Now that I have lived with my 09 Horizon Blue MC for 6 months I am experiencing buyers remorse - I miss my 03 MC. I am frankly tired of the quirky styling of the 09 interior. I still can't get used to the radio and climate controls. Changing a radio station or using the CD player is more complicated than it needs to be and to add insult to injury the sound quality is lousy. Where as the 03 controls where straightforward and simple - the 09 controls are a styling exercise that should have never made it to production. I live in the NE and have yet to find a setting on the climate control that is comfortable - either my feet are freezing cold or my upper body is extremely hot. Access to the various controls is a pain - it is difficulty to activate the heated seats or lower the windows with bare hands let alone with gloves on. The sport seats are horribly uncomfortable - I miss the standard leather seats in my 03.
I am sorry to say that I will be getting rid of my 09 ASAP. I know I will receive flack for this posting but I feel somewhat vindicated by the reviews I have read from several publications sharing similar opinions.

 

Similar here - just traded our '06 MC CVT for a 2010 MCa - the old car may not be as fast but it felt faster and smoother - if it were not for BMW abandoning CVT owners I would have have kept the car.

 

I think it's cool. If you're used to first generations, then stick to it. Sometimes you just have to own one to know you don't like it as much as what you had.

Sell your new one and find yourself another 1st generation.

With either choice, you're still a mini owner.

Good luck.


Mark

 

No buyer's remorse here -- I never bought the "new and improved" version! But BMW could easily have sold me another MCS if they hadn't messed up the interior and made the torque steer so much worse.

Although I'm glad I kept my 05 MCS, it's annoying that I'm now having to deal with old-car issues at a ridiculously low mileage -- not impressed with BMW's vaunted engineering.

I hope some non-BMW alternatives show up in the US market soon...

 

I ain't got no torque steer problems.




Mark

 

Tomorrow I'll be test driving a 2006 MCS. I might be trading my 08 MC in for one. I just like the fact that it seems like there's 100x more stuff to do to an R53 than an R56.

 

A poor choice of words on my part. Technically, there shouldn't be any torque steer because of the equal length half-shafts.

I was referring to the squirrely handling during hard acceleration which I experienced in several test drives. I don't know what caused it -- the road surface, differential traction, turbo power curve, etc -- but I never experienced that in either of my two first-gen MCSs.

But even if I hadn't experienced that behavior, I still would have passed because I really didn't like the interior changes. As always, it boils down to personal preference.

 

I don't like the interior changes at ALL. But I am probably going to be forced out of my '06 MC thanks to the CVT. Very, very sad.

 

I understand.... no right or wrong answers, just personal preferences.... I liked the interior on both of my 1st generation minis but hated the downtubes.

(at least for me) sometimes it just takes me getting used to something. For example, when the new camaros came out, I hated them...

But now, they're starting to grow on me.

Mark

 

I have an '06 MCS w/the CVT and, altho I don't use the 'manual' option, I've gotten used 2 it, nonetheless. I drove a '10 Justacooper (loaner) once, and didn't care for it. Oh, it was peppy and eveything, but the interior styling left me w/a 'wtf?!?' kinda feeling. I do have a question, tho: what's the CVT issue folks have been having??? I've read some posts where owners didn't care for the 'automatic down-/-upshifting' it does, but I don't think that's the crux of the issue. What happened w/yours?

 

After test driving a R56, I realized that it was not for me. They're a bit toyish to me. I think I'll stick with my R53 and all of her problems. I understand why the OP feels the way they do.

 

Some of the issues expressed here might be addressed in the LCI for MY2011.

 

no you don't!!! The MCS uses a traditional automatic, not a CVT.

 

Don't know why you expect to get flack for wanting to get rid of the '09. You don't like it, right? I sure wouldn't hang on to a car I didn't like.

 

If you have a MCS you don't have a CVT. The CVT is only in the MC.

The CVT is notorious for randomly failing, requiring a $5-7k outlay for replacement, as there is no "repair" for it. Mine has been on the brink for over a year...I'm hoping I can just get through the winter before trading in. It's very sad, I love my MC like very little else. But I can't afford the repair, so I'm hoping it'll just hold together for a few more months. Then I'll be headed for an O2 Blue R56 Cooper.

 

I had a loner Cooper a few years back with a CVT, and I was less than impressed. It felt like it was going to go out at any time. Just baby your car for a few months and you should be okay. Don't keep it too much longer though. Good luck!!

 

The interior of my R56 is the largest drawback to me. I love the R53 interiors, but still got the R56 since it was a better car overall to me at the time. I'll probably get rid of my car when the next gen MINI comes out, assuming the styling has improved overall. If not, I will probably move on to another car.

 

The R56 interior isn't "that" bad to me. It's little things like how they did the stereo that bothers me. What I hate about the exterior are the side scuttled. Wayyy to toyish looking. And one morning while running in formation, a subordinate of mine asked me while passing a yellow R56, "Why does it look like a 4x4?" Not that the stance bothers me since I tend to lower my cars anyway, but it does sit a little higher. Considering the fact that technically at a glance, the 1st gens and 2nd gens look almost identical, that is a plus. The main thing I like about the R56 is the engine, and that's only because it's turboed. As far as the next gen is concerned, I'm willing to bet it'll still look remotely the same. BMW has done a pretty good job with maintaining the charm ofthe MINI without overdoing it.

 

The only audio controls I use are on the MFSW. I've set preferred radio stations on the NAV screen, and use the Next/Previous buttons on the wheel to switch stations. Mostly, I listen to music from my iPhone, though.

Yes, the sound system sucks. I got the HIFI option, and it isn't. I put in an Image Dynamics amp and speakers. Now it sounds good.

While I find the heated seat controls to be easy to use, I hate the location of the window controls. They should be within easy reach of the driver for both right and left windows. I have to lean forward and look down to find them. Not good while driving. The row of toggle switches may look cool, but ergonomically, they are a disaster.

I don't like the climate controls, either. Fortunately, I got Auto Climate Control in a package and it works fine. Rarely have to mess with it.

It might have been LSD. My MCS has LSD and on hard acceleration it will first pull one way, then the other, etc. It can be very disconcerting.

 

The interior isn't horrible for the most part, it's really just the entire center stack for the most part that I don't like. The R53's is so much better IMO.

The stock stance is also a little off, especially with wheels less than 17".

The turbo engine is by far the redeeming feature of the R56 S, it's fantastic! Although I am desiring something a little more powerful now and modding it just seems too expensive to make it worthwhile for me.

 

I agree. But the problem is largely solved when nav is added.. the audio controls suddenly are logical, the center stack looks better organized, and the nav screen is a fantastic interface for the entire audio system. That said, it had better be, given its cost, and the smoking crater it leaves in your wallet.

I'm very curious to see the mid-cycle refresh. Gabe at Motoring File seems to have some inside info and says that interior enhancements are on tap and implies that they'll be a nice upgrade. Hopefully not too nice, for those of us who have recently purchased an R56.

 

We traded an 04 MC for a 07 MC, and I think it was a win in just about all ways.

 

I tend to agree. The valvetronic engine upgrade in the R56 was a real nice addition to the just a cooper R56. In addition getting rid of the CVT in favor of the Aisin 6 speed automatic was a very welcome change. Upgrading to the 6 speed manual over the 5 speed manual was also very welcome. Over the last few years I've read some real fire and brimestone arguments about the R53 over the R56 and visa-versa. In general those arguments haven't made it down to the R50/R56 as there was some real welcome change in the MC line.

As far as the interior goes, I'm maybe one of the odd ones who like my R56 interior. To me the volume control is right where I need it. I have a lot more complaints about Mini continuing to use 'cute' toggles (a feature in both the r50 and r56) than I do the radio or other center stack complaints. I for one think the radio volume is in a great place, so much so that I never hardly use my mfsw controls. (I use a xm roady most of the time).

One thing to note about the center stack that sold me on the R56. I was going to buy a Mini in 2/07. I could have bought an existing on the lot R50. When I was at the dealer I sat in both. The one feature that sold me on the R56 was the center stack had been significantly narrowed to the point that my right leg wasn't jammed up on the center stack like it was on the R50. The narrowing of the center stack is what necessitated certain features for controls in the center stack. So for me the trade was simple. I could have a little more spacious room for my size 12s to navigate in or the R50 center stack. It was a no brainer.

 

I absolutely love the toggles. Yes, they're silly, but there's a little James Bond in me that just won't die. And how often do you need to mess with the passenger window while you're driving?

The radio controls drive me nuts, but I can live with them.

 

They definitely add to the car's character.

My '07 MCS had torque steer bad ... but that's not a complaint. Unfortunately they tuned most of it out starting in '08. My '10 has the same un-problem as your '09. But I'm hoping to get enough of a tax refund to cure that.