if i were to do it all over again, i dont think i would have gone the mini route at all... some things about the mini justdoesnt sit right with me. i just need to manage and ''add on'' until I am happy. My other choices were the civic si, gti, and wrx/sti...... just wish performance parts/suspension parts werent such a burden for euro cars.

 

I had the opportunity to have a justacooper as a loaner for a week not too long ago. The options on the creature comfort side in the coop were pretty similar to my MCS (lacked the bluetooth integration and comfort access, both of which I think I would opt for again). At the end of the stint with my new little friend I came to the conclusion that I would be pleased with justacooper, but have no regrets in the purchase of the S. The difference in mpg is fairly minimal if you are mindful of your driving habits. Driving conservatively I have been able to pull off up to an average of 41.5 mpg (hand calculated) in my MCS with my weekly mixed commute, but when I want to drive it like I stole it there is that reserve waiting to be tapped. But as has been mentioned what will please you is likely to be different that for others in many cases. I for one love to drive, and would gladly join a 150 mile motor with my local club at the drop of a hat. So, ultimately you will have to make your decision for yourself. Either way you will have an excellent car that very well could make driving grow on you.
Enjoy.

 

Well said gokartride. I too think it is a matter of the driver and their style.

 

I test drove both versions several times. My thoughts: I wanted something that performed well and had great ability to conner. I choose several options including the sport package with 16" run on flats. Several items did sway me to the regular Cooper. - Gas prices, having a spare tire and run on flat tires, same ability to conner with less fear I would be pushing limit in a FWD and I like to row through the gears. That said I still have a BMW 325IS which is about the same power to weight ratio as the Cooper S with RWD. Both are enjoyable.

 

who would want to drive a prius? plus after 100,000 miles you have to replace the $6,000 battery that will no longer function. Most people don't think about that or the effect that the batteries have on the environment. A Hummer is better for the environment. ( http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/edito...asp?NewsID=188 )

lol I'm not here to pick any fights....anyone who buys an MC or an MCS certainly has thought the process through..... after reading on NAM I don't think the mpg difference is only 3-5 miles per gallon. Perhaps if you drive at 55 mph but why would you buy an MCS and keep it at 55 mph especially given how dangerous that is when most people on the highway do between 70-80 mph. (in NY at least)

 

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

I would not buy a MC or MCS. I love the MCS and great mpg but the noisy engine concerns me. MC does not have enough thrust for me.

 

Your driving style would be the same in both cars so it would have an equal effect, go check the stats on both cars but mpgs are as follows:

MC: 37hwy/28cty/32overall
MCS:34hwy/26cty/29overall

so its actually 2-3mpg difference.

As for performance (as far as acceleration) the MC 8.5 sec 0-60 is closer to the Prius 10.2 than the MCS 6.7.

So it would seem to me (handling aside) that if your willing to give up the difference in performance between the MC and MCS to save 2-3mpgs, why wouldn't you want to save far more gas, with a far less performance sacrifice.

 

Even though my '08 MCSa has been rather troublesome of late (in service once again) I would still get a MCSa again.Fun to drive and excellent gas mileage can't be beat.

 

I was ready to do a deal on a non-S Cooper after a couple of test drives. While I was waiting for my MA to finish with another customer and had some time to kill I drove the S. I haven't stopped smiling since. The $3K wasn't an issue for me.

 

I'd get the "S" with no hesitation, as a matter of fact, I'm going to get the JCW upgrade.

The MINI S is a great and fun car, and I have no regrets at all, but it's not as quick as my stock WRX was, and I miss AWD in a big way.

 

Comparing a Cooper to a Prius is silly. I would not take a Prius to an Auto X event. But you can take a Cooper to an Auto X event and have a blast. You don't need a fast accelerating car to have fun, but you need something with a decent suspension.

 

5.7 is the original 1991 NSX with the 3.0 and 5-speed. I had a 2003 which had a 3.2 and a 6-speed, and the 0-60 time was 4.8. But even 0-60 is not always the best measure of acceleration. The NSX had a 8000 rpm readline, and was really a beast. After driving both Minis, I can tell you that there was a much bigger difference between my NSX and the MCS than there was between the MC and MCS. Both Minis felt "brisk", but not "fast". The NSX would pin you to the seat during hard acceleration. You really have to drive a car like that to understand. I could leave rubber on the ground while shifting from 2nd gear to 3rd if I wanted to.

 

I'm not sure where a Prius comes into the conversation?

I think where you and I disagree is on the mpg. You can't ever base mpg based on any car manufacturer's stats. Judging by posts I've read for the R56, most MC's are getting ~38-39 mpg vs the MCS's which most people seem to get ~30-31.

Now based on those stats, the best (or worst depending on how you're looking at it) case scenario shows a 30% (9/30) gain in fuel efficiency or worst case a 23% (7/30) increase in efficiency.

There's no doubt that the S is more fun to drive, but for people like me using a Cooper as a commuter car (24,000 miles a year), there is no choice. I guess it's all dependent on the amount of driving you do.

To each his own and that's how I'll leave this thread.

 

ive had my mini since october... so its well passed break in..... has anyone else noticed a ''fake'' feeling acceleration?
im a commuter... ive logged 13k =[ so far.... hate it but gas isnt really that bad for the S
For those that love the suspension. i envy you. I cant seem to push this thing hard... there is always some sort of body roll or insecurity with the mini.... maybe i'm just used to rwd drift.... =/

I just want to <3 my mini..... is that so much to ask? *sigh

 

I went for the plain Cooper and would do it again. I want a balance between the mpg and the hp. I'm not willing to go down to the Prius (what I call my dad's space mobile) and I don't want to drop the mpg down to the JCW. Although that would be a nice ride!

And when I see people at the autocross track, they would kill for making up a 1 sec difference, JudgeS.

 

Even though the stats that I've read regarding MINI sales are about 50/50 between S and non-S, it seems in my perception of the postings of members on this site (not just this question, but all R56 forums in general) that the vast majority are S-owners. Has anyone ever done a poll on that? (take a look at https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=93550 and you'll see what I mean!) When I was first making my decision, I was hard-pressed to find pics of Coopers on this forum!

So probably the best thing for you to do is to decide for yourself, otherwise you'll almost certainly end up in an S and that might not be the car you REALLY want for your desires!

Again, just my two cents!

 

I use the S as a commuter car, and I disagree. There is a choice. Like you said yourself, to each his/her own. Everyone's financial situation/commute is different. To add to that, the longer the commute the longer you'll be in the car. You have to love what you drive, regardless. The more fun you have driving the better.

That said I don't ever see myself buying a non-S Cooper, and based on my experiences so far I intend to stick with the brand for the near and far future. Heck, the Clubman is supposed to be more practical, but if given the choice give me the turbo Clubby.

 

If I just wanted to get where I was going, and disliked driving, I would probably get the MC for the gas economy. However, I do enjoy driving and am happy with the MCS.

 

Jeff, based on your comments - if you dislike driving then get a Prius. Seriously, the Cooper (S or non S) is a driver's car. If you're not into that concept then really there is no point in paying a premium for it, get something ultra-practical.

 

Well you said you wanted an MCS until gas prices went so high, and my point was if 2-3 mpg was important enough for you to give up the performance you get from an MCS over an MC, than why not just get a Prius. Of course I was exaggerating the situation to some extent, but my real point being that 2-3 mpg shouldn't be much of a factor in choosing which car, as its well worth it in your performance return. If you don't care that much about performance why not just go get a Prius.

Of course to each their own, and I completely understand the people who say, I don't want to spend the extra money, and I like the way the MC looks, and I don't need the extra power, and I get better MPG, as a whole, but individually not one of those issues make up the difference in the cars.

 

1 time, just 1 time, when you're on the freeway and have to slow to, say 50 mph, and then speed back up (with out shifting down) the effortless ability of the S to accelerate and still show a 34 mpg average will convince you.

S all the way

 

I say 30 mpg is great overall mileage on the S.
I WOULD jump into the time machine and go drive the Justa again, just to make sure I had to have more power.

 

But that's part of the fun!!!!

 

You guys are cracking me up! Thanks for the laugh I needed it.