Considering getting a Cooper

Yes, oh yes! I just got off the freeway, I am in California, and am still on a buzz from driving home. My little Coop just hums down the road like nobody's business. I love the smooth ride and the speed of it. Corners? Zoom! I love to take a curve. I've had mine, MC not the S, since July and driving is fun again. Fun! It handles beautifully and once I got used to the transmission, I needed an automatic, it was a blast. I just kick it over to my super drive and go on down the road. The only problem I have with the car is that it refuses to stay at or below the speed limit. It's much roomier inside than people think and it's fun. Fun, I tells ya, fun!

kat

Would you please shut up! I'm still waiting for mine.

Gunny Yes, oh yes! I just got off the freeway, I am in California, and am still on a buzz from driving home. My little Coop just hums down the road like nobody's business. I love the smooth ride and the speed of it. Corners? Zoom! I love to take a curve. I've had mine, MC not the S, since July and driving is fun again. Fun! It handles beautifully and once I got used to the transmission, I needed an automatic, it was a blast. I just kick it over to my super drive and go on down the road. The only problem I have with the car is that it refuses to stay at or below the speed limit. It's much roomier inside than people think and it's fun. Fun, I tells ya, fun!

kat

Woohooo.. Keep 'em coming... :o) Anyone else :o))

I've had my MINI since May (One, not Cooper) and it is as good as everyone says. The handling is superb - grip is as good as the original MINI, but it also rides well now too - smooth and very quiet. Build-quality is up to the best European standards. Also, it's very economical.

It is a fun car - every time you get in it you'll have a smile on your face. Try one and see what you think - chances are you'll end up buying one ! As for the space issue, the front is very good, but the back is pretty poor, as is the boot. (BTW I have driven a Focus myself, and I have to say I like that too - though I'd never buy one as there are just too many around !).

Take one for a long test drive, my dealer let me take one over night so this let me do a few 100 miles in one before I made up my mind :)

I've had a Cooper (not S) since April and have not looked back. Hep has already pointed out the MAJOR problem with the Mini in that it likes to drive above the speed limit. They cruse well at 90mph and feel like they get there quick. It will keep pulling to 110, not sure above that because I backed down, not the car :)

You can drive is sensible around town and then when you want to boot it just keep it above 4000rpm and its great fun :)

I have done long distances, Brighton to Edinburgh, in one go and felt fine at the other end.

The hardest part is keeping it below the 4000 rpm for the first 1250 miles. The stability and power of the car keeps improving for the first 4000 miles as it beds in and then they really shine and that first 4000 is still great fun :)

Warren

I forgot one of the best aspects of having a MINI. Washing that car is so slick easy. I stand a whole 5'3" and can wash the top of the ar without hurting myself.

kat

No idea; but I'm picking mine up on Wednesday, I'll let you know what it feels like :p The waiting list is long ;)

Thanks for ALL your replies.. :o)

I actually called up the dealer today and they have a Mini ONE in stock. Will have a look into that. - My G/F will be getting one of these

Regards the Mini Cooper, the dealer said January which isn't too far away really :o))) - I'll be getting one of these :o)

I think you guys have pretty much sold the car.... Will let you know and look forward to posting here more often.. if only to say what a kick ass car it is :o))

Best regards

Ian

oooh.. another question

Whatcar.co.uk says that the engine lacks mid range punch... anyone clarify on this# What are peoples overall opinions on the acceleration and cruising...

As mentioned, I currently have the 1.8 Tddi Focus saloon. I "was" considering getting the new 1.8 Tdci PS 115.. comparing the mini cooper (also having the PS 115) to the focus, the mini reaches 62 in 1.5 secs less than the focus.. albeit as it's a lighter car but it's still good.

What is the dropping down and overtaking ability like? Ya know,drop it to 3, boot and go.. is it good? :o))

Top gear doesn't say a great deal of good about the cooper... but then their review was in 2001... should I ignore Top Gear?

Again, thanks in advance

Ian

Keep the cooper above 4000 RPM and it has plenty of punch for overtaking etc.

Again, my main advice is take out an extended test drive and thrash it to see what you think

Warren

Ignore TopGear, check out the back of EVO, or Car, and also many of the other magazines, they all love the Cooper, which is especially good 2 and a half years since the launch!

You'll love it, sounds like you've got the right attitude, you want a fun car, you wont be let down.

Paul

Right, My Mini is in for some work, some idiot reversed in to my and caved in the boot :(

As the replacement car I have been given a Ford Focus 1.6, not quite the same as your Focus but its not a base range car and lets me compare the two quite well.

The first thing I noticed in the Ford was how soft the suspension is, it felt like I was not connected to the road while the Cooper (Sports Suspension not +) is very solid and feels stuck to the road. I don't know what you think of stiff suspension but once you get used to it you will not want to go back to software IMHO.

The second is the driving position and again in the Ford it felt like I was driving a bus as you are high up, the Mini has a much more adjustable driving position so you can configure to suit your needs..

The Ford also felt slower than the Coop by a long way. Not sure if this is the case but it does feel like it and that is what really matters. The Ford did not feel safe at speed, say 70+ while the Mini still feels stable and safe at 110...eeer... so I and told :)

The Ford is probably a great car around town while the Mini's stiff suspension might be too much as it lets you know about every hole or stone in the road but as I live in the wilds this does not effect me.

Mini = Great fun car # Focus = Great versatile family car

HTH

Warren

Ouch :o( Do you know who did it?

Oh I'm looking forward to the stiff Suspension :) Shall we say I'm a big fan of motorsports ;o)

Yeah thats true. though I know on the Focus ghia you can lower the seat electronically.. which is what I did :) Not sure about non ghia's

heh.. One thing I have noticed about the focus is that there is quite a lot of body roll. It's quite good around some corners but does have a tendancy to want to drift out.

I don't care about pot holes.. :o)))

Plus my friends and I have a habit of driving to the Lakes and the North york moors... we always seem to find those single track lanes... :o)

Tbh, everything I've heard, read, seen about Mini is just selling selling selling me the car :) Got another appointment with Williams BMW on Friday to test drive a Cooper (drove a ONE on Monday). :o)

I'm now toying between Silver with black roof or Racing green :o)

Btw, Paul.. I've got your Mini2 site bookmarked. Great site so will be visiting more often... :)

Ian

----------------------------------- Soon to be a Proud Mini owner :o))

In 1984 I bought a new VW Rabbit GTI and drove it for 19+ years just waiting for something to come on the market that was as much fun to drive. In all that time the only cars that appealed to me were the likes of the Audi TT... way too expensive for me.

Then I saw the MINI Cooper reviewed on a TV program called Motorweek.... I knew the MINI was the car for me as soon as I saw it negotiate the pilon course without ANY body roll that I could percieve.

I went to my local MINI dealer only 20 minutes away from me (I know, lucky me). I took a test drive just for the fun of it because I didn't really need to drive it to know it was right for me after checking out the specs.

The bottom line is that I LIKED the MINI Cooper S a lot when I ordered it but after driving it a while I fell totally in LOVE with it and that love just keeps on growing for me. I never thought I could feel this way about a silly little car (hehehe).

Now here's the caveat: Other people can be jealous or envious of your car. I had a doctor's appointment for which I parked my MCS in a parking garage for half an hour. When I returned I found a nice big dent in the bonnet the size of a fist. Try as I might I just couldn't think of any way it could have happened other than intentionally. My MCS was not quite 3 months old at the time and still had 50 miles to go on engine break-in.

That really broke my heart and gave me a new motto: Don't love anything you buy and don't buy anything you love!

It still hurts but I still love my MCS and if I could afford to I would drop my new motto in a heartbeat to buy a brand new one again!

Blues

An idiot put gum on my back windshield on a hot day. There's a special place in Dante's Inferno for those people.

kat

I WISH this guy would have smashed my back window.... at least then I could have it replaced and the car could be like new again. This will be a thorn in my side for as long as I own the car and this will probably be the last new car I buy in my lifetime... and this guy has no idea what he has done to me in his moment of angst.

I feel your pain bud..

When I first bought the Focus.. second day of ownership I had a scratch which started on the offside front wing, broke a litte, started halfway down the driver side door, went the length of the rear door and finsished on the wheel arch.... and the car is Black !! :o(

I actually had to take the day off work as I was so gutted.. I swore if I ever got hold of the 's that they'd pay for it .. pointless because I never knew who did it.

Since then we have 6 ft wrought iron gates that can be locked and WILL be locked.

Yep, they live in the same village. I was standing the other side of the road talking to someone when they reversed in to me. I didnt see it happen but the person I was talking to did.

In that case you should be aware that if you get a coop and specify the Chili Pack you need to specificaly request the Sports Suspension+ if you want that fitted, the coop comes with the Sports Suspension (Not +) by default. I have the non+ and 16" wheels and I find that stiff but still comfortable on long distance.

BMW stopped fitting the + by default with the Chili Pack because they had a number of complaints that it was too stiff.. I couldnt find a test car with

• fitted so opted for the standard and no complaints, the car is still rock solid on the road.

The one I have at the mo does not have that :(

Yep the front wheels on the Focus want to step out at the slightest corner and the body roll makes you feel less in control than I would like but I think that is just the fact I am used to taking corners on rails at speed now :)

I have a racing green body and roof with offset viper strips :)

One last point... You should note that if you dont have traction control (ASC+T or DSC) there will be an ugly hole in the toggle switches on the dash that gets covered by a blanking plate. The basic traction control is only £100 extra and fills the gap and saves you on tire wear. You can disable it when you want some real fun :)

Thanks.

:)

Paul