So here is my great MINI dilemma. I see an indie blue mini in my future, with a white roof. But I can’t decide if it should be an S or not.

On the external styling, I love the chrome grille and chrome inserts on the standard. Against and indie blue with white wheels and roof, and I don’t think anything looks more jaunty. On the other hand absolutely love the lapis leather available only in the S.

Then, of course, there’s the power question. The only manuals I’ve ever driven have been aged Honda’s, and I’m certainly not a bat out of hell driver. But on the other hand, my commute is 55 miles of California highway where the speed of traffic tends to be 70-80, and though I don’t love the car, I’ve certainly got used to the torque on the Grand Am I drive at the moment.

Finally, the sunroof gives me pause. When I first met my wife I was driving an Accord with a moonroof – and the wife and I have fond memories of drive fast late at night with the wind blowing in the roof. But I’m really not sure about the screens. Here in SoCal, it’s hitting 80 not infrequently even in February, so I’m worried that the screens will turn my mini into a pint-sized solar oven.

Any feedback from those of you who are already driving your toys? Does the standard cooper have enough grunt to perform well in the 70-100 range? Are the sunroof screens as silly a design choice as they look to me?

 

No choice about it - has to be the S.

Don't think about it anymore - S is the only way to go.

------------------------------------------------
Waiting for my 2003 MCS BRG with all the toys

 

i wish i had bought a S!
if you have any inclination to get an S, then do it!

 

The S stands for the Smile of Satisfaction...no, I guess that would be SOS...

 

The Cooper has plenty of pick-up at speeds of 70-80, certainly as much as the kinds of cars that it sounds like you've had in the past. More importantly, I think, the car feels rock solid at those speeds. 80 in the Cooper feels like 60 in a Civic. The car feels steady, sure-footed, and safe. Obviously with the S's supercharger and 6 gears, you're looking at more versatility at those higher speeds, but the Cooper negotiates them comfortably.

Other factors - S has no spare tire. If you want to buy a bike rack for the hatch, the S sounds like it gets tricky with the spoiler. Fuel economy. You can see where my bias lies.

Personally I like the appearance of the Cooper's front end more than the S, but the S in indi blue does look very, very nice. I'm sure you've checked out the galleries...

 

I think the point here is that you are going to have to drive each and see which one feels better for you.

People that own and 'S' will tell you the 'S' is the only way go and people that have the regular Cooper will say that is the only way to go.

Look at what you really want and weigh the cars on even plane.

Look at what you want for engine performance, transmission, color, add-ons, then see if the Cooper or 'S' meets those needs (wants).....

 

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Does that answer your question????

_________________

 

>>I think the point here is that you are going to have to drive each and see which one feels better for you.>>

That's probably the key. I need to go find a dealer who will let me take both models out on the freeway. And I'd kind of been waiting till I was ready to plunk down a deposit before I did that.

 

I second Nobull


SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSS

 

It depends what you want....gas mileage and economy and ride
quality I'd go for a base Cooper with 15" wheels. Want a little more
fun and harsher ride get a Cooper with sport suspension. If you
want to go faster and don't mind buying gas, get the S.
I've driven all three and they are all a blast.

 

No doubt the MCS is the faster car. But once you subjectively drive the two back to back you realize that the difference is much less than the HP numbers would indicate. In fact around town I prefer the MC as it's speed from 0-30 seems is easily as fast as the MCS. The MC is also lighter and gets better MPG (not to mention the satisfying aesthetics etc.) has had less mechanical troubles (knock on wood), and costs $3250 less.

That being said the only weak spot in the MC in my mind is the acceleration btw 70-100. That doesn't mean it's horrible. I drive in and around Chicago daily - at times on the freeway where speeds can reach up to 90-100mph (not me officer i swear). The MC can certainly handle those situations - but it does so with a bit more drama than the MCS. There's certainly more rowing of the gear box in the MC in passing or on ramp situations. Of course if I wanted no drama and smooth power I would have bought a used 3 series.

I've owned my MC for coming up on 11 months now and have just over 19k on it. I'm used to fairly quick vehicles having owned several BMWs previously (I still own a E36 3series). Obviously I appreciate speed and performance. That being said - I've never regretted getting the MC.

Our original plan was for an MCS. The day that the dealerships opened up across the country we out and test drove an MCS - and for fun an MC. My first reaction was disbelief in how nice the base MC felt in comparison to the 23k MCS I had just gotten out of. Regardless I put down my money that day for the MCS (since I tend to always want the fastest of anything). Later that night we got in a bad accident that totaled one of our cars (not our fault). Because of that we needed a car rather quickly. After going back to the dealer we ended up grabbing a loaded pre-spec Cooper that happen to have every combo and option we wanted. Again, I've never once regretted it.

Sorry for the rant - I'm just tired of people believing that there is only one choice and that the MC is not the car to get. If and when the RS comes out will it's owners belittle MCS owners for having a car that's obviously slower? Should all the MCS owners out there have waited for something faster? There's no end to it. It's a personal question and the only advice we can give you is our personal advice - there is no one right answer.

 

Now I have to say the standard Cooper.....

The S is not much differant, I've blown past S's in my regular little cooper, and it's much better on the hills than the S.... Thank the Torque for that...

and with all vehicle with superchargers... they are going to fail in a bad way someday and replacement is not cheap.

If you are just going to drive... get the cooper, if you are entering into ProAm nationals get an S and prep it out with an extra $30k!

Good Luck!

 

>>>>I've owned my MC for coming up on 11 months now and have just over 19k on it. <<<<<


11 Months???! you must have been Mini #4!

Hehe We were #17 or 18 in our area... Purchased in First week of April!

Woo Woo

 

Think about this.

1. You can get a MC and spend a whole pile of money to get the performance of a MCS.

2. You can get a MCS and spend much less changing the things you prefer about the MC.

 

If you don't want the S, then NEVER test drive one.

Once you go "S" you'll never go back!

 

S

As for your other concerns [grill and sunroof]...I've heard that the Cooper's chrome fits the S's grill, you could buy the spares from the dealer, and do it yourself. (I may do this too.) And sunroof? I live in CT, so can't relate. The white roof will look great, and will reflect alot of sun, theoretically keeping your car cooler. On the other hand, the sunroof will be great on a cool evening, or in the fall/winter/spring. I'd opt for the sunroof, but again, I live in CT...it's a little cooler here.

Either way, you can't go wrong. Both are fantastic cars...

 

It all depends on the type of driver you are... If you're like me and frequently feel the need for speed, then the S is the only way to go (not that the MC is slow, it just doesn't have as much guts as the S). On the other hand, if you were say, my wife, you wouldn't have any reason to own the S. She drives a fire-engine red Passat VR6 and has probably floored it once or twice. So if you don't really find yourself wanting to race around town, go supercharger-free, we'll still love you.

 

Driving a black on black car in southern california has taught me 1 thing - the importance of ventilation. Just crack that sunroof an inch or two and you'll be suprised how much heat goes away

 

From a future owner's perspective.

At first I was transfixed on an S until a fellow SCMM member encouraged me to look at the Cooper. I put together a spreadsheet of options and costs for both cars.

The S gives you more HP for the $ than the Cooper, it also has a significantly better power to weight ratio. If you option a Cooper to be like an S (plus suspension, sport seats, 16" wheels for example), your total costs are fairly close. You need another 40 hp or so on the Cooper to get the same power-to-weight as the S.

For myself, I need to drive a Cooper with and without the sport plus suspension to decide if I need the option. 16" wheels definitely. Then with the ~$2500 of money I've saved, I'll have fun with the engine.

Gas and insurance are life-cycle cost issues that are clearly in the Coopers favor.

 

>>As for your other concerns [grill and sunroof]...I've heard that the Cooper's chrome fits the S's grill, you could buy the spares from the dealer, and do it yourself.>>


Now there's a thought. I might have to look into that if I get the S.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I guess I'll just have to try both again (on the highway) and decide what mini fits my driving personality best. In general I'm a very steady sort of bloke -- but every so often I enjoy riding with the pack, which in my office consists of M5s and Porshes. I'm looking forward to motoring with more style, less outlay, and better cornering than my boss's 911!

 

I'm with MightyMiniz on this one...

If you're looking for a really fun commuter/weekend car, go with the Cooper! (I did, an I am in LOVE!) Throw the couple of extra grand you'll save by not ordering an S into some really cool options (leather, xenons, rally lights, NAV, etc.).

If you're looking for a snazzy little race car, get the S. For the way I drive, it would be a waste of money for me. The Cooper has plenty of zip, and the fuel economy is awesome. Either way, you can't go wrong!

Tony
LET'S MOTOR.

 

Hey Coop.,
I like that username...I'm driving an Indi Blue w/white top. I could have had the S, but the front end (IMHO) looks more classy that the scoop on the S. Of course, I'm a bit older than some here, and can remember the era of the scoops all too well (Road Runner, 6 Pack, GTO, Firebird, etc.). I wanted the stronger engine, but just superchargers reminded me too much of the turbos., and they tended to wear out on the vehicles I can remember...

So, I'm very happy with my Indi. By the way, it has the moonroof and we LOVE IT. It gets pretty warm in these parts also (TN.) Good luck with your choice, they are both exceptional cars.

Jim

_________________
Turning head syndrome began on 09-21-02. (Indi Blue)

 

I went to the dealership interested in the Cooper. I never had seen an S. I test drove an S, and there was no going back.

But, like you, I like the chrome look of the Cooper. It is classy, IMO. So, I plan to swap the body colored grill out.

Now, here is a really great option that has just appeared. You can now get the Cooper S grill in chrome, which has the fewer slats. As it stands now, you cannot spec it from the factory, but you should be able to buy it from parts and do it yourself (or have the dealer do it).

The chrome S grill is expected to be available in the UK sometime in the March/April timeframe. And I saw a picture of the new grill on a MINI billboard photo, so it looks like the rumor is true. Thank goodness!

See ya,
JS

P.S. Regarding the billboard, I think it was in a post on MINI2, but don't hold me to it.

 

The pic was from MINI2 and information is also from there and can be found on my site (bridger.us/mini). The lower Cooper grill doesn't fit quite perfectly in the lower MCS slot so this new option will be welcome for many I'm sure.

In 3-4 years I imagine my next MINI will be a Black/White MCS (or something faster) with a chrome grill :smile:.

>>I went to the dealership interested in the Cooper. I never had seen an S. I test drove an S, and there was no going back.
>>
>>But, like you, I like the chrome look of the Cooper. It is classy, IMO. So, I plan to swap the body colored grill out.
>>
>>Now, here is a really great option that has just appeared. You can now get the Cooper S grill in chrome, which has the fewer slats. As it stands now, you cannot spec it from the factory, but you should be able to buy it from parts and do it yourself (or have the dealer do it).
>>
>>The chrome S grill is expected to be available in the UK sometime in the March/April timeframe. And I saw a picture of the new grill on a MINI billboard photo, so it looks like the rumor is true. Thank goodness!
>>
>>See ya,
>>JS
>>
>>P.S. Regarding the billboard, I think it was in a post on MINI2, but don't hold me to it.
>>

 

I got the Cooper because I wanted Silk Green. I also like the styling of the Cooper better, and the smooth ride. That's just my opinion-I couldn't be happier with my Cooper!

Erin