[JG.26]

hmmmmm should I start a Cooper V's Suzuki Swift Sport thread Ponder

[Paul]

You mean like this: mini vs Swift sport
or this: Suzuki Swift 1.5 VVT GLX V's Cooper S

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

You mean like this: mini vs Swift sport
or this: Suzuki Swift 1.5 VVT GLX V's Cooper S

Haha, trust you, your memory is better than mine Paul, was it really over a year ago

Both still going strong

[mab01uk]

Why not register below and post the same question then report back to us in a few days?
Civic Type R Owners Forums
(or do a search, perhaps a Type R owner has already asked "Should I buy a MINI Cooper S or a Civic Type R?") !

At the end of the day every brand of car has its hardcore enthusiasts who will always be loyal to the brand come what may, the others are like "floating voters" who move on & sometimes come back in the future. I'm lucky for me its simple, a Honda Civic or Suzuki Swift no matter how fast, well built or reliable is never going to be a MINI

[graphicjoe]

So "chav" might refer to some soccer fans?

Joe

[Michael]

Can someone help me???

I can't decide whether to buy a new MINI or a hot air balloon?

I think a hot air balloon will be too difficult to park at the local supermarket. But the MINI doesn't come with a huge basket to stand in. What should I do?

[Paul]

I'd probably be swaying towards going for a Civic, based on the fact people on the MINI forum just want to poke fun at me for asking the question.

[msh441]

Quote: Originally Posted by Michael Strachan (original)

Can someone help me???

I can't decide whether to buy a new MINI or a hot air balloon?

I think a hot air balloon will be too difficult to park at the local supermarket. But the MINI doesn't come with a huge basket to stand in. What should I do?

Get both... ditch the basket... tie the MINI up under the balloon... pen sunroof & stand up. Best of both worlds!

[popey]

Quote: Originally Posted by Michael Strachan (original)

Can someone help me???

I can't decide whether to buy a new MINI or a hot air balloon?

No shortage of hot air in this thread

[Sir Johnaraz]

For me its all about style, so I am afraid that the looks of the civic are not exactly to my taste...I ll quote one of the previous replies saying that "a Mini will always be a Mini"...thats it

[beaks]

My personal opinion is that your mini,whatever the model,is an extension of yourself.They are like no other car,millionaires and the famous buy them,old and young etc! I have had 3 cooper s now and its fair to say that this is my car and i think that most people you drive past wish they had one,!When you have a mini your part of something,more than that,your truly proud to own it.Type r is a good car no doubt,but its only that.
Mini IS A WAY OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drbsheffield]

I would love to agree with you all, but the way I am feeling now I would love a civic, this is my 3rd MINI and we have 2 others in the family and it is just terrible. It is 4 weeks old now and I really regret buying it, on top of the other problems spent 5 hours yesterday having it recovered for a leaking fuel pump. I know cars can have problems but this is just a joke.

I think MINI could learn an awful lot from the Japanese or even there German counterparts in building quality cars, because although others may be different, mine is awful!

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by drbsheffield (original)

this is my 3rd MINI and we have 2 others in the family and it is just terrible. It is 4 weeks old now and I really regret buying it, on top of the other problems spent 5 hours yesterday having it recovered for a leaking fuel pump. I know cars can have problems but this is just a joke.

Oh Dear My 3rd MCS is actually being born this week Wk6 so I hope my forth coming experience doesn't top yours

I tried out several alternatives before finalising my 3rd MCS and none of them compared with the uniqueness that is MINI .. Clio 197 Sport: Focus ST: Civic: Golf GTi All great cars but none of them had that fun factor gene that makes a MINI number one on my list.

[beaks]

for drbsheffield,is your car the r56? and that is the same problem that loads of other minis got called back for at christmas?

[drbsheffield]

yeah it is the r56, I am totally fed up with it to be honest, it is a great car it really is I agree totally unique and I specced it exactly as I wanted it but to be honest the shine has been totally taken off it now, the number of rattles is a nightmare, the faults I had on delivery and now wasting 5 hours of my Sunday having it recovered to the dealer with the fuel pump leak is just not funny!

[caesar]

Unfortunately there will be X% of cars that have faults on delivery, and sadly your's is one of them.

Once these faults are rectified then the "shine will come back".

Some years back I bought a new Rover and had faults: -

a) Turned off the ignition and took the keys out, and the engine carried on running!
b) Parked the car in a pub car park with the handbrake on. When I came back released the handbrake to drive away and the brakes were jammed on!

After that I kept the car for two years and had no further problems with it.

[Olly.]

Had my copy of Evo through this morning and in the group test the new type r didn't get on too well against its competitors.

[JG.26]

Put it this way if someone dropped a nice shiny new, Civic, MINI or Golf on my drive I would be happy with any of these cars, they are all good at what they do, I think it's a nonsense to say the MINI is a better car, by how much would one say it's better? it's negligeable these days, it's just different in what it does. The only reason I bought my MINI was on looks, it didn't matter how it drove and I still love it after 3 years but at times I would love the practicality of say a Golf, hence why I bought a Suzuki Swift as it makes the MINI seem so small inside. I don't think anyone would be making a bad choice with a Civic.

Regarding the comments that Civics are driven by pensioners and chavs, maybe, but most of new Civics sitting on my works car park are owned by young 30 somethings with a family lol. What makes me sad is seeing the number of smokey MINI's with tin can exhaust pipes being thrashed around town, I think you can safely say the MINI is slowly entering chav world so it's not just the Civics of this world

[grantw]

Quote: Originally Posted by JG.26 (original)

Put it this way if someone dropped a nice shiny new, Civic, MINI or Golf on my drive I would be happy with any of these cars, they are all good at what they do, I think it's a nonsense to say the MINI is a better car, by how much would one say it's better? it's negligeable these days, it's just different in what it does. The only reason I bought my MINI was on looks, it didn't matter how it drove and I still love it after 3 years but at times I would love the practicality of say a Golf, hence why I bought a Suzuki Swift as it makes the MINI seem so small inside. I don't think anyone would be making a bad choice with a Civic.

Regarding the comments that Civics are driven by pensioners and chavs, maybe, but most of new Civics sitting on my works car park are owned by young 30 somethings with a family lol. What makes me sad is seeing the number of smokey MINI's with tin can exhaust pipes being thrashed around town, I think you can safely say the MINI is slowly entering chav world so it's not just the Civics of this world

totally agree!! seen a couple of horrific mini's running around! its true to say that as alot of people's disposable income increases, so too do the instances of good cars runnign around with stupid exhausts, bling'd up wheels, stupid graphics and general automotive badtaste.. most car models are not able to escape the untastefull touch of the 'boy racer'

[mab01uk]

Quote: Originally Posted by grantw (original)

totally agree!! seen a couple of horrific mini's running around! its true to say that as alot of people's disposable income increases, so too do the instances of good cars runnign around with stupid exhausts, bling'd up wheels, stupid graphics and general automotive badtaste.. most car models are not able to escape the untastefull touch of the 'boy racer'

You could always buy something like a Toyota Yaris or a Nissan Micra to avoid the boy racer associations, very unlikely to ever be untastefully modded!
Remember the Mini has always been the subject of diverse, individual & unique modifications, what may be untasteful to you or me is often someone elses pride & joy. Have you never been to a Mini show and seen all extremes good & bad? Were you never a youngster, did you never put a stupid exhaust on your first cars? Most (not all!) learn, grow out of it & go on to be tasteful 30 something car enthusiasts.
I an nearly 50 & would be seriously embarassed to mention some of the mods I made to my first Minis in the 1970's but now I have a tasteful Classic Mini Cooper S, a MINI & a Mercedes!