thinking about a cooper

2) 2004 Mini Cooper (no S) lean and mean but with DSC

I love both cars--though I freely confess to a weakness for the cool factor of the Cooper. I drive mostly in the city though I love to speed on the freeway, and I love to jump from starts and race around corners. #1 is older, no longer under warranty, and I'm worried about the loan (48 months is best I can do, so it will be OLD when it's paid for). However, it's 4WD, which I love, since I live in Minnesota (not that you can tell at the moment--no snow!) Still, I'm thinking that if I ever crash it, I'd be better off here than #2, ya know?

#2 is sassy to look at and even though I can't afford the S, the plain ole Cooper is still a kick to drive. The 4-year warranty is a nice thing as well. In 60 months (I feel okay about the longer term on the new vehicle), when it's paid for, it will be 5 years old (not 9, like #1). We have a 2nd vehicle (my husband's)--it's a 2001 Ford Escape XL (plain), 5-speed with

Any suggestions out there?

Just plain torn, here. Love them both.

Thanks much!

It's an honest mistake to post to this forum - not a big deal.

To OP, you are comparing apples to Oranges. I think you need to sit back and categorize your priorities again and decide what type of vehicle you really need.

Yeah, I know. I guess I deserved that. But I figured that since the Cooper drives like a riot, that if you were driving one you must have an affinity both for driving and the Cooper's aesthetic cool, that (I dunno...) you might have a suggestion for how to weigh all of this against the practicality of owning one day in day out.

Having tested the car yesterday, and spent a night on it (I woke up dreaming of minis!), I want to take the leap. But I'm not, in general, an impulse purchaser (I had this other car purchase all sorted out you see). Still, still, maybe it's time metaphorically to quit my day job and write that novel I've been meaning to do, ya know?

In other words, the mini may be a dream car for the part of me that's yearning for it, and yet still practical for my other needs. I guess I was hoping to hear that the Cooper wasn't THAT horribly impractical, so that I could leap somewhat safely (yup, it's an anachronism). But leaping isn't about the safety net. I guess you're right. If I have to ask, maybe it should be the Audi.

But I have this feeling I'll be ruing my decision for a long time to come. In Minnesota parlance, it will be the "one that got away".

Best,

Lisa

Buy one, you will love it!

I used to have an Audi A4 estate, the MINI is not as big inside, but the boot with the seats down is as big as the boot in my old Audi!

BTW, it is a much more practical car than you think!

Try getting a 37inch plasma TV (in the box!) inside an Audi TT or in fact most cars!!! I did !

Cheers

Nige

Thanks for the leeway, TEM. I swear it seemed like a good idea at the time ;-) I should buy an apple--good fiber, shiny, red, reliable, and there's keeping the doctor away, you see.

But nothing beats that juicy, sweet explosion of a fabulous orange. Easy to peel. A near perfect fruit. The Cooper is a clementine, which embodies all the neatest things about oranges and the best ones come around just once a year. It's not the average orange though and neither is the Cooper the average car.

After driving the Cooper (test drove one yesterday), I loved it's zesty, grab the road performance. I was delighted by the immediacy of its responses. The Audi I'm interested in is a good choice, I know. I guess I wanted someone to say: "Don't be an idiot, buy the Cooper! It's not an Audi, but it's fabulous in its class and WAY more FUN!"

Why is this choice seeming existential for me?

Ah, well....

Lisa