My 03 MINI doesn't know what's a rattle, and I daily use a hard carsound I can't imagine myself without it, now I'm saving to buy a 06 MCSC. I'm going to join the NAM 2 MINI Club .

 

Without a doubt the Mini looks great and in a way, very limited compared to how many Civics I see everyday. On that note, I can just assume that there will be about 100,000 of the new 2006 Civic SI on the road.

For pros and cons, the list is easy.

Mini...way cool.
Civic SI...no rattles...

I am taking it into the shop one more time to fix the driver door rattle (or maybe it's coming from the seatbelt by my left ear). That one is driving me nuts.

By the way, the big fix for the dash rattle (search this forum), seems they just put foam padding up at the front of the dash. I even have just a small piece dead center sticking out.

Oh, and they seem to always damage something with the soft plastic (which they replace on my next visit).

 

I like the MINI, but the Honda also looks like a fun car. I think you'll have fun with either one.

 

I feel your pain regarding this kind of decision...

As others have said, it's your choice. Nobody should fault you for going either way, as each has its advantages. Do you live near your MINI dealer? This fact would favor keeping the MINI, as at least you don't have to drive a long way to get it serviced. The point made about losing money one the trade is a good one -- by not doing so, you'll be able to pay for many non-warranty repairs to the MINI. The time spent/inconvenience factor should be your most important consideration in this area.

I agree with the sentiment that Honda is no longer head-and-shoulders above the competition in terms of quality/reliability. Having owned five Hondas over the past twenty years, I've seen the brand change a bit. Believe me, you may get rattles with a new Honda. Does your local Honda dealer deal exclusively with Hondas? My local "Honda" dealer is a combo Honda/GM dealer, and their service is crappy domestic-dealer-level service. In short, consider how your MINI dealer has serviced the car vs. what the Honda dealer looks like -- service can make or break the ownership experience.

Hope this helps...

 

My Civic had TONS of problems... it was a nightmare. I was so ready to throw it in the lake when it got totalled and I got the MINI

 

I will never understand why people think the Scion tC is an attractive car. To me it looks boring as hell, and honestly this Civic isn't too much better. And the new Civics definitely have their problems. A good friend got one a couple months ago, and has had plenty of issues. The rock-solid Honda reliability seems to be a thing of the past. They've gone down the tubes like Toyota, only they can't blame GM.

 

Look at it this way. It's just a car. It's not even a pet. Unless it doesn't function 50% the time or is dangerous then its performance is probably within 90% of all other cars. And if you consider that 10% variable versus the impact of every other issue in your daily life it probably equates to less than .5% of your worries. And if your car is boring then it gives you no pleasure--0% of the pleasure you experience in this miserable dog eat dog existence. But if your car can put a smile on your face, even 30% of the time you contemplate driving it--and 30% is probably low for a MINI, then imagine what that translates to in the pleasure quotient of your humdrum life. Not many of us in this competitive cyberworld can admit to experiencing greedy self-indulgent pleasure each day--so perhaps any one pleasurable experience may account for 25% of the total (or even higher with most of us debt-laden wage earners). It is difficult for most of us to even identify what would give us pleasure much less be able to access it. So why would anyone give up one guaranteed source of pleasure--the MINI. Sacrificing pleasure so that you can get within a 5% variable for rattle free automotive reliability might address only .25% of your daily cares--an aspirin could solve that for you. But for such little reassurance you might be giving up 30% of 25% your daily pleasure--a heartbreaking 7.5%. How can you bear to even think it?

 

I've liked Hondas and Ive always had at least one Honda on our driveway the last 15+ years.

but to sell my MINI for a Civic? nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.... naw!!

Maybe something nicer and more sporty...like a S2000 or NSX.


but Ive seen that new civic in person at the Chicago Autoshow.
it did look pretty cool.

 

If you want the NSX, wait 'till the new one arrives. Was about time after 15 years with the same motor. :smile:

 

well here it is... the new civic undisguised- 2006 Honda Civic Spy Photos. it looks like the concept... but for some reason it doesn't have the concept's "attitude." i dunno about you guys but its not that... nice. but if thats your cup of tea then i have no right to tell you not to get it. but the acura 05' rsx type S is way nicer looking and probably still faster (just a prediction). and theres always the next mini and if your just about the engine performance... its a turbo, enuff said... and probably has more torque than the honda motor which i wouldn't be surprise if it does. if the new si drives like the 98 model then it's gonna be a fun car for sure, just have a couple extra honda and si emblems incase you find them missing.

 

OK, after seeing the spy vidio (thank you by the way).

I'm done. The Mini stays.

My god it's still boring. The concept car was way cooler but I'm not sticking in another 5 to 10 grand to do it.

It looks better then any current Civic but it's looks just like any other car.

Honda needs to higher some Germans.

 

Order a new '05 or '06 MINI. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better build quality! I had a 2004 MCS for 17 months and zero rattles!. My 4 month old '05 MCS is going strong at 3K miles and no rattles either.

I owned nothing but Hondas and Acuras for 12 years non-stop. I put over $140,000 worth of Honda products in my driveway. Great cars, some of them were not that greatest (Some of the Japan made ones, the USA Accords were better) but the philosophy of innovation of thinking "outside of the box" has been long lost after the death of Mr. Honda in the early/mid 1990's. Hondas in the 1980's used to be very innovative cars: Low cowl windshield, double wishbone suspension, excellent finish/materials, 4 wheel steering, etc, etc.

However, Honda became a mainstream company churning out boring appliances. The finally lost me and after 12 years of the same song and dance I was craving something different and MINI offered the right combination of ingredients missing out from every Honda/Acura product in the market today.

Where are the high performance versions of the Civic/Accord? This stupid company believes that Americans don't deserve the Civic or Accord type "R" high performance versions which are only sold in Japan and some European markets. If you were looking at a Civic Type "R" then that would be more interesting, but a watered down Civic Si built for 18 year olds? Please!

Today's Hondas are cheaply built cars for the mindless masses. I don't care what people say and how much they praise them... Hondas are basic transportation appliances, boring, cheaply put together for a premium. The Koreans are beating them in their own turf. Witness the all new 2006 Hyundai Sonata sedan, assembled in the USA and a much better car than the Toyota/Honda offerings per Edmunds Editors.

Hondas no longer have the edge on either reliability, design, value, safety or innovation. Now it is a car company like any other, making stupid useless trucks like the new "Ridgeline" .

I wish Honda would get back to be the great company it was in the 1980's making innivative products and no trucks.

It is your call and your money, but I suspect that 6 months down the road (if not sooner) after you get that Civic Si, you will be back behind the wheel of the MINI.

Personally, I think you are giving up on one of the greatest cars made in the last 20 years (The MINI) and taking the easy way out to mediocrity (The Civic).

Lastly, I dislike the "ricer" image associated with most compact Japanese cars and this includes the Civic and all Scions.

The driving experience is more than "rattles" I think you are way too obsessed with "rattles" and missing out the big picture.

Get a 2005/2006 MINI, you won't regret it. ChrisL listened to me and he moved from a '03 MC to a '05 MC. Ask him how happy is he with the new car.

 

I Still love my '03 MCS. Even more so after all the stuff I put in it. NO rattles or anything and I kept everything nice and clean. By far my MCS is my favorite car of all the car I have had in the past (90 Prelude, CRX, 94 Camery (Why did I do that), 00 Jetta, 02 Beetle Sport).

I like it when I drove down the road and still don't see the exact same car next to me. Honda is a great car but you would see another just like yours the next block.

I'm keeping my '03 MCS until the end of 2007 so I can get the redesign MINI.

 

If you hate rattle I would suggest you to go with a new 2007 VW GTI. It's better built and more power than a 200-hp CIVIC.

I use to have a 97 GTI and it was real solid car...rattle free for the whole time I had it.

Ultimately, get a new MINI..hehehe

 

LOL... you were expecting the car to look the same? I've always thought the idea of using one-off wheels/paint on concepts was a stupid idea... builds attention, but then leads to a let-down when the final model shows up.

I've been a honda person for years, but this is just another step in the gradual demise of what used to be a good company. Too little, way too late. They should just stick to being a commuter company and quit trying. Honda's biggest problem in the US is the Acura name. If they'd run them like two companies they'd be fine, but as-is they're too worried about competing with each other to release the car they know they should.

 

Don't forget more weight... the ailment afflicting all VW's lately. I wouldn't count on better built either.

 

Had 2000 BMW M Roadster - 65k in three years - loved every second of it!

Traded to 2003 Chili Red MINI Cooper S - loved it dearly (yea, it did have a couple of rattles)

Traded to 2004 Honda S2000 (Suzuka Blue) - beatiful two-seater roadster. Loved every 26k miles of it....

Honda? Great build quality. No rattles. It was a Honda but it turned eyes like a Ferrari. Beautiful car (especially in the Suzuka Blue - bit I'm biased).

If I was going to own a Honda, this is the ONLY one I would drive (even though the misses owns an 05 Honda Element).

Somewhere in the middle of all that, there was a S-Type Jag R (390 HP Supercharger).....

But, pics of the new MINI Cooper Convertible seduced me.....

Traded to 2005 Liquid Yellow MINI Cooper S convertible....

After two weeks. 2000 miles. No rattles. 10,000 smiles.

Rumor has it that someday in my future, there might be an AWD MINI....until then, I"m a happy man!

http://hometown.aol.com/one1bmwnut/

Cheers mate and good luck in your decision.

 

Yes, it's more weight, but you get more room..eh?

I don't know if it's good or bad....better built or not...got to wait and go test drive in Feb 2006 when it comes, but so far I'm so impressed with the same 2.0T engine on my wife A3

 

Honda, Toyota and Nissan all make nice cars, as does Mitsubishi, but at this time neither brand or car of them appeals to me. That Mitsu Evo has crazy horse power, thats great, but I pick my cars for the style and I can appreciate that they are no slouches. Before I bought my MCS I actually considered a Scion xB (I know it is Toyota) too, but now I am so glad I did not.
As for your dilemma, you are your own master, and only you have to be happy with the choice.
H

 

The ugliness appears to be a symptom of the continued trend to move the beltlines of automobiles higher, shrink windows, etc - this is further personified with the Chrysler 300M, new Benz, and the 350z -- frankly this is styling I can do without. This is further exacerbated by the new European regulatory requirements which specify crumple zones around the powerplant for pedestrian safety (not against safety by any means but it does come at the apparent expense of nice designs - example the forthcoming MINI).

 

I would also suggest a newer MINI.

 

In my previous post .... about 3-4 back, that's exactly what I was trying to say...

And, it wasn't said very well at all...

But after driving some great, great cars...

M Roadster.
Jaguar S-Type R
S2000

I came back to my great love.... but with a soft top.

05 MINI Cooper S Convertible....

FUN - that pretty much sums it up. It's just Fun. To look at. To drive. To talk about. To give people rides in. To walk up to in a parking lot. To wave back to little kids from.

One of the great FUN cars of all time.... all those intangibles.

No way I'm driving my wife's Honda Element (which IS kinda funky)...

No way I'm driving a lot of cars....

Why? The FUN factor... plus a whole lot more!

 

Drove the car in Germany, awesome, would still wait for the new R36