I just received it in the mail today. They review 4 high-priced sports cars: Audi A4; BMW M3; Cadillac CTS-V; Pontiac GTO. They have a little sidebar or box entitled "Having Fun On A Budget" where they say that "there are a number of less expensive cars that are still exciting to drive. The characteristics that make a car fun to drive have just as much to do with nimble handling, agility in corners, steering feel, and responsiveness as they do with quick acceleration." They list the Mazda3, Miata, RX-8, Ford Focus, Subaru WRX, Toyota Celica GT-S and MR-2 Spyder. They never even mention MINI Coopers!

 

rat b@stards.

 

I find this ALL THE TIME in publications - it's like the MINI doesn't exist in any comparisons whatsoever. Coincidence? MINIUSA marketing scheme?

 

They only mention cars they recommend. They don't recommend the MINI because of reliability issues. The CR car specialist has been on CNN several times with the bald-headed guy, (can't remember the show name). I called and talked to them live on the air before and after I bought my MINI. They were both very complimentary of the car but CR isn't going to mention a car for someone to buy that isn't on their "recommended list" even if they like the way it looks, drives, handles, etc.

 

Gee Rye, can't see how keeping OFF these comparisons would be desired by MINIUSA... Doesn't bother me though... 'round here the MINI is considered an exotic!

Godspeed.

 

So they can recommend a Ford?! :smile:

 

If consumer reports recomends the mini then everyone will want one. Then there will be a flood of them on the road and they will loose there rariety. Then the resale will drop and there goes traiding it in every two years for the cost of a new one.

 

CR has missed the boat and doesn't know a good thing if they got run over by it.

It's a blessing to know that the MINI is quite good and doesn't get recognized or the demand would be far outdo the supply.

It's already pretty hard to find a MINI and wait times are bad enough not to need CR's endorsement.

Remember, CR is interested in cars they can recommend for the masses. Hardly a respectable sports car magazine.

CR likes the Accord and Camry. Enough said.

 

I don't even read CR...


I usually check out www.edmunds.com and MotorTrend when shopping
for new cars just as a ground check.

CR can go analyze rice cookers. oh ford focus.

 

Consumer Reports is read by 55 year old men who wear sweaters and buy canned beer. Also by soccer moms who clip coupons and cheer when they save 55 cents on a package of toilet paper! They end up buying the minivan that has babyseats built in! Hardly a source for rating a neo-classic sporty automobile that has developed it's own culture!
Better to get your auto recommendations from Motor Trend!

 

Consumers Union is NOT a car enthusiast publication like Car and Driver and Road and Track. What it is, is a testing laboratory that looks at replicating results. That is how they can evaluate rice cookers, toasters, water heaters and even cars. In evaluating a car, they do take handling into consideration, but reliability is the most important factor for them.

Is Consumers Union a proper venue for a car review? Yes, but so is Car and Driver. It all depends on what audience and target market is interested in the review.

 

I canceled my CR subscription 2 years ago. I think CR is useful for many other items such as appliances, food stuffs, baby car seats, etc but cars?

These people HATE anything that doesn't have a Camry or Accord badge in the back of the car!

A lot of people base thier car purchase decisions on what CR either recommends or not like if it were gospel.

Consumers Union is a very powerful organization and thier publication has proven to have the power to ruin the reputation of any product that doesn't fit their liking and testing criteria.


The fact that my 2004 MCS has not seen a single warranty repair in 10 months and 11K miles is probably not important to them!

But it is no secret that these people have a love affair with the Asian automakers. Why they never talk about the failing Honda automatic transmissions or the sludge prone Toyota V6 engines?

 

Dump on CU all you want, and I agree that it's not an "enthusiasts'" magazine, but the fact remains that the first several years of MINIs had quality control issues that are worth noting. I have a 2002 that has been relatively trouble free and has never broken down enough to be totalloy disabled, but with issues such as windshields, 5-speed failures, stumble, yo-yo, etc. as well as a host of rattles and minor part failures (that's been my beef) effecting a notable number/percentage of 2002 - 2003 cars, it's pretty obvious why MINI would fall down in national surveys. Hopefully these problems have been addressed and MINI will become the type of car that even CU can recommend in it's "cheap and fun" category. Not that I care that much about what CU in particular recommends.

 

cONSUMER REPORTS takes so long to do their reviews that by the time it hits newsstands the products are off the shelves and replaced by something new. When I worked for HP they actually kept a product on the shelf longer and delayed new product just to utalize the CR atricle best pick.

 

Yet they still recommend the Accord even though the transmission is practically falling out of each V6 model.

 

Yes, they are very high on the Focus and it's Mazda sister, the Mazda3.

hmmmm, "very high", maybe that explains everything.

 

To omit MINIs altogether from a "Having Fun On A Budget" discussion is a gross oversite. I'm embarassed for them....bad call. Maybe they just don't understand "fun."

 

Is Consumer Reports located in CA? Mabey they still have one on order. I hear there are long order times there.

 

You mean the "People's RepubliKKK of Kalifornia"?

 

It's because CU's idea of fun involves the Toyota Camry. It's a consumer thing, you wouldn't understand. (Thank God!).

 

They also think that Black & Decker toasters are also fun.

 

Well that's what I thought. They could've mentioned it atleast and then added that they couldn't recommend it. It's really not that big of a deal. It's just a little blurb ("closeup") on the side of their four car review.

Here's one of the four paragraphs: "Responsive, communicative steering is especially important. It lets a driver feel the road, and sense how close the car is to its handling limits. Quick reponse means that a car reacts immediately to a driver's steering, throttle, and braking inputs. A good sports car is predictable and secure when pushed hard, and reacts almost as an extension of the driver."

It's okay if the MINI is our little secret.

 

I would agree with their comments that the Mini doesn't have the same level of reliability/quality as something like a Honda/Toyota. The 2002's and some 2003's had a good number of issues (stumble, windshields, yo/yo, 5 speed trans failures, coolant tanks, power steering, rattles, etc...) but I think the late 2003s and 2004's are on the right track. Although I can name multiple people who have had many problems with their "godly" Toyota Camrys...

That said, consumer reports evaluates everything in a strictly statistical fashion.
A car's numbers and statistical ratings are fine, but they say nothing about how fun it is to drive, aestetics, etc. I have a friend who swears by them, well, ummm, we don't hang out much anymore.
Because his idea of fun is sitting around watching TV and (no offense to anyone) playing golf... He ended up getting a 2002 Toyota Corolla, thrilling.

My grandma gave me a 3 year subscription that runs out next month, no intentions of renewing. Their advice on TVs and microwaves for me has been fine, even toasters, but for most things- I could really care less if the Oral-B model 40298340 is better than the Colgate flexigrip model 25, or whatever. Have more importaint things to do with my life...

RE: the comment about people pinching pennies and clipping coupons, I tell those people to spend that time reading finance magazines, wall st. journal and the like- then INVEST that money in something... As David Kyosaki (Rich Dad / Poor Dad series) says: "The problem with being cheap is, your still cheap. Your not growing your wealth"... Unless you get a thrill out of clipping coupons My grandma I think enjoys that, she'll not buy milk one week because "well it wasn't on sale"...

 

CR did not recommend the MINI because of its unreliability. That was not due to the reliability of the one MINI CR tested, but results of a survey of MINI owners. So we are guilty of giving the poor CR rating, because we (MINI owners) filled out those surveys saying the car is unreliable. If you are going to **** and moan about your MINI, then you can't fault CR for assuming the car is crappy and unreliable. If you read CR's original review, they raved about the car and said it was very much fun to drive.
BLAME YOURSELVES

 

As a 55 year old MCS owner, who owned 2 MC's prior, and who owns & has owned & modified classic Minis for over 30+ years, and who's wife drives her own MC, I can say your "ageist" comments shows how little you know about people in general! The stereotype you purvey can fit any age person.

Occasionally I will read CR. When I need a toaster, washer, or other utilitarian appliance. Accords, Camrys and most US cars fall into the "utilitarian appliance" category! They (CR) don't comprehend the concept of an "enthusiast's" auto. Its not their stock & trade. Hence their recommendations.