Will SUVs and MINIs become compatible or interchangeable?

I used to believe, and thanks to MINI adverts, that MINIs and SUVs were opposites. SUVs were gas guzzling road hawgs and MINIs were nimble paragons. Recently I read a road test of a Ford SUV hybrid on my fave Internet auto site, "elepent scribbles". It gets over 30 mpg. And last night an on line auto web sent me an image of a new GM Chevy-Vauxhall mini SUV (competition for the Toyota RAV) that's nifty looking (it's an html so the image will not attach, sorry) and will offer diesel power.

I learned 5 years ago that I was driving an SUV (Geo Tracker). I thought it was just a cheap means of transport. Now, after 11 years of good service, it is being retired and replaced by a MINI. I certainly look forward to THAT! But do folks on NAM see the possibility of small SUVs encroaching into the MINI market? No way, right?

 

there is more to an SUV than just gas mileage...

they are large, they are more dangerous than cars (roll-over rate is HIGH and they are harder to avoid crashes)...

they also don't handle 1/1000 as well as a MINI, etc etc

 

I don't know.....if certain MINI variants come to pass, the lines may blur at some point. Consider the MINI "Moke-esque" dune buggy and the MINI "Clubman Estate-esque" wagon.

 

I don't understand the comparisons between SUVs and MINIs. My MSC won't tow a racecar and haul all the stuff needed for a weekend at the track, and my Tahoe is no fun to drive on windy roads and gets lousy fuel "economy". Each has their place.

 

There isnt much "utility" in the mini.

*searches for picture of boot*

There is no way that any SUV will ever have close to the suspension the mini has. That fact alone seperates SUV's (no matter how small they get) from small cars in general.

 

I have a Mini, and an Acura MDX.

Both are front drive, front motor.

Both have boxy shapes, with a hatch the lifts...

And seats the fold down.

Both have similar weight distributions.

The MDX is huge, and has wayyyyyyy too soft a suspension,

But you set the cars the same for turns....

The convergance is already happening....

Think Suberban

Explorer

Excape

Pilot

CR-V or RAV4

Scion xA (or xB, I can't keep the names strait) or Element

Matrix Hatch/ Focus 5 Door

Mini


It's a full spectrum!!!!!

 

it's the xB you're thinking of.
I like to call it the eXtreme Box based on the stupid options and how they're selling it.

 

We have the same cars! 05 MCSC and 01 MDX.
SUV=Sport Utility Vehicle...right?
I can't tow anything with my Mini.
I can't put 6 people in my Mini (well not safely that is.)
I can't put much in the Mini (i.e. a day of shopping won't fit in it)
I certainly wouldn't use the Mini to pick up some stuff from Home Depot.
Etc. etc. etc.

 

My Mini's an 02, but it's quite a combo! Except I DO go to home depot in the Mini. Got my Pergo flooring for my kitchen, and a table saw to cut it! All in one load.....

I got a lot of funny looks in the parking lot when I went to load it up!

Matt

 

I recently had to get a new lawn mower at Sears it went right into the boot with no problem and plenty of space left over.



Art

 

I can imagine the looks...I hope you wouldn't haul around bags of concrete or potting soil in your Mini!

 

What do you people buy in a "day of shopping"?

Why not? I keep a blanket in the back of my car in case I want transport anything dirty. I try to keep it clean, but it's a car, not a museum piece or a fad toy.

 

Home depot had a gardening sale last month and I bought 42 pots of dwarf boxwood. All fit in the MCS with rear seats folded down (of course). And there is still some space left.

And I also bought some 8ft bamboo poles from HD, again not a problem for the car.

I am pleased.

 

Ok, ok you got me. I'm not saying you can't use the Mini to move stuff around. I was just referencing the Mini/SUV thing. Since I have both I use the SUV for all the family trips, hauling lots of stuff, etc. So if I had to pick up some bags of concrete mix or some 4x4 posts I would be using my SUV for that.

Day of shopping for me is a bag of stuff. For my wife...well that's a different story.

 

The problem is the term Sport Utility Vehicle. Too many vehicles are lumped into this catagory, yet they are nothing alike. A full size truck framed 9 seat vehicle is more utility than sport. A small car frame based 5 seat front wheel drive vehicle is much less utility, with questionable sport. I think they need a new term.

 

That's a good point. Maybe SUV should just refer to any vehicle over 5 feet tall with a profit margin of more than 20%.

 

I use my MINI for everything from shopping at Costco to taking up to four people around town.

If I have bags of concrete and 4x4 posts to carry then I get the hardware store to drop deliver it to my home or project site.

I find that the MINI hatchback is quite useful and you'd be surprised what I fit in the back on track/autocross days-
Four racing wheels from 15 to 17" size
5 gallon square tub of various race stuff/sunscreen/hat/towels
Toolkit (screwdrivers,wrenches and sockets)
Racing Jack/ Tire pressure gauge/ Tire temp gauge
Lug wrench/ torque wrench/ Breaker wrench
Helmet, race numbers, Schroth harnesses x 2
Cooler for drinks and food
Folding chair
Two plastic tarps
Music CDs and Books to read

 

I'm going off topic but I would have them deliver too but Home Depot over here has a $60 delivery fee or $20 hr. if you rent their truck...
Anyway, you are right the Mini surprisingly can hold a decent amount of stuff!

 

speaking of concrete here, I am planning on buying a couple bags of concrete mix. Do you think I'll risk damaging the suspension by doing so? Those bags are damn heavy at 80lb@, and I need a couple just for a very small project.

I once hauled 15 bags of 3 cubic ft compost bales on my audi wagon and the suspension light blinks for a while.

I prefer to be self reliant and haul my stuff as much as I can, rather than waiting (with a big wait window) for a delivery truck.

Thanks!

 

I carried a load of fertilizer in my MINI once...probably a 10 to 12 bags or so. No problem. I'm thinking the concrete would be fine, too.

 

It's really different. I didn't have a chance to weight my compost, but normally a big bag of lawn fertilizer would be 20lb or so. The concrete mix is 50 or 80lb and the bag is very small. The last time I checked I need a whole 50lb bag to do 2 fence post. So for my project (paving a small path) I might need 10 bags, or even more.

Sorry for being so OT here.......

 

Calculating.........

Whoa...that IS a lot of weight!!!!!!!

 

Hey it's the DIY forum!
I don't know how heavy a load you can put in the back of a Mini but if you need 10, 80 lb. bags I would say:

1) Take multiple trips
2) Use a different vehicle
3) Rent a truck for an hour.

So does anyone know what the max. weight you can put in the back of a Mini?

 

Yes, you can overload your MINI if the concrete is very heavy.
Just watch to see how much you are loading and don't exceed your tire load ratings. Drive slowly and be careful when cornering.

You don't want to be at the upmost load limit but just under.
About 700 pounds of stuff in addition to the driver would be OK using stock wheels/tires inflated to 38 psi.

 

In last weeks paper......