Hey all, ive been looking for buy my first vehicle for quite some time and i must say ive been stuck here reading on nam.com more than any other motor community forum. You guys definately know your stuff and the MC looks to have taken my heart over any other car. Anywho, i have a pretty tight budget and if i do indeed get an MC, i dont believe i will be able to buy any packages or addons what so ever. Should i want another year so i can save up a few more bucks? Or will buying the most basic MC still be worth while and enjoyable :D Thanks a bunch.

 

Yes! The MC is a car you can build upon. No matter what it will be fun, and as you get more money you can mod it out!

 

The basic MC is the best value on a fun per dollar basis and will retain more percent of it's value over the years.

 

Are you thinking new or used?
You can find a recent (05-06) used MC -- still with the service coverage and the warrenty for the price of an 07 but with more options. That is the big choice regarding a MINi.
I think a MINI is a MINI regardless of the specific model. If you ask me it's pretty well good to go in stock configuration but it all depends on the level of comfort you expect.
Under the hood the MC is what it is pretty much what it is regardless of the pkgs you put into the order - the options (pkgs) are mostly comfort items with a few significant exceptions.
Personally I chose to order an 07 S with only the cold pkg, DSC and a few other relatively inexpensive options. I could have ordered an MC loaded for the same money but I decided the comforts were less importantant to me than getting the "most" car I could get for what I was willing to spend. Some people would think the "most" car means the most options so it's really all a matter of defining what means the most to you.
There are less expensive cars out there with more options that are fun too so if I were you make sure your not spending more than you SHOULD (that's different than spending all that you CAN).
Don't mean to preach but there it is.
Jim

 

I agree.

I urge you to order it though- even if you only choose the colors, the wait is oddly a good part of the whole experience

(and you could consider getting a higher spec '04 or '05 used-!)

 

Thanks for your feedback in such short time guys. Much appreciated. Don't mean to seem weird but i have this hing about me buying new and used stuff Buying something brand new gives me this crazy feeling of it being mine as opposed to buying something used. I drive an old e30 325 and its a blast to drive. A bit on the slow side but it gives me that great go-cart feeling that no other vehicle has given me. I've caught myself staring at the stock pepper white MC on the mini website a good 2 hours a night for the past month! im awful

 

Well, you can't do much better than PW!

 

Well that and the fact that they dont charge you an extra 450 for another color.

 

REd
Yellow
White
all are non-metallic no $450 charge

 

Ah the white looks the best out of those 3 :D

 

You're fine. Even a basic MC still has a pretty good list of standard stuff, a good ABS, AC, etc. The standard Sport suspension is not exactly soft and mushy or anything. These are enjoyable cars even at the most basic level, and you will enjoy it. My MC is just a tick above basic, and I enjoy the h#ll out of it. In my opinion, an MC is a better daily driver.

 

The MC with manual transmission will be available soon. You could buy one with just the bare essentials, cruise control (comes with a very nice leather or wood steering wheel) and dynamic stability control. Some of the $0 options make this car look really sharp. Reports from Europe say that with the new engine and manual transmission this car is a blast to drive, plus, you get that added advantage, gas mileage that approaches the hybrids. And you can buy this really excellent car for less than $20K.

By the way, have you used the build site:

http://www.miniusa.com/404.html#/bui...urator/minis-m

P.S. I've purchased new cars since i could first afford one, so I know exactly how you feel about used cars, or even yesterday's design. Go for it!

 

There may be still new 06s around if you are near a few MINI dealers many dealers are reducing them by anywhere sfrom 450 - 1000 depending on options/model.
Personally I prefer the 07 but again that's a personal choice.

 

i say buy new if you can. probably, the closer to feb. the more dealers will want to deal on '06, but you'll be stuck with what they have. ordering is "fun" in it's own way.

i've never been a fan of white cars, but MINI's Pepper White is a great color... I even thought about it a few times and test drove one. It had a Piano Black dash, which was nice, but another $250.

I think a stock MC without any add-ons will be a great car, so go for it. Of course, consider, if you are financing the car, an extra $250 here or there won't make much of a dent... so if you see one or two things you'd like to add on, you probably could without affecting your payment much. just my 2 cents.

 

Also someone mentioned how friendly these cars are to modifications. Lots of aftermarket stuff. You could think of this way -- the less you get on it up front the more mods you can purchase along the way.

 

A 06 MC with no add on's is a great autocross car. Put a set of 710's on the car and have fun. I love the MC and when I traded the 03 MC in got another MC. The new car has a few options but I very much considered a bare bones car just to keep the weight down. PW would be a nice choice.
John

 

Absolutely worth it. I have a 2003 MCS with most every option available on those early cars. My wife has a 2006 MC with very few options. The truth is that after living with my car for 3 years, we realized that many of the expensive options were more bother than they were worth. For instance, she got the standard climate control because the simple ***** are much easier to operate than the annoying computer controled automatic climate control. She got leatherette seats after we realized that the expensive MINI leather is quite cheap and doesn't look as nice or wear as well.

The only thing I would demand on a minimally spec'd car would be the xenon headlights. They make a world of difference.

Her car is lighter and more fun to toss into corners than my modified MCS and I love driving both cars. Sometimes I even envy her's. . . .

 

The one option I wouldn't want to do without is cruise control.

The local dealer here has lots of MC's and a few MCS's. I believe they're doing 500 to 1000 off on the existing 06's.

 

^^ yeah, i have to say, the multi-function steering wheel is the one thing i wouldn't have done without... more for the radio volume controls than anything else (but only because I haven't had a lot of need for cruise control yet).

of course i love the sunroof, too, but I won't get you started....

 

You aren't awful! You're a natural MINIac, lilchoi! You've come to the right place!

I agree with the post up the page: a MINI is a MINI. You'll love whichever one you get and Pepper White is a great choice of color!

 

haha you guys are great. Thank you very much for all of your responses I think i will order my new MC in the next week or so.

 

As the former owner of a nicely optioned 2003 MINI Cooper S and now owner of a base (i.e. no options at all) 2006 MINI Cooper, I whole-heartedly say "YES!" -- a base MINI Cooper totally worth it. I really love my "base" MINI Cooper as much (or maybe more since it cost me $1,000 under MSRP) as my "S"...

 

I have been motoring in a purposefully basic MC for four years and I love it. First...it's all MINI. Second...it's an insane value given the extreme level of motoring pleasure. Third...it's nimble and quick. Don't underestimate a fairly basic Cooper. If you can go with fewer options you stand a good chance of having a lighter-weight MINI and that equals a heckuva quick ride!!! My next Cooper (an R56) will be basic, too...yes, I'm that sold on it. Go basic and go proud, I say!!!!!

 

I ordered my MC with very few options, and after a year and a half, I can't think of one thing I wish I would have added when I ordered it. Fewer options means less weight and a more tosasable and nimble feeling car. Besides, the standard MC comes with standard features that weren't even options on many cars 20 years ago.

-Keith

 

A basic mini cooper is still a pretty decked out car, check out the miniusa site for the list of standard options, quite impressive. This is not the days when even a radio was an 'option'. I'd definitely go for the 07, which I did and in fact tried to stay as much to basic as I could. I did go for leather steering wheel (to have cruise control) and DSC (a safety feature). That is 1000 bucks of options. I also had to spring for 1350 for 6 speed automatic transmission as the manual isn't available till march and I preferred the new automatic, not an issue for you. I just checked the mini site and a base cooper, pepper white, no options is 18,050, or 18,700 including shipping and handling. A great value!! I ended up with BRGw bonnet stripes(another 550), cold weather package (300), and center armrest (200)) in addition to the above options for 22,150 and am thrilled. I did get some 'functional' options, but everything else was stock, leatherette seats, interior colors, etc.) I even will get rubber matts instead of the carpet ones. I wanted my mini to be as close to the basic as it could be with my 'functional options. If I wanted a luxury small car, I'd have bought something else.
I'd also remember that if there are a few things you really want over and above basic, I'd consider them, I mean, if its 18,700 or 19,500, go to a payment calculator and do the math, it won't be that much difference in monthly payment,