BUILD YOUR 07!

 

Oh great!!! Now I can build a car (over and over) that I can't (shouldn't) get for another year. Agony!!

 

I'm in the same boat, gokartride!!!

 

I'm pretty sure this was discussed in Motoring File. But why is the sport suspension now a $500 option on the Cooper S???

I also noticed that in the convenience package: "mobil phone prep". I thought Bluetooth was included in the package. So I assume prep means the car is just wired up for Bluetooth?

 

So whats the word on a JCW tuner package like previous years?

The dealer said perhaps midway through the year but it doesn't show it coming out late like the Hyper Sport and others....

 

I think the JCW package is to be announced because there were a few JCW things (aero kit for example i believe) that said details to come 3/07. But otherwise i think the site has been updated well and there are many options with the new MINI.

 

Wow...I just played with it and configured it identically to my '06 - $2500 more! I'm not an R56 hater but that sure makes me glad I got my '06!

 

Does the sport package on the S include a stiffer suspension or just the wheels?

Is 16" run flat? Hows the ride this time with the 17's?

I hit $25,300 being fairly selective. Add $450 if I don't get the red :(

 

the website isnt working to well for me. When I select the Xeon lights it puts them onto what looks like to be the 2006 cooper? odd....

 

what the heck.. lightning blue looks like silver ew!!

 

i was so giddy surfing the new site, especially while building my R56 S. A little p'd that you can only get the two spoke steering wheel if you dont' want multifunction, my guess is at some point the 3 spk w/ out multifunction will become std. in the near by future. So now I know for sure that I won't be buying first year. Kinda sad, but you might as well wait to get exactly what you want. I also noticed that the R56 looks "hella" more aggressive from the rear 3 qtr compared to the current model from the same angle(IMO).

 

Dont quote me on this... per White Roof Radio a couple podcasts back: All cars have what used to be the equivalent to the old "Sport Suspension". The new Sport Suspention upgrade is the equivalent to the old "Super Sport Suspension" upgrade (though I'm not 100% sure that was the title).

So same level of performance from stock to upgrade... just now under different names.

 

Holy Moses! I'm going to have to echo ML Wagner's sentiments regarding the new configurator. The price increases are on the scary side! I'm also rather happy that I got my 06's when I did. I will admit, as a current Doubting Thomas, that some of the new stuff is pretty cool. The new checkerboard dash is great...and I love some of the new JCW wheels (but over $3000!!! YIKES! ).

Even though I'm enjoying my Doubting Thomas status (with regard to the R56), I have been enough of a backslider to ask my Motoring Advisor for a test drive as soon as one becomes available at the dealership. I'll save final judgment until I get behind the wheel, but at least on the face of the matter, MINI has come out with some very interesting options/features.

Chuck

 

And one other thing...I feel a bit rooked by the new price for the universal hands free phone kit...$600! I don't think that was a factory installed option before (correct me if I'm wrong), but I paid a hell of a lot to have that installed in my Cooper! At any rate, if it works as well as mine does, I would recommend it as a desirable option for anyone ordering their new Mini Cooper.

Chuck

 

It looks purple to me.

 

Is the site down again?

 

Answers to your questions:

http://motoringfile.com/2006/10/29/2...g-and-options/

 

I thought lightning blue looked very similar to thunder blue (the GP color), but I've seen other pictures of the color being much darker (in between Hyper Blue and Indi Blue), so I think the coloring of the car model is wrong.

I'm sure MINIUSA doesn't want to upset the GP owners by having an R56 color that is very close to the GP.

 

I see nothing on MiniUSA about the changing color lighting in the interior, as an option or otherwise. Also on the interior configurator, the seats stay standard, even when you select the sports seats or upholstry options that require those seats.

Also of Note: Miniusa lists the HP of the MCS as 171 hp... with peak torque of 191... did we get a detuning, or was there a ratings conversion to USA spec?

 

is the site being slashdotted or what? i've been trying to get on for the last couple days and keep getting a time out error. or... is the new miniusa site just so huge that my stolen wireless internet isn't reacting quick enough?

i'm gonna keep trying. hopefully i'll catch a break.

 

it is kinda annoying that the S doesn't come standard with the upgraded suspension, although the website says all that consists of is stiffer sway bars, and the shocks and springs i would assume are the same. The car I would get costs about $1000 more than my 05, with same options, plus comfort access, piano black (or maybe wood) dash, and without the 17"wheels in the sport pkg. not too bad, imo.

 

I ran up a roughly equivalent '07 version of my '06 and came out almost $2K more. A few of the items really caught my eye, like $500 for MFSW versus $250 last year, and then $500 for sport suspension on top of the sport package, WTF? I'm not a hater either, but the higher pricing may make this car even more of a boutique vehicle than it is already, and that's not exactly a good business practice.

 

I like that there isn't much I would do differently if I ordered an 07 compared to my 04 MCS.

Changes:
1. I'd still go for PW, but probably PW/PW instead of PW/B

2. Now I'd have to pay extra for the Sport suspension

3. I'd add the LSD

4. I'd still get DSC

5. I wouldn't upgrade the stereo, get bonnet stripes or have to pay extra for the OBC.

6. I'd go for the leather/suede JCW steering wheel and anthracite headliner.

7. If it's possible to swap 'em, I would post an ad in the Marketplace to try to trade that black grille for the 07 MC's slatted grill.

Without 3 and 6, I'd be paying $23,000 as opposed to $21,800 - a 5.6% increase which is not a bad deal considering the improvements made to the new car.

That being said, I'm looking forward to paying off my 04 and having it for a good long time!