vs. the Scion xA

I am kinda of put off by the pricing scheme (dealer markups) on Minis. Since it seems you like both cars perhaps once you configure pricing a choice will be clearer. The Mini is hyped, a good car but hyped none the less and I think you will be making a bad mistake not getting an S.

Go to

It's not! If you're buying new then you are buying the best made MINI. And yes, "chicks will dig it" ;)

Check out

Good luck! :-)

Yeah, I know the reliability "issue" might be overblown.

But I think it is very likely that TCO is significantly more for the MINI than the Scion xA.

The only two things the MINI has for it right now is A. the sunroof option that Scion xA lacks B. the fact that people-- including chicks--just want to ride in one, once.

The fact that its backseat makes it basically a 2 seater doesn't help. And test driving it...maybe I'm just not used to such a peppy car but it was hard to accelerate smoothly and the brakes seemed grabby.

People say I seem a lot more animated talking about the Scion than the MINI. People on this board won't believe or understand this, but I prefer the styling of the Scion. (Again, this is xA, not the box-on-wheels xB) It's funky and...I guess, "more honest" than the MINI's homage to the past. It also gets great mileage. And it has a younger vibe than the MINI, which, and even the salesman said this, they're skewing older, 30s,

(Incidentally that salesman was Hrach Chekijian, who runs a MINI museum...)

Kirk,

Sounds like you're looking at Mini of Peabody. I bought mine there and have nothing but praise for them. They sell at MSRP, no markup. Configure what you want on the web, bring it in and that is what they charge you.

I have not driven the Scion, but I am a looooooong time Toyota owner, Celica (4), Corolla (2), and have nothing bad to say about them either.

But....

There is absolutely NO comparison with the Mini. I have an 02 -S- with 56 k on it. The fit, quality and performance are in an entirely different class. Everything just feels solid and tight. I have had 1 problem with it, a fan relay, at 51k. The dealer took care of it gratis because it was so close to warranty (50k). I have 2 6 foot sons that travel in the back with no problem.

For me, driving a Toyota or Scion is fine, but I got tired of seeing myself at every turn. It's nice to have something different. As for peppy and "grabby" brakes, those are features, not detriments.

Good luck with what ever you get.

So go buy a Toyota and share your comments on a Toyota group.

Man, that is one ugly and cheap looking car. Looks like a Geo Metro. Great mileage though.....lol.

I guess it will look better when he gets his "hubcaps" that are on order. YUCK! HUBCAPS????? Not even an option on the MINI. Personally, I wouldn't have driven it off the lot without the hubcaps...nothing uglier.

BTW, did you hear about the guy in Florida who just turned over 100,000 relatively trouble-free miles on his '02 S? There's a link to the NAM thread on motoringfile.com. NOW let's talk about reliability!

I know you guys don't believe me, but I think the Scion xA looks better than the MINI. I find its simple modern chunkiness more appealing than the MINI's retro, wanna-be look. I know this is probably a minority opinion. (Especially on this group of course.)

It doesn't have great pep on the highways, and the visibility is poor when the rear headrests are there, but other than that it's absolutely great. Rides a bit higher than most cars around me, gets the great mileage, urban punk rather than yuppie oriented, very easy entry/exit particularly for the back seats, and actually allows people with knees and shins to sit in the back. Also has a usable cupholder that's not this weird dangly plastic bit...

Plus, I could get one NOW without waiting 3 months. My Honda Civic is repairable, but had the pipe to the muffler drop out, so it was nice to get a replacement in a day. Oh, and of course, I didn't mind spending $5-$10K less for a reliable vehicle that gets the job of hauling me to work done in happy fashion.

Also I think Cooper's are getting a bit over exposed...they had more of a mystique when you might see 1 a week rather than

So I'm not purposefully trolling. MINI is a great car, and I was very close to getting one. I'm pretty happy with the decision I made, though, sorry you all can't see the appeal.

Sounds like the decision has already been made but...

It seems to me that if you're trying to decide between a MINI and another vehicle, the MINI isn't for you. When I first saw a new MINI I knew I had to have one, simple as that. I wasn't willing to pay any sort of premium to have one but I was willing to pay sticker. Does that and my not wanting to cross-shop vehicles make me a bad consumer? Maybe. But, I know that every time I walk up to and drive my MCS I get a big smile on my face which is something that has never happened to me with any other car I've owned.

I see the appeal. And no you're not a troll. If you wanted to troll why a cheap ass Mini forum? Why not Bentley, Ferrari, etc Some folks are just paranoid and call troll when they are in the throes of a hypochondriac fit.

I also will not participate in the cattle call dealer mark up game either with the MINI.

Good job on a nice car.

Angie, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!

I also will not participate in the cattle call dealer mark up game either with the MINI.

Good job on a nice car.

Lol.

Angie has me killfiled so she won't know - sure. I just hope this won't trigger more therapy sessions for Angelica - lol.

BTW, I am looking for a MINI so won't be leaving this PUBLIC forum anytime soon.

Hey now. Nothing wrong with my 94 Metro.

Resale matters.

I watched MINIs for a while before buying one. I looked at some that were a few years old at CarMax. They're the same price as we ones! The things don't depreciate.

Fun to drive, too. I never test drove the Scion XA, but if they're anything like XBs or TCs, they're pretty boring to drive. In terms of 'the fun factor,' the only thing that came close to the MINI when I was test driving last year was the Mazda 3. "Zoom Zoom" is right. But those don't have the resale value that the MINI does.