Hello,

Some of you might remember me inquiring about purchasing a MINI over a year ago, and I never did get one. I bought a 1996 Cobra instead, and have enjoyed it since. However, I never stopped looking at and admiring just about every MINI I see. Something just draws me towards the car, and I think I will be, once again, in the hunt for one within 2-3 months.

How are these cars in the city in MPG? Do they get 25 in the city? (talking about the MCS, not the MC). Also, are they OK in the snow? Finally, are they comfortable on 2+ hour long drives?

Thanks!

 

Almost zilch ground clearance on my MCS. I think it would make a good snow plough. City milage , don't know as this is my toy for twisties. Long rides it will do but I'm still looking for a twisty bit that long, anyone know of one in California?

 

Haven't driven in the snow yet but I do commute 50 miles each way to work and the car is a great commuting car so on 2 hr drives I am sure it would be fine. Just a exciting car to drive.

 

If I were to average only my in-city driving, it would probably be in the vicinity of 25mpg. I get great highway mileage, though - and mixed would probably average 27-30. I've never had a problem driving my MCS in the snow, though very deep snow does become an issue because of the low clearance.

As I've also spent 6 weeks in my car driving aimlessly around the country, and routinely take long-ish (8+ hours) road trips, my opinion is that it's perfectly comfey on long trips.

 

Hey ponder, I picked mine up in VA and drove through a snow storm in Kansas :impatient - it did just fine. If you're talking about Tahoe - MINI says no chains on the 17" rims - so you may need to pick up a set of 15s.
Mileage - High 35.9, Low 13.8, Avg 28.2 Not much pure city driving though. I've done VA-CA, CA-MT-WA-CA, Santa Cruz to Vegas, and to Santa Barbara (MTTS) and have never had an issue (leather sport seats.)

 

The MINI is a good sport in the snow, and I loved the 8hr road trip I had with it. If you get the leather and all the other creature comforts, it's really a blast to drive for 2+hrs.

 

• MPG
I was averaging 30 in mixed driving before putting on the snow tires. Even in all city driving it was getting 28-29. Snow tires have decreased mpg by 3-4 on avg..

• SNOW
Haven't had too much opportunity yet, but it's been nice so far. Clearance is the only thing ya need to worry about IMHO.

• CRUISING
Great. I personally really like the sport seats, and stock suspension with the 16" + runflats isn't terrible on the highway, as long as the roads you're on aren't terrible. I drove from GA back to NY in one night, wasn't bad at all. I drive 2+ hours just for fun.

 

With good snow tires there will be no problems driving on snow. Maximum snow depth for slushy wet stuff that you can drive on w/o getting stuck is about 5 inches, for dry fresh snow you can plow up to about 8-10 inches before getting stuck.

 

Ponder,

If you are considering a MCS and mileage (MPG) is a big concern, then you are probably looking at the wrong car. Althought the MINI does get good gas mileage, that is not the reason to buy one. I hope you have test driven a MINI. Then you will know.

The MINI is very comfortable on extended drives. I have driven from Santa Rosa to Las vegas and was very comfortable. We also did a three-day Shasta-Trinity-Lassen run of over 1,000 miles and that was comfortable. We took part in MTTS (partial) and again that was comfortable. I have never taken a Cobra on an extended drive, but I'll bet the MINI is much better.

How much snow are you going to get in the SF Bay Area?

Can I ask, if you are concerned with mileage, extended ride comfort and snow, why did you buy a Cobra?

 

I've done CA to AZ a bunch of times - 500+ miles and have been 'disappointed to get there' - I am usually having way to much fun.

Biggest road trip to date was 1100 miles in a single day and I got out tired but grinning.

Fuel consuption for me is 24.5/gallon thats a 50+ mile round trip daily through pretty bad traffic, road trips, track days and genneral (ab)usage.

I have driven it in light snow on UHPAS tires and it was 'fun' rather than dangerous, but if it snowed here I would be buying some winter wheels/tires.....

 

you may get around 22mpg maybe alittle more city. As for snow, I found out this weekend when I went to the mountains, it was pretty good. The DCS saved me a few times. As for comfort its pretty good. I drove it once on a 23hr trip to British Columbia non-stop!!!!! Any car after 12 hours starts to bug you (wasnt the car it was my lack of sleep i think)

 

Thanks all! Very informative responses.

Roads here are pretty good, but more sporty suspensions let you know all about them, and fast.

More creature comforts = more $$$. I'll be looking at a used MINI for sure, hopefully a 2004 with warranty time left.

I bought a Cobra because I've always wanted one. The mileage on the Cobra is good on the highway, but crappy in the city - then again, the car is fast, fun, and turns heads everywhere I go, so that's the trade off. I'll be moving down the Peninsula in about 4-5 months, so I'll need a better overall commuter, and the MINI seems like a good choice.

Wow, 23 hours?! That's insane, hah.

 

25mpg is pretty good if you ask me. 20+ in the city would be great for me

 

In the snow: excellent with proper tires
Road trip: no problem with the great seats, some wind and tire noise
City MPG: 25 is possible with mixed calm/spirited driving

 

I average 25+ mpg in the city (unless in total gridlock, and then it is more like 22 mpg) and 30-35+ mpg highway. My Wanda is a modded 2003 MCS with 16-inch Dunlop High Performance runflats. I've driven cross-country 10 times, often averaging 500-600 miles per day, and was very comfortable! With the backseats down, the MINI holds a tremendous amount of stuff. She's a great little traveling car!

 

Welcome back.
Depends on your foot stock mixed driving I got 24 MPG, city crowed suburb drivng with a Cold air intake I can get 28, on the highway I get at least 30 if I stay close to 70MPH or lower

No they're not OK they're Excellent!!!! 3in. deep no plows out yet, summer tires stopped at stop signs going up hill a few times, no problems, better than any car I've drivien in snow (including a 4WD Deisel Suburban in less snow)

However I should say all-seasons or winter/snow tires are probably a smarter descion, the car takes snow wonderfully.

I've done 25 non stop trips with no issue, my last trip I found it a little more comfortable to drop a towel down on the bottom of the seat, put on the warmers to low and keep my back even looser. For this reason alone I'd reccomend the heated seats to anyone, but if you love up north like I do they make life even more comfortable. Some do take a little tome to find the right position, or prefer the stanard over the sport seats, talk to your dealer and see if you can take an afternoon long test drive or sit in one for a while in the dealer if you have a concern.

 

Living in NH we have to drive in snow sometimes. Our 2003 MC is ok in snow as long as it does not get to deep. If this happens then you end up Plowing the road for local DPW.

 

Snow you say - check out http://www.arcticmini.com/

We went to Newfoundland last February. I covered 3200 miles in 7 days. It was great. Had no trouble keeping up with a WRX in our group in the snow. My passenger's comment was "You guys are crazy! Nobody drives 75 in a whiteout!" Oh, it was his first time in a MINI

 

I have driven my MINI many times accross the wastelands of Northen Indiana/Ohio in January. She does great! Granted I wouldn't try to cross a snow bank in here, but then in any car that can be pretty dangerous.

 

I've been over Stevens Pass in WA (very steep and windy in sections) during periods when there was 2 or 3 inches on the road and all-season tires required with pretty hairy driving conditions and the car did fine. I did it with Bridgestone Blizzaks though. Never tried with the runflats since I think it would be useless in that type of environment. Never tried to fit chains since the bridgestones are 16 inchers. All in all I would say it was almost as good in the snow as my old Subaru Legacy.

As for mileage I've been somewhat disappointed. My Legacy which was much heavier and had all-wheel drive would regularly get 22-24 MPG in hardcore city driving and mid 30's in all highway driving. My MCS is lucky to get 22 or 21 in hardcore city driving (defined as lots of stop and go on I-5 mixed with more agreeable around town stop light stuff). I can sometimes squeeze out 24 if I drive like a granny with all shifts under 2500 RPM etc. In all highway driving like road trips I can get 35 to 37 usually, but how often does anyone drive all highway?

 

Today's MSN Home page (12-20-06) has an article about 5 days on the road with a Ferrari. I sure wouldn't mind doing that except that I would be in my MINI S leading the pack. Woo-woo.