Please give me your opinion about MINI! (911)
 

Dear all,

I would like to buy a Mini Cooper now. It will be my first brand new car. I never bought a brand new car before, so I need your help. If you already own a Mini, please give me your best suggestions. Thank you very much for your help.

- What kind of questions should I ask the saleman?
- There are Mini Cooper, Cooper S, and John Work Cooper model, which one should I buy?
- I tried to not to spend over 25K (plus tax and license) for this car, what options do I need and which options I don't need?

A little info about me so you can give me a advice.
- I am a female.
- I don't drive like crazy.
- I am at 25-30 age range.

Please help.

Thank you,

Tina

Welcome Tina!!

I recommend a Cooper....same great handling, excellent mpg and still enough pep to have some fun. That way you can add a few options you may want/need. :nod: Don't overdo it though....I dialied in my perfect Cooper for around $21K.

Do you want a manual or automatic?

Depending on your dealership and negotiating skills you can either get a Cooper w/ lot of options or a Cooper S with a few options. I got about $1000 off MSRP on a "ordered" car (it was going to be an order but they found one almost identical on a boat already).

I would probably do the Mini Cooper though for that price range. Find an 08 that is still on the lot and you can get a LOT of bang for your buck.

If you are in Northern NJ i would recommend Lenny @ Prestige Mini.

Right....Tina, I should also mention that Coopers are the perfect car for daily MINI motoring. The MCS owners around here are all a little bit crazy :nod:, and the JCW folks have most definitely lost it (I think deep down they all know that)!!! :nod: :grin: :lol:

Thank you for your feedback so far.
I live in the West, so there is only on dealership in my state. Last year, about this time, I went to the dealer to get a car. They are not willing to give me discount, on the other hand, I have to put in order because they have very fews car at the lot.
Now, I check their websites, there are more cars available. I hope they can give me some discount. The next step I will build the car I want and post it here so you can give me opinions.
Thank you so much.

Tina

How do you think of the car below? Do I need to add anything? Or remove something? I want a pretty basic cooper because I can't afford to have a fancy one. Btw, waht is JCW sport Suspension? Do I need that? Does it more safe to drive the car?

Base MSRP*$18,550Destination & Handling$650

PAINT IT
White Turn Signals $100
Pepper White Body Color $0
Black Roof/Mirrors $0
Chrome Line Exterior $250
Chrome Mirror Caps INC
Black Bonnet Stripes $100

PACKAGES
No selections in this category

PERFORMANCE
Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror $250
6-Speed Getrag Manual STD
15" 5-Star Spooler (Perfomance) STD
Dynamic Stability Control STD
Front Fog Lamps $250
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash $500

COCKPIT

Center Arm Rest $250
Cloth: Checkered Carbon Black/Black $0
Interior Surface Fine White Silver STD
Comfort Access System $500
3-Spoke Leather Sport Wheel STD
Interior Color: Carbon Black STD
Sport Seats $250
Chrome Line Interior $250
On-Board Computer STD
6-spkr AM/FM CD Player STD
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*$21,900
JOHN COOPER WORKS ACCESSORIES**JCW Shift Knob (installation not incl.) $129
GENUINE MOTORING ACCESSORIES**

Illuminated Door Sills - MINI (installation not incl.) $279
Black Rubber Floor Mat (front) (installation not incl.) $55
Black Rubber Floor Mat (boot) (installation not incl.) $65
TOTAL ACCESSORIES **$528
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*$21,900 T
OTAL COMBINED$22,428

Tina,

Welcome!

I would suggest that you do a couple things.

First, decide what you absolutely want in the car, what options would be nice, and what you don't care about or don't want. You might be able to get some ideas from other threads here, but a lot of it will be subjective. For example, there are some here that don't like the sunroof, others do. There is no right answer. In my case, it was a "must have", so I didn't even look at anything that didn't have the sunroof. Sport suspension was one of those nice to have in my book. I would have liked it, but in the end couldn't fit it in the budget. Depending on how the options fall out in your own ranking may determine which model you can go with. In my case, because I didn't have a lot of "must haves", I was able to afford an S which was more important to me than some other things.

The second thing is to take the different models for a test drive. Then you may have a much better idea of which one you like - especially Cooper v Cooper S.

HTH and good luck!

I concur with jcauseyfd

I have a S cause I absolutely love the responsiveness from the turbo and I have modified the suspension because I really like the way the car rips through the twists and turns. But thats for ME.

Test drive a cooper and a cooper S and see what turns your signal

Good luck

Base MSRP*$18,550Destination & Handling$650

PAINT IT
White Turn Signals $100
Pepper White Body Color $0
Black Roof/Mirrors $0
Chrome Line Exterior $250
Chrome Mirror Caps INC
Black Bonnet Stripes $100

PACKAGES
No selections in this category

PERFORMANCE
Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror $250
6-Speed Getrag Manual STD
15" 5-Star Spooler (Perfomance) STD
Dynamic Stability Control STD
Front Fog Lamps $250
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash $500

COCKPIT

Center Arm Rest $250
Cloth: Checkered Carbon Black/Black $0
Interior Surface Fine White Silver STD
Comfort Access System $500
3-Spoke Leather Sport Wheel STD
Interior Color: Carbon Black STD
Sport Seats $250
Chrome Line Interior $250
On-Board Computer STD
6-spkr AM/FM CD Player STD
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*$21,900
JOHN COOPER WORKS ACCESSORIES**JCW Shift Knob (installation not incl.) $129
GENUINE MOTORING ACCESSORIES**

Illuminated Door Sills - MINI (installation not incl.) $279
Black Rubber Floor Mat (front) (installation not incl.) $55
Black Rubber Floor Mat (boot) (installation not incl.) $65
TOTAL ACCESSORIES **$528
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*$21,900 T
OTAL COMBINED$22,428

suggestion---lose the armrest ($250? get real), do you really need a $129 JCW shift nob? Illuminated door sills?

Don't know how much the Sport Package is but I would suggest it, just me

The convenience access pkg is a must IMHO

I'd check for local MINI clubs and see how your dealership is.
I regret my MINI purchases due to lack of factory & dealer support...

If you like the armrest and the shift knob get it now but you can always do it later for cheaper. Neither are very hard to install.

I'd leave things like sport packages for the aftermarket. Drive the car first and if you like it you're good if not then you can spend money later on instead of up front now. Plus you can get exactly what you want, for cheaper.

Leave the floormats out and negotiate them in for free or get something like CoComats later instead.

I'd skip the illuminated door sill too, it's extra money and your car isn't a JCW so why have the badging (if I could I'd remove it from my JCW shift knob).

How much of a music fan are you? You might want to consider the HiFi upgrade.

Have you looked at the Clubmans? I kind wish they were available when I was shopping. The extra space comes in really handy.

Check and ask around in some of the other sub forums about various options, you can usually get a good idea of what the aftermarket has to offer and any problems/value that exist with the various options.

Good luck!

Welcome Tina!

You can have a very nice, complete Cooper without the extras. The JCW Suspension isn't needed for normal driving. However, for all of the options, it's really up to what you like and can afford -- not our opinions.

Personally, I would say to keep only these options:

Front Fog Lamps (For obvious reasons.)
Xenon Headlamps (For brighter, sharper illumination.)
Sport Seats (For better support.)
Floor Mats (For obvious reasons.)

I would add these:

Rear Fog Lamp (It's nice not to get rear-ended -- in any reduced visibility.)
Multifunction Steering Wheel (It's the only way to get cruise control.)

Whatever you get, you are going to love your MINI. Motor on!

The Cooper seems like the right choice for you Tina. I think you can save a couple of hundred bucks from waiting on the bolded options. I would suggest an aero kit to go along with your future Cooper. It would make a huge difference in the looks department. I say that because you seem to like upgrading the 'looks' of the car with the illuminated door sill, chrome liner, etc. I recommend refraining from those and put the dough on the aero kit. You won't regret it, I promise! :thumbsup:

oh and get the multifunction steering wheel! I regret not adding that to my MINI...

Hello geekswrath,

I was desperated for a Clubman a year ago. However, I think a Mini looks much cuter than the Clubman. Clubman is more roomy; however, its body looks too long (length), so it doesn't match with its width (just in my opinion). So now I will go with the cooper.

Thank you for your feedback.

Thanks,
Tina

Hi and welcome to MINI land!

I would recommend the cosmetics for aftermarket, and anything with the electrical system or motors ordered with your MINI, unless you have connections with auto fanatics!

Warning: I was a really tame driver, but my MINI S brings out something in me that I love! I concur with my fellow motor buddies...test drive all the models and see what you like!

Not a problem, just putting it out there in case you hadn't considered it. I do love Ferris, sometime it would just make things easier if he were just a tad bigger on the inside.

Oh yeah and definitely get the MFSW!

I'd also consider the MFSW and rear fog light.

If you want to keep costs down, I'd skip on the arm rest (can add it later) and maybe the comfort access. If you want to trim the price more, I'd lose the xenons and just get brighter bulbs.

I'd also say to avoid the accessories and do it yourself if you can, since you'll save quite a bit. You can usually get the floor and boot mat for free from the dealer.

we dont know where T lives in the west, but if she's in Oregon I do believe rear fogs are illegal there.

however she wont suffer from "halogen remorse" by picking the xenons haha :thumbsup:

Tina, where do you live? If you have ANY sort of winter, I would suggest the Cold Weather package. I've never had heated seats before my MINI, but they are awesome :)

Yes, the Multi-function Steering Wheel is a must in my opinion. If you don't get that, you don't get cruise control.

Seriously consider the cold weather package unless you live somewhere it is always very hot - heated seats are my most loved option. I use it even in July, on chilly/rainy mornings. The heated seats are NOT easy to add aftermarket. I'd also opt for the MFSW (if only for the cruise control; it's the only way to get it) and I prefer Xenons over halogen.

IMO, the chrome line interior is worth it.

I'd also skip the knob/illuminated sills/armrest, and sometimes the dealer will throw in the mats for free.

Edit: Aw, I type too slow. PSUinDC said all I wanted to say.

I also love my heated seats, but she is getting cloth, so they're not vital especially if she's on a budget... But I would definitely get them over comfort access.

I live in Washington State where it rains and cold almost all year long. That's why I am thinking about cloth seats so I don't have to think about heated seats.

Btw, nobody answer this question that I posted. What is Sport Suspension?

thevelourfog,
What is the comfort access? Is it the one that you don't need to use the key to turn on the engine?

Thank you so much!

I have cloth seats and I still wouldn't do without my heated seats...there's nothing like it to take the chill off you when it is a little cold out.

defintely. Tina, don't fall into the misconception that heated seats can only be had on the leather. You can get heated cloth :)

Tina,

I'm sure someone will jump in who knows it better than I do, but I think the sport suspension consists of some upgraded suspension bits (e.g. rear sway bar). Not sure what the difference is between a "normal" sport suspension option and the JCW flavor. And at least when I was shopping for mine, the sport suspension included 17" rims as opposed to the 16" I got. After my test drives, I decided the sport suspension didn't add enough to justify the extra cost, but that was just me.

I believe if you are looking for something that adds safety (which an improved suspension in and of itself may be considered additional safety), you would want to look for the DSC (or whatever it is they are calling it now). To get that you may have to upgrade to the sport suspension - not sure. The limited slip differential may also help some with safety in helping to control wheelspin. Hopefully someone with these options can chime in as I elected not to get either one.

The sport suspension adds very little in my opinion to the driving experience. It's (i think) slightly different dampers and 1mm thicker sway bars. If you want a better suspension drive the car for a while and add the jcw suspension later.

The comfort access places a button on the door handle, so if you have your key in your pocket, you just press the button to unlock the door. You can also start the car without the key in the slot.

Heated cloth is very nice to have and if I lived in Washington, I would definitely have to have the cold weather pack!

Welcome to the club, Tina!

I live in Canada and our standard equip./options/packages are quite different to yours in the U.S. So I went on to the MINI.com website just to check out the US prices etc.

Here's the perfect MINI for you!

Attachment 41759

Pick your own colour, of course!

Quite a basic config, with just a few useful options that make it more comfy. The basic MINI has almost everything you need. I ordered my '08 MINI like this and have not regretted anything. Many of the options/packages are extremely tempting, but most of them don't really add much to the basic package, IMHO (especially considering that many of the options are really pricey!!). It's essentially the same car without a lot of tacked-on flashy expensive stuff. Drive a simpler MINI like this one for a while and you won't miss the big wheels/sport suspension/sunroof/chromeline trim etc. etc.

Simplify and de-content, that's my advice! Many people here will disagree with me I know, but I've lived with my MINI for almost a year now and I don't miss the xenon lights, lounge leather and sport seats/suspension and bigger wheels/tires that I considered before ordering. Don't miss them one bit!

I said I didn't regret anything - well, that's not entirely true. I didn't order the heated seats on mine, and really wish I had. I live in Canada, for crying out loud - what was I thinking?

Let us know what you decide.



____________________________________________

The stock suspension is pretty rough as it is. In my opinion, sport suspension would be overkill. The car may not feel that rough when you are test driving it, but the ride will get rougher as the tires start wearing. Tire wear has a direct correlation on the ride. Unless you plan on having brand new tires all of the time, there are going to be thousands of miles of noisy, rough motoring.

I currently have a Cooper S, but I would have been fine with a Cooper as well.
Base Cooper's are just as fun as a Cooper S. I have test drove several base Coopers and have also had a few Cooper courtesy cars.

The base Cooper has just about the same throw-you-back into your seat feeling from 0 to 55. There is some lack of power from 55-65, but those 10 mph come and go quickly.

I completely 2nd the post about checking for complaints with your dealer's service department. Having a good service department can have a big impact on your MINI Cooper experience.
:thumbsup:

The multi-function steering wheel is a must. I love my dad's and my friends' cars that have them and always hate when I have to drive a car without it. Plus, as everyone else has pointed out, it's the only way to get cruise control which is a requirement for me on any trips with consistent speed limits. Given where you live, I would agree with the cold-weather package. I live in Texas so I decided to forgo that option in favor of some others. If you're getting an automatic, you won't be able to get the LSD. The only extra safety feature, besides the xenon headlights and fog lights, would be, in my opinion, the dynamic stability control.

As far as suspension goes, I test drove to Mini Coopers: one with the Sports package(which includes the sport suspension) and one without. I really could not tell a difference.

For the armrest, my plan is to buy one next winter, when it finally cools down here in Texas, and install it myself. There's an "Euro" armrest that is larger than the one Mini sells and it's cheaper. I've posted a couple of links below that I found after searching this site. Good luck and trust your own instincts!

http://www.minspeed.net/MAR.htm

http://www.miniusa.com/AboutYourMini/

2009 pepper white MCS female owner
 

hey, tina--

i'm from honolulu but may move to portland, oregon sometime in the next few years. i'm slightly older than you and i have no kids, no pets. my lifestyle is more young unmarried professional/urban. it's from these viewpoints that i made the choices i made (detailed in my signature).

i have several notes:

• i considered the sport suspension, but most everything i read online said it didn't have as much payoff, cost versus benefit-wise, as getting the LSD. i also consulted my boyfriend, who is the son of a mechanic and therefore a bit of a gearhead.
• the sport package (different and now unrelated to the sport suspension) includes the white turn signals, xenons, DTC (dynamic traction control) and 17" wheels. i like the way the white lights look--and i've seen my car from behind on the road (my bf was driving my MINI, i was driving my old car). the xenons provide excellent illumination (once you have them, you never want to buy a car w/lesser quality headlamps). i love the way my wheels look but i agree it makes for a rougher ride, esp if streets are potholey.
• i didn't bother w/comfort access. i don't like anything that makes it easier for someone i don't want in my car to get in before me. it seems a hazard for me that my doors would unlock and my car could be started without my actively choosing to.
• i thought i wanted the chrome package, but when i saw it on another pepper white, i decided against it. for me, the coldness of the shiny silver doesn't go with the slight creaminess of the pepper white. admittedly, this is wholly a personal esthetic choice.
• despite the fact i live in hawaii, i absolutely didn't want the sunroof. i didn't want (1) the extra weight, (2) another possible entry point for a thief or vandal, (3) another thing that might break or develop other problems.
• i decided against factory bonnet stripes and got custom ones done two weeks after i brought my car home. it cost me about $130. unless you really adore the layout of the factory bonnets, look into getting your stripes done after the fact.
• i got the cold weather package (my seats are leather) and yes, even in hawaii, they are a godsend! esp on days when mother nature decides that it's time for aunt flo to visit and i have a sore lower back. if i move to the pacific northwest, this choice will become even more meaningful.
• i got the aerokit. i love the way it looks.
• i had a car with cruise control and never used it, so i didn't choose it for my MINI. no regrets. my old car was also an automatic. i love how connected you feel to the MINI with a stick shift and for me, using cruise control would have distanced me from the driving experience. of course, living on an island where rush hour traffic means driving thirty miles on the freeway from the suburbs to town takes almost two hours, cruise control isn't a priority.
• i have the armrest. i would have regretted not getting it since i have shoulder problems. even my office chair has armrests. plus the little bit of storage is perfect for pens, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and breath spray.

hope this helps. you can also check out the two pics in my gallery to get a better view of the aero kit on pepper white.

Congrats Tina. I am sure you will love whavever configuration you go with. There are lots of good suggestions here. Most stuff you can always add after. There are four items that are relatively cheap from the factory, that you cannot do cheaply/or at all once you take ownership, that I would recommend everyone get.
- Limited Slip (LSD). A must if you want to improve handling, and it makes the Mini. Adding after the fact cost an arm and a leg.
- Rear/front fog lights. You will likely rarely use them, but if you have any OCD in you at all, you will hate the missing toggle switches.
- Driving Lamps. They are not for everyone, but to me they are a must on the Mini. Cheap to add from factory, not cheap to add later. You can go with cheaper ones, but they will not have the OEM look and functionality.
- Xenon Lights. Cheap to add from factory, currently no one has documented a successful retrofit that I have read so far.

There are other costlier options that you cannot add once you take delivery (Auto-climate control, heated seats, MFSW, Bluetooth, NAV, etc), but those options will be up to you. I personally like the auto-climate control, MFSW and WISH mine had the heated seats.

Also I agree, skip the JCW items. While nice, not worth the premium in a regular Cooper, especially if you have to sacrifice any of the above for them.

You are either a chrome person or not. Some cars look great with it, I personally do not think any Mini looks good with chrome, unless it is one of the black paints. I like the look of the all Pepper White, or Pepper White with black of CF accents.

Good luck with your purchase and let us know what you do.

Woohoo! Another Washingtonian!

Where are you located?

I bought Viola at Northwest MINI... and was VERY happy with them! I recommend that you talk to Mark Sandau when you go to make an appointment for a test drive. He is just... super awesome. He even went so far as to try to talk me out of buying a car off the lot because he was sure I wanted to custom order... but Viola really is everything I ever wanted in a car... I also have thoughts (we are similar in age) on your car, will get back to you on that in a second!

Welcome to NAM!

Sorry for the double post!

Suggestions for your car for Washington weather:

I don't think you need an S. If this is going to be a daily driver, a JustaCooper will suit you just fine. I love mine and get plenty of speed and thrills and fun in the bends with her. I drove her through Spokane's 60" snow storms this winter and as long as the roads were plowed and I had snow tires, I was good to go and even got better traction than most of the SUV drivers around here.

33EJB's PDF of a MINI for you sounds perfect but I have one caveat to this. If you live near the Sound, your summers get HUMID. You do not want the leatherette seats. I drove a loaner with Leatherette in Tacoma last summer and was miserable because I stuck to the seats THROUGH my shirt. Skip leatherette and get the cloth. Same price... less sticky. The cloth is black and really isn't that hard to keep clean.

If you're in Spokane area... get whatever you like better. The humidity in Spokane isn't that bad. I prefer the heated cloth myself and you will find that it does WONDERS for back pain. :nod:

I would listen to both stereos at the dealership before you choose one. Pick the one you like best, and drive an automatic and a manual before you make up your mind about which you like better. Very personal choice with these cars.

If you're short (under 5'5" tall) skip the center arm rest, you won't be able to make use of it as an armrest and you will end up smacking your funnybone on it when you go to shift. It's just too far back in the center console area for short people to make use if it. If you're tall and like an armrest, go for it. I'm 5'3" and I leave mine in the up position and wish they had a delete kit for it.

Hubby loves it tho and uses it when he drives... so I guess it evens out.

Um... that's about it. I hope I didn't overwhelm you with too much info.

Tina,

You had the 15" performance tires. In Washington St. I'd recommend the all seasons. A little better all weather grip and they will last longer than the performance tires. No cost to you for either choice.

MFSW is a must. Some of your options like illuminated door sills, comfort access, auto dimming mirror are just conveniences I could do without, but only you know. I'd definitely do the Hi-Fi and ditch some of those.

Good luck, only you can decide. One word of caution, the configurator is not your friend. The more you play with it the more you'll keep adding. Decide what you must absolutely have order it and be done with it.

Mini Cooper continue...
 

Hello everyone,

It's Tina again. Thank you so much for helping me; I found everyone's feedback is very helpful for me to order my Cooper.

Today, I just built my Cooper again. Could you take a look to see if it's reasonable to order each parts? I have to get alarm because I don't have a garage, it's not safe if somebody unlock my car at night. While I order, I notice there are two different Alarm System, I am not sure what is the difference between them?

If I don't want cruise control, do I need MFSW? I never used cruise control before, and I don't need it. I love the aero kit package, it does make the car looks "cuter". Does it worth it to order this package or is it too expensive for just the looking? Before the aero kit makes Mini cuter, what else does the Aero kit does to the car?

Please continue to advice.

Thanks,
Tina

Please disregard the checkered Flag Roof Graphic, I didn't mean to order them. The Black Bonnet Stripes are not too expensive to order it right? Or is it better if I do after market? But the difficult thing is I don't know where to go for after market?

Thanks!

You want the MFSW, I never use cruise either except on really long road trips. I use the MFSW primarily for the stereo controls and I love them.

You don't need the alarm. MINIs are equipped with immobilizers. The car cannot be started without the fob. There is no "key" system, no way to hot wire it. They'd have to put it on a flatbed tow truck to move it.

Don't leave anything in your car, ever. That's the best theft deterrant there is. If there's nothing in the car worth having, they'll move on to the next person's car.

Aero kit reduces the ground clearance, given the state of the roads in this state... I would skip it. You're going to end up getting it scuffed or not being able to drive your car when it snows, and either way this will break your heart.

Looks pretty good Tina. I'd recommend the xenon headlights. It's much brighter and you will never have to change your bulbs for a really really long time. Having a mfsw will make your daily driving experience much more comfortable. There is not much functionality with the aero kit but it does make your car more unique and better looking. Get the bonnet stripes now. They'll charge u labor plus the 90 something dollars. You'll also feel better not having to worry about adding it later. Good luck!

hmm. I have a MCS, just for the sporty look of it, and the sound that my engine makes.

i drive it like an old lady over bumps, but once in a while i find myself going over speed limit... :)

i don't know about the multifunction steering wheels, its too much stuff on the steering wheel for me, since i don't answer my phone through my car or use the cruise control.

The cruise control is a must-have, for me. If you are ever on Interstate trips or if you are prone to speeding tickets it is really nice to have. And I love the radio controls for volume/switching stations without needing to take my eyes off the road.

Another thing to think about is if you ever plan on selling your MINI. I don't mean to imply that you need to stock your new car with options that you won't use just to make resale easier, but many buyers will pass on a car without cruise control. It is almost expected on cars these days, and I don't know why MINI doesn't include it on all cars. I know that when I was shopping for my used cabrio earlier this year I automatically passed when I saw a MINI without cruise control/MFSW.