[Mike Schumacher]

hey everyone.

I've just seen the prices for the new civic type r and it's cheaper than the MCS. intitially i was tempeted by the type r a few months ago but was put off by the possible 22k price tag. i've since found out it's 18k fully loaded. my mini is pushing 20k.
i love the MCs but the type r is also stunning.
what do people think? am i wrong to be tempeted? my order has gone in on the MCS but i will only lose the deposit if i pull out. honda have told me they will knock the deposit off the price of their car.
HELLLLLP!!

[mab01uk]

Go to W.H.Smiths & read this weeks/months latest car mags, several (Autocar, Auto Express, Evo, Car, etc,) have group tests of all the latest hot hatches head to head including the new MCS and Civic Type R. However from what I have read there is not much between them all !
Overall the MCS still has my vote.

[Den W]

I bought Autocar and Autoexpress who both test the new TypeR, they both come up with totally different verdicts and performance figures even though they are testing the same actual car! Autoexpress put it above the new MCS in a group test and rave about it whereas Autocar are underwhelmed, so if you are unsure I think you need to drive them both back to back and see what car 'gets your juices flowing!' Don't know about you but if I changed to another make of car some of the things I'd miss is the 'MINI community' and MINI meets

cheers
Den

[Dazmac13]

I'd always go with the what autocar mag and top gear mag say. The reason for the differing performance figures is that autocar quote the best time they could get (7.4 in the wet).

Also the type r is no way £18000 fully loaded. It starts at £18600 for the GT type R (GT being the one that comes with air-con cd player etc) nav is £1400 wheel upgrade is just under £1000 parking sensors plus a few other minor options your looking at more like £21500 fully loaded. Also don't just take into account total cost, the real cost of a car is what you pay minus what you sell it for and everyone knows mini's hold there value as good as anything out there, something the honda won't do. So even if your mini cost a £1000 or so mpre at 1st, in the long-run it will probably have cost you less than the honda

[Mike Schumacher]

Hi Den.

That's one of the 1st things that went thru my head strangely enough. The mini community spirit. It's fantastic. Other forums you just get 'kiddas' who want to "txt spk m8 in it!" an put each other down.
I've never been to a mini meet tho. Wish i had

[Paul]

I like the Civic, but it's not a MINI, and that should be enough for you to decide one way or another.

[Den W]

Hi there,

If you go to only one MINI meet then make it to the Southdowns weekender in the summer-it's brilliant, everyone's really friendly , and it really is good fun. There is a thread for this years one up and running.
hopefully see you there!

Cheers
Den

[jon vital]

The new Civic is a bit garish looking, inside and out. It has a cracking engine of course but the VTECs have to be driven hard to get the performance out of them.

[Ken Cooper]

Aroung here, every kid on the street drives a Civic. If you're one of the young folks who don't want to separate yourself from the crowd, that's probably the car to buy. And yes, it is cheaper.

But definitely go into the Civic dealership, sit in the driver's seat and close the driver's door. Then do the same in a Mini Cooper. To me, the Mini Cooper has the feel of a BMW where the Civic sounds and feels more like most of the other cars on the road. I like the solid feel of the MC, that's the first thing that grabbed my heart on my first introduction to this car.

If you think about it, people buy the car they realy, really want then they justify the purchase with logic. Don't buy a car based on what we say, just buy the car that most turns you on. You''ll be glad on the long run.

[KenL]

The Civic Type-R should hold its value as well as a MINI, possibly even better than a MINI with a lot of options!

[beaks]

i think you have to look at the whole package. Sure the civic r are good cars,but the fact is ,they just dont look as good or as solid as the cooper s.once thought of swapping myself,but the thought of not driving my mini said it all,once your in,your in!!!!!!!!!!!

[alski]

its like tea or coffee, both have their merits, but i would not suggest you start looking at fully loaded comparisons, as a mini is the wrong side of 30k if you have everthing thats available
so you cant always get what you want [get what you need] i looked at 1st gen honda type R, but it had no sunroof option, that was a killer blow, as otherwise was quite impressed with interior space and spec,
if ownership costs are an issue its my guess that in the honda you will have every chav in town trying to race you at the lights, so factor in the cost of extra fines or worse points
thats why the mini gets my vote esp with 220 gtt, iron fist in velvet glove, performance wise its there if you need it, but its not so loud and in your face as a type r, so it suits me as an understated elder gent [he he]
at the end of the day there aint many bad cars being made any more

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon vital (original)

The new Civic is a bit garish looking, inside and out. It has a cracking engine of course but the VTECs have to be driven hard to get the performance out of them.

Honda Civic Type R

I have read the articles and both cars are very different but equally great cars I am sure.

Personally I don't like the Civic styling for various reasons and I feel it will look very dated within a few years from now whilst the MINI will always look like a MINI ;-)

If you need space, like to rev the vtec within an inch of it's life to get the performance, arent fussed about car tax or mpg then the type R is the way to go

If you want fast furious fun at low revs, low cost, low car tax, low emmisions even and don't need the extra space then for me it's a no brainer MCS every time

Horses for courses I guess at the end of the day


Honda Civic Type R

[Richard Crofts]

Doesn't it use the same engine as before...I think that was one of the reasons folk werea bit underwhelmed as its basically just a body and susp change?! Personally I'd by an old shape top of the line one, on a new reg discounted as the new shape is now out. Save the money have the same engine, or have it chipped and enjoy at a lot less cash. Or just get the MINI ... You know thats what you really want :P

[eggtruck]

I cant believe anyone is questioning whether they should buy a Honda Civic over a Mini.

The Civic may be a great bit of Jap engineering but at the end of the day it is a car that (along with Scooby Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo and Vauxhall Novas) all Chavs aspire to have - and if you look at the drivers of many of the old gen Type R you will see that they are owned by Chavs!!

I dont care how much a Mini costs over its 'rivals' - it is in a totally unique class of its own....

[paulm3]

mini does cost more when spec'd up. but then think about depriciation. civic will loose alot more than the mini just over the first year alone!!

plus i dont like the funny spoiler thing half way up the rear window.

[kevkbuk]

At the end of the day the engines character between the R and S is totally different. The R needs to be ragged within an inch of its life, to keep it screaming in the vtec zone. With the S the power is there from very low revs making life a lot easier. Driving the old model should give you a pretty good idea of the R as its the same engine in the new one I believe.

Personally I was dissapointed with the old model R and wouldn't want to live with the constant reving and noise during my daily commute. If I had wanted a track/weekend car then maybe things would have been different, but for the Mini is the best all rounder.

[aid]

youve made a very good point i have driven the out going type r and its the same engine in the new one you have to push the engine sooooo hard its almost not fun to drive there is such a big rev range that you almost get bored driving because you dont change gears very often.

p.s the comment about the mini spirit and community is bang on ive only had one for 2 days and already i feel like one of the family

cheers all

[marx87]

I see Honda have made yet ANOTHER ugly car....

Mini all the way.

[aid]

also like to point out that if you buy a civic type r you will just be another chav / ned / bam etc etc the cooper s has a wee touch of class about it

its not all about big wheels and big spoilers and exhausts that you can drive through