Thanks.

Celicas and Tiburons (which tc's kind of remind me of) are pretty popular too. Used you can get a pretty good deal on them... why not look into those?

I'd have been better off getting a much cheaper car. But since it's my money, and i've already been obsessing over the MINI for years, and i really DONT have any hobbies other than car stuff... why not spoil myself a little?

 

My point exactly, Short Bus. . (my post from earlier)

There are always excptions to the rule though...

 

Further support to one of my earlier posts.... Chicks dig MINIs! Not Scions! . That's gotta count for something with your teenage son!

 

i completely agree! hey, we only live once.

 

I didn't notice your post when i had all my thoughts together... Sorry!

 

I wouldn't buy a new car for a new driver either, and if I did it would not be anything that would come close to "sporty". . . . Something like a diesel Volvo station wagon that is safe and would be laughed at in any stoplight race. . .

but the original poster was not asking for our opinions on the topic of buying new sporty cars for new drivers. . . .

I still say MINI Cooper, but if he wants the Scion then he should have that.

 

Best of luck with your test drives today!

 

Ask Battle Cattle that one... i saw some quotes he's posted that females say about his car

Your son would get ALOT of compliments in the mini, and i dont think either of you would regret the purchase at ALL... but i just dont think it's good for his first car/age. Maybe he's more mature than most of us kids

My dad was the one that talked me OUT of the MINI when i messed up my tbird... but once i hurt my beloved miata, he was begging me to get a MINI

 

You may only live once, but in my various reincarnations, I have been a beetle, a fruit bat, a mouse, a penguin, a jellyfish, and thirteen different kinds of parasitic nematodes, and let me tell you, being a Human MINI owner is the next best thing to being a jellyfish!

I'd guess that owning a Scion would be right up there with penguin, and that's pretty good!

 

Well I'm also ur son's age. (19 . going to be 20 this november)
I've been driving for about 1.5 years
The first car that I started off was a 2000 Daewoo Nubira my brother's left here for me when he went back to Korea for a few years

It was all good.. Not much power at all but it has got me from Point A to Point B. (School -> Home. Home -> Work. Work -> Home.)

Since the day I drove it, I really drove it hard. I mean HARD.
Going 130mph on a empty highway? . . . . (stupid me. )
Pedal to the floor at every single lights?
Shuuuuu...
I'm damn glad that it was a daewoo. not anything good, new and not anything fast. Because if it was fast or anything new, i might have killed myself, hurt someone else and kill myself again for wrecking it.
I believe kid's first car has to be a beater or something unfast....and MC fits right in if it will be a new..


...


I drive a 05 mcs now but I still miss my DAHWOO sometimes..... it actually sounded better than my mcs' sc whine when it was floored.. like a damn race car

 

Uh-oh, Yucca's lost in the sauce again... watch out!

 

Despite all the problems people have like the "stumble", yo-yoing, software, etc?

 

Absolutely.

 

This from someone who sounded an awful lot like a Mini spokesman himself a page back.

 

WOW, I leave for awhile and a million more responses ...

BBOY is Right! Thats pretty funny.

C4. anytime your around, we can go for a beer and talk cars dude ... I love anyone who is a bit knowlegeable. Maybe cya at the Dragon.

Oh ... (can't resist). top ten selling cars in America are all trucks, SUVs and full size cars (e.g., taurus) EXCEPT for the CIVIC.



Yes. I luv my MINI

 

I didn't think the civic was selling great. I know used, they're hotcakes for the younger crowd. Except for those of us with taste, of course.

Way too many Camry's out there.

 

I'll take you up on that beer next time.

 

To add my own opinion here, I'd say that your son will probably enjoy the TC more if he's into things like big stereos and interior neon lighting. But the Mini will help him garner a greater appreciation for razor-sharp handling in a car.

 

Thank you for that diary.

just kidding.

 

Um, that comment went completely over my head.

 

Whoa, you didn't say your from Boston area before

In that case, being an ex-Bostonian (although you can never really be an ex-Bostonian) and knowing the crime rate for stolen cars there ... or at least used to be. then no contest get the MINI. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=48731

I have asked the same question throughout the online community and yet to have found a single case where a MINI has been stolen WITHOUT using the key. Thats very impressive.

If I still lived near Boston, possible theft of a desirable car would be a consideration in the purchase.

Good Luck!

 

Thanks to all.....my son ordered the Tc. I might have been a bit down on it at first, but I have to say I like the way he went about making his decision!

After driving both he said while they are two completely different driving feels, he can be happy in either (I think due to his lack of experience, he doesn't appreciate how completely unique the Mini driving experience is).

That said he then called his insurance guy, and found out the MC would be an extra $350/yr over the Scion (which surprised me....also, while he has a spotless driving record, he only has 2 years of experience driving, so his rates are still high...much higher than mine!).

He is thinking (though I'm sure it will change) he will keep this car 6-8 years, so to find out about ongoing costs, he then went down to talk to a BMW mechanic buddy of his and they were able to look up some prices for some items that might go from years 3-8 etc...and he said on avg. the mini stuff was 20%-5% more expensive....lastly I talked to mechanic I know (specializes on Toyota but works on EVERYTHING...and is really amazing.....he knows his stuff)...he told me the most trouble free, best built (for the money) car he has seen is the Toyota Echo...he said it's design and components for it's purpose are just about flawless..said the things will run forever and cost you almost nothing to keep them going.....and he's looked at the new Scion's and that he see's a lot of similarities w/ it's design and components in terms of being rock solid...sooooooooo in the end, I think he did well with his decision....maybe not my choice, but hey that's prob. a good thing . Someone here said it best...in the end he prob. wanted something that wasn't quite so similar to his Dad. thinking back I can relate!

 

Sounds like he made a very well-thought out and informed decision, which if we are all honest, the MINI is not about rationale. It is about passion, which is about as unrational as it gets!:smile:

 

Congrats on the final decision. the tC is not my cup of tea, but what matters at the end of the day is what makes him happy and what also makes better financial sense. We'll see if in 6 months he is still happy with that tC

 

Nice backhanded compliment, there.