Also realize that 0-60 times for MTs are not entirely consistant with what your average driver will put up, as its a professional who's getting paid to make close to perfect shifts. Often in reality, and on the drag strip the AT will put up the better times in real life as its not a product of the drivers skills.

test drove both... liked both... bought an r53.

both are great cars at what they do... but they are different. If it's daily driver you're looking for just get in them and test drive them and you'll know.

Build quality is the same (both are average at best) so don't worry about that. However if I was forced to buy an auto for some reason... the gti would win hands down.

The AT will put up more consistent times, but I would not at all consider it normal for an 'average' stick driver to give up a 1+ second advantage. The ones you've apparently seen at the strip must have been newbies still trying to figure out how to start without stalling.

I test drove an Auto GTI not too long ago. I liked the car a lot. Looks wise the Mini has it beat. I haven't test drove an R56 Auto, but I have test drove the Manuel R56. I like the way the R56 drives and handles. The VW seamed a little sluggish in acceleration (turbo lag) I have also heard many VW owners complain about reliability . I think it just comes down to personal preference. If I had to choose between the R32 and the R56 JCW that would be tuff.

No, not at the track, drivers at the track are usually some of the better shifters out there (still I've seen them hesitate and not all noobs). Now, I would almost gurantee your "average" driver most certainly gives up 1 sec. compared to a professional, and that it is the norm. While 1 sec. means a lot at the track, its almost nothing in real world application.

People regularly report 0-60 times .5 of a second quicker than MINI's published figures. MINI/BMW's 0-60 times, just like their HP figures, are notoriously conservative.

Roughly 0.1second = 1 car length
10+ car lengths sure is a noticeable difference in the real world when you're trying to merge onto the interstate.

No, they run around the countryside/highways/turnpikes in 50, 100, 200, and 300 car runs. The VDub community is huge. Dub shows are some of the biggest around. Waterfest, as much as I dislike it, draws around 10,000 in 2 days. H2O drew 7000 people last year. Believe me when I say this, the Dub is scene is enormous.
This is nothing against MINIs or the MINI scene.

Im actually in this same position, though Im looking into an R53. The GTI I was looking at was a cheap price but has a bunch of cosmetic damage. So that narrowed it down to a MINI.

VWs reliability has gotten much better. This newest generation is a much better car, both in performance and reliability. VW has also upped their warranty. Powertrain is now 5/60 or 5/50. Pretty good in my opinion.

I cant comment on an R56 as I have not driven one yet. But the new GTI compared to an R53 MINI, there isnt much difference. They handle pretty similarly, at least in my opinion.

I like both cars and my choice will come down to finances.

What the hell are you talking about, why would you do 0-60 to merge onto the interstate, and sorry in the real world 1 sec does not equal 10+ car lengths, dont know where you got that. Bottom line few shift as good as professionals, most make mistakes or missed time shifts that cost them at least a second.

I've owned 2 Rabbits, and bought my daughter a Beetle and my son a Passat V6 wagon. Their cars are ok and have been reliable but not exciting. I tried to sell my S4 avant after ordering a mini but can't get enough $ to make it worth my while so I will just keep it (great car). Before I ordered the mini, I test drove the R32 and the GTI and was pretty unimpressed with style and interior (probably because I coming from a S4). Hated the hexagon grill. The mini on the other hand was so different to me and I thought the interior was clever, and driving it was much more fun. My MA, a better driver than me took me in the MCS and it was a blast so I ordered the new JCW09 to compensate for the S4 I was selling but will end up having both...

You must not have many of those horrible cloverleaf interchanges where inevitably some freaked out person outright stops on the on-ramp, and you're forced to merge with 70mph traffic from a stop.

The increased performance/mileage is inherent in the efficiency of the drivetrain. Those official numbers are something more to be screwed up rather than driving perfection. As Mozza said, many report getting better than the official time.

Yes but thats with both I'm sure, he didn't even indicate if he was talking about MTs or ATs.

Well considering there's no AT official time to be found...

The reports of quicker than published 0-60 times I referred to are of MT cars but I've also read that the AT is actually quicker than the MT 0-60. Make of that what you will.

I've had a VR6 Jetta, My wife has owned a 2.0 Beetle, and my best friend had a 1.8T Passat. All were great cars, but none had the personality of an MC...
Good cars, but missing that "je ne sais quois"
Checkered VW cloth or not... these vehicles do not compare to the thrills an MC can offer. Personality, style, handling, finish/assembly, build quality...

Plus, they are BMWs, compared to Volkswagens...

A

(Yes I have owned several VWs and Audis)

All subjective. I have a Cooper S and I would not call it an attractive car. GTI isn't a beauty either but in reality, it's sorta in the eye of the beholder. Never bought a car for looks and don't see ever doing so...

Thats true, personally I find very few cars that are not hacthbacks/wagons attractive, I know I'm in the minority, or have more of a european flavor, but I hate the look of anything with a trunk. With that I love the looks of the Cooper, and the A3, and like the looks of the GTI, I personally wish BMW brought the hatchback 1 series over instead of the ugly coupe version, but thats just me.

When I said smoke I meant straight line, not twistys. As far as the r56 goes when we test drove it, it did not seem to be as fast as my old r53. My old r53 was modded out pretty good pully, intake, exhuast. It is hard to replace the scream of the super charger.

If you need more cargo space and carry a 3rd or 4th passenger fairly often, the GTI is an easy choice.

If fun behind the wheel is a priority, the MINI is an easy choice.

You can have fun in a GTI, no doubt, and if you never drove a MINI, you'd feel great about the fun and utility of this package.

The MINI will win you over. Everything else that's 3K+ pounds will begin to feel like a land barge. Small sedans like the BMW 3 series will feel cumbersome. You will feel like you know and are experiencing something that everyone else in these boats has no clue about.

I drive mostly alone or with my GF. With the rear seats folded, I have plenty of room for anything this side of furniture and with the rear seats up, it's perfect for a trip to the grocery store.

I just traded in my 2006 GTI MKV on a new MCS. I owned the GTI for two years and it was, to date, the best car I've owned. Stock vs stock, the GTI outperforms the MCS in both power and handling. After I added the APR ECU upgrade to the GTI, it was an absolute beast. I don't keep cars long, as it seems I get tired of them quickly. The look of the Mini has always appealed to me, so I decided to get one. I'm really happy with it so far. When choosing between the two, decide which is more important to you: performance or appearence. If performance is more important to you, go with the GTI.

I agree but I disagree. I would buy a Lambo with 4cyl for $25000. Make that a 3cyl.

If VW and MINI got together and combined MCS and GTI for best handling and best performance and best interior, wouldn't that be a winner?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...omparison_test

With manual transmission, the MCS and GTI were almost identical. They both did 0-60 in 6.2 seconds and 95mph in the quarter. The GTI w/DSG will be faster than the MSCa. The MSC was significantly better on the skidpad and slalom.

If you want the top performer in the category, get a Mazdaspeed.