Our IB/W MCS arrives May 8, part of a group purchase via Classic in Ohio. I want to take it on our August road trip [Northern California - Idaho - Montana - Colorado - Utah], but my spouse thinks the '99 CRV would be more comfortable and prudent. We will be taking minimal gear. We will do a test trip with the MCS over a long weekend with our camping stuff before making the final decision.

For long trips will the MCS be as comfortable as the CRV?
The only advantage the CRV has IMO is the clearance - if we want to access a trailhead on a back road.

What do you all think? :smile:

 

my MINI is pretty comfy,and with the back seats down you can stuff it pretty good

 

There is no way I would ever choose a CRV over a MINI. Let's face the fact that you are not going to be able to go a heck of a lot more places in a CRV than in a MINI anyways.

 

If its comfort you're after, rent a Buick and enjoy the scenery. Neither a MINI nor Honda are the most comfortable vehicles for a leisurely vacation trip. Better to have a complacent spouse than a nag for five states.

Just my .02

 

The three part series on my road trip / camping trip in the Canadian Rockies. :smile:
C A N A D A - Part I: Denver to Jasper (many pics)
C A N A D A - Part II: Jasper (many pics)
C A N A D A - Part III: Jasper to Denver (many pics)



We're planning to go camping this weekend and will be taking the MINI if that happens.

 

Those were such wonderful pics! Thanks for posting!

 

My wife and I took our MCS to Bryce Canyon Utah from SF not to long ago, room in the car definately not an issue, some of the roads you encounter might be.
Ours is a 7/02 build., I hear it has a stiffer susp. than the newer models, and some of the roads are a bit rough and noisy. But that aside no one we met in each of those towns could believe we drove so far and had only seen the mini in the Italian Job

 

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Two of my favorite pics from that trip





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My sis owns a new crv and my dad has an slightly older model it coudl be 99... so i know both cars very well now the crv is not a true offroad vehicle but I'd trust it on dirt roads, watery paths and feilds any day over a mini. i wouldn't mind beating up a crv. they are very comfortable and it is my prefered vehicle if I go skiing and camping usually.. that said however if you really want to enjoy the twisties in the moutains the mini has got to be it all the way, it is just so much fun to drive in the mountains, but I wouldn't want to take it down a gravel road ( at least not yet). there will be plenty of room for gear and i hav even camped in the mini once (it was really really cold & windy outside). The question you should ask is if you want to have fun in the mini out ona country drive or is the focus camping and offroading. If its the later go with the CRV, besides the floors are easier to celan dirt out of. good luck and have fun.

 

I've done nearly 1000 mile days in our MCS without a problem. I don't remember being the least bit sore. I think it is a great road trip car, and would defanitly take it over a CRV. I've spent some time in a friends, and they are way too noisy and boring for the kind of road trip I'd want to take.

 

We have put over 10K miles worth of roadtrips into our '02 Cooper CVT. We have been to Florida, Georgia, South carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennesee. We have also done several 5 to 7 hour trips within Florida. Extremely comfortable, feels on "rails" at high speeds and the air turbulence created by 18-wheeler trucks passing by the MINI, does not bother or upset the car at all. Since the MINI has such a tight steering, there is less fatigue. A car like the Honda CRV due to its higher center of gravity is more prone to side wind movements making it more tiring to keep straight down the highway. Also since you are getting a MCS, the sport seats are extremely comfy.


In the fall, we are planning to take my '04 MCS in its very first "maiden" roadtrip from Miami, FL to the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania.


Cargo space is a non-issue specially if there is going to be only the 2 of you riding in the car. You can put a medium sized suitcase in the back without having to lower the rear seatbacks. If you have a bunch of stuf with you, you can expand the cargo area by lowering the rear seatbacks.



Fuel mileage is absolutely incredible...these cars are extremely frugal at high speeds.



In conclusion, if you are given the opportunity to take a long road trip in a German breed car and a Japanese appliance, the German/British car (MINI) will always win hands down.


In this roadtrip you'll come to appreciate why people go so nuts over the MINI and European cars in general.



Leave the CR-V home, in fact you will be better off selling it, because after you get your MCS, that CR-V will remain standingstill in front of your house for a long time to come.

_________________
'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.

 

Also, consider purchasing and installing a clearbra or Vinyl bra for the front end of your new MCS. If you take the car naked to the roadtrip, your bonnet will be full of nasty stone chips in no time, so give high priority to purchase a bra before the car sees the highway.

 

I have a 04 MCS and my friend has a 03 CRV.
The MCS is much quieter on the highway at speed.
The MCS has a much better stereo system (I have HK).
The MCS has a smaller cross section, so is less affected by crosswind.
CRV seats are more comfortable.
CRV obviously can carry a lot more stuff.
The CRV throttle is extremely stiff. I have gotten used to the light throttle of the MCS. (Good and bad; light throttle makes it easy to floor it)
The cruise control in the CRV works much better than the cruise control in the MCS.
I need to turn the AC off in the CRV to have enough power to accelerate onto the highway safely.
CRV's brake feel is horrible. It also doesn't stop very well.
I hate the vibrations you can feel in the pedals in the CRV when you activate the wipers.

I usually want to take my car, but she usually wants us to take her car. She usually wins.

 

I lived in my MINI for 6 weeks last summer, trans-country. Never been more comfey in a car, and I was travelling perhaps 6-8 hours/day. I've also camped with my MINI, 2 people, though only for a weekend. And I've gone off-road in him (well... if grossly rutted dirt/gravel roads count).

The off-roading is not something I'd suggest, though I did fid that the MINI handled much better than the Rodeo I rented once to save my suspension. So if you aren't planning on doing anything hardcore off road--i.e. if you're only dealing with unpaved access roads--I can't see that the MINI would be a problem.

 

Add this and there is no question...

_________________
MCS Factory Pkg. #1,2,3,4 RPMs with Kumho 215/40 MXs, Jet Black/Anthracite/Blk Panther leather,Alta Pulley & CAI, Webb ECU, WebbTBody, Miltek Header, UUC Exhaust, H-Sport springs, SB & Control Arms, Sport-Link with bike rack.

 

Bad4fun I could not open your photo, dang it.
Also, the thought that the CRV seats are MORE

 

Cooper4us - when you hit the pocono mountains make sure you say hi to us Philly MINI owners!

I'll be down there in Orlando late July.. but MINIless stupid flying.

 

>>Also, the thought that the CRV seats are MORE comfortable is a bummer... our test driving will clear things up.

In my experience the Mini seats are way more comfortable.

 

We did a family road trip thru some of those states last summer... In my p/u.
Some of those roads were really fun. I have dreams about doing it again... in my MINI (halfway across the pond now)
I especially enjoyed driving in Wyoming and Montana. Be prepared to get bug plastered.
Shelly

 

If you get away from the interstates and find some of the great twisties we have out here, going off-road will no longer be tops on your agenda