or better yet, go ahead and buy a neon, and then we'll drive cirles around you.

Just kidding. Test drive one and take a hard corner, you'll see the light.

 

I am retiring my 98 cherokee 11mpg....13 downhill, strong tail wind. Looked all over for a good gas mileage FUN car. ALL the reviews and I mean all of them had one main focus. This is the most fun car all the owners have ever driven. Hands down this is the most fun we will have in a car. I do live in the Santa Monica Mountains and have 3 to 5 canyons to drive to Santa Monica daily.... so all those winding roads call me. For only $35k I can get a little FUN FUN FUN,,,,,,,, thats cheap

 

I'll also say this, from my own observation, there is a jeep community, the MINI has that same type of following, we just autocross instead of rock crawl and road race instead of bajha, but seriously drive both, you'll see the differance the neon will always be a neon. THe MINI is just as at home with neons as it is Bentlys. I still remeber getting looks of amazement, at a stoplight from an NSX and he didn't spend $20k for that rocket.

 

Do you have the car yet?

We should meet up sometime, I have a '06 JCW and work in Brentwood.

 

Why not a MINI? It is a load of fun to drive and it is more than just a car. It is a lifestyle too.

 

Two words come to mind besides the techinical stuff....the vehicle's got character and style. I drive, off and on, a humvee in my other job, so if I wanted to drive in the mud I could for free otherwise I drive my wife's 02 MC or my 05 MCS JCW.

 

If you want to just go fast in a straight line, the list of cars that can beat an MCS is too long to consider.

If you want to feel pure driving pleasure and enjoyment, the list is quite short; but right on top would be the MINI.

 

Bottom line: a MINI is cool as hell; a NEON is just transportation.

 

I agree with GT6, It's not about being fast, it's about being first !!!

 

I have yet to be smoked by a Neon. They can be built/tuned if you have more money than brains. But when your done, it's still a Neon.
Go drive both. Then make a decision.
Spend some real time on this site. The MINI community is a brotherhood, like no other. I'm pretty sure the guy who has a SRT4 doesn't really give a crap when he sees a "regular" Neon. Such is not the case when Cooper S owner comes across a Cooper. Even without the S, it's still a MINI, still cool.

 

...for me it wasn't about speed or who gets the best gas mileage (although we all like to get the biggest bang for our buck)...for me it was having a car that didn't blend in with all the others in the parking lot, the ability to accelerate QUICKLY or manuever on a dime to get out of harm's way and having a great safety package. When I see a Nissan, Accura, Toyota, smaller Ford and Chevy model vehicles they all have similar body styles and look like "cookie cutter" cars....if we all liked our car to look like ever other car, we'd all like oatmeal (yuck!) too....

...an aquaintance was going through a (pre-paid) lane at a turnpike toll...yeah, okay, he was going faster than the posted 30 mph... maybe more like 60.... he hit the divider and when the car finally skidded to a stop, the car was totalled, but he got up, out and walked away intact from what could have been a more serious accident with another make/model car...he immediately bought another MINI... come to think of it, I think that was what sold me on getting a MINI....yep....

Then again, although I can fit a lot of stuff in my MINI, if you want something you can fit the entire boyscout troop, their camping equipment and kayaks in, maybe you'd be better off getting one of those SUVs on the market....I do not mean to insinuate that because I bought a MINI, everyone has to buy a MINI...it boils down to what you like....but I gave you my reasons, and I hope they help you decide for yourself what you would be happiest with....

Test drive one for yourself...I don't mean take one around the lot...see if the dealer would let you take it out on road and put it through it's moves. I don't know how anyone can decide if they like a car just by driving it around the parking lot... Mick

 

Take your friend on two test drives. He will stop asking dumb questions

 

Oh and one good reason not to buy a neon that nobody has mentioned....or any american car IMO.....resale. take a look at what a 4yr old neon (or the like) sells for, then take a look at a 02 MINI bout 10k of diffrence in resale price.

 

The 'new' SRT-4 (Caliber) will be a hoot, just like the earlier one. The Caliber (sort of a weird mini wagon looking thing - the only body style available) will be a huge improvement on the old SRT-4. My friend has an old (Neon) SRT-4 and the thing is a lot of fun in a straight line. It has a silly, huge, non-functional rear wing, the seats are horrible, off (turbo) boost it's a pig and your first quick turn in will reveal the limitations of the chassis. Other than those few things, there is nothing wrong with the SRT-4, the build quality is not bad, it's cheap for what you get and you can't beat that motor - 230 hp with 250 ft.lbs. I would never call it sophisticated or balanced. Perhaps the new SRT-4 (due this summer?) will take it up a notch or two both power and chassis sophistication-wise (250 hp?), but it will not have the history, balance and instant power that the supercharged Cooper S has.

The term "giant slayer" is entirely appropriate for Minis of all vintage and the modern Cooper and Cooper S hold up their end of the deal very nicely. You owe it to yourself to drive each car and then make an informed decision. I bet that you pick the Cooper S! Please keep us updated on your progress...

One more thing - you posted here and asked your question -- why not post in an SRT-4 forum and ask the same question? I bet that you get some interesting responses there too!

 

yet to lose to an SRT4 anyways

Why Mini?

buddy, wrong place to ask the question? If you are asking this question, you don't belong to this anyways. Sorry

 

By the way, I bought my DS MINI without even driving it first.

 

I absolutely love my MCS. I say this coming out of an Audi A4. When I went for a test drive I was shocked....SHOCKED....at how this car took to the road. My MA was goading me to take the turns faster and faster. I did not experience any body roll, tire squeel, drifting.

My buddy said it all. I took him for a ride last week. His response was "WOW, she's pretty quick too. How much was it again?"

I never took it above 4000rpm's It was all the handling that made her fast.

Think I've converted another one.

 

So far what everyone else has posted pretty much sums it up, not the fastest thing in the world straight line but superior handling, character, stlye, chicks dig it, etc. etc. etc. Having spent LOTS of time in my MINI and more time than I want to admit in various neons (tho never an SRT-4 I will admit) I have to add that the MINI also gives a feeling of much higher build quality, along with more thorough engineering and higher quality parts. Yes we have all had problems with our cars ranging from minor squeaks and rattles to big huge chunks of the drivetrain being replaced but such is life in mass production. There will always be cars that come out better, and always some that come out not so great. But in general the MINI's I've seen and driven all feel tight, firm , and well built while every Neon I've ever driven felt like it was trying to leave parts on the road. That's not a bash against Neon's I'm simply trying to point out that while the MINI is a reasonably (i think) priced european import aimed at people who like to drive and expect a quality machine, the Neon is an inexpensive domestic aimed at people who need basic transportation and want to spend as little as they can. Both cars were well built for the market they were intended for. So the question is, do you want to get to work every day for years to come, or do you want to get to work every day for years to come and have some fun taking the long way home? If its the former, buy a neon, if its the latter, spend the money and join the rest of us. Oh and don't listen to anyone who says such and such car will smoke such and such car. If I can beat a 3000GT in the twisties driving a VOLVO S70 i think its pretty obvious that driver skill is the key player (btw, the gt was driven by a 16 yr old that was still running on a learners permit and had just learned how to work a stick so don't all go ripping into me for making outrageous claims about my old car or my driving skills )

 

I also came from an A4 (2001.5 1.8TQ). I bought it to have a bit more of a "grown up" car. After a few years I realized that most of the time I was alone driving (or with only one other person) and didn't really need a four door car. I already have a beater van for any real hauling.

The 06 MCS that I picked up in October really did keeps me smiling. I do miss the Audi on occasion. But mostly for the smooth, quiet power, and interior pluses that you don't get in the MINI.

There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said by others. It's all about what your goals are. Mine were to have a fun car again. Even after several months, I still turn around in the parking lot and take a look at the car from a distance. I sometimes walk into my garage and take a look too. I make up reasons to drive it. For me, it was the right decision. For others, it won't give them that satisfaction, or maybe they aren't looking for that type of satisfaction. For others, a different car will give them a similar reaction.

If you're in the position to buy any car you want (within normal car buying parameters) take your time and get the one you really want.

The nice thing about the MINI is that if you decide that you don't like it after two or three months, you'll be able to trade it for about what you paid for it as they are in short supply, try that with a Neon

 

I just bailed out of a 04 Mitsu Evo VIII,a car that could stomp a Mini in any measurable performance index to get an 06 MCSa[thats right an auto!]and i dont miss in one bit. The Evo was a cheap car with some nice hardware but you could tell it started out as an econobox whereas the Mini was built from day one to be a step above that. Material quality,control feel,etc etc just "feel" better. Throw in the fact my local BMW/MINI dealer is really easy to deal with and i couldnt lose.

 

Futhermore, take a look at the what else did you test drive thread.

I drove a WRX back to back with the MCS.......No comparison. WRX may be faster but it was not the go-kart that the MCS is.
If you think fun is found in a straight line the MINI is NOT for you. If your friend thinks that fun is found in a straight line. spending 22k on an SRT-4 is stupid too because any moron can drop a 700hp blown Small block V8 in some crap camaro and go fast in a straight line for just a few thousand.

The whole point of this car is to capture the true driving experiance in a daily driver only sips fuel

 

I'm going to take the opposite attitude most people on here are taking. It seems like you want straight line speed, and the MINI doesn't offer that. What the MINI offeres is hard cornering and canyon runs that scare the pants off anybody.

Get the SRT-4, put in the Stage 3 Mopar kit, and smoke almost all of us at the track. If the car isn't ugly as hell to you, and doesn't feel uncomfortable to sit in, and the 2nd-gear shift doesnt make your hand hit the chair like mine did, then go for it :impatient

 

It's very interesting to read about all of the MC and MCS owners who have switched from "better" cars like the e36 or e46 M3, evo viii, WRX, etc... There's a specific thread on it somewhere - it makes you realize what really is "better" to a lot of people has nothing to do with a certain image or "smokin'" ability.

You get such enthusiastic responses like this from MINI owners because the car is sort of an underdog - it just doesn't get the respect we all think it deserves as a car with high performance limits. Our cars may offer a more complete driving experience for a % of drivers, but that will never earn it the respect an e46 M3 gets day to day on the road.

We live in a world where numbers and power rule, and if you abide by that, then the neon is the better choice. I use the term "better" loosely.

mb

 

Gordon Murray,ex Brabham F1 and McLaren F1 designer,wrote a piece for the British mag EVO were he talked about the "seduction of numbers".

 

I've owned my MINI S for almost a year and it's as fresh an experience today as when I bought it. It's easy to get too familiar with some cars. You just don't get that little buzz when you put your had on the door handle that you once got when it was newer. It's happened to me several times. The 'New' is gone, time to start thinking about the next rush of motoring enjoyment. They say it's never as good as the first time... but they're wrong... this is my body on MINI :impatient ... even now.

Well engineered, great ergonomics, balanced handling, eyegrabbing interior/exterior, roomy for 2 (go figure), fantastic handling, great sounds from the engine, great resale, lots of MINI clubs you can join... the appearance of being socially <cough> responsible by driving a small car .

Tough list to beat for any new car. Add decent fuel consumption vs. performance and it makes a very compelling purchase for the person looking for a driving permagrin. I've owned some VERY fast cars... in a straight line... well... I'll stick with this slower car for a while.

Let us know how the test drive goes.