Sold my 01 Vette Monday and picked up my 05 MCS CR/W interior/exterior bling bling/Zenons/HK and other stuff Monday evening! Sweet. I will give you a couple quick impressions and I have a question.
The MCS is so quick and nimble and FUN. Keeping under 4500 RPM's is really tuff. I am still getting use to the front wheel drive and the higher rev with little throttle. It is so quiet (my Vette had straight pipes and sounded almost as loud as a NASCAR). At a light I am not sure if the engine is running.
I am very pleased with the Zenons--the Vette lights were pure crap. The interior is nicer than GM's attempt for interiors for cars over $40k. My question: When in 4th gear going 35-40 with RPM's over 2,500 to 2,800 am I lugging the engine? Having driven V8's/RWD for most of my life (40 yrs of driving) this is a whole new experience for me. Your comments/opinions will be appreciated. Thanks. Nick

 

:smile: Hi, DoubleNick! Congrats on your new MINI! I find that I generally run my MCS at 3000-3500 rpm, then shift. Much below 3K and it feels luggish! Hope that helps! Happy motoring!


Clo/Wanda

 

Hi DoubleNick!

I have had Corvettes in the past, and still have an '88 in the garage now. It doesn't get the use my '03 MCS does though! You will catch on to FWD quick enough, and you will marvel at the way the little guy handles everything but an all out drag race. You will miss some torque, for sure, but try the 19% pulley for an instant improvement. I find myself driving quicker [not faster!] in the Mini than the Corvette. I would suggest attending a BMW Car Club driving event in your area, it will get you familiar with how the Mini behaves. Good luck and welcome to the fold! And, while you aren't lugging the engine, you are at the bottom end of the torque curve. 25-2800 rpm is right where the supercharger starts to kick in, so not all that bad for cruising. With a 19% pulley, you just put your foot down, without, just downshift to accelerate.

 

I went from a 2002 Vette. I do miss the torque and power of the Vette, also think the skid control was better than the MCS. Watch out for the MCS handling above 80MPH, it's much touchier than the Vette (which has heavy steering). Although the MCS is still stable above that speed.

That said... I enjoy a car I can get over 30MPG in (tho I find it funny that the vette got about 28MPG on the highway and my MCS which is 500Lbs lighter, half the cylinders and less than half the displacement per cyl only gets 32MPG ish!)

The MCS has a better interior, better stereo, crisper handling, and more interior room. I certainly wasn't upset to see my insurance go down 50% either!

Plus the MCS has solid resale. I wouldn't mind owning a Vette again, given extra cash, but since I can't afford to have both now- I'll take the MCS :smile:

 

NO modern street car engine that I know of will 'lug' at 2500 RPM. More like below 1500 RPM for most motors, and then only at higher throttle opening. Even a Honda S2000 with a 9000 RPM redline will be fine at full throttle, 2500 RPM. Of course the S motor will be off boost at that RPM so will not provide much acceleration (just shift down).

Dave

 

I sold my '93 Vette (6 spd) to get an '04 MCS. The MINI makes for a much better daily driver IMHO.

Enjoy the ride! And, oh yeah, waving is still applicable with the MINI!