Not sure if I'm in the correct forum because first I want to whine then ask non-MINI advice. :smile:

The bad news: I need to get rid of the MINI. I'm nearing the end of my warranty and am in the process of relocating to NY. Unfortunetly, I realize I won't be able to afford post warranty repairs and with the added financial burden of the apt. having a lower car payment would relieve a lot of pressure. This is such a depressing thought but there is a time to think (and act) realistically and I think an 05 MINI is out of my reach right now.

My two options for a new car are the PT Cruiser (love it, bf has one, love his),or a Scion xA (haven't driven one yet). Thoughts?

Thus ends the whining and ot questioning. I'm going to go to a corner and cry now.


P.S. Anyone want to buy an '03 Velvet Red/Black, Xenons, H/K Sound, all three packages, 16" run flats, a few added bits of chrome, cool brake light decal that reads "MINI Cooper" with 38,500?

Hopefully, in a few years I can jump back on the MINI wagon. And my bf thinks me no longer having one will end my "over-enthusiastic enthusiasm" - he is soooo wrong.

 

Sorry to hear that you have to get rid of it I'm sure you get another one as soon as possible though, gotta prove him wrong Once you've had a MINI, you can never go back.

 

im very jealous that you are going to move to NY. very....jealous. sorry to hear about the mini. my opinion, the PT cruiser is in the top five ugliest cars out there. stay away. it looks like a milk truck. the scion would be alot better. i would look at the scion TC if i were you. great car. or a VW golf. nice little car for the city.

 

Is the boxy one the xA or xB? For me it was a toss-up between the MINI and the unboxy one.

A friend lives on a quiet hilly area with chock-a-block cottages in a row. Most people have to park on the narrow winding street itself. Aside from her MINI there are 2 others on the block. But there are also 2 unboxy Scions. We went for a ride in her neighbor's Scion and it was delightful. Very civilized. We barely ducked to get in and then sat upright in chairs. And it was refreshing to not have to climb into the backseat with derriere aloft.

I drove it to the Salvadorean restaurant. It is quite nimble in town--firmer suspension settings than a Toyota sedan. And it is quick enough for a city car. Unlike the MINI there is not much detail within, but the dash is well composed and everything seemed tightly assembled. The upholstery was not to my taste and I understand there is no choice. To compensate (not for me) was a head-basher sound system. And, of course, it was easy to squeeze it into a very small parking space.

I love the exterior design. Its voluptuous fenders are amusing and a bold counterpoint to its wedge forms. And its proportions are excellent, especially with the optional wheels and tires. It almost seemed like the Clubman version of today's MINI. It is a stylish package at a low price. And a genuine bonus is its fuel economy. In metallic blackberry (I think) it would fit right in with the limos queuing in front of the Four Seasons.

Best wishes for a happy move to New York.

 

TY.
The unboxy one... I do enjoy it's odd shape and gets better gas mileage than a Cruiser. Thank you for the review. And the price is veeery appealing. I'll have to check one out in person.

I have this feeling this may soon shift to the "off-topic: auto" forum. :smile:

 

Aww thats sad... get a tC the xA and xB are ugly!

 

Well if you are going for the cheapest low-quality car, look at a hyundi or suzuki. Both can be had under 10k to keep your payments rock bottom low.

 

I don't understand the economics of your decision. You must be close to paying off the MINI if the warranty is about to expire. You believe that buying a new car is going to be less expensive than possible post-warranty car repairs? Even if you still have a couple of years left on your payments you could get a new loan that would drop your payments a considerable amount. I think there is probably more going on here that we would need to know to offer any advice.

 

Go for the xB. Inexpensive, economical, lots of interior space, small exterior size, gets a lot of “thumbs up” from other drivers.

 

Two and a half years till pay-off. The theory is this. I can still get a rather decent trade in value now. I can't shell out the money it takes to repair an imported/unique car everytime something goes mechanically wrong. I do drive A LOT and currently need a new power steering pump. Without warranty this would be around $750 (from the other posts I've seen). A car priced around $13,000 would come with lower payments, new warranty and I would have a lower loan amount overall. Also, I live an hour and a half from a dealer in MA - in NY I'm still an hour and a half away. I asked a Meineke dealer to check the fluid and they couldn't even find the container for it (or figure out how to open the hood for that matter).

Essentially, what this comes down to is a little more practicality for the time being.

I am far from being the most financially minded person (read: writer). So, if there is something I seem to be missing please let me know. The few (more financially slanted) people I've run this by seem to think it's a good idea.:smile:

 

You don't have to. Go buy and extended warantee, and refinance the loan. There's more than enough value in the car, and having the extended warrantee will keep you risk minimized until 100k miles!

Best of both world! And the Mini will out handle any of the cars your thinking of!

Matt

 

A brand new tC would be my pick too. It's really an amazing car for the money. Plus, it's a Toyota -- no worries.

 

Where are you in MA that a dealer is an hour and a half away? If it is closer to go to Hartford, their service department is very good.

Back on topic. A friend bought an Xb and he loves it. They are quirky looking, but very practical. There is a ton of room in the back seat, if you regularly carry passengers. The PT is a good vehicle also. They can be had for screaming deals. Check out one year old PT's going for around 10 g's. They are also rated as the best (cheapest) vehicle to insure. I lived with one as a rental for a week and I really liked it. Very comfortable but not very quick, although nowhere near as slow as some make it out to be.

One last question. What about no car at all? Living in the city, you can get around by taxi, mass transit or foot. Rent a car when you need to get out.

Just some suggestions. Good luck in NYC, sounds like it should be a lot of fun.

 

Have you looked at leasing a new MINI instead of buying? You may be able to lower your payments. MINIs have EXCELLENT residual values - among the highest which makes them good candidates for lease. LEarn more on leases and negotiate strongly...

 

I don't know anyone that gives those a thumbs up....most give it a 'bent over hurling on the sidewalk' as it passes by.

 

No no, not a milk truck - a miniature hearse!

 

If warranty and upkeep cost is a big concern it would seem leasing is the way to go.

I guess I always looked at a car as something that costs a certain ammount of money every month new, used, or leased. If it is paid for it still costs a certain ammount of money in upkeep/repair.

 

I got rid of my 02 MINI and got a 05 xB, what a crap car!!! I had it five months and traded it in on a 05 Cabrio Much happier!!!


Take your car and have the loan refinanced, it's an 03 so you should be able to refinance for 48 months which should lower your payments a good bit and couple this with a extended warranty program and you should be good to go.

 

Yes, but it's the snickering after the "thumbs up" that you have to be concerned about.

 

I'm in central MA, dealer's in Peabody.... Hartford is actually an hour and a half too (truly centrally located). In NY - Poughkeepsie, dealer's in Darien, CT... we're almost two hours from the actual city. A car is a must.... I like the idea of low insurence tho' on the Cruiser.


And just for the general leasing comments - I drive waaay too much for that. About 20-25k a year. And thanks to everyone for their advice and opinions. I'm going to look into the refinancing option and would love to find an extended warranty (anybody have a name/number? ).

 

I'm jealous that you have the Velvet Red color! If that was still available, I wouldn't be wondering about HB or DS... LUCKY!

 

I agree with a previous poster that you should purchase an extended warranty and then refinance that into your current loan.

You will not be very happy with your decision to downgrade to the other vehicles.

 

In my opinion, PT Cruisers are "wannabe's". They are supposed to be retro, yet have no heritage. They're just made to 'look like' cars from that era. Besides, that party is over... Cruisers are not the 'hot item' they used to be, not by a long shot.

The Scion tC, on the other hand, is a cool car. The only appeal i see in the xA and xB is that they are 'different'. But how long before that wears off. The tC proves that a car can can look great and be affordable.

I'd go with the tC.

 

Well, if I am not mistaken, you still have some 12K miles left on the factory warranty. Have you considered purchasing an extended warranty contract, far cheaper than buying a new (and I might add) vastly inferior car?

The PT Cruiser and the Scion xA are both decent transporation and me thinks to favor the PT Cruiser over the Scions any day of the week.

However, you wil not be happy in neither of these cars. They are not MINIs and you will regret letting go of your beautiful VR MINI. Velvet Red is an extremely rare color, more reason for you to hold on to it.

You are free to do as you please, but in your situation I would look into a decent extended warranty contract. At 38,500 miles, your MINI still has pleeeenty of life ahead of it.

Don't dump it.

 

I agree with that 100%.


However, you wil not be happy in neither of these cars. They are not MINIs and you will regret letting go of your beautiful VR MINI. Velvet Red is an extremely rare color, more reason for you to hold on to it.

You are free to do as you please, but in your situation I would look into a decent extended warranty contract. At 38,500 miles, your MINI still has pleeeenty of life ahead of it.

Don't dump it.