but the car is a good car. But watch out, options turn the MINI from a good buy to a very expensive car for what you get...

For the wifes, we got

Metallic Paint,
Cold Weather Package,
iPod integration,

I think that's it!

Matt

 

Matt,

So true, it's amazing how those bell & whistles add up.
My configuration added up to 30k! How did that happen?!

To ask oneself: what will I be absolutely thrilled that I got, what can I live without, and what will I regret not getting. I've read all of those threads too, everyone is different & has different needs and likes.

Your wife is smart with her choices. She's got:

1. A little sparkle
2. Warm buns
3. Good tunes

What else does a girl need? (Ummmm... besides a sunroof? )

 

Um, me! but I'm taken....

Anyway, for my 02S, I got Xenons, nav, leather and a few other bells and wistles, but it totalled just $25k..... Times have a changed!

Matt

 

I have never gotten below 40 mpg on my manual Cooper in city driving.....in fact, 42 mpg is more normal. On the highway...46 mpg!

 

how this prius lost it and rolled is beyond me but it makes me believe that they don't have the best stabilility in the twisties

 

I'm not considering many other cars at the moment. One of my "safer pick" cars is the Volvo S40 or V50, but that's about it. I've test driven the S40 with manual transmission and it didn't feel as nice as the Clubman does, but I'm trying to think about practicality as well (sedan).

Of course, there's always other cars in the Clubman's class, such as the Audi A3 or the VW GTI, but I have never been a fan of Audi/VW.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you've made the decision to go with the Clubman As for keeping the price down in the configurator, I've had a lot of trouble doing that too. What kind of options are you looking at right now? Through practice, I've managed to narrow things down and can get the S to a shade above $25k with decent options.

 

Get the Clubman!!!

 

Get a Clubbie. I've got just over 3000 miles on mine and the MPG is getting better every fill up. I drive 90% back roads (fun, twisty back roads) and I'm averaging 32 MPG.

 

Well, there's no knowing what kind of asshattery the driver might have been up to - it's possible that he would have wrecked no matter what car he was driving. I've seen MINIs rolled on the Dragon.

 

Trow,

Are we living in a parallel universe? One month ago, I had a similar dilemma. My vehicle was totaled in a low speed accident. My airbags deployed, but no one was injured. The other driver's insurance company accepted liability and I walked away with a settlement that was more than fair. Time to go car shopping!

Our decision also came down to a new Prius or the Clubman. My dad has an '08 Prius Touring that he let me drive for 6 weeks earlier in the year. That is one techy car. Loved the backup cam, digital dash, touch screen navigation, and real-time energy animation. The snappy little shifter **** is pretty cool too.

I talked my wife into test driving a Clubman before deciding. The big question for us was the comfort and functionality of the rear seats, as we have 2 young children. If I couldn't fit comfortably in the clubman's rear seats, then our decision was going to be really easy.

Well, the back seats surprised me. Not great, but certainly passable. Reminded me of economy seats on a Lufthansa airbus. Just enough legroom. Almost barely enough. Good for a fun weekend drive, but not something you'd want to ride in for a 12-hour trans-atlantic flight. At least not without an endless supply of free Warsteiner.

Then we took the drive. It was smooth and sporty. I could see my wife and I fighting over who gets to drive it each day. (We do!)

Consider also that you will drive both cars differently. In the Prius, you'll be coasting to a lot more red lights, decelerating to merge lanes and watching your MPG graphs trying to see how many 5-minute segments you can keep the bar at 99.9mpg. In the Clubman, you'll be accelerating to get around traffic, taking the back roads, wishing you lived even farther from your office, and joining MINI owners clubs in your area. As you may soon discover, you're not just buying a MINI, you're joining a cult!

We opted for the “Fun” car and got a Clubman. Our next car (several years down the road) will probably be something more practical or economical. I’m hoping by then, there’s something available that blows today’s Prius mpg numbers out of the water. Maybe a 4-seat Aptera, perhaps?

By the way, the vehicle I totaled last month: A '99 Toyota Rav4! Freaky, huh?

 

OP: Get what you like. Realistically, you should test drive both and see which one you feel most comfortable with driving and get what makes you feel good. Which ever you choose, I'd be interested to hear what you decided and why you chose it.

From a purely academic perspective, I have some thoughts on the Toyota Prius for you to consider. You see, the decision to buy a prius has always fascinated me because the reasons for getting one don't actually make any sense.

I wonder what people think they are saving when they choose to buy a prius.

They are not saving money. They would have to own the car for 12 years to have the gas savings pay for the difference in price between a prius and another similarly sized vehicle and equipped vehicle (say for example, a honda civic coupe). The average new car remains with the same owner for three to five years. Not enough time to see a monetary recovery from the Prius, and this assumes that it maintains its mileage over that length of time. Most cars don't.

They are not saving the environment. Those batteries do have to get replaced and eventually, they have to go somewhere. Where do you think they end up exactly?

They are not saving themselves from getting dirty looks from other drivers. The cars are.. let's face it, they're ugly, and they're actually more of a social consciousness statement that says, "See? I care about the environment even though I don't actually know anything about how to save it. I still want to look like I'm doing my part."

I just do not get it.

I looked into getting a hybrid before I got a MINI because yeah, gas mileage is a big deal and I believe we should all do our part to take care of the planet and each other, but within reason.

Let's not go crazy here.

My MINI gets 40 mpg highway.

I guarantee you I have more smiles per mile than any prius owner I've ever driven past on the road... In fact, most prius owners I drive past look like they've just spent the last ten minutes sucking on a lemon... and they didn't like it very much.

Not sure if the car has anything to do with it... I'm just saying...

For the price, the MINI is a much better deal than the prius so I just don't get it... really, not at all.

 

your opinion is just that, an opinion. I know lots of prius owners who are very, very happy with thier purchase, and many who would never consider the car at all.

The payback time you quote doesn't take into account the various rebates (fed and state) that have been available. Nor does it consider the fact that fuel prices greatly affect that number. Nor does it take into account the HOV access that many get to enjoy.

to YOU the reasons for getting one don't make any sense. And there are many out there for which the reasons you bought what you bought don't make any sense.

You've confused your OPINION with objective fact, in what is a very subjective decision.

Matt

 

LUSTING is a fun word for a MINI Clubman...

Has anybody used the word "LUSTING" for a Prius? No.

Prius is for retired "Old Farts" that are boring. I am retired "Old Fart" that likes fun.

Is there a Prius club that is more fun than us...MINI OWNERS? No.

The MINI is green...You are having "FUN" saving the planet with low emissions and getting 30+ MPG while having a smile on your face.

 

 

Has anyone ever told you that you have absolutely... no sense of humor?

 

um Prius maxed out it's car pool lane access stickers over a year ago. New Prius ownes do not get to ride solo in the car pool lane

 

I drive a MINI, my wife drives a Prius... one is a pleasure to look at and very fun to drive, the other is hard to look at and very boring to drive. One gets okay mileage, the other very good. It's such an EASY decision!!!!

p.s. any time we go somewhere together, guess which car sits in the garage?

 

I currently drive a 2008 Civic Hybrid while the wife drives a 2010 Honda insight. The insight is a really great car that is on par with the prius, but a lot cheaper. The mileage isn't as great (40/43) but it's better than 99% of cars. If all you're concerned with is gas mileage, go for it.

That being said, i'm getting rid of my Civic. I can't live (drive) any longer without a mini, so i'm looking at JCW's. I previously owned a 2005 MCS that I regrettably sold. If truly enjoying your driving experience is important to you, the Mini is the choice. Fear of rollover aside, the smiles:miles ratio will be greatly improved....Enjoy whatever car you choose!!

 

I am also the owner of an 07 Touring Prius. Its an "OK" car but nothing like the mini. Even though it was the touring, I still added the TRD aftermarket suspension to help lower the car and minimize the body roll.. I would really say if you want a car that you will keep for that long I would highly recommend the mini. After 3 years the 09 Prius will be outdated by much better technology and its value will plumment. The mini you will enjoy day in and day out for years.

If you do decide to get a Pruis, hold off until they come out with the plug in, will have much better mpg than the new model. Trust me, you will wish you had.

Still get the mini!

 

I'd also like to comment on something else. You'll hear MINI owners here say that once you catch the MINI bug, it's hard to get rid of. This is very true. My sister recently chose a Jetta TDI over a Clubman, but she struggled pretty badly over the decision, I think it took her an additional 3 weeks to make the decision after test driving the Clubbie. In the end she is happy with her decision, but I know she still cherishes the MINI from afar. I own an MCSm so she pretty much stays away from my Cooper, but when I stopped by her house with my BRG/W MCSa loaner she was ALL over it. As soon as I walked in I knew she would want to drive it so I cheerily proclaimed I had an automatic MINI S and held my hand out with the key fob. And off she went for a completely unnecessary trip to Walmart

 

FWIW, i get 30mpg out of my justaclubman auto trans. i'd call my driving style mixed aggressive. not always aggressive. on long trips (ski trips) i have a roofbox and get about the same mileage because of the drag of the box.

i ignore the mpg on the computer and have calculated my above 30mpg based on what how many miles the trip odometer says when i fill it up 10 gallons.

i have no idea how people are getting 40, 42, 46 mpg. i would love to know how. i have a hard time believing its the automatic transmission in my car that soaks 10-16mpg

all of that said, i absolutely love my car and knowing what i know now, if i could go back in time i would still without a doubt by the car again over a prius.

 

Wow, great feedback, thank you.

I'm not savvy to including quotes previously posted, sorry. I'll learn though! I'll look again in the FAQ's . Feel free to add a pointer. Until then, here goes:

markfm: Ummmm... yes we are living in a parallel universe (except that I don't have a wife and two kids, I have a husband and a dog, lol.) Not only do we / did we both have a '99 Rav4, I too just got a nice check from insurance for my Rav to apply to a Clubman or Prius. (My dog ate/chewed both seatbelts, passenger seat and door panels. She heard gunshots and freaked out. All I could think of was, "thank goodness she's okay"... and, "thank god this was not my new mini!".) I'm glad you made the fun decision. That Aptera is wild, I had never heard of it before.

Random Gemini: You crack me up. I think that would be my expression driving a Prius every time a Mini passed me. I love the visual. Being that I plan on driving cross country this summer, I can't help but think I would see savings before one would think if I drove the Prius, not to mention time saved not having to fill up twice as much. Although those bathroom breaks would be few and far between! On second thought...
Also, with the notion that gas prices will continue to climb over the next few years... That's what I'm thinking. Different strokes for different folks, I s'pose.

Dr Obnxs- No worries at all, it's all good.

artfulmini: This is the best quote ever! Thanks for the first hand information.
Hysterical.

Mini has GOT to create a handbook of funny quotes, this is priceless.

Rogerssp05: We were actually considering the Civic Hybrid as well. Congrats on your decision to get the Clubman. That would be a great combo in a household to have.

Dead Ringer: Very good point. It's interesting to see the advancements just over the past few years.

DrewN- You're good a good brother!

Bryan- Thanks for the dose of reality. I would be a lil' bummed if my Clubbie gets the same mpg's as my car now, but with the fun factor, I don't think it would be too hard to get over.

Yesterday I watched folks come from near and far to enjoy our twisties, Harley riders, cyclists, speed races moto dudes, and I thought, "this is Mini country!".
The good new is, I only need to drive to SF every other week come next month, so most of my driving will be around here.
I do plan on holding out to test drive the 2010 Prius, just to cover all the bases.

Jointheclubman- What options am I considering? Well to start, the where is the Dark Silver for the non s clubbie? what's up with that?
Also, is the midnight black the same as the '09 Black metallic, what was it called? That was great looking. Okay, okay, I'm getting ahead of myself, but personalizing the Mini is too fun to not start planning!

Whew, thanks again for the feedback. Enjoy this beautiful Sunday!

 

If I hypermile, I think that's the term, I can get 40+MPG in my 03 Cooper.

The computer in our 08 Clubman S said we were getting 25+MPG after a VERY spirited 200+ mile run through the hilly, twistie back roads of Missouri yesterday. Now a Prius "may" have done better MPG wise, but we would have still been waiting for them today at the last stop

Mark

 

In addition to getting better gas mileage (on regular gas) the Prius is a much more practical car, with room for five and a very useful rear hatch with tons of space if you fold down the rear seats. The 2010 model finally gets height-adjustable seats and steering wheel, two esential items that were not available on the previous model. It also has a more responsive, larger engine that gets better mileage on the highway and in the city. The Prius is also one of the most reliable cars out there, according to Consumer Reports. It would be very high on my list for the best all-around family car.

Just don't ask if it's fun to drive.

 

from what ive heard of the hybrid vehicles is that when you factor in all the costs of maintenance, repairs and such. They end up coming out to $10. per gallon in the grand scheme of owning one. I heard this on the mark salem car show on KTAR. mark is a shop owner and radio host that answers anything automotive. the hybrid issue cost and efficiancy came up and that was his answer.
I can see this to be true. The parts are very costly to repair as it is still a fairly new technology.
Plus no offence to anyone that ones one. those cars are so but *** ugly. there so plain jane looking. Even at 100 mpg, i wouldnt get one.
especially if comparing it to a mini. theres no comparason in my eyes. at least the mini has a legacy behind it, as well as a tradition. there a blast to drive, and people will actually stop you and compliment you and ask questions about it, not the prius. they just blend in with the background.
just my .02