I'm sick again with the mini-bug. I was a few months ago, and cured it by buying a Subaru Legacy Sdn. Well, I thought I cured it. Turns out I didn't. So I have some questions I hope you won't find too ridiculous.

1) Do Mini dealers provide loaners when bringing the car in for service ?

2) Which kind of tires can you get from the factory that would be best for all season including SNOW. I'm thinking of getting the Base model so I think the 15" wheels should be good, and they seem to come with All seasons for an option.

3) How long does it take to order a Mini, do I really have to do that ? I went to the dealer today and they said they are fresh out and the factory is all on vacation.

4) Should I wait for the 07 ? I like some of the new stuff I read about, especially the 6 speed option for the base and the new valve technology. But I'm leary to buy the first year of a major upgrade.

5) I know if I get the base I should get the manual tranny, but I have to drive in some major traffic jams sometimes, so I'm torn. Is the cvt really that much slower ?

I guess that's enough for now. haha.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Floyd

 

1) yes, but you are likely to get a bmw or rental car instead of a mini.

2) this is asking for several opinions. i like the eagle rs/a all-seasons, granted all minis come with run-flat tires which may take some getting used to for rain or snow driving. you may just want to get a spare set of snow tires for winter and swap them out with the seasons.

3) if you find a mini in dealer stock you like, get it. it takes a few months generally to order a mini. i ordered mine in june and got it in september. the factory is closing down for the 07 retrofit so better order now if you want an 06, or wait till october/november for your 07 order, picking it up perhaps january (it takes about 4 hours to build the car, but 21 days to ship from UK to US)

4) most people feel the same way. i'd wait unless you're brave and really like new cars

5) i drive a manual 6-speed MCS in traffic all the time, doesn't matter to me. CVT is fine, get paddle shifters if you want to, i have seen people autocross with those just as good as manual, but again it takes some getting used to. as for me, I'd get the manual because that's my driving style. if you share the car with your family and hate shifting in traffic, go for the automatic, you will still keep up with everyone in the twisties and it wont make your car less fun to drive (well, not that much, hehe.. kidding!)

PS: my girlfriend traded in her subaru outback. she says driving the MINI is WAY more fun! we still have an old Volvo XC for when we need to carry lots of junk around.

 

1) Mine does
3) 6-8 wks. It depends on where in the country you are, whether there are cars immediately available. The dealer in Indy has about 11 cars on the lot, waiting to be adopted.
4) I bought an 06 because I felt that they had worked out all of the bugs and didn't want to help work out the problems in the 07. Plus I love the look of the 1st generation MINI and the sound of the super charged engine of the MCS. You can check out pros and cons in many threads on this forum.
5) I have an automatic and it is plenty fast enough for me! But I chose it because of others in my household who would not be able to drive a manual. My next MINI will be a manual. They are just so much more fun to drive.

Take all these comments with a grain of salt. In the end, you need to way all the pros and cons on your own, and make your own decision.

 

Thanks both for the excellent replies. I appreciate the time you took. Ugh, decisions. haha. I may have to drive to Indy to get one. I hate waiting.

I guess if I got the S then if I wanted to get good gas mileage I just need to stay out of the gas more often. It would be my choice what kind of mileage I got. But the thing that brings me pause about the S is that I can't get over the thought of driving a car without a spare tire. Even though, knock on wood I've not had a flat in a very long time, it just seems weird. But I also suppose the Base cooper with a manual will still give me lots of fun.

4 hours to build a car ? Wow !!

 

RUNFLATS, it means you drive it home when the light comes on, unless you throw the whole tire or something. That could be a problem even with a tow truck, make sure they use a dolly and don't drag it up on to the flatbed.

 

Where are you located? I bought from D&R. But have since moved to NW Indiana. MIB had its first service at Bill Jacobs MINI and I was not offered a loaner. If you decide on D&R ask for Richard and tell him that Dean Cory/ DrDiff sent you.

If you buy from the dealer they most likely will give you a loaner. But the catch is it might not be a MINI, Sometimes it isn't even a BMW!

StarLord is not correct when he says all MINIS have run flats. The base Cooper like what you were thinking about with the 15 inch rims does not have run flats. That is why all Coopers get spares, and why all Cooper S don't have spares because all Cooper S have run flats from the factory.

If you truly want a 06 you better get the order in ASAP on Monday as the change over is comming quicly and the first batches of 07 will come pre- speced. Custom orders will not be available the first month or so. And trust me the Dealers heavily option the cars that they get to spec.

 

You may only get a loaner from the dealer where you made the purchase, even for warranty repairs.

Personally, I don't llike run-flats. They don't handle as well, and I don't think they are worth the money (just my 2 cents). I haven't had a flat in years, and wouldn't hesitate to call AAA or use the donut. I have 2 sets of rims - the original 15" rims with snows, and a wider set of 16" Koseis for the summer. Works great, for about the same price as replacing 4 run-flats.

I've heard 6-8 weeks for ordering from my dealer, and would seek one on the lot I could live with. I certainly don't want to be one of the first to buy an '07 (but also can't wait to hear from those that are brave enough!).

I have an MC with a manual trans, and only wished I had an auto once when I was stuck in stop and go traffic for 2 hours trying to get to Yankee stadium. My left leg hasn't hurt that much since I drove a V8 with a heavy duty clutch). The S is noticibly faster off the line and in the low RPM range, but learning to shift at higher refs makes the MC lots of fun, with better mileage (although 25 mpg's for 168 horsepower is pretty thrifty!).

Good luck with your choice, but beware...buying a MINI means joining a cult. before you know it, you'll be on this forum 24 hours a day!

 

If you decide on an 07, the automatic trannies for the new models will not be manufactured until March 07. (See the 2007 threads.) Therefore, you probably won't get delivery until April/May 07 or later.