Mini-cooper drivers out there?

[AxtellZ]

Hey everyone,

anyone here own or drive a new mini-cooper? I'd like some opinions if so.. I am working on the wife for a new S-type (Umm, no, no luck as of yet)

This car seems more like a Z than the "new Z"! 2300lbs, 163HP, independent suspension, and all at $22,500 loaded!

So if you've driven/ridden in one- give me your take please.

BTW, the wife's argument:" You have 2 Z's and your F150, and i'm still driving this 7 year old mini-van...":tapemouth

Any ideas to win her over on this (other than buying her a van?!)

Zya all, Jeremiah

[2ManyZs]

Wait for the Turbo PT Cruiser to make its debut, and then tell her it's the next best thing to a mini-van. Not that I'm partial to Mopars.

If it ain't a Datsun, it better be a Dodge. That's my motto.

[laffeaux]

I'll agree with your wife - you have three cars. Let her buy whatever she wants. It's her time for a car.

[AxtellZ]

Sheez, time to bust out the wallet huh? It could be her car, but she doesn't like to drive the standard:cry:

I've been holding back, because what she wants is a big 'ole Z-crushing SUV:sick: Been trying to save the world from another Expedition/Envoy etc etc!

At any rate, my post is more looking for response to driving the Coop, as opposed to sneaking a car past the wife- its a game for us, and she knows when she *really* wants something, she can have it:classic:

oh yeah- i saw a Turbo PT this week, list price is $27K! So much for the cheap entry-level cruiser...

Zya.

[pfarq]

You'll be sending her back to the dealer all the time since its a dodge (my opinion of course!) I have two coworkers that own PT's, and they're always taking the car back to have various issues fixed. The styling is also somewhat derivative (my opinion of course!).

Take her to see the mini and drive one...she'll be hooked! For 22K, you can't beat the BMW engineering and the fantastic styling.

With only a handfull being distributed per year in the U.S. market, you won't see them at every corner, either, as you do (at least in my neck of the woods) the PT,New Beetle, RSX, etc, etc.

My girlfriend is picking her Cooper S in spring once the lease on her Jetta is up.

I'd say try to get out there and take one for a spin.

Cheers,

Paul

[2ManyZs]

Of course, this being a Nissan/Datsun site, shouldn't you at least take a look at a new Spec-V SE-R? Might be hard to get the keys away from her again after you tell her you just got done running an Auto-X with her new car. :cross-eye

[derk]

My 2002 PT has been bulletproof... solid as hell. My 1999 Jetta fell apart--literally--at 50K. For the money, $19K loaded with leather, the PT was a great value.

Slow as snot, though. If you are looking for "ooomph" wait for turbo PT this fall.

[hmsports]

A friend of mine has a new Mini. He likes it a lot -- except the shifter linkage problem that they have recalled the car for. Seems that it breaks easily.

He's owned a ton of cars -- used to race a 240 back in the 70's. Has a Mercedes 300SL (non-gull-wing version), a BMW 2002TI, has raced Porches... anyway, he knows performance and handling cars.

With all that said, he thinks its a great little sporty ride.

[owenk]

If your wife drives a mini van I would assume that you have kids. I would not want my kids riding around in such a small SUV crushable auto. Don't get me wrong I have seen the new Mini running around my area and it looks great and the turbo version I hear is kick a.s to drive but I draw the line when fun does not protect my genetic code being carried on. My wife wanted out of our mini van when the oldest started driving so we got her a used Volvo 850GL. Which I have found to be very fun to drive because it handles so well and it will get out of its own way! (I only wish that it had a 5 speed) Anyway my kids come first when it comes to my auto selection because where I live there a too many soccer moms with SUVs that do not have a clue where the corners of their sheet metal toad ends!

[CoastGuardZ]

I'm always ready to add my 2 cents on these topics!!!

I sold cars for a while... 8 months @ a Nissan dealer and 2 months @ Ford dealer. I also work part-time @ Autozone now and get to talk to people about their cars and see what parts they are buying...ie plugs and wires or Starters and ignition modules.

The new cars don't tell you a whole usually but the 1 and 2 year old models tell you everything. Dodge a dodge...track record and the fact that 9 out of ten spend more time in the shop in two years than a Nissan or Toyota do in 15 years! Initial build quality is big. Dodge doesn't stack up. I also got to take a ride in a Turbo PT last week...not impressed. I did get to take out a pre-production standard Mini at a ride and drive for Nissan (the local BMW dealer was gracious enough to bring it by during our test session at the track.) The mini was alright good power good handleing, but it was pre-production and had been a little abused so I can't vouch for build quality.

Do your self a favor and seriously check out the SE-R sentra. 4 doors 165hp (175 Spec-V) more trunk space, more room and really nice to boot. And build quality check out a 2 or 3 year old sentra---they hold together.

$.02

Nate:cross-eye

[AxtellZ]

4 kids for me (6 to 17), so it won't be the primary family hauler for sure! I suppose I'll see what she wants first (poor,poor, pitifull me will wait). She likes that van/SUV ride up above everyone else, fortunately she's not your average female/soccer mom driver (no offense, ladies)

Guess i'll wait another year or better (give them time to work the bugs out)- then plead my case again-

Thanks for your input Rick, that is what i was really looking for!

Zya all, Jeremiah