My daily driver was aging, and felt like I had to do something about all the gas I was guzzling ( two V8 cars with 360 horses... ). Thought about prius for awhile and visited college buddy who had two of them (one for him & one for her). So, I drove it the whole weekend I visited them in San Francisco.

After 300 miles, my friend said "You're not getting Prius". He was right......

I just couldn't drive a box with 4 wheels swaying left & right everytime a car passed it on the highway

So, I started looking & ran into Mini's. When I saw MCS with 26mpg city & 34 Highway along with the way it handled on a highway, I was sold. I researched intensely on the net, test drove all possible combo's of options, then ordered !!

And the rest, as they say, is history

Love this car. I enjoy driving it every single time: including driving to Papajohn's to pick up pizza.

 

YES! The MINI (even my Justacooper) has character. The Civic and Matrix/Vibe felt like... appliances. The Civic handled sharply, sure, but it couldn't be described as "fun". The Matrix/Vibe is best described by my mother, who said, after test-driving it, "I don't want to wallop around town in this." The Rabbit had a bit of personality, and was solid and somewhat enjoyable to drive... but the fuel economy was too high for a compact car. We don't need that extra space, anyways.

 

I always wanted a classic Mini, but decided to go for one of the 'new' MINIs - mostly because they are easier to obtain, make better daily drivers (more reliable), and aren't so prone to rust. I shopped around, and the '04 I currently own came up on the used market, right price, right color/equipment, at the right time. I couldn't say no!

 

Gas prices, always loved the looks and the handling, perfect compliment to my other car (Audi allroad).

 

good on gas
very fun to drive
turbo
hatch (I hate trunks)
quality
performance

looked at wrx's, they're just not good on gas, design looks way too typical
looked at an r32, they're just not fun to drive
looked at a civic si, i hate the trunk, but otherwise, great
looked at mazdaspeed 3, handling sucked, looks are just like the wrx, too typical.

The only car I want more then a MINI right now, is an A3, quattro, 3 door coupe, manual. Unfortunately, Audi doesn't want to kill the sales of the gti so they won't bring it over.... I am one customer they lost to a competing German brand by trying to save sales on the gti.

 

Well, I choose the MINI (S) because:

1) Just relocated from LA to midwest region, snowy weather, need front-wheel drive (or AWD).

2) Previous M3 owner, loved BMW products (solid), plus free maintenance.

3) Around $25k price range, it came down either Civic Si or this (previously owned 2000 Civic Si, don't want to drive Civic again!).

 

Because I F****** love them!!! Thats whys!

 

Well the first vehicle that I drove around was a full size ford ecoline e150. That thing was huge but great fun with the 351 winser. Later I purchased my first actualy vehicle, an 1985 Fiero GT. It was great fun, but definitaly a labor of love. My mini obcession started when I took a trip to Europe and saw one before they where imported to the US. Several years later and a lot of saving I bought my own MCSm 08' at the age of eighteen.

 

I got my mini because #1 I just love the look of them. I fell in love with the car in Forza2 Motor Sports actually. Then I found out how great they were on gas and I was sold. Then I test drove the Smart Car then the Mini Cooper. After that there was only one option for me, the mini. I am a big guy and the Smart Car I felt like a sardine in a can that was only ment to hold two sardines. I was amazed that the mini even though it looks small inside I felt very comfortable. People laugh and make comments every time I go places. They can't believe that I step out of the car. When I went to get my mini I really wanted yellow but they did not have it in stock with the options I wanted. If I get another it will be yellow and I will make it look like this.



This is the one I designed in the game. It took me about a month.

 

Do you want the "reason" I gave my wife or the truth?
I told the wife, I need a car that gets good mileage as I commute ~60 miles to work (120 miles a day).
The real reson-I just liked the Mini Cooper.
BTW the wife didn't buy my excuse, and it was her idea for me to get an "S", she said she didn't want me to be unhappy if the non s didn't have enough power for me! AND she gave up our one car garage for it!

 

Wonderful wife!

 

When my carpool-mate and good friend died suddenly, I was no longer qualified for access to the California "405" Freeway carpool lane-- a privilege I had taken for granted for five years. Hard reality set in as I then had to drive the long "stop-and-go" commute by myself in my 350Z w/manual transmission (cue the violins!). The 350Z is a fun car and great performer, but a commuter it is not-- rough ride, uncomfortable seats, mediocre gas mileage, miniscule cargo space, and rush-hour-noncompliant stick shift.

After about a month, with gas prices now north of $4.30 and my back screaming "enough!", I caved and literally googled "cars with best gas mileage". As someone who has always driven a sports car, this was the most difficult google search I had ever undertaken. Amazingly, listed among such exciting entries such as the Corolla, Civic, Fit, Yaris, and Prius -- was the Cooper (listed #5 in the top 10). I had never even considered it before, but the "S" model's combination of performance and high MPG shook me out of my funk. Plus it looked pretty cool! A week later I traded the keys of my Z for a 2008 MCSa. 14,000 miles later I have no regrets. The commute still sucks, but the Cooper makes it so much more manageable. Now if they'd just bring back Adam Corolla in the mornings!....

 

the smile that was on my face after test driving a cooper going up and down a mountain with no one in front of me--i figured anything a cooper could do the cooper s could do better--bought the cooper s--almost bought the honda fit--when i test drove the honda fit the smile on my face wasn't there--but the price was awesome for what you got--honda fit $700 below invoice--cooper s a little bit over invoice

 

I've always liked fun little hatchbacks, I don't see the point of a trunk You're still occupying the same space, why not make the most of it, and have a wiper to clean that back window as well!

Long story short - I had the pleasure of going along with a friend back on 03 when she took delivery of her Cooper, and while she was signing her paperwork, her MA gave me the keys to his demo. I was hooked then, but was very upside down in my Focus ZX3.

In 05, I wanted a Cooper, but didn't think I could afford one, so I got a Scion xB - fun car, but over 60mph the gas mileage dropped, and it just didn't have enough power.

Fast forward to this past Oct 08 when a buddy let me drive his 06 GP - that's all it took! I've been obsessed ever since, and even though I'm a little upside down in my current Scion, I placed my order last month, and my Cooper is on the boat over as we speak!

 

Anyone ever have a wife going through "minipause". I do......it really cures many of the symptoms if you know what I mean

 

My reason is that I would fall off of a Harley. My "mid life" toy has to have four wheels and some metal around me. I think I'll get the Harley when I turn 80. After that, who needs or wants to keep their body intact. Life Banc won't even want me then.....