They definitely can. This is really the definition of a "grand touring" car. I'm just not a grand touring kind of guy. I'm more of a stripped-down "club racer" type myself.

In theory, yes, as they both add weight to the car. But could I tell the difference in a "blind" test drive? No way. But I do like knowing that the weight isn't there and that the car is closer to a competition spec. To me these "options" both seem completely unnecessary. Guilding the lily, as they say. Again, this is just the way I think about cars, and is not absolutely better than any other.

 

Good answer, I can respect that.

 

As usual, I agree with Kyle.

I mean, go buy a no-option MINI, and as somebody said above get what you want retrofitted....I don't think having Xenons, DSC, OBC, sunroof, 17" wheels, Sirius, heated seats, heated washer jets, heated mirrors, etc. retrofitted would be cheaper than the factory options.

I enjoy the MINI's performance, but I don't drive it on a race course daily....I drive it on regular boring average roads daily, and I'm always glad I got all 4 packages.

 

Kyle knows all

 

haha you know all EXCEPT how to pick a color

 

Thanks for reiterating what I was trying to say.

To Xalfas credit, he agreed in the diversification thinking himself a club racer. Thats cool but that is NOT a definition of an auto enthusiast which was my point. As noted above, its a matter of priorities and if your priority is to go play on a track, that is all cool. But car collectors are also enthusiasts, etc.

Don't like Golf, huh? Funny thing is, the golfers are probably thinking that tracks are a waste of good asphalt which could be covered up with some nice Bermuda grass

 

Touche. Truth is they are both wastes of natural habitat.

 

Great thread, drift and all.

But I think its funny it all started with someone asking for "an objective opinion"

Jumbo shrimp, military intelligence and now, Objective opinion....



Paul

 

Not to get in the middle of the enthusiast debate, but I'd argue that adding all the packages is an expensive proposition and to my mind diminishes the basic value proposition of the MCS. Adding the four packages, maybe leather and couple of other doodads, say HK or a nav might make for a very nice ride, but it does so by raising the price of the car by near on 50%! Is a cutting a hole in the roof, sparkly headlights, some dead cow, etc really worth half again as much as the base car? To my mind the MCS at 21-25K with a few options represents good value, but at 30K+ I'm looking at a 3 series.

 

Moooo

 

Yeah I thought the same way. But I got a loaded MCS instead of a stripped 3 series, Audi etc.

So I decide a plush MCS beats a stripped higher end car.


Paul

 

Well my last car was a 2005 Saab 9-3 with all the goodies. It was pretty close in price/features to a 325i.

I consider the MCS to be right up there in that class, and not a step down in any way.

 

I agree I'd add tho...a plush MCS beats ANY 3 Series, with any amount of options, in the "coolness" dept. (excluding the M3 of course).

 

Personally, I find the notion of a luxurious, heavily optioned MINI somewhat of an oxymoron akin to jumbo shrimp. Not that stuffed shrimp arent tasty mind you, but for me, when I'm in the mood for a more sizable crustacean, I'll go for lobster instead. To each his own.

 

If you leave off nav, leather, and JCW stuff, you're looking at about a $28K MINI versus a $36K 3-series with goodies. 8 grand is a huge difference to some of us.