I have been thinking about getting an 2006 MCS for some time now. Based on some of the things I've read in my research, I'm no longer sure I'll be willing to live with this car long term. Can some current owners give me some real world insight into what it is to own these cars over a few years.

Some of the things I've read:

The ride (particularly S models) is "jarring" and "twitchy" on less than smooth surfaces. I currently own a '97 Integra GS-R and that car is not a back-breaker but it is definitely set-up as a good handling car over a good riding car.

Lack of low-end torque - especially in hot temps. Here is something from Carreview.com: "do not try to start on a hill in 80 degree weather because it will not pull it until the supercharger spools. Test drive on a warm/hot day, power really goes down hill on turbo/supercharged cars when hot. This car really loses power." Again comparing to my Integra, the Honda VTEC motors are notorious for a lack of low RPM torque. But is this something that will be especially noticeable on the Mini S?

Rattles - Lots of comments from people about rattles after 6 months or so. The many plastic interior pieces are blamed. True?

Insurance - One person commented that his insurance for a Mini was higher than for his Porsche 911. Are these cars insurance company darlings?

Reliability - I know the first few years were particularly difficult since the car was new from the ground up. Although most chronic problems seem to be corrected, can I expect BMW-like electrical and hardware problems? My Integra has been just about as trouble free as a car can be, would I need to compromise a great deal on reliability for the added fun factor?

Thanks in advance,
David

 

I own 2 MINIs. A '05 MCS 6-speed manual (14.4K miles) and a '02 MC CVT (37K+ miles).

Both cars have been rock solid and a pleasure to own.

To quickly answer your questions....

1) Low end torque. The MINI has a small 1600cc engine but for an engine its size its very torquey. At least you don't have to rev it past 6K RPM like a Honda engine to get it going. For 2005, MINI made substantial revisions to the gearing of the Cooper S and Cooper models (The 5-speed model received an all new Getrag transmission) which now make much better use of available low end torque for improved acceleration. My '05 MCS takes off strongly and thanks to a 1st gear that is 11% shorter than it used to be before, the car can reach from 0-60 in a hair under 7 secs. This is an unmodded car, 100% stock. Imagine if you add a pulley, etc.
The Cooper CVT is very peppy as well. Bottom line with neither car you feel like you are driving some kind of slow slouch. Both models are fairly well geared for heavy city traffic as well as highway cruising.

Bottom line: The MINI's 1.6L TRITEC engine has much more low end torque available than a similary sized Honda V-TEC engine, any day of the week.
I live in hot and humid Miami and this means I have to use the A/C 95% of the time, year round. I have yet to experience a performance related issue. Last week we had 95F weather and 90% humidity and both MINIs performed flawlessly. The A/C in my '05 MCS is much, much better than the A/C in my '02 MC. Firstly it cools down the cabin a lot faster and the fan is much more quieter. You can hang fresh meat off the dash vents! It goes to show the significant improvements MINI has made to these cars over the years.

2) Ride quality: The Cooper s comes from factory with 16" 195/55/R16 Dunlop runflats and the Sport Suspension Plus. Compared to the ride of the standard Cooper model (Assuming it comes equipped with 15" 175/65/R15 non-runflat Continentals and Sport Suspension (Not plus) yes the ride quality will be firmer but ever since MINI revised the shocks back in 2003, the ride is not longer bone/teeth jarring. If you get a chance drive an early issue 2002 MINI to see what I mean.

Also keep in mind these cars have a short wheelbase and firm suspensions so most road imperfections will be felt than your average soft sprung car. This is after all a sports car in terms of handling.

If you want the most comfortable ride quality possible, stay away from low profile tires and in most instances, replacing the factory runflats with radial tires can help smooth out things a bit, specially if you live in an area with badly maintained roads.

But if you want a Lexus "cloud" ride, then look elsewhere. The MINI is not tuned for luxury car ride but it is a very comfortable and well tuned suspension setup in comparison to other sporty/sports cars.

3) Rattles: My '05 MCS is 14 months old and I have yet to hear a rattle. MINI has improved the interior build quality substantially. Still, this car has a very solid body shell coupled to a firm suspension so don't be surprised if after going over a road imperfection your hear an interior noise. My '02 MC is also very quiet and you can pick up a rattle here and there but nothing to drive you nuts. In 4 years the build quality is light years away of what it used to be at first.

4) Insurance: Both of my MINIs (With State Farm) pay less insurance than my sister's basic Honda Accord and the '02 VW Golf 5 door she used to have before. In fact the premium for my '05 MCS went down 6 months ago because of the superior claim performance of the latest models. In my experience, the MINI pays equal or less insurance than more mundane cars. I have yet to see Porsche or Corvette type rates for MINIs.

Then again your insurance costs are affected by many variables, including but not limited to: Driving record, credit history, claim history, where you live, type of vehicle driven, how many miles per year, use of vehicle (Business/personal, etc)

5) Reliability: My '05 MCS was built February 2005 and the car in 14.4K miles has not been back to the dealer for ANY unscheduled warranty repair other than the 10K first service stop. ROCK SOLID daily driver. Just 2 weeks ago took a 2,500 mile roadtrip from Miami, FL to Nashville, TN and back thru the Dragon with absolutely no problems. Some days put 8-9 hours behind the wheel without feeling exhausted or tired. The MCS is a sensational highway cruiser and the gas mileage was hoovering around 35MPG all the way.

The '02 MC CVT is my wife's daily driver. Car is appraoching the 4 year old mark and still feels and drives like new. Not bad for a first year production MINI and the car has been for most of its service life, troublefree.

Hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to ask more or send me a PM.

PS: I also owned a 2004 MCS that was troublefree for 17.7K miles.

 

The supercharger does not need to "spool" because it is always working. I really don't understand that comment at all...

 

One can analyze back and forth on this endlessly...not that that's a bad thing...however, given the great info C4 offered, if a MINI is seen as one car among many choices then yes, some cars do this better and some do that better. You can pick what you want. But as a composite...MINIs are darn hard to beat for reliability, safety, value, and pure unadulterated motoring fun!!! You really must test drive one...maybe multiple times... to get a real feel for the car. If it doesn't "do something" for you, then you can always move on. For many of us, it's love.

My MINI has been rock solid, but I also have peace of mind w/ a super warranty and full maintenance program!! Have I used these programs? Yes, for little odd things, but I have never spent $$$s on a car so well. MINIs offer something very hard to quantify. Some may get it...some may not.

 

I can only comment on the insurance part because I do not have my car as yet. I was surprised that my MCS wasnt more than it was. I am going to go with State Farm (less expensive than Geico) which was $640 for 6 months. (about the same as my friends new Accord) I found quotes ranging from over a thousand dollars for 6 months to this.

Also, the reliability Issue. You will see a lot of posts on here about peoples MINIs, but just keep in mind that people will not just post to say that they are trouble free after x amount of miles, unprompted.

 

"The ride (particularly S models) is "jarring" and "twitchy" on less than smooth surfaces. I currently own a '97 Integra GS-R and that car is not a back-breaker but it is definitely set-up as a good handling car over a good riding car."

I had read that and was worried about the same thing. But the ride on my 2006 MCS with 16" wheels is not bad. In 2003 MINI changed the suspension to make the ride better. All of the magazines did testing on early 2002s. It is not a Lexus, but the ride is good for the spirit of the car.

" Lack of low-end torque -..."

The MCS pulls strong from 2000 RPM. And most crusing is done between 2-3k RPM. I came from a Honda V-6 VTEC. I was very worried about losing the grunt on the V-6. I was pleasently surprised that the MINI has a lot of grunt. It is more peppy than my Honda engine. I have been caught a few times at 1500 RPM and hit the gas and go nowhere, but VTEC is the same way.

" Rattles - Lots of comments from people about rattles after 6 months or so. The many plastic interior pieces are blamed. True?"

That is fairly true. I have heard more rattles in the 3 months of owning a MINI than I think I heard in 5 years owning a Honda. The rattles are nothing I would complain about, it is just a testiment to how well Honda's are built. A very small price to pay for owning a MINI.

"Insurance - One person commented that his insurance for a Mini was higher than for his Porsche 911. Are these cars insurance company darlings?"

My insurance stayed roughly the same coming from a 5 year old car that was a similar value when new.

"Reliability..."

It is too soon for me to answer about realibility. But I can say I have had 2 chips in the windshield already, the first of which was big enough to make me get a replacement windshield.

 

I went from Integra to MINI too and the MINI ride is jarring so dump the run flat tires. I have had tons of stuff fixed under warranty on my MINI, but my Integra was more expensive to maintain. Every Integra service appointment was $600 or more! The timing belt appt was 1100!

 

state farm considers the S as a rear seat three door hatchback with excellent collision protection and reasonable parts so the insurance might be cheaper than U expect, certainly less than a 911. whoeveer told U that was on crack IMO.

My S seems to rattle less as it gains more miles. Is it finally settling in?

 

((reads the next page and a half))

Hehehe... liar.

-------
Joking aside:

I haven't been one of those long term owners, but I am one of those owners that motors every chance he can.

My Car:
'05 MCS
15 months old
31,250mi
4 recent mods all done this month (in sig)

C4 made some awesome comments, but allow me to add a few of my own.

In terms of how the MINI rides:
I'm still running on the runflats and due to the insanely tough side walls I do get a few more bumps and jolts then if I was without. But with the MINI you "feel" the road a lot more. I actually prefer to "feel" more of the road because it makes me feel like I'm more connected and more in-tune with how I'm driving.

Like C4 said, if you're looking for a "relax on a pillowy floof" kind of ride, then a MINI is not a good option for you. However, if you're looking for the "exciting zippy take the long route" kind of ride... then a MINI has your name all over it.

In terms of the rattles:
The '05 has very very few rattles, if any at all. I too fear the first time I'll get a rattle, and sometimes I catch myself finding one... only to realize an empty coke bottle is rolling around in the cup holder.

In terms of long distance drives:
I recently drove from WI to the Dragon (about 720mi) in one day. Then when I got down there, I drove a total of 350mi... then drove back 720mi to WI. After a total of almost 1800mi, I woke up the next day wanting to get back in my MINI and drive somemore.

In terms of the HP and torque:
If you want numbers, PM to Dr Obnxs (Matt) , he loves proof through numbers. However, I'm the kind of person that relys on my, what others around here call, butt-dyno. (the amount my rear gets thrown into my seat). The stock MINI is known for some stumbles if you don't give it enough gas on take off, however, since I had the pully put in I haven't had that trouble anymore. The stock MCS is plenty fast for a daily driver and will amaze you at how it responds. If you're looking for somemore in terms of power under warranty, join Team Craptastic and get a JCW kit added on. Otherwise there a tons of aftermarket mods that are tried and true.

Finally:
My BIGGEST recommendation is to go to a dealer, park your booty in an MC, then an MCS, then a JCW, and take each for a test drive. And I'm not just talking around the block... take it out for a good 15-20 minutes and try to find many variations of roads.

Owning a MINI is a personal thing. You either fall instantly in love with it, or it may just not be for you. But you won't know until you go out and try it.

Good luck on your decision!

 

I've got a few miles on mine now, so I should be able to comment

Low end Torque - to me its no different than any other four cylinder I've driven. At least at low rpm, increase the rpms some, and its fine.

Ride - Love it, with or without runflats I still love it. I'm not a fan of towncar like rides. I drive about 140 miles per day, and have never been sore, or wished for something smoother.

Rattles - Few here and there, but not worth complaining about.........

Insurance - I use AAA, don't think its to bad at all.

Reliability - Problems I've had; ................oh, coolant bottle leake (dont think that a problem on new models), rear hatch (fixed under warrenty). Thats it. It has been more reliable that any Honda or Toyota I have previously owned, and none of them were modded either.

Nik

 

Hmmm, my quote for the MINI was $816/year. but i have multiple cars etc....

 

What year is your Mini? Possibly an earlier model?

I will have to at least arrange a test drive because something like ride quality is so subjective that it's impossible to relate in words. What is "jarring" for one person is "firm" for another.

Repairs are still one of my biggest concerns. It's interesting that you apparently had issues with your Integra. I truly have had none. Granted, my '97 has only 80k on the clock so it is not past the lifespan of most critical components, but my last two cars were Honda products and I am spoiled by their appliance-like nature. Once the Mini is past warranty, I'll have to deal with what is essentially a BMW dealer who has no regional competition. Just one of the things I'm thinking about.

 

For 12 years I owned nothing but Honda/Acura products. Some were very solid and some others gave me annoying little problems when they were new.

Nice product but overtime I grew tired of the mundane driving experience and the arrogant dealers.

MINI gives you a 4 year/50K mile warranty and they cover your maintenance for 3 years/36K miles at no additional charge. They'll even replace your wiper blades, brake pads and rotors all for free. Plus you get 24/7 roadside assistance which is as good or better than the TLC program from Acura.

In contrast, Honda only gives you a 3 year/36K mile warranty, no maintenance and no roadside assistance. If you want a 4 year warranty, you have to buy an Acura and probably you will still don't get the included maintenance program.

There is a growing trend of independent MINI mechanics and shops. We already in Miami have one independent MINI shop that offers excellent service.

 

Thanks everyone...lot's of passion about these cars and that's honestly one of the real draws. I'm solidly in middle age and felt I had outgrown my Integra. But each time I look at something more "mature" and practical, I walk away. The reasons I purchased the GS-R are apparently still important; nice style, some practicality and A HOOT TO DRIVE. If I compromise too much and get something purely practical, I'll regret it from the first day. I'm just worried about going too far to the fun side and sacrificing some of the other things I love about the Integra - especially the world class quality.

The best advice was to drive one to see how it feels. I just wanted to get a sense of the more practical aspects because I'm afraid I may become infatuated once I drive this and that is a bad state of mind when talking about 25k+!

Thanks again.

 

Acura is moving upmarket and at the end of this year the RSX will be discontinued. This year is the 20th anniversary of the first Integra released (March 1986).

I am sure you'll enjoy that test drive in the MINI. After 3 MINIs under my belt, I have never looked back at the Hondas.

The MINI is proof positive that you can have fun and also have a world class built automobile, assembled in one of the most advanced plants in Europe.

 

Well, here's my $.02 as a Honda lover for the last 13 years...

I had a Honda S2000 for almost 5 years and sold it for the '06 JCW MINI and I don't regret it one bit. I loved the S2000 and thought I would miss it, but I can honestly say I don't. I LOVE the MINI It is just so much fun to drive and the get togethers like AMVIV are awsome! Not to mention being able to select whatever factory options you want. And with the warranty I'm not worried about any problems, especially since they have made so many improvements up to now. I feel confident in the build quality and would love to buy another one if I could give up the Ridgeline, but I love that too much too.

I hope that helps a little and good luck in whatever you choose...