OK, I'm looking for a new daily driver and mini has made it to my top 3 list. In any case I have the following questions:

what's the fuel economy like in the Mini? MiniS? I drive about 120 miles a day through LA traffic: in the morning I fly doing about 80, in the afternoon I crawl doing about 20~45 with spots that let me do 60. What fuel economy should I expect?

Also is there anything to watch out for? Be aware of? I'm looking to get a new one (unless they have an incredible deal on a used one). Also since I hate automatics I'm looking to get a stick shift model.

Thanks

 

You seem to be in a similar boat with me, except I'm in Chicago, and I have a shorter commute (60 miles/day). Since my MINI is on order, I cannot predict your gas mileage, but I will suspect that it is around 22-24 MPG (again, guessing).

You probably won't find an incredible deal on a used one, since MINIs retain their value so well, plus while it is a PITA to wait on a new build, it's extremely exciting at the same time.

If you are comfortable driving a stick in traffic, go for it. I am doing the same much to the dismay of a lot of people, but I did it in a Miata for three years, so I know what to expect.

Good luck with your search. I am sure more will chime in on the MPG issue.

My vote: Go for an 'S' as it truly is worth the extra $.

BTW, what are the other two cars on your top 3?

 

I do 100+ miles a day through downtown Detroit traffic. With a mix of stop, go, stop, go, 1st to 2nd back to 1st, repeat.. and then 80+mph in the clear spots, I'm getting roughly 27mpg in my 2006 MCS.

As for the Cooper vs. MCS issue.. I'd guesstimate there are roughly 1billion threads asking and answering that very question. If you do a search I'm sure you'll get more opinions than you ever thought possible.

 

That's curious, I've spoken to couple people (one of which directed me here) and they've expressed fuel economy in the neighbourhood of 30. So is yours a WAG or have you gotten those from talking to people?

Yeah I noticed

I've always driven a stick and can't imagine driving anything else (oh I do drive an automatic every so often which reminds me each time why I hate them :D )

Doesn't the S require premium fuel? That kind of scares me as I drive enough to actually feel the difference in the fuel costs at the end of the week.

VW golf diesel: for the fuel economy. One tiny problem: I'd have to go out of state to get one as you can't buy new passenger diesels in CA.

 

damn... my reply didn't seem to make it so here's the short version:

the other vehicles I'm looking at are VW Golf diesel (unfortunately for that one I have to go out of state) and Subaru Baja (I like the cargo area in the back).

 

My wife and I work and opposite shifts, and both drive our Mini Cooper to work every day, total of about 70 miles a day. With a mix of city, highway, and country road miles, we get 33-35 mpg. You can expect less mpg out of an MCS (but more power....if you need it). I've driven an MCS, and I'm not sure it is worth the extra $3000 over the MC, but I could be perfectly happy with either.

-Keith

 

I live on Long Island, and drive in NYC metro traffic daily, with similar starts/stops/speeds as you do...with my 2006 MCS, I am getting between 22-24 mpg, as mayim predicted. I definetly love the greater power in my S, but wish the mpg was better. Also, I drive a manual transmission, and so I like to accelerate fast sometimes, which burns more fuel too.

 

You just can't beat a MINI for a fun ride no matter what speed you are going! I have had two. A 03 MCS that met an untimely death. I was getting 30 mpg mixed miles around town. 40+ mpg on long drives. I now have an 06 MCS and am getting a little less 25 mpg mixed miles around town. My average commute round trip is about 30 miles. We are about to take our first trip to go to MINI's on the Dragon and hope to see how she handles the distance. I recommend the S over the Cooper. If you like the extra boost in speed and handling the S will not let you down. A good dealer rep is important for the service end of things. My service advisor is a gem! I had some mechanical and electrical issues with the first car and they took care of it all. I bought the car used privately and they treated me like I bought from their show room! Hope you become a part of the MINI family!!

 

Woo-hoo! What do I win?

 

If fuel economy is high on your list of wants, you'll like a Cooper. The car is a blast...nimble, quick, and very good in all kinds of driving. If you like clicking through the gears, it's a delight.

If you crave going fast, being able to punch it w/o having to downshift, or hope to pursue performance modding, get an MCS. It's a great value for the $$$s and more readily performance modded. Do expect a drop in fuel economy w/ an MCS, though.

I think a test drive is in order, but be forewarned.....these cars are very, very good and learning to drive them to best effect will take some practise. Trust me...whichever one you get promises an adventure, just of slightly different varieties.

 

What do you think made the difference between the two in the fuel economy?

 

I have an '06 MCS and drive 76 miles a day for my work commute. It is all highway except for 2 miles and it is typically 75-80 mph. I have 2200 miles on the car and am averaging a bit over 28 mpg measured (not the mpg from the trip computer). The MCS makes the trip fun but it is definitely not a gas mileage king.

 

I commute about 8 miles to work everyday (yay city driving), but every weekend I make 60 mile trips to Northern VA via highway. I checked my avg. mpg ticker this morning and it's telling me 29.8. I'm driving an 06 MCS. Would you believe me if I told you it gets better gas mileage than my '95 Pontiac Sunfire GT did?

 

An MCS does have more power than a Cooper. That probably means more speed.

An MCS and a Cooper have (depending upon options selected) the same suspension, so an MCS does not (depending upon options selected) handle any better than a Cooper.

 

I got that from talking to people; I still have two weeks before delivery.


Both the MC and the MCS take premium.

 

My sales person told me that mileage should improve in my 06 as the engine matures. There's a few extra horsepower in the 06 than the 03. I don't know if that's enough to make a difference. I thought it was my understanding that the S had a bit more tweaked suspension than the Cooper. Both have a sport suspension but the S is a bit more aggressive in handling.

 

The S comes Standard with the Sport Plus Suspension. This is an available option for the Cooper.

MIB has the sport suspension not the Sport plus. On a recent drive with MINICCI through the twists of southern Indiana, We hung in the twisties with the MCS's but they could walk away at will on the straights. MIB is driven to work in the afternoon by my wife and then I take it to work on 3rd shipt. It gets 60+ miles a day. The OBC is showing 34+ MPG. though most folks say that the OBC is not that accurate. The key is trying to keep your right foot out of the throttle and keep RPM below 4,500!

 

I get 27 with an 05 MCS/JCW on my 80 mile round trip commute. I live in a mountainous rural community, but the last 6 or 8 miles is navagating a downtown area. I have gotten as low as 25.5 and as high as 30.1 actual mpg. The 30.1 was all interstate and at a constant 65-70. I don't understand some of the high mileage claims I see for the MCS. I"m not saying it can't be done, but I'll say that I certainly can't do it.

The MINI is the most fun car I've ever owned, and I've always driven performance oriented cars. I think the MINI is in a much higher class than either the Subaru or the VW, but if you need hyper-fuel economy or 4WD the other choices have significant merit.

I cross shopped the 330Ci (not enough performance for the price), the M3 (slightly out of reach on the astronomical price and afraid of long term maintenance costs), IS300 (didn't like the styling and manuals are all but impossible to get), G35 (see IS300), and Chrysler 300 SRT-8 (no manual transmission= no sale).

Drive them all and see what fits your needs. Once you get some seat time in a MCS, you'll want one!

Rawhyde

 

On a mix of short urban commuting for work and long interstate commuting to see my girlfriend I get 30mpg on average in my 05 MC. My roommate drives his 04 MC to Boston from NJ on a regular basis and gets mid 30's.

I'd love an MCS, even with the slightly higher fuel costs because of the slightly decreased mpg, but if you want the fun mixed with some economy the MC is a good choice.

 

Mileage is very hard to pin down. Every driver drives their car differently.

I have an "S" model, which I've modded with an intake, pulley and exhaust. From reading other NAM threads, these mods seem to increase gas mileage by 1 to 2 MPG, if you drive exactly the same way that you did before your mods. But therein lies the problem! Now that my engine sings better than Luciano Pavaroti, I can't help but put the pedal down a lot more vigorously when accelerating, just to hear the "music". It is addicting!

So my mileage has summarily plummeted, but I'm to blame here; the driver. Keep that in mind if you buy an "S" (or MCS as we say here on NAM), and you choose to start modding your car like so many of us here have.

By the way, FYI, the modding process is more addicting than heroin. Like people with tatoos say, after you get your first one, you immediately start considering your next tatoo. It's the same thing with mods! Be forewarned!