I introduced myself before... Now I just have some more questions.

So is it worth the extra money to get a MCS? Or should I just stick with a MC...?

And then about prices... I've put myself a limit of $16000 and I really don't want and actually probably won't be able to go over that (Keep in mind that insurance will be about $3000 just b/c i'm a new driver and under 18!) So is a Mini a car for me at that price? I definetely won't get a car with more than 25000 miles and my other options are VW Golf, Civic Si, Mazda 3, Scion Tc etc.

any tips in buying second hand or with my other choices??

 

eek, I hope nobody was ofended when I said 16k.... I mean, it's good to buy cheap but it doesn't mean I undervalue minis!!!

 

Used cars are really hard to talk about. Keep in mind warranties (or remainder of them) and what you really want in a car. With $16,000 you could probably get yourself a new car if you look at other (not so loaded) cars.

I tend to call my insurance agent (first) when I find a car I like, then decide if the insurance is worth it after I know the rates.

 

Given your requirements (<$16K, <25K miles), you don't have much choice - you'll go MC. You MIGHT be able to find and '02 MCS for that, but not likely. Check into the cost of insurance for both - that could influence your decision.

Quite honestly, you can buy a more cost effective car than the MINI, and a less expensive car should ding your wallet less on insurance as well.

 

Being that you are under 18 I woudn't even have the MCS on my list neither would the Civic SI. And forget a Golf GTI or what ever they are calling the hot rod Golf now. Heck You aren't going to touch a Scion Tc for that kind of money.

Go for a mid range model of the Civic, Scion Xb or even Mazda 3

Heck for that price range a lightly optioned brand new Xb might be available.

 

I'm going to assume you really like the MINI and tell you to look at a used MC. It'll be at the top of the $16K price range and the top of the 25K mile range, but it will be a MINI :smile: .

Options depreciate faster than the car itself, but the MINI is still a wanted car so used prices are not that much below retail. The flip side is that a bunch of people with '02 and '03 MC's are selling them for the last of the supercharged MCS line, or at least the last of the pre-big bumper MC. If you look around you may be able to find one.

The MINI non-S is going to pretty good on insurance too. IT has a great safety rating and is not considered nearly the hot-rod some of the other cars on the list are. Gie the full list to your insurance agent and have them tell you what insurance on each one will be. Have that help your decision process and good luck, I hope you get the right car - even if it isn't a MINI in the end.

 

Your insurance will probably be cheaper with a MC.
Here's a few samples for you:


http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

This one seems too good to be true (warning!) :

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national