was contemplating selling the mini before it losses too much more value (if it still even has any :P )

there arent too many other cars that I "like" for the price / performance (dont want to break the bank, cars arent assets after all...)...

I dont want another Mini.
Subaru's are a bit too pricey
FRS is "underpowered" (and who wants to go NA after having a supercharged / turbo'd car anyway)
Japan doesnt seem to want to make turbo cars anymore....
The mustang has a cool engine (2.4 T) but i cant stand american cars :P
VWs look too "soft"
Audi TT i feel like is just another "mini" (i want something just a bit bigger)

I like the concept of a Genesis Coupe with the new 275hp turbo 4banger, but that engine comes in 2 models: regular and R-spec (the obvious one to get).

whats the big deal then?

well, for those who havent looked, the Rspec interior on that Genisis is so over-the-top-Ricey Red with Dirty Red inserts it makes me want to gag.... and thats your only option unless you get a RED car (also gag) then you get nice black interior...

no sound upgrade available
no nav
lame 2 tone monochrome casio watch infotainment system
no other electronic gadgets (keyless start / entry, ect)
I also prefer the pre-facelift bumper / hood (too "mouthy" now, and the useless hood "vents" will surely fade and look dated very soon)

so its like they sort of souped up the outside with a LSD, brakes and springs, then cheaped out on the interior completely. I feel like I would have to dump another grand into the inside just to bring it up to "Mini" standards with regards to finish, gadgets and sound

What does anyone else think? maybe im just sick of the little annoying stuff on the mini and should try and get those things fixed?

what other " JCW mini" class cars are out there?

(what i kinda want, still looks bad A IMO...)

 

wait for the new Miata? play with RWD. the BRZ/FRS is a great platform, very tuneable but is nearly useless from factory. actually have one in the neighboring town with an LS3 in it.... that could be fun. its hard trying to find a car that is like an r53, and you would be tough to find one except for the fiesta ST or abarth.


I never drove the genesis, I did drive the veloster turbo, and I greatly enjoyed it UNTIL I opened the windows. the buffeting was so bad, they immediately got closed and I returned the car. they have great warranties, but im not sure how they last. they have come a long way now? but is it enough?

 

What irked me about the Genesis 2.0T I test drove last summer is that when it gets low on fuel it goes into limp mode. Wasn't too impressed with power delivery either. My Manic stage 2 R56 felt much faster.

 

Your title is a bit misleading. What do you happen to like about it besides the power rating? You just basically trashed the whole car. I would think you SHOULDN'T buy this car based off your description.

 

I'm actually in the middle of this discussion in another thread - in the US the JCW is one-of-a-kind. You can buy cheaper - VW GTI or Ford Focus ST. You can buy sort of the same price but very different - VW Golf-R. Or you can buy one of a number of much more expensive but fun sedans.

That said...the base Subaru WRX is only $27,390 and still has 268-hp. Or you could wait for the next round of Mazdaspeed 3s...but I don't know if they will be priced more like the base WRX or the WRX STI. And the Audi A3 starts at $33,200 for the 220HP 2.0 TFSI - but the options will kill if you let them.

 

My advice is to go drive cars until your heart tells you which to buy. Playing the bench-racing numbers game is a setup for failure. Go drive.

 

what eactly are you looking for from your car

 

Drive them...
I pondered used...
But used sporty cars are an even bigger crap shoot than a used car in general...
You can get 0% with decent credit from many automakers, or get bigger cash back, and get about 1.5% from you bank for 60 months or so...then make double Payments...have the loan paid off in 3 years....
I am a strong proponent of buyer used most of the time...
But after a few years of an iffy economy, used cars IMO are overpriced, and loan rates are at an all time low...so might be worth treating yourself!!
Lots of options around....what you like might surprise you...drive what you think you'll like...and a couple outliers...

 

+1 for new Miata over Genesis coupe!

 

An old co worker of mine owned a Tiburon and liked it for the most part. Until it started falling apart. Then he bought the Genesis Coupe and really liked it. Until it started falling apart. The seats were not very comfortable. And as you've already stated, the interior is so boring you almost fall asleep looking at it. He has a Focus ST now and loves it. although he now wishes he got the Fiesta ST instead, he was chasing HP numbers and wishes he had the more "fun" factor the Fiesta has (as compared to the Focus).

 

I appreciate everyones feedback! dont feel in such a rush to get something newer anymore.

kinda sad to hear about the genesis falling apart, but thats exactly what i was hoping to hear (sort of). i wanted to hear if these cars lasted at all.

i would probably be better off throwing some more money at the mini to "refresh" it vs trying to dump it for the latest new car fad.

really my biggest gripe is my wheels that will never balance (vibrations above 70) and my clicking steering wheel.
(nearly certain its the cheap discount tire rims causing my vibrations)

ill be test driving this weekend for fun however, will report back any interesting results!

 

+10 on Miata ND.

 

screw it buy a GP

 

A GP1 you must mean, Mello?

 

10-4

 

I see lots of cars I think I would like. New Camaro RS, M3, 380Z, FRS... Something catches my eye at least once a week. But nothing holds my attention for long. The R53 is just too damn fun to drive, looks right, and is paid for! I will probably have to retire it from daily driver duties at some point, but looking at the prices of new and used cars these days, I hope it will be a while. If I was forced to replace it today, it would be a FRS.

 

If you are truly in no rush at all, then wait for the Focus RS to come out. That car will be an absolute animal. It will be a blast to drive and you can haul all of your stuff in it as well.

 

Anything to report?

 

guh... Ford so ugly! (its funny, bc i work for SCT Performance and tuning Fords is our bread and butter!) cant say i really like ford products to be honest :P

whats with the latest craze of "showing your crashbar" through the bumper? i think its stupid. seems like its also a dated audi style?

no, nothing to report as of yet. didnt do a whole lot this weekend. still doing basic research online about the hyundai... still not impressed with its lack of options to start with.

what would really be neat is a "sport" prius or something; there needs to be an affordable 'sport" version of an electric (since nobody can really afford a tesla roadster).

slap a giant electric motor in that FRS already toyota! I only need to go 50 miles a day very fast! lol

 

It's not like you're asking for the world...it's 2015! They sold (well...leased) the MINI E in 2009. And then BMW followed it up with a perfectly good 1-series E in early 2012.

Eight years ago I was completely confident that if I ever got a 2nd car it would be electric. In July of 2012 I put a deposit down on a Tesla S. But in the end I just couldn't pull the trigger on an $80,000 2nd car (besides...while the Tesla S may well be the best 4/5 door in the world under $200,000 it is HUGE).

In the beginning of 2014 I put a deposit down on a BMW i3 on the promise of a 'fun to drive' electric car. About six months later I found out that the best that could be said for it's 'fun' factor was that it drove better than a Nissan Leaf. It wasn't even appreciably better than the MB B-class. And the 'suicide doors' weren't real - back seat passengers couldn't get out without assistance from the driver. Plus in person the i3 IS the ugliest car since the Aztec. All I wanted was a peppy 1-series 5 door E....how hard could it be?

I shouldn't complain. I'm really looking forward to driving my new MINI. And maybe in four years or so MINI or BMW or Tesla will offer a fun to drive car in the $35-$45K range. But right now if feels like every manufacturer but Tesla has an attitude to electric cars that is the same as GM's attitude to small cars in the 70's - if we build really, really bad ones maybe people won't wan't to buy one.

 

the "new" to be released Focus RS? looks awesome Juice33! may be the second ford id own! (had a 4 banger ranger, total POS...)

2.3 turbo, 4wd!

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/201...-and-info-news

im guessing its going to be a nearly 35k dollar car; but i supposed thats not bad considering what your getting; and to get something "similar" powertrain wise, you have to go with like an audi or something... and you cant get one of those in that price range (new anyway).

i think i can tolerate a Focus in Black with decent wheels... and some different suspension to fix that stupid looking rake they put on the car.

 

they haven't released pricing but I did see somewhere it might be around the 45k mark, since the focus ST can be 30k, I would assume base 40k and 45k max package

 

Not sure how much power your MINI currently has but if only the basics of CAI, Pulley, Tune your around 200 HP. Right where the FRS is and 200 HP is 200 HP regardless of how you get there. Granted maybe you have 250 HP but if that is the case you have quite a bit of money put into it. So why not put alittle into the FRS. As mentioned the 2016 Miata will have a better power to weight ratio then the MINI and if you buy the base model it will be around $25,000.. I know you don't like them but a Base Mustang GT is $33,000 with over 400 HP and you already know what you can do to get more out of it.. I'm thinking the Focus RS will atleast start in the mid to upper $30's and go up quick.. Will be a hard sell if it starts over $40,000 when you have the Mustang on the same lot for less money and more power..

 

My mini is a jcw with all the bolt ons... so it has a little extra umph.

with regards to the FRS, i feel the power to price ratio will be astronomical...
a miata... eh, to small, still too "soft" looking IMO.
Hate the way mustangs drive; its like a boat :P

but, like you say, mustang gt is 33k, and i just checked online, a basically "base" ST is 25k; so I dont think 30-35 will be unreasonable for the focus RS... its not like theyve had to develop That much on the car... really just the drivetrain.

the only other reason i would opt for the RS is bc i work at SCT Performance (now Derive Systems) and we specialize in Ford tuning... so I could literally be one of the first to get a new tune for that pig!

 

what about the civic type R?

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/201...-and-info-news