Hi,

My wife is planning on buying a 08 Mini hardtop. I have done quite a bit of research but I have found the opinion of current owners to be the most valuable.

She's not really into performance so I told her I'll put up the difference for the "S" upgrade It appears the S model also has better seats and tires so it seems like a no-brainer. My only reservation is that the new turbo engine has only been out for a couple of years. Is there any significant negative feedback on this engine?

She does not like manual transmissions but the auto has a "real" manual mode which is nice for me. We've had cars with manual mode autos and they were no different than the 70's automatics - manual shifts took about 1 sec so this auto should be a real treat.

As far as additional options we are planing on keeping it to minimum. Perhaps the convenience package and the Zenon headlights.

As far as seats, not sure what leatherette is but I would opt for the cloth seats.

In the end I'm guessing that the cars on the lot will have a typical set of options so we will have to go with whatever is closest. I think she wants to buy through Costco and I'm not sure how they work the options.

Thanks for any comments. One of the reasons we were swayed towards Minis is because it obvious from many of the posts here that owners really like this car. We have usually bought exclusively Japanese but everything in this category is either boring or a convertible.

 

I moved your thread to 2nd generation MINI talk, as the 07+ models are discussed here.

Mark

 

The leatherette seats are vinyl seat but look very good in the mini.
The sport seats are available in both versions but cost extra in the cooper.
I don't know where you are located but you will most likely have to order as there are very few cars (if any) on dealer lots right now.

 

Be aware that if you want Cruise Control, you MUST have the Multi Function Steering Wheel.

For 2009, this can be included in a package with Sunroof and Auto Climate Control,
a good deal if you would want them all ($500 less than total price).

 

Thanks all,

If you have to order the car, does that mean your likely to pay MSRP or near MSRP?

 

Also bear in mind when there's nothing in stock, and you order, you might have to wait a few months for the 09s, which cost more but will have diff. configurations as pilotart said. My car is still in the mini lounge as "on order" and I fear becoming an '09 -- paying more and waiting longer. I highly recommend the MFSW because cruise control is such a gas saver and the stereo controls make more sense on the wheel. I don't mind the leatherette, since we have pets and the fur will stick to the cloth. Wanted to upgrade to leather but nothing looked good w/the car colors, too dark or too light. I was strangely in love w/the dark brown that comes in the Cabrio sidewalk package, but not to be. What color body are you gonna get? Don't forget the rear foglights, they fill out yr toggles and keep you safe as you zip through bad weather, loooow to the ground.

 

You should accept that you will 99% pay MSRP. Depending on your area, you may pay a premium. You should be able to get some free floor mats and t-shirt at least.

 

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but you're kinda missing out on one of the best facets of MINI ownership here.

I like negotiating and trying to get the best deal I can, but you need to accept that the MINI is gonna set you back sticker price. That's a hard thing to accept (impossible on anything other than a MINI), but it's just the way things are.

A MINI is a real car. I mean a REAL car's car. It is something to be enjoyed and savored. You and your wife need to sit down at miniusa.com and spec out the MINI you REALLY WANT without regard as to what happens to be in stock at some dealership. I loaded mine to the gills with options, some people like them light on the options. There's nothing wrong with either philosophy, just don't blindly accept what happens to be on the lot.

Here's another exercise to do. Go to the a MINI dealership and test drive a Cooper and a Cooper S. Try to drive examples with and without the Sport Suspension. Look at the varying equipment levels and experience which options are must have and the ones you don't like.

Go back to the website and build the MINI you truly want. Spec every last detail and then go order it. It doesn't cost any more than buying off the lot, but you'll have the satisfaction of driving a MINI that was custom built to your specifications.

Once you order it, then track it's progress through the assembly plant online, figure out what ship it's on and then track it across the ocean.


When you put yourself through this torture, you'll be more excited than a 6 year old on Christmas morning when the day to pick up YOUR MINI finally arrives. You'll be primed and ready for that great day. The satisfaction you'll get from driving a car you ordered and the anticipation you experienced will make it well worth the wait.

I've bought two cars this way and I appreciate them much much more than the POS beater Honda I bought this spring for a commuter car.

Rawhyde

PS This post'll make more sense once you've had your MINI for a few weeks....

 

Thanks rawhyde,

I read a few more posts here (I accidentally started out in the first gen section by mistake) and realized that the Mini is different in more ways than one (or should I say a hundred!).

 

Gee, Rawhyde, did you cogitate on that answer very long? You have very good points, though.

I have the turbo - and have had it for about a year now. LOVE IT! I have the 6-speed manual trans, and I wouldn't have it any other way...but as long as you're both satisfied w/ the transmission, you'll just have to argue about who gets to drive.

Leatherette is leather-like vinyl. I also have it, and really like it. I have cloth seats in my truck, and after having the leatherette in the MINI, i wish i had it in the truck too. Much easier to clean!

I have the cold weather package, and leemmmeee telll ya....in the very cold winters of Germany, i THOROUGHLY enjoyed it -- I've never had to scrape my windshields since owning my first MINI in '04, and I've had "toasty tushies" with the heated seats...again, not something I realized how much I liked!!!

Like Rawhyde said -- get what you want. These cars don't have markup (unless used from a non-MINI dealer) and they depreciate MAYBE $200 a year...if even that. But GET what you want...you may never (voluntarily) get another vehicle, so be happy with it! And good luck!

 

?? She's not into performance, so you sggested she spend money on performance. Try upspecing a Cooper so that it matches the S in the areas you want. Seats to match the S are available (sports seat) and you should really sit in them to see if you like them or prefer the plain seats.

Also the tires on the S are not really "Better" than the tires on a Cooper, the Cooper gets much the same sort of tire, the S gets a higher speed rating (H for Cooper, V for Cooper-S), but that's because the Cooper is not capable of exeeding the 120 MPH H rating. I doubt you'll be going fast enough for that to make a difference, and my recommendation is to swap the nasty runflats with a decent tire. The Cooper has a spare which makes this less of a problem. (The S has no spare.)Ours works great, though I do find it has a bit of an annoying rumble, the Cooper does not have.

I also recommend you build one exactly as you want it and order it. It'll probably be cheaper, ones on the lot may have a premium.

 

Read this post. My friend makes some good points here too!

Rawhyde

PS Yeah, I did put some thought into that post...

 

I have the cloth seats, and I think they are good. They don't have lumbar support, but are still fairly comfortable. I believe you have to get leather to get the lumbar support. The Redwood leather is a great classic British sports car leather cover.

Whether the upgrade to an S is a "no-brainer" depends on how important mpg is to you. You should be able to get 5-6 more mpg with an MC than with an MCS. An automatic transmission will the lowering your mpg from what a manual trans can achieve. However, you have to like shifting to want to deal with it. I have a manual shift MCS, but I learned to drive in an Alfa Romeo.

If you get the MCS, you should seriously consider the LSD option. The MCS has a lot of low-end torque and front wheel drive cars are notorious for spinning drive wheels, and the differential increases the chance of one wheel spinning. On acceleration, weight transfers to the rear. All MINIs have an electronic system, called ASC, that intervenes to stop wheel spin by cutting engine power. What you experience is that the engine seems to bog down on acceleration -- especially on wet or slick surfaces. LSD will help delay the intervention of ASC by transferring some of the power to the wheel that isn't spinning. Dealers will tell you that only racers need it. I think they are mistaken.