I bought my 2006 MCS about 5 months ago. Of course, I thought about waiting for the 2007s, but I wasn't sure what to expect. Now that they're out, I have to admit that I like them. They're a little less cutsy looking and much more aggressive. I also have to admit that the thought of trading my 06 in for an 07 has crossed my mind. ...but when I bought my MINI I had planned on keeping it a very loooooooong time. Trading would cause me to lose thousands...not sure how much...but a lot. I've also grown quite fond of my little fella, although I also made bad decisions that I that I regret. (such as an aftermarket clear bra, dealer tint, etc.) Everyone talks about how great the new MINI is...how much quieter it is...how much faster it is...and I have to admit that I like the new design better too...for now. The big question is...which one is most likely to be a classic some day. That's how long I plan to keep my MINI. My car is 5 months old, but if you set it next to the new 07, it would look older than that. Are our cars already obsolete?

 

Nope.

 

I agree completely. We may get an 07 0r 08 Cooper S for my wife to drive, but my R53 S is most definitely here to stay.

 

05-06 models are the keepers especially if you have good things like LSD! I honestly believe that the R53s will be highly sought after sort of like how 91 and 92 VW GTi 16v's are sought after or an original 2002tii, or even a clean, pristine VW Rabbit GTi.

 

Hey...I have LSD!

 

Do you regret getting a clearbra or not getting a clearbra?

If your answer is because you got a clearbra, which brand did you get & why do you regret your decision?

I'm considering on getting a clearbra...would love to hear your input/experiences.

 

Besides the ascetics, which I know are personal, but for me favor the R53, one reason I chose the 06 over the 07 MCS is because the engine and other key parts seem like they have the ability/proven track record to be around for a long time.

Plus, we have the "crackle".

My vote is "no" on obsolescence.

 

no sunroof?

 

Me? No, I park my car outside, so was concerned about seals not lasting and never really used the sunroof on my last car that had one (2000 Jetta).

 

Yes.

Is it outdated? Yes.

Does that mean we should all run out and sell the 53 for a 56? No.

It's not made anymore, its old news, and you can't get it "new" anymore. So what?

It is no less fun to drive it is no less cared for in my weekend long detailing sessions, it puts no smaller a smile on my face (the dealer service dept. is responsible for that, but I won't be going back).

And guess what all the reasons in the last paragraph are exactly why the 56 owners love their car too. I'm 50k strong with every intention of passing 500k. So I'm goin' to keep on motoring, remember to wave

 

Exactly, by definition the R53s are obsolete (no longer produced) but that does not detract from their strengths

 

If you want a classic, don't keep upgrading to a new version

 

Yes and no depending on which definition of obsolete you like better. No if you believe obsolete means "no longer in use because replaced by something new", and yes if you believe it means "replaced by something new, but possibly still in use."

That said, this is an entirely silly question. The word obsolete comes with a more negative connotation attached to its definitions. Name a car that people are/were passionate about that still frequents the street and track that can actually be called obsolete as most understand it. I don't think the car exists, and I don't think the r53 is obsolete either.

mb

 

I picked up my S right towards the end of the R53 run. With all the problems that new BMWs and Minis have there is no way I would have purchased an R56. I definately don't think the R53 is obsolete either. It does everything that I could ask for and more. It is nice to have one of the last R53s that basically has no extra packages, LSD and no sunroof.

 

Obsolete? No way!!! To me obsolescence imples no longer of use or no longer desirable because of something new. Not the case with R53....nor R50, btw.

Personally, I don't think this will ever happen.

 

Obsolete? Not in my eyes.

The best example I can give of this is two years ago when my wife bought a car. She looked at the BMW Z4 and was not impressed though that was the type of car she wanted. She eventually drove a Z3 when visiting a dealer and that was the car she had to have. She got it because of the way it drove and looked. Though it was not the newer more advanced Z4. It had what she considered was better styling and was more fun to drive. So no. Newer is not always better for everyone.

 

The R53 is definitely not obsolete....I consider it a different flavor of the same sports drink

I love both versions...

 

MiniSuperCooper, if your R53 feels obsolete to you after 5 months of ownership then by all means I think you should immeditely unload the antique & buy a shiney new R56

 

MiniSuperCooper, like you I got mine half a year ago. I could see my last chance was coming up to get a custom-ordered R53, so I got mine in (week 23?). Only regret I waited so long to get one. I got the cold weather package and LSD, the red dash which reminds me that my car is RED, and not much else....

Last night it hit me that my MCS is no longer in production. If it gets wrecked I'll most likely not get to have another, so I'd better take care of it if I want it to be around long enough to be a classic. You know how sometimes some jerk almost turns into you and you say "go on, hit me, it'll be your mistake"... well, I realized I can't let that happen!

My feeling about wanting an '07 is that I'll someday have to add another MINI to my stable.... now, where to put it?

I'm trying to get another family member to get one, so we can trade off once in awhile... good plan, huh?

Sir M.

 

It's a long story, but if I could go back in time I would have stayed away from it. Of course, most people who have them are crazy about them. My MINI experience started out bad. Window tinter scratched my window...still living with that one. Then I decided to get a clear bra installed. The guy scratched my car with a razor...still have some of those too. Then I had another one installed by someone else, and it looks awful. It's falling off, and there's dirt stuck under it. There are hairs and all kinds of other junk under it. Total for a crappy looking bra and scratched paint...$1500. To make matters worse I can't get it reinstalled by the guy who did the recent job without paying more money....around $500. That's a long story too. I thought about going to court, but that would cost more money than it's worth. I hate the way it looks, and I've gotten four rock chips since the installation. I can't stand them at this point. Even with a good install, the lines are visible... especially on darker paints. It's a trade off...rock chips or lines all around where the bra is. The guy who did the original install is a nice guy. He just messed up. He called recently, and offered to install another one for free. Not sure what I'm going to do. I just want to tear this one off, but I've paid so much money I might as well have something to show for it, so I'm considering taking him up on his offer. Bottom line, I would never do this again. I'd rather spend my money on performance mods or something. Not to mention the fact that I could have had the front end resprayed three times over for that price. ...and like I said, you can still get rock chips. The thing with MINIs is...it's hard to get this product to cover everything (with the curves and all), so there are places on the front end that are left uncovered. Murphy's Law does the rest...like I said I have four chips so far. I'm not an aggressive driver or anything. In fact, I'm the opposite. I drive my friends crazy...I drive 60-65 a lot of the time. So that has nothing to do with it. Rock chips are a part of life, and I'm going to just live with them. You may be one of the people that loves it. I suggest you find a MINI with the bra installed (maybe at the dealer?), and see if you can live with the visible lines or not. Don't look at another car model to make your decision, because I've seen them on other cars and they're less visible...especially if it's a light colored paint. The curves and angles seem to make it more visible on the MINI. Another option is to cover the entire bonnet, then you wouldn't have a long line going across the front end. There's lots of stuff on NAM about them...pros and cons. Some for and some against...it's all up to you. As for me...never again.

PS...My view on these things is definitely not the norm. It’s probably downright controversial. Check around and see what others have to say.

 

NO

 

Coming from someone who just took delivery on a R56..

Your car is not obsolete.. Its great! =]

Both cars are just kinda different tastes, each with a bit of bitterness but with a ton of sweetness! =]

 

Yes. I'll give you a thousand bucks to take that dinosaur off your hands. Beats driving it to a wrecker.

 

Ok, now I'm confused. You want to keep it until it is a classic (std. def = 20-25 yrs old) but after 5 months you wonder if it's dated?
Non-sequitir alert! The original (even if it's a remake of a classic) is more likely to be a classic.

 

I bid $1500 for the relic