I'm intrested in finding an automatic mini for my fiance. Please tell me the things i should be weary of. Weather conditions are flaky here in cincinnati too-so thats a major factor. Also their ability to travel long distances-she and I travel for family and those are 600 mile round trips.

Are their particular years/options I should avoid or favor? I'm sure she would be happy with anything, but the "man" in me wants to get a cooper S [unless they make a sportier model] but she always says "i want a zip-zip car." She by no means is an auto-x'r or hard driver. She's been under the grip of ford taurus's all her life and i'm about to shoot her family for forcing her into that. Thanks in advance!

 

quiet bunch....aren't ya?

 

I assume you're looking at used MINIs. If so, you should check prices carefully. MINI resale values are very high, and you might find yourself better off with a new MINI. Check with Classic MINI in Ohio, they are a site sponsor, and I've heard lots of good things about them.

Cooper models have been available with CVT automatics since the beginning (2002 model year). The Cooper S just got its auto option in the 2005 model year (or maybe it was 2006, I forget) so you probably won't find many used ones around.

2004 is probably your best bet for a used MINI, as the earlier years are known for having had more issues. 2005 saw minor styling updates, and revised gearing in the manual models.

MINIs aren't great for long highway slogs, but now that I only drive my MINI I am used to the relatively rough ride and don't mind it at all. I've seen a few posts about MINIs being great in the snow, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

Good luck!

 

I drive my '05 MINI S year-round in West Michigan weather (gotta love that lake-effect snow!) and it has handled quite well. It travels comfortably, too.

 

oh, give it time, you'll have 300 replies we love our MINIs and even more we love to talk about them

1st thing I'd say is MINI is different than any other car make- it's more of a retail experience than a traditional car buying experience. Educate yourself on the enormous scope of options offered, no 2 MINIs are alike! You can get an $18k new MINI or a $40k new MINI for example..

Visit the configurator at miniusa.com to figure out some of the options you'd like, and I'd recommend visiting a showroom to ask questions- they really won't mind if you don't actually buy one on the spot!

Believe it or not, I've just ordered my 4th and I've owned all different models since they came out. All of them will run circles around a Taurus, so it's hard to go wrong. There were several issues with the initial 2002s, but most everything would have been fixed by MINI service by now. All service is included free up to 48K[sorry! 36k] , so anything around that range or under will have been taken good care of most likely.

Beware somewhat of an out-of-warranty car from a private source as parts & labor if needed can be pricey, but also keep in mind MINIs are largely extremely well built and reliable.

If auto is the way you must go, I would personally recommend the Automatic S over the Cooper CVT, as I thought the CVT felt a little rubbery, and an S has the extra oomph you might want when pulling onto the expressway. Going auto will elimate probably 90% of the used MINIs out there though!

Ride is very much affected by wheel size on MINIs, with the 17" runflat tires being the stiffest, and the 16" or even 15" tires being more cushy.

2ndly, when you buy a MINI you are joining a true family of people where, if you want, you can have more friendly interaction and support than any other car club/brand/make/whatever ANYWHERE, I'm serious.

whew! well good luck man, and welcome (almost)!!!

 

I have a 2005 Cooper Convertible with the CVT (aka Automatic) and love it. It is nice to be able to drive in stop and go traffic without shifting, but the CVT also has Step-tronic so it can be driven like a manual for more "spirited" driving.

We've had this car since August and have only had it in the snow once, but could not believe how well it handled. It was like there was no snow on the road!

As for the Cooper vs the Cooper S, that is something you will just have to decide for yourself. On this board, the Cooper S people love their cars, and the Cooper folks love their cars, also. We test drove both, and while the S was a lot of fun, it wasn't something that I had to have, and was happy with the performance of the Cooper. The Cooper has quite a bit of "ZIP", and naturally the S will have more. It will just be a preference thing for you & your fiance.

We have taken several long trips in our MINI, and while the ride is stiff, it isn't something that bothers us. For us, the decision of which vehicle to take on a trip depends on how many people and how much luggage will be travelling.

Sorry I can't help with info on older models and things to check for since we bought ours new. I do recommend checking used car values against new, though.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

 

first off....
I'm not intentionally starting arguements, merely telling MY experience

When considering an automatic, I'd recommend a Cooper with the CVT... They have been around longer, and are more reliable. (first year bugs are still around in the S)

As for the road trips, I've done prolly around 8k miles in my MINIs... I think the rides arent bad, I am usually pretty comfortable for the first 700 miles/day. (I recommend the sport seats, esp. the leather/ette ones with the lumbar support)

There are LOTS of good options out there, and none to avoid, just get what you like!

I also add to the idea of checking out a new MINI... Financing is good (if you'd like to go that route) and you can find something in whatever price range youre shopping in.

Give Julie Saxa @ Classic MINI (in Mentor, OH) a call... She is a FANTASTIC motoring advisor... They also give good deals and quick delivery times.

Good luck!

 

The MINI is great. This is coming from a dyed in the wool gearhead that has always fostered pure hatred for front wheel drive cars. I'd get the S automatic since you're used to some get up and go. The MINI rides firm, but not harsh (to me). It won't be as fast as the Firebird but it will run circles around it on a twisty road. I have a 1995 B4C Camaro, so I'm pretty familiar with those cars. The MINI also has a knack for making car nuts out of people who previously thought a car was just a machine to go from Point A to Point B. It should be an effective antidote to the Taurus. Go drive one and you'll start to get the idea.

Options? The sky's the limit. There are option "packages", but you can get anything you want in any combination as individual options. Make sure to get the heated seats. That'll be the best $300 you'll ever spend. Just for fun, test drive a 6 speed. Let us know your driving impressions.

Good luck,
Rawhyde

 

I own 2 MINIs. '05 MCS 6MT and '02 MC CVT with 35K miles. Ask any questions as I have plenty ownership experiences with these cars.

 

Well, there are 1.6 million combinations to choose from, so the likehood of another MINI exactly like yours elsewhere in the world are next to none.

 

Who would ever argue with The Future Queen of Nebraksa ??? (it could be 'off with our heads' or something worse!!)

 

Now you're the kinda guy i can get a long with. Whoever it was must not know F-bod guys, but we're all the same breed-unique cars brings people together. Wranglers, vettes, minis, f-bods: they all wave to eachother.

i appreciate the replies. How do these things hold up in a wreck? I guess i should be considering an 04+ CVS with 16" or so rims? like i said, Road worthy. get in and go with style. my ws.6 parts cost enough-i want something reliable.

 

also, what's the insurance like on these things? it's gotta be pretty nasty b/c of such small frames

 

Insurance isn't too bad on these... Its about the same as my VW was when it was new. Don't forget that these cars aren't super-expensive to begin with so the insurance isn't outragous

 

I got my 05 MCS in July of 04 and have not had a problem with Cincy weather, I drive 65 miles round trip to work every day. I would go for the stick it is easy to learn in these cars. Hope to see you on the road in yours, I run the 275 loop on the East side from the Ohio River and up.

 

You'll be pleasantly surprised. Probably you'll pay the same or less than most cookie-cutter sedans in the market and less than some Japanese compact cars.

My brother in law used to pay higher insurance (same company State Farm) on his '02 VW Golf GL 5-door hatchback (115hp 2.0L 4cyl engine, automatic) than my '05 MCS with 6-speed manual and 168HP engine.

Make no mistake. The MINI is the shortest new vehicle sold in America, but it is also as wide as most midsize sedans and it is built like a Sherman Tank:

Frontal crash test barrier @ 40MPH: (MINI Cooper)

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=168


Ford F-150 Pickup (1997-2003 models):

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=7

As you can see, size is not everything. Is the engineering that goes into the design to make it crashworthy. Most people will never think that a MINI has a substantially stronger body than an '97-'03 Ford F-150 full size pickup built on a ladder frame.

 

Welcome to NAM, dipherentdesign! Lucky gal to have a guy like you shopping for a MINI for her! I've been driving MINIs since 2002 and found them VERY reliable, fun, they get good mileage, and with the 6 standard airbags, I feel very safe in mine.

I will be setting out this spring on my fourth annual solo cross-country trip and back again. All I can say is I can pack more stuff into a MINI than you could believe, to live out of it for 6-8 weeks. I have the 16-inch performance runflats and the ride is great. I recommend the heated seats, for sure, as on long-distance trips, they will keep your back limber and comfortable.

The MINI holds its value so well that you may want to consider ordering a new one, as was suggested by several folks above. Go to a dealership and test-drive all the models. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

 

the MINI is extremely safe and has decent insurance costs. it would cost me more to insure something like a scion or civic. also add to the fact that you won't have to worry about your mini being stolen unless the car theif came with a rollback.

sounds to me like an automatic S would be good, but if it were my girlfriend she'd be getting a CVT cooper. the MCS is just more than she could handle. don't forget to take into account that these cars handle so well, she'll be able to actually avoid many accidents that she would get in a bigger, less nimble car. go test driving... then buy new. it just makes more sense. getting one that will run out of warrantee wouldn't be a good idea.

 

I will also suggest giving serious consideration to looking at a new MINI as the pricing for a used MINI can still be rather high, but look around the Marketplace and other sites for posible good deals. To look at new MINI's, go to Cincinnati MINI on I-71 and look around. With a dealership so close that sells for MSRP, there's really no reason to go to Cleveland. Right now, I know that they have alot of cars on the lot and as such you can see what the options are with your own eyes. Ask for Amy, she is the Senior Motoring Advisor and is great to work with. Also, as an FYI, the older service advisor John was named the MINI SA of the year for North America and is very helpful if you have to take the MINI in for service and even though the MINI and BMW dealership are in the same building, I have never felt like I was a lesser person b/c I had a MINI instead of a BMW as I've heard from some other dealerships. I have never had a problem with my MINI and the weather in the area. If you get run-flats, I would suggest the 16" as opposed to 17" rims. They ride alot better and are less prone to damage from the potholes that we currently have. As for insurance, it costs about the same to insure my MCS JCW as it does for our Scion xB which cost ~ 1/2 as much

 

DOn't worry about long journeys, I have done thre 1500 mile (each way) thats 20 hours stoping only for gas, road trips and I know that there those who do much greater distances than that. The only thing may be that you'd want to leave the highway and take the backroads just for pure driving pleasure and that tends to add a little time. From 04 on the models have been of a very good build quality, definately consider new simply becuse of the high resale values. They are definately a "zip-zip wahoo!!" car. The car handles wonderfully in the snow and rain on stock tires(first hand experiance), most tend to go with a summer/winter tire combo for even more fun. If you can find one I'd recommend manual and LSD (only offered from dealer since 05). All warrantys on the car are transferrable so if you end up with a lightly used MINI you should still be covered for a while. Many people do a few basic mods for a little more zip so if everything is not factory be sure to check the quality of the work done as these items are not covered by warranty. Avoid S-lites they are heavy and stop almost all air that would cool your brakes. For me insurance costs went down slightly cause I was driving the most frequently stolen car in the US at the time. If you do a search or browse some of the forums you may find different answers to some of the more detailed questions, that it is one of the best perks of driving a MINI, the community of MINI people and how much we all love the car, I haven't seen many other cars that have such a following. And by all means go and test drive one, just to get a feel for how fun it is!

 

I was gonna chime in about the insurance (it ain't bad) and the safety (it'll save your bacon), but there are posts above mine that address those questions in pretty good detail.

Regarding the CVT (this'll create a flame war, but so what...)

Make sure to do an extended test drive in one, then try the S automatic. The S automatic has about 55 more horsepower and it's a conventional automatic. The paddle shift thing is just another way to manually shift the transmision. The CVT is like a golf cart transmission. There aren't any discrete ratios. It is continuously variable (like the name says), but words don't prepare you for the effect. When you give it more throttle, the engine revs up immediately, then after a slight pause the car picks up speed. It's a really strange feeling. There are folks that love it, but it does take a bit of getting used to.

Like everyone else here, I'd encourage you to go ahead and get a new one. Ordering one up is like ordering an American car back in the sixties...there are literally DOZENS of potential options and they can be ordered in any combination your heart desires. The resale value is so high, you aren't saving much by buying a used one.

Rawhyde

 

Our '02 MC CVT with 35K miles drives and accelerates super turbine smooth. No herky jerky or "pause" before gaining speed. We have been very lucky with this car in regards to its driveability as many folks with '02 and '03 CVTs experienced MAJOR problems with the car. However, it is worth noting that the bulk of these problems were software related and not always the fault of the ZF CVT-1 transmission.

The adaptive nature of the CVT software has in our particular case made the car extremely responsive and smooth. When people drive they just can't believe how quick and smooth it is. They ask me what mods it has and I tell them "NONE". This car is bone stock and can suprise a few Cooper S on the road.

 

I had a CVT MC for a loaner once and at first, it took some getting used to, but once I did it felt pretty good.

 

We won't know what your insurance company costs in your area. My MCS policy is about the same as my VW policy.

 

Re Insurance: apparently the insurance co's see the Mini as a "hatchback" rather than some sort of sports car, so the insurance rates tend to be very reasonable.

Re safety: if you're near a dealership, take a test drive and ask the MA (motoring advisor, who would be known as a "salesperson" anywhere else )about the safety features. Mini packs a lot into the tiny frame. If you go for a test drive, you'll also note how very solid the Mini feels.

If you get the Cooper, I think the sports package is one of the best bargains around. It gets you sport seats (a real plus, although they can be uncomfortable if you're very dimensionally challenged) and dynamic stability control. Also larger diameter tires -- the 16" tires are probably not large enough to impact the handling too much, and you'll have a lot more options to choose from when it comes time to replace tires.

The Mini's handling spoils you for most other cars in its price range. I drive a lot of "whatevers" when travelling on business, and they all feel very sloppy compared to the Mini! I also drive Tauruses from time to time, thanks to both my parents and my carpool partner. It feels sooooo big compared to my Mini!

I must admit I'm skeptical that you actually exist.... so keep us posted on your progress in finding a Mini for your GF!