Hi everyone. I am going to be buying either the Cooper or the S, but I was hoping that you could all give me some advise first. I love the S and would prefer it to the Cooper however, I am a useless girl (not that all girls are useless, but I happen to be) and am only going to be using it for driving around town - and I am worried about how hard the suspension is on the S.
Is it possible to change the springs, and if so is that horribly expensive?

I am never going to need suspension like that, and have a motorcycle for when I want to race.

My main reason for asking is that I live about 5 miles down a dirt road that gets pretty bad with Michigan winters, and has some pretty big potholes in summer.

Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Newbie to Newbie Alex - there are no stupid questions and there are no useless people, but you are certainly right about the suspension. I got my S a couple weeks ago and have been on some frost heaved Wisconsin roads that were downright ridiculous. I had to pull off one road cause my aged body couldn't hack it anymore. I'm going with lighter wheels and non-runflats very soon. The MCS is great in every other way and to not drive is not an option. I'll be interested in the responses from more knowledgeable Mini owners. If the new wheels don't work I'm sure it will be shocks and/or springs. I see on the forums that many change springs so I doubt it is too expensive but I'm not sure that alone would solve the problem. I'm sure we'll learn soon!

 

I have an early model 04' and a friend of mine has a late model 04'. Believe me there is a huge difference in the suspension. Mine has a way harsher ride, but to me it just enhances the race car image that im looking for. The late model 04s' have more dampening on the springs, without comprimising the stiffness while cornering hard. It is all a matter of perspective. I dont mind the harsh ride, and believe me, some chicago streets are rough as hell. The shocks can take it, its what theyre built for. I say go for it, youll get used to it, the rest of the perks are far to awesome to pass by.

 

Alexj- You start out sounding like you're a slow driver, then wakes us up
telling us you got a motocycle to RACE. That's pretty cool.:smile:

As far as suspension, you should keep the stock springs on there for
ground clearance reasons where you live and just go for 16" wheels with
all season tires, preferrably non-runflat tires. It'll soften the ride quite
a bit.

 

Thanks everyone, I thought that I was going to get laughed at for asking such a silly question.

I put the bit in there about my bike so that I did not sound like a total dork, as I only use a car to get to work and do the groceries. LOL - but I suppose that will change once I have my mini!! :-)

 

For a commuter vehicle, with no need for speed and for softer ride and better mileage, I would choose the MINI Cooper , not the S.

Now I want to provide full disclosure, I have an S because I have a need ofr speed. If I were not so inclined I could live with a non-S. I am running 17" lightweight wheels and non-runflat tires and find teh ride totally acceptable. Then again I am not doign dirt roads full of pot holes. I find the ride comliant enough to not loos any fillings and it provides wonderful feedback at speed.

If you are a motorcycle racer, then be clear that any MINI wants to be driven briskly. What matters most to you, lower first cost, comfort & mileage versus adequate comfort and better performace will be difficult to decide.

Good luck with your decision

 

AlexJ - The Cooper suspension certainly is more comfortable, however it's very easy to put more comfortable springs on a Cooper S suspension!

Be sure to check out Michigan MINI too for local events!

Oh yea, Welcome to NAM!

 

Here are a few comments. I'm too tired to organize them well, so it's going to be a bit of a mish-mash:

Have you driven a Cooper? I haven't, but I have the impression they're not underpowered. (There is actually a third, lower stage of tune below the Cooper, but it isn't imported into the US.) What are they - 115 hp? That's still quite a bit of power. (My first car was a 48 hp Renault! )

I believe the basic Cooper S comes with what is called the "Sport" suspension (firmer than the Cooper's base suspension), but you can order a yet firmer suspension called the "Sport Suspension Plus," either a la carte or as part of the Sport Package. It sounds like you might want to avoid that if you go with an S.

Everyone says the runflat tires on the S make the ride harsher. If you look through the Marketplace forum, you'll see that some people sell their wheels and tires soon after buying the car. That might be an option if you find them unacceptable. (Or at least sell the tires. I think I read somewhere recently that the list price on the Dunlop SP9000 runflat performance tires is about $270 a piece!) Get a set of regular tires, a can of Fix-a-Flat, and keep your Roadside Assistance number programmed into your cell phone.

There are regular seats and sport seats. I don't know how they compare for comfort on rough roads, but that might be worth looking into.

Now for my impressions: I've got an S with the Sports Package, so I've got the Sports Suspension Plus, the 17" wheels and performance runflats, and the Sports Seats. Some people will tell you the ride is "stiff," but I would say, no, the ride is "firm." (My wife used to own an Austin Healey 3000 - now that was STIFF!) My favorite twisty road between work and home ends with a stretch of torn up road. That's about the only place I've ever driven where my car feels overwhelmed by the roughness of the road. Very skittery! (Kinda fun actually, once you get used to it!) The ride is firm, but it also has a nice long travel, so I've never felt like I'm bottoming out on sharp bumps and potholes. And I must say, I find my seats astonishingly comfortable!

One final comment: ask yourself if you buy a Cooper, will you always be wishing you spent the extra money for an S? Many of us don't need all the extra power of the S and can appreciate the added fuel economy of the Cooper. But I think if I had settled for a Cooper, I would have always been wishing in the back of my mind that I had bought an S.

Go for a test drive? Tell the dealer or seller you're concerned about the ride and ask them if there's a nasty surface somewhere you can try it out on.

 

I feel that I have falsely represented myself here - as I am not a racer on my bike, I only got it this summer but I am due to take it to the track in Spring.


I did drive both the Cooper and the S, the S was a stick but the Cooper was an automatic - so I am sure that made a big difference. I am going to go back when they have a stick Cooper that I can take out, as I would only consider getting a stick.

But I think that I am probably over thinking this whole decision, my only reason for wanting a mini is because they are gorgeous and so much fun - so I should just go for it and get the S and ignore my sensible side. I have a perfectly sensible Jetta VR6 now and it bores me.

 

I had a Jetta VR6 before I got my MINI. MINIs just handle so much better than my nose heavy VR6. There are times I do miss the VR6 engine smoothness though.

My old Jetta.

 

DiD - nice wheels that you had on it.

Lombard - thanks for taking the time to type such a long response.

 

Thanks. Those are the 17" VW Tocatta wheels.

As far as practicallity goes, I actually find times when the MINI is more practical than my Jetta, because of the hatch. It can definitely fit larger objects than the Jetta, because the jetta is restricted due to the trunk opening.

Just something to keep in mind.

 

I don't have to worry too much about fitting things in it as the hubby has a Jeep so I can always use that - but of course that you mean that he gets the mini for a day.

 

I traded my BMW '89 325i in on an '04 MINI Cooper. Despite having race-tuned the Bimmer to 195HP and it being rear wheel drive... I don't miss it. I love my Coop' and having "only 115HP" is really just a "keeps me out'a trouble" advantage. ... don't need to mention its possible to drive from DC to Pittsburgh in 3 hours!

Its my daily driver. I get 400-miles per $24-fillup tank (take THAT u SUVs!!). For $19,999 it has the Sport and Premium packages... in fact is may have the stiffer suspension (Sport+). HANDLES LIKE A DREAM!
The DC Beltway has become my personal slalom course, commuting.

I don't regret not purchasing an MCS, but I may consider a trade-up in 3-4 years (as I've read the newer ones could be as fast as today's JCWS!!).

[MCS - MINI Cooper S - 170hp]
[JCWS - John Cooper Works S - 210hp]

 

I got my '05 MCS on Dec. 11 and I've put 3800 miles on it here in Michigan. I find the ride firm, but not harsh. With our roads, you're going to crash through potholes no matter which model you choose. I did go with 16" wheels though, because I thought it might be a little more compliant. I'm sure I would have been happy with a Cooper, but I'm a speed junkie!

 

I'm a newbie myself, having only picked up my MCS last Monday. I did select the sport package, and then "cherry picked" some other options.

I don't find the ride particularly harsh. It IS firm and I compare it to the ride on the 1987 RX7 I used to have with the variable tuned suspension. That being said, our roads are pretty good here in South Florida as we don't have to put up with the winter frost heave, snow plow gouges, etc. The bottom line is always personal preference. Personally, I didn't buy the car for the ride quality or I would have bought a Lexus, etc. I guess it depends on what the individual can tolerate when it comes to ride.

However, being a newbie, all I can say is WHEEEEE! NOW I understand what all the fuss is about. I'm having a blast. *Yes, Grasshopper, you are on the path to enlightenment!*

Good luck with your decision...

 

Get the S, but just with the 16" rims. Buy lightweight aftermarket wheels in 16" flava and some non-runflat shoes (I 'd recommend two sets: one performance tires, one winter tires: okay to use the stock rims for winter). That should do ya. Also be aware that if you go the used MCS route, the suspensions have changed a couple of times: in general, the earlier the manufacture date the harder the suspension. Hope this helps.

p.s. ditto on the no stupid ques., no useless peeps.

 

Hi AlexJ and welcome to NAM :smile: Like Rye says...please do stop by MichiganMini.com. Where are you about in Mich? I'm on the east side and if you decide on a Cooper, my mom is selling her 04 with CVT, nav, and more. It's only got around 3000 miles and is in showroom condition (she's 71 ). I'm throwing in my 17" Slite so they're two sets of wheels and tires


Sorry about the plug guys

 

I'll chime in. I too went looking for an S when I got my 04. Drove the S loved it and was very impressed with the car. Went back and did the numbers and they were a little high for me at the time so my MA convinced me to test drive the cooper. To my surprise I was still really impressed. Now my impressions comes right after driving the S. The added fuel economy, slightly more compliant ride, and great cooper styling, convinced me to get one even though the S was a little out of range.

I could have waited, but the test drive sealed that the car did what I wanted it to. The regular Cooper is no slouch, particularly when you get the engine revving. This car continues to surprise me and other drivers around me.

I will say that you'll want to drive the stick and see what you think. I'm sure it makes a difference, but I haven't driven the CVT. Now I know the S will get you more power among other things, but I'm very happy with my purchase, and even though I now can easily afford an S, I don't plan to trade up. Drive them both and see what you think.

p.s.: I also feel a little better that I don't have to keep a separate account for traffic tickets :D Kidding, I can still get in plenty of trouble in this car, the S is just easier to do so.

 

About 2 yr.s ago we purchased a new '03 MCS with the sport package and run-flats. That's got to be about the harshest riding Cooper you can buy. My wife and I are both in our 50's, but we haven't found the ride to be a real problem (even though Calif. roads are not very well maintained these days).

The ride is very much like being on a motorcycle. Unlike a bike, however, you can't get up on the pegs and lift your rear end off the seat through the rough streaches. You just have to bounce along. So I do find myself watching the road for hazards (as when I ride), but we've done one long vacation and several smaller trips without shaking anything loose.

On Tues. I traded the '03 for an '05 MCS, also with the sport pkg. and run-flats. I haven't had enought time to really evaluate it yet, but the ride seems less harsh. I'm not sure yet if I like that better or not. I really liked the road feel that the previous suspension gave me when I was pushing it through the corners.

Bottom line... It depends on what you're used to, and what you're looking for. If you're comfortable with the ride of a bike, you'll be fine with any MINI. Its a similar ride with a comfortable seat and an enclosed cockpit. I've found it to be a 'problem' only rarely. I would only be concerned about the suspension if you regularly deal with truly bad roads with a lot of significant pot-holes and road hazards. Otherwise, I think you'll be OK.

Good luck, and enjoy!

 

Can't you fit 15"s on an S?

wouldn't that help her rough road issue?

Hunter

 

Don't all MCS's come with sport suspension plus as standard equipment? I ordered my '04 MC with sport suspension plus (a $500 option). On smooth roads it's fine, and has plenty of power (it's all in the handling anyway...). For your situation, though, I'd recommend the basic MC with selected ala carte options (sport seats, cold wether package, for example). Stick with the standard issue 15" wheels and the standard issue sports suspension. (MINI really confused things with the whole "sport suspension" and "sport suspension plus" business.)

 

Yes, 15's will fit.

Also, switching from run-flats to regular tires makes a huge improvement in the ride comfort (and the acceleration since you save a lot of weight that way).

 

Please send pictures of yourself, your motorcycle, and you racing the motorcycle. So cool.

Nozz

 

I have an '04 Cooper, 15" wheels and standard suspension.

First of all, how fast do you need to go? I cruise comfortably at 85 on the interstate, air-conditioning blasting as I live in AZ.

The ride is still firm on the Cooper and the added gas mileage is a plus.