW (by the way, the Mini dealership told me they have a new cable they can install that will hook up to an iPod and allow you to control it with the MFSW!!!!).
>>
>>The sport package is where I might be able to make some cuts. I want the wheels that come with it because I don't like the stock S wheels, but I am unsure about other things in the Sport package:
>>
>>Dynamic Stability Control. Is this necessary?
>>Xenon Headlights. Do I really need them? They are just brighter... right?
>>
>>If I cut out the DSC and Xenons, I can just get the 17 S-Lite wheels and fog lights for $740 vs. $1,300 for the Sport package. What do you guys think?
>>
>>As for the interior.. I would like to get the Cordoba Leather (would look great with the British Racing green that I am getting).. but that is another $1,300. Should I just go with the standard Leatherette and save myself the $$$? I am really trying to keep my monthly payments down and much as I can.. so I need to cut some corners here and there.
>>
>>Of course I could just get the regular Cooper and get all these options and be just fine.. but then I am back to the original question..... HELP!!!!
>>
>>
>>Thanks!
>>Bill
>>
>>
iBRG is the color,after that you do what you want
tthe stock MC is working up in the great white north
-47 and the car started!

 

Hey there,

I'm ordering Saturday, too. That's cool. I've been over this thing twenty thousand times since I test drove two weeks ago. I drive a VW Jetta right now, so I was looking for something more fun. I went in, drove the S, loved it to death. My MA encouraged me to give it a go and I was pleasantly happy with the performance, compared to my Jetta. We went and worked out the payments and it just didn't work configured the way I wanted it. Certain things were just not options to remove. So I drove the MC...I was still pleasantly surprised. Now mind you that I'm coming from a 2.0 Jetta, while a nice first car for me, was not super speedy (not the 6 cylinder if you get my drift). I drove the S then the MC so the drop in power was more apparent for me.

But I'll tell you what. I still loved it. I get to keep my options and not break the bank at the same time. Even dropping options doesn't bring the S into my price range, which I also tried to do. Yet I still go and order Saturday. I have to say that there are things about the MC that I like more than the MCS. I like the bonnet, like you said, the bumper with the chrome accents installed also looks really sharp.

I know it's underpowered to most of the users here, I'm aware of that, but I'm still joining the club soon. For being a daily driver that will occasionally be thrown through some country twistys, I think it will be a good addition to my family.

If I had the cash, and could keep the car the way I wanted it, yeah I'd get the S. Good luck Saturday, wherever you are.

 

Since you have the CVT, can you tell me about the reliability or troubles you may have encountered? I'm ready to buy the next 2004 CVT at the dealer. I have to buy a CVT because it's for the wifey. Any info is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Be forewarned that the CVT is a very different transmission than a standard automatic. The best thing to do is to have your wife test drive a CVT MINI. The problem areas to look out for is the yo-yo at 10 mph and a slight push at 9 mph when braking. MINI USA will explain these as quirks of the CVT since it does not have a torque converter.

If she drives in stop and go traffic, the CVT will have an irritating jerking motion at 10 mph. This condition will be exacerbated if she gets on and off the gas frequently.

The push at 9 mph is explained as coming from the transmission when it is shifting to the next lower gear when coming to a stop.

Like I said before, have your wife test drive the car first.

 

If you are interested in a MCS then:
Keep the premium package for the sunroof, MFSW, cruise control, auto AC, trip computer. (if you really like these)
Save money and pick leatherette or space cloth
If you are not into audio then keep the stock sound system, if you like more bass and loudness then test drive with the Harmon Kardon stereo- it's good for $550 more but not audiophile nice-it has it's limits.
Don't get the sport package- the 16" X-lytes with runflats are good enough.
Nevermind the Xenons and fog lights.
If it gets cold where you are then the cold weather package would be useful otherwise forget it.

If you are not into driving too fast then I'd recommend the MC with 5 speed which tends to be more reliable and trouble free. Add whatever you want and have fun.
Sport seats have a bit more lateral support.

 

I'm awaiting a BRC MC/W with the Cordoba leather. Cost was not an issue for me and I still bought the MC. I liked the looks better and I drove both and still contend the MC feels quicker in the lower end gears. As for the leather...I got it because the beige interior was a must for me...if they had cordoba in leatherette- I would have gotten that in a heartbeat and saved the $1,300. The biggest regret that I've had since I ordered the car is paying an extra $600 for the 16" run flats on the 5-spoke R83 wheels. I prefer those wheels to the base wheels, but if I had to do it all over again I would have stuck with the 8-spoke standard 15"s and bought someone elses used 16's. Then, for the same cash out of pocket, I would have had the wheels I wanted plus a back up set. Why I didn't think that through earlier I am still kicking myself over.

 

>>I'm awaiting a BRC MC/W with the Cordoba leather.

You still have time to repent.....cancel that BRG....let them sell it to some German instead......I tell you, they are dogs....don't listen to fishey 72 either (consider the name to begin with)...... :smile: :smile:

 

Bill- I am in the same boat. so many decisions so little time.

I think if you have driven both and nothing about the MCS has struck you to the point of completely forgetting about options then go with the MC.

For me it was the sound of the supercharge, ahh. No going back. I know it sounds dumb but it just does something to me.

So go MC option the crap out of it and have some fun. Most people don't need the power anyhow.