Hello all: I have been reading the reviews and comments on the MINIs for a while and am just about to order my own little baby. But I would like to know your opinions in terms of whether my choices are good decisions:

Indy Blue or Silver MC
Premium package with 3 spoke steering wheel
Sport package with white 5 spokes
Leathette (yup, I'm cheap!)
CVT (I know, I know...but I have my reasons...)

Specifically I would like opinions on the run flats and the DSC. I hear that the tires aren't worth the money and I also hear that people have major problems with the DSC. True?

Thanks.

 

Multifunction steering wheel is great

I really have heard of no major problems with DSC other than the fact that most experienced drivers turn it off for performance driving situations.

Leatherette looks like leather and does not wrinkle and sag like the cheap leather MINI uses (I wish I had saved the money there)

White wheels are going to be a brake dust cleaning nightmare, but they will look fantastic on an Indy Blue MINI. If you get the silver MINI, go with the silver wheels

You will likely end up replacing your runflats with regular performance tires in the future and there are a lot of good choices for regular tires. The runflats are so expensive that few people buy them as replacements.

 

Well, I'm not sure about CVT - in fact I'm not sure what it means! haha

I would go with Indi blue, but I'm bias. I just don't like the light silver that ocmes on the MC - doesn't seem very "MINI"

I loved the Leatherette. Once I took the $$$ into account, I loved the leatherette in fact! I do not like cloth seats. Interior is all about what you like.

Not sure about the run flats. I got them. But just because they came with the sport pkg.

I got the premium as well.

If you could swing the extra bucks, I would certainly upgrade to the MCS, but if you want the MC, I can understand!

Happy ordering!!

 

Thanks for the swift responses. Do you know: Is the build quality of the newer cars as 'unfortunate' as the build of the earlier cars?

 

just had to replace a 17 inch run flat. it was 205 bucks!
your car is yours alone. i would never get a cooper cvt though.
just my opinion. good luck and congrats

 

just like any new car, the first year or two their are more problems. if you live pretty close to a dealership don't sweat it. i have had a few problems with my 03' MCS. just minor things like vibrations and broken door panel parts.

 

>>Thanks for the swift responses. Do you know: Is the build quality of the newer cars as 'unfortunate' as the build of the earlier cars?

Build quality of newer cars is much better than of those first released 2 years ago. I have a '02 Cooper CVT (17 months old with 22K miles) and a '04 MCS (6 months old with 6,500 miles) and I can tell you right off the bat that the 2004's feel very solid and tight in a different way than the 2002's. Still, our '02 Cooper CVT has been fairly troublefree and my '04 MCS has not gone back to the dealer for anything, with the exception to install the Union Jack roof flag decal and the Aux stereo input jack, that's it. No other issues, nothing, nada.


As for your order, I would get Indy Blue because it is a beautiful color, adds depth and a very rich look to the car (Silver tones it down too much, IMO) and also you will have a "collector's" color because Indy Blue will be discontinued for the 2005 model year and replaced with a different tone of blue.

You don't have to order packages. Most options on these cars are order "a l acarte". The Cooper does not have ASC (Traction control) or DSC standard. The Cooper's engine does not have much low end torque, hence traction control is not really needed (Where as you have much more low end torque in the S, which has ASC+T standard). If you live in a "snowbelt" state or if you daily drive involves mountain passes, hilly terrain, rain and ice, yes the DSC is highly recommended. Otherwise if you live in a fairly dry and hot climate, there is not much benefit to it...save the $500.

The CVT is a terrific transmission, you'll love it. No need to make public apologies for your choice of transmission.:smile:

_________________
'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.

 

SgianDhu -- Congrats on moving toward MINI ownership! :smile:

See my comments below (although I am not an owner, I'll hand over my $.02 anyway)!

>>Indy Blue or Silver MC
I would go with IB -- I was leaning towards Silver for a long time...in the end, it came down to the fact that silver is very common among MINIs...and I just wanted a little bit more individuality in mine. Plus, I love the MINI blues...they are awesome!

>>Premium package with 3 spoke steering wheel
Good move -- the premium includes a lot of cool stuff, and while I prefer the 2-spoke to the 3-spoke (less cluttered, IMO), the premium is a good package!

>>Sport package with white 5 spokes
I'd caution you on the whites -- with either IB or silver, the other wheels will look just fine and the whites will constantly have to be cleaned. However, if you really want the white look, go for it! Just be mindful of how often you'll have to pay attention to those wheels! Are you getting the bonnet stripes that are included in the sport package???

>>Leathette (yup, I'm cheap!)
No -- leatherette is a good choice! I could afford to add the leather into my MCS (on order) but I didn't want to -- after examining it in person and reading the reviews on NAM and other boards it was just not a good choice for me.

>>CVT (I know, I know...but I have my reasons...)
I know it's a long-winded response....but hope I helped you a bit!

 

Leatherette is also another terrific choice (It still looks new in our 17 month old CVT). Don't forget to add the more comfy sport seats to your order. Coopers look very nice with the $100 rear spoiler accent, which I believe is part of the Cooper Sport package.

 

****Note*****

The Cooper's sport package includes an upgrade to 16" runflats with R83 5 star wheels. Coopers are not available with 17" tires and rims from the factory.


The MCS's sport package includes either all season or performance 17" runflats and S-Lite rims. It also includes DSC, Xenon lights and bonnet stripes.


The Sport packages for the Cooper and Cooper S are different.


Hope this helps.

 

I don't have DSC and don't miss it, but (if I had it to do over) I'd get it and rear fogs just for a full set of toggles! :smile: As for the rest...there's so many good ways to spec out a MINI...your list looks good to me! I chose to get sport seats which IMO was a very good choice.

 

On the run flats........the nutters (no disrespect intended, I consider myself a nutter) don't like the way they handle for autocross AND consider them too heavy... (how you can tell a 50 # difference on 2800 # is beyond me but there you go)...these tires are state of the art and more than perfectly well suited for every day driving....PLUS they are safer to boot. Nutter that I am, I have three sets of wheels/tires and I mostly use the run flats and will continue to use them for every day driving.......I'd get them and use them..... :smile:

 

>>Hello all: I have been reading the reviews and comments on the MINIs for a while and am just about to order my own little baby. But I would like to know your opinions in terms of whether my choices are good decisions:
>>
>>Indy Blue or Silver MC

I'd go with the Indy Blue (or, even better, a non-metallic in case you ever need to touch up the paint). My MC is CR/W

>>Premium package with 3 spoke steering wheel

Only if you want the sunroof. Otherwise, get the 3 spoke MFSW by itself

>>Sport package with white 5 spokes

Go with silver rims so you don't have to clean them as much. If you don't want the runflats (I didn't), order the other options ala carte (I also passed on the rear spoiler)

>>Leathette (yup, I'm cheap!)

Leather not worth the money IMHO, so this or cloth sounds good

>>CVT (I know, I know...but I have my reasons...)

Only if one of the regular drivers can't drive a stick

>>
>>Specifically I would like opinions on the run flats and the DSC. I hear that the tires aren't worth the money and I also hear that people have major problems with the DSC. True?

I got the DSC ala carte and don't regret it. My MC is almost brand new (one week old), so I don't think it's come on yet. The runflats and bigger rims are expensive and make the ride worse; save your money

 

>>Specifically I would like opinions on the run flats and the DSC. I hear that the tires aren't worth the money and I also hear that people have major problems with the DSC. True?

I put nearly 30k miles on an MC with the Sport package (bought it used.) Can't give you a driving comparison on run flat versus conventional tires, but can tell you that the run flats are heavy - I hefted some at a tire shop. With the spare included on the MC, I'd say you should go with conventional tires. That seems to be the consensus.

In those 30k miles, I never had a good "DSC moment" and had a few annoying ones when pushing the car hard on loose or wet surfaces. Kind of a buzz kill, really. That being said, I haven't used my air bags yet, but I'm glad they're there. One thing to note (if it hasn't been poiinted out already) is that DSC is the only way to get traction control on the MC. Traction control is standard on the S. I have found this pretty useful in the few times I've been in the snow.

FWIW, on my new S, I did not opt for DSC and will likely switch out the run flats pretty quickly.

 

Definitely, definitely order the sport seats rather than the ones that come standard on the Cooper! Make sure you sit in both before you decide; the difference is really huge. They are worth every penny of the $275 or whatever they cost.

And I'll echo everyone else on the leatherette - I couldn't possibly be happier with it. It looks brand new after a year and a half, and I expect it to remain that way. Very, very high quality stuff. Now, if MINI just put half as much effort into the windshield...

I also agree with the people voting for indi blue as well. Silver is just sooo common, not just with MINIs, but with all cars! The indi blue stands out beautifully, and will soon be discontinued.

And think long and hard about those white wheels... Happy ordering, and good luck with the wait!

Chris

 

>>Definitely, definitely order the sport seats rather than the ones that come standard on the Cooper! Make sure you sit in both before you decide; the difference is really huge. They are worth every penny of the $275 or whatever they cost.

Agreed.

 

>>>>CVT (I know, I know...but I have my reasons...)
>>
>>Only if one of the regular drivers can't drive a stick

Hate to disagree here....

I have driven nothing but a stick since I was 16; When it came time to get my MC, the ONLY reason I picked a MC over a MCS was the CVT. People (on here especially) make the (very incorrect) assumption that the CVT is just another automatic and should not be considered by "real" drivers.

The CVT is a wonderful piece of technology that (when driven properly) can produce some surprising results. People who chant "get a stick" to have a "real" driving experience have obviously never driven in HEAVY urban traffic. When your daily commute of 4-ish miles takes between 30 minutes and AN HOUR I can tell you.... nothing sucks worse than having a stick shift. Aside from the obvious leg cramping and foot-falling-asleep syndrome, you also have to consider the added wear that such a daily drive places on a clutch (I replaced the master cylinder twice and the clutch plate once in my 5-speed Civic in the last 3 years as a result).

The CVT is PERFECT for such conditions. I can zip in and out of traffic as fast if not faster than any 5-speed MC out there (thanks to always being in the peak of the torque curve for the most part), AND have the comfort I desire when stuck in the daily jam.

If they release a CVT MCS you can bet I'll be trading my baby in THAT DAY and placing a new order :smile:

 

The only thing no one has mentioned is the zenon lights.
I can't remember if they are included in the packages you are looking for with the MC.
I also agree with the a la cart approach. If you don't need every option or feature in the package, get just the ones you want. I have spent WAY TOO much time configuring cars at MINIUSA.com and even with the package discounts, I've always found it less expensive to just get the items I truly want.
It's yet again another way to make your MINI uniquely yours.

 

Thanks for all the great advice. I'll contemplate this over the weekend and let you know what the end result is.

 

I had a Pure Silver Cooper, and she was gorgeous! Won't show the dirt and dust like the Indi Blue, either. I vote for the silver! If you get the silver, go with the silver wheels.

 

A thought on white wheels...controversial, I know, but this is how I personally approached that decision for all that's worth :smile: . My Cooper is an IB/W and when I was looking at wheel color options, I just thought that the white wheels added too much WHITE! See, from ground level, the roof color isn't all that visible or dominant...and the mirror caps aren't that huge either. In my opinion, having that white trim color standing out higher in the car is nice. But add white wheels and your eye goes straight down to them....they're HUGE by comparison. IMO, silver wheels tie in more to the chrome accents on the car. On a IB (with all that contrast) the roof and the mirror caps steal the show visually followed by the chrome trim. So silver works better, IMO...and it is true brake dust does not show up as drastically.

Okay having said that I would never, never dis white wheel owners for their choice because they love 'em as much as I love my silver wheels. There are, however, reasons we go with certain trim options and I thought I'd lay down my own thought process on this just because you asked for opinions.

 

I have the blue with white wheels, mirrors and roof. I love it but to each his/her own! White wheels do show lots of dust. Quite a pain. I'm going to be changing brake pads soon to help I hope.

I also have the leatherette. Wears great and still looks new after 16K plus miles.

Good luck and happy motoring!!

 

>>People who chant "get a stick" to have a "real" driving experience have obviously never driven in HEAVY urban traffic. When your daily commute of 4-ish miles takes between 30 minutes and AN HOUR I can tell you.... nothing sucks worse than having a stick shift. Aside from the obvious leg cramping and foot-falling-asleep syndrome, you also have to consider the added wear that such a daily drive places on a clutch (I replaced the master cylinder twice and the clutch plate once in my 5-speed Civic in the last 3 years as a result).

I used to commute over 100 miles per day with a stick-shift Rabbit. This was in southwestern Connecticut (i.e. suburban New York City) in heavy traffic. Sticks can be a bit more tiring than an automatic, true, but are more fun to drive. As far as automatics go, however, the MC CVT (which I tried on several occasions) was far more fun to use than the auto on my Honda Civic, especially if you used the sport drive mode.