...to drive the R57? I mean, it's a MINI and it's a convertible. I got a little postcard from my dealer telling me that folks are looking for late model hardtops (mine is an '09 S), and they are interested in taking mine in on trade-in toward a new MINI. There's a nice discount on the Cabrios and Clubmans, too.

I may have the bug.

 

Maybe I would drive one once. I would not own one. I don't like convertibles with back seats. 2 seaters are the only ones that look decent to me.

 

I've driven the convertibles before and they're nice...but the only way I would own one is a loaded up S that I can leave in the garage for sunny days. I would never have the top up. Unfortunately Mama drives it to work everyday so at some point the top would have to go up :(

 

When the coupe came to my dealership in RI last week...........I got bitten too.

 

I've been going back and forth between the new Coupe and the convertible roadster that is supposed to follow it (my dealer told me in about 18 months). Ultimately, I think I'll get the Coupe (hardtop) but because I don't want to wait (not because I wouldn't want a convertible.)

On another note, the note your dealer sent you about "folks looking for late model hardtops" is most likely a ploy to get you into the dealership and looking at new cars. My local Honda dealer used to pull that crap all the time. They'll still lowball you on your trade-in value.

 

I have driven convertibles for 30 years. The MINI is a great convertible in an S. Have had mine over 2 years and I still love listening to the exhaust purr with the top down. You can't hear it that much with a hatch but it really stands out with the top down! Your can even hear the turbo blowoff valve between shifts.

I'll admit that the lines of a MINI convertible top up are not as clean as the hatchback, but the added enjoyment of top down motoring more than compensates. The MINI convertible flexes very little and handles as well as the hatchback IMO.

I have enjoyed this car more than any i have ever owned. Good luck!

 

R57's with the JCW aero kit are hot with the top down, but I wouldn't own one.

 

I'm sure the advertisement is a ploy--that is the business they're in, after all. But I wouldn't do it without a great deal that I could walk away from and be very, very happy with, so the likelihood of that is low, but I've been very happy with my MA (who also sold my girlfriend her Countryman All4), so perhaps he could work with things.

The MINI convertible is one of the few convertibles that actually looks good to me. And while a two-seater would be nice, I have other passengers to consider. Like I said, I've just been feeling the tickle. Temptation is the devil.

 

Wandrur
I got the same postcard. Seeing as we use the same dealer and got our cars around the same time, I am positive it is just a ploy to get us to trade in and stay in the 'payment loop'.
With me having 2 MG-B convertibles and a TR-6, I do not have to fight the urge to drive topless

One thing I have noticed with modern convertibles is that I rarely see them driven with the top down, especially here in Colorado. It seems that people like the dream of top down motoring but once they get hooked on A/C and get tired of being 'windblown' and 'sweaty' they forget why the bought the convertible in the first place. I always joke that Miata owners do not realize that their tops go down. Also here in Colorado you need to make sure you lather on the sunscreen and wear a hat to deal with the intensity of the sun.

But, yesterday I was out in one of my MGB's finishing up the tour route for the Conclave and it was a wonderful Top-Down day on a great drive and I would not have traded it for anything.

 

The top down driving is best in the mountains, in my opinion. That's when I enjoyed the top down on the Wrangler the most.

 

I scratch that itch regularly....

 

I like my MiNis

but for a drop top today

nothing beats a Miata

I had one in the garage for 12 years (1995 red) and when I replace the 7-S a Miata drop hard top will be a tuff competitor . . .

 

I'm hoping to get in for a test drive within the next week (still a little hobbled after knee surgery), as I'm really wondering about the driving differences between my '09 and the '11s. That's my biggest hesitation right now, as I love how mine drives. My girlfriend's Countryman All4 is considerably more sluggish from a start, hence the wondering.

 

I have a 2012, and about 200 miles on it so far....for the first couple days it was a bit sluggish off the line...but as I get more miles it seems to be better from a dead stop...I have an auto, with steptronic..and when I switch to manual mode it is much faster off the line.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the info!

 

Topless motoring is motoring at it's best and the SC whine and burble are intoxicating. Both of my first two cars were '60's vintage Lucas wired drop head coupés but danged if the MINI isn't more fun to drive.

 

I get the urge all the time! That's why I bought a cabrio!!!

I agree with the above poster who said the cabrio doesn't look as nice with the top up as the regular hardtop Mini. But it does look great with the top down! And the experience of a roadtrip with the top down just can't be duplicated with a hardtop.

To me, a convertible is the best of both worlds. If it's hot or raining, put the top up just like a hardtop. If the weather is nice and you want some fresh air, put the top down. Other than the potential for the top to malfunction, I don't see the downside to a convertible.

 

I replaced my 04 Sebring Convertible (purchased new) with my 11 MSC Hardtop. While there is no comparison between the Sebring and the MINI, I seriously considered the MCS Convertible. I loved driving the Sebring with top down and did so as frequently as I could, but when I looked back at how much the top was down vs top up, I had trouble justifying the extra $4900 for the MSC Convertible. I opted for the the MCS with the big sunroof and I think it was a wise decision. I still miss dropping the top on those nice days. If money were no object, I'd have purchased a a JCW Convertible, but with two kids in college.....well nough said.

 

I traded in my Wrangler for the Mini ... and still miss it. The Mini is great fun, but I had the top down on that Wrangler every chance I got. If it wasn't raining, the top was down.

Perhaps I should have gotten the convertible Mini.

 

I've had 2011 loaners and to me the driving experience is improved a bit over my 2009 MCS. The clutch is a bit lighter, but not too light IMO, and the shifter feels even more like a rear wheel drive gearbox rather than a front drive unit with a cable shifter. The action is smoother and the gear shifting effort is a bit easier.


If you have a 2009 MCS you will notice that they have tamed the torque steer. You can now nail the throttle without the car pulling to one side or the other. I had mine updated at the dealer to the new software that comes in the 2011's and it uses the electric steering to take the pulling to one side out. It works wonderfully. There is a thread in NAM about the anti torque steer reprogramming.

To me the 2011 drove even better than my 2009 with no downsides.

Good luck!

 

Now that's very reassuring.

 

I drive mine with the top down about 25 days a month. Here in LA, we have sun 340+ days a year. To me, the best is driving with the top down at night time. Love it, perfect temperature, see the stars, and worth every penny extra over the hardtop. I had a 2007 MCS hardtop, and like this car alot better. And with the JCW tuning kit, the exhaust is alot louder with the top up, and even better with it down. Sorry, but no downside in LA, but if I was on the east coast, it would not be worth it with your wonderful winters! (I grew up in Detroit, MI and do not miss it).

 

Well, I live in Colorado, and we do have winter here. That makes me minimally hesitant, but I did have a soft top Wrangler for a number of years prior to getting my hardtop.

I hoping to visit my dealer tomorrow or Saturday to test drive and check available inventory. And if the price is right...maybe.

 

Moving the visit to the dealer to Monday.

But the real question...would you do this?

 

Only if it's triple Hot Chocolate. We have one on our showroom floor and it's breathtaking, to say the least.