Hello Everyone, I'am new to the group. I live in eastern North Carolina.

I would like to buy my first mini, but would like some advise.

I have found an 07 S turbo motor blue color, and has a manual trans.
Also, I have found an 08 S turbo gray color, with automatic trans.
Both are same price and mile are about the same. I like the blue color one
best, and its very clean car. Has the best tires, and has the upgraded headlamps. To be fair both cars are clean cars. And, I dont mind a clutch replacement after 70-80 k miles, but I have found online where people have had to change much more often than 70-80 k, some say 20k.
The hold up is I dont want a car that will need clutch repairs often, I realize that a wear item and I have had a manual trans. On a nissan truck before. I did put a clutch in it after about 80 K miles.
What are the pros and cons for the automatics. The auto has paddle shifters on steering wheel. Iam not sure how they work.
Also, My wife might drive some, she dont do stick well.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

This is a no brainer for me, stick all the way. If you want to mod it later you will enjoy the stick more IMO. Clutches that are being changed early are aftermarket clutches. The stock clutch seems to be the best bet again IMO. Do yourself a favor and get it checked out by a MINI specialist or the dealer. Also get the longest warranty you can afford for pice of mind as things like the timing chain, water pump etc.. Get all the service records you can for it also. get the VIN checked out by MINI to see if all the recalls were done also. Good luck and hopefully welcome aboard.

 

It really depends on how you think your knees will hold up over the "long haul" for us my Husband's would not have (he's had a Full Knee Replacement already) and for me driving in PDX traffic is not what I would deem as "Manual Friendly", so the choice for us was an Auto...pure and simple!! Besides, Steptronic and Paddle Shifters are like driving a manual without the sore knees.

 

I didnt say before but both are from dealers, the blue manual comes with 3month or 3000 miles warranty. The gray comes with 100k warranty. Both offer more warranty options, which seem worth the money if I had some serious.
What are some of the more common mod.s
Can you tell me the amount of miles, the average mini s gets before trouble, like clutch.
I want this car for driving to work. About 350 miles a week. I have a nissan xterra and
its sucks down gas 17 mpg hiway at best.

Thanks for your advice,

John

 

I would agree with both of the responses it really depend on you. What do you prefer and where do you drive the most? I absolutely LOVE Manuals and wouldn't have it any other way and there are owners on here with WELL OVER 100k in miles with the same clutch and no problems. I would say a lot of stop and go traffics from time to time makes me want an automatic but bottom line it comes down to your preference and I prefer Manual. Plus blue is one of my favorite colors too.

Good luck on whatever you choose but I would also agree that before you hand over any cash have the car checked out by someone that knows Minis well. Beware having a dealer check it out as they are in the business to make money and are either going to offer a bunch of service (some maybe needed and some may not) or they will try to sell you one of their cars.

 

Thanks Rj Kimbell
I live in small Rocky Mount and would be traveling to Roanoke Rapids, which is small town
also. Not much traffic like in Raleigh or Richmond.
My wife got to sit in a Mini copper S model , which was blue, too while in Raleigh today.
She said and I agree with her, the mini seems to be open and more room than her cadillac cts. The console in the cts wraps around the driver and the dash is more on your knees. Also less head room to than the mini. She was surprise at what room the mini had.
Everyone tells of how fun and enjoyable they are to drive. She wants to test drive now. I already know I want one.

Thanks to all for feed back,

John

 

A link to the blue mini.

http://www.freedomfordnc.com/used/MI...00bc184d41.htm



And during my search, alot of ads dont even tell if its S model, I have been looking for turbo.

 

Not all Mini's have clutch problems.........

 

The paddle shifters on the auto are a command to the automatic transmission to upshift or downshift. The transmission will almost always do what you are asking, but not quite always. There is still a torque converter between the engine and transmission, so it is a fluid joint instead of a solid one, so it's not an 'automated manual' transmission like the VW DSG boxes. But it is more control over what the trans is doing that you typically have in an auto.

I prefer the manual transmissions. They give you absolute control, and the connection between the engine and transmission is solid. It is more efficient, gives me more direct control, and I find it to be more enjoyable. But it's not for everyone.

OEM clutches can and do go bad sometimes in relatively few miles. Sometimes it's through abuse (willful or accidental), sometimes it seems to be bad parts or improper installation--even at the factory. To be sure, most clutches are lasting people a very reasonable amount of time, but there are no guarantees.

The 100K warranty on the gray car would be very tempting. The early R56 S (the 07+ turbocharged cars) seem to be less solid than the earlier supercharged cars and than the later non-turbo cars. If that 100K miles is from when you purchase the car, I would think that is a pretty strong incentive. That way you don't have to worry about the turbo oil lines, the timing chain tension, high-pressure fuel pump, carbon build-up, and the other problems that are more common than we would like.

 

I have no complaints with my automatic. After driving nothing but manual for 32 years I have a bad leg and can no longer work a clutch. For me the ability to manual or paddle shift the 6 speed auto is the next best thing.

 

I have the justa so can't compare apples directly.
I wanted the manual but had to share at the time with my wife.
I would not get anything else for a commute car now.
It is an absolute joy to drive in either auto or manual mode.

I can also tell you having a baby, and having access to the full auto
mode is HANDY.

 

Condor 27596 made a good point. Having a baby, with auto. Well I have a two
year old and I'am always handing him stuff when I drive. But most this will be a work car. Still with the gas mileage, it will get us some extra trips.
My wife want an auto. I told her it wont be hard to learn, but she is a hard learner. And probably wont drive much anyway.
And the automatic model I found that was priced right, was sold.
Even though its fun shopping for a deal on a car, I want, and i dont mind surfing and or waiting to get a deal.

Thanks to all for your info and stories, all were welcome.

John

 

No brainer: choose the 6 speed manual. It's a beautiful transmission with excellent gear spacing, and great shifting feel. Plus, the manual gives you much more control, and the Mini has better performance. Consequently, a Mini with a manual is much more fun to drive.

 

I am slowly feeling the pains of having a bad left knee as well. But until it gives way and taps out, I'm going manual all the way. I had an automatic for a loaner one time and it just didn't cut it for me. There was a lack of fun factor for me.

Go manual!!!

 

Whenever I go in for service I get stuck with an automatic, and it makes me want to pull my hair out.

Manual all the way!!!!

 

I have an auto with paddle shifters, and like it. I also had a justa (non-S) auto, and that car was fun to drive as well, even with 60 hp less. One thing is that I was close to 40 mpg in the Justa, but rarely get 30 mpg in the S.

The link to the blue car has 17" wheels on it, which likely means that there is sport suspension. I'm partial to blue, but the old car was red with a white top and that looked 'right' as well.

There are plenty of threads on this asking what problems to look for. Your local MINI dealer will be helpful in researching the car.

Go for the test drive, the mini is an easy car to drive as a manual, your wife may not be intimidated.

Mike

 

it's available with an automatic?

you're kidding?

I had an early 02-S .. back then they didn't offer anything but the 6 speed in an S - we owned it for 98,000 + miles. In an early 02-S you couldn't get out of the parking spot unless you slipped the clutch (dealer's words) ... you CAN slip and not destroy . . . Taught my son how to drive in it (hard on a clutch?)

Clutch was a solid at day of sale as new . . .

My daily driver is a bought new 07S - only have 47,000 but the clutch is fine

I drove a 5 speed Miata for 120,000 miles and sold it to a person I still know. That was 5 years ago. They still have the car and have not replaced the clutch - it is their daily driver . . . .

Many will take this as an affront but many who drive a manual don't know what they are doing.

I learned about shifting from my grandfather who drove busses (with manual shift) in Newark for 35 years. He taught me about rev' matching, double clutching and heel/toe.

Now modern transmissions don't NEED these skills because of the superior design .... but driving a 5 speed Miata in stop and go in San Fran for a few years and I still have the clutch ... speaks a bit don't it?

IMO the majority of the folks who frequent this site and others like it are members of the "drive it like you stole it" club. NOT the best cross section for measuring clutch life ... brake wear ... mpg ...... but if you want to know what wax gives the best glosss WELL THEN!

 

Since I been researching the mini, I found a lot of drivers burning rubber, and spinning out in the snow. I'am not that kind of driver and have always took
care of my autos. And would keep mine stock.
At this point, I feel better about the manual, and my wife has her own car anyway. When its come time to buy, i will test drive and consider all options.
like warranty and extended warranty. If it comes down to getting a blue car with manual vs. a odd color car like gold, green, or yellow that has an automatic, I will buy the blue. The blue is calling my name.
Just wish it was being sold by a mini dealer, I may wait and see what trades
the Raleigh dealer gets. I have some time before I need this car.
And nothing againist green, yellow, or gold mini's its just not the color i prefer.

I still await to drive a mini, just know i want one.

Thanks to all,
John

 

Pure and simple. MINI is a sporty car. Sport = manual. Take a driving lesson and learn why downshifting into the chicanes will translate itself onto the back roads and twisties on MOTD, MITO, MITM and etc where the fun of being a MINI person is found.

 

One thing I've learned from my experiences and friends' experiences is that if you're buying a car for yourself, and if you're considering getting an automatic ONLY cause the wife says she might want to drive it, don't even take that into consideration. Cause most of the time it seems that she has her own car and will drive her own car anyway.

I wouldn't compromise YOUR car cause of the wife wanting to maybe drive it once a month or so. And the couples where the wife really did start taking over the car, they ended up giving that car to the wife, selling her old car and then getting him a new car anyway. Cause whats the point of the other car noone really wants to drive.

Their wives drive the 'guy's car a few times cause its new and novel, but then most of the time they end up going back to the SUV or luxury sedan. They say they miss the higher viewpoint, easier to load and unload, or the luxury. And then the guy is stuck with the automatic car they didn't really even want in the first place.

Though I have to say, alot of times I think a guy just puts it on the wife and says he has to do it for her, so that he won't feel embarrassed to tell everyone that he wanted the automatic. And thats actually waht he really wanted. In that case, I dont' understand the point of asking people. Just get what you want.