[No Golf Clubs at all]

Wont fill in the history for those who haven't read any of my threads before.

Went to see my nice new Red Chilli Cooper, White roof etc. at the dealers before it was prepped. Pick up on Tuesday. Cover note for insurance, Private registration in place.

When I was ordering the car, I very neary bought a stock S, with no options. Good lady put the kybosh on it quick smart, hence nice reasonable chilli as above.

Made a mistake on the order - no dsc = blank switch = burning a hole in my head.

They have an S, in EB/W with S-spokes in. The difference is around £1700-£1800.

Do I?

a) risk martial strife, slightly increased insurance, scandalous MPG and get the S now before, we register the coop and incur any depreciation on the coop?

b) drive the car for a year and sell, at the right time before March new registrations. Save my pennies till then and trade up?

c) forget all this silliness and be happy with my lovely red Chilli Cooper and get on with it?

Please help? What should I do? Cant really afford the £1700 extra but there is always a 0% credit card around the corner.

Heart says S, head and lack of bravado say coop. PLEEEEEEEEZE words of wisdom required....ASAP!!! Will go tomorrow and change over dependent upon your replies, honest

[bobnobski]

follow your heart - Life is short and you dont know whats round the corner - and whats £1800. Once your Mrs drives the S all will be forgiven!!

Dont dont buy something your not happy with - take the hit early and be content!!

[Martin L]

Go for b/
You won't be dissappointed with the Cooper at all

[bigbaddaboom]

Get the Cooper and order an S for a year down the line. You'll still have a blast in the Coop, but then you'll have a whole new something to look forward to. You'll probably end up spending a little more butit'll be worth it.

Get the S instead.

Been in the same boat myself - loved my Cooper for 9 months but one test-drive of the S and it all went out the window. Coming in and out of the city centre everyday, used to get about 32 mpg out of the Cooper, now get nearer 28 from the S... Its no big deal when I only do about 8k a year - so whats that another £10 a month, in petrol, roughly?

Payments for insurance have weirdly went down by £50 a year... can't quite work that one out. Monthly car payments are up a bit more, but I got back what I paid for the previous Cooper - and limited myself to only a few extra (S-Spokes, Half Leather, MP3 Player etc). The S should be worth a bit more too at the other end also...

Has it been worth it?

Absolutely... without doubt the most fun I've had from a car yet.



DBK.

[Paul]

a) or c)

[nickworld]

Take the under the thumb option every time. You have to live with your other half - and believe me, you can live without the DSC switch. You won't see it much - ignore everything but the rev counter and the open road!

[bobnobski]

get the S mate!!! yum yum yum - You'll have your cooper and always wonder what the supercharger whine was like!!!

[No Golf Clubs at all]

votes so far

a) Get the S, 4 thumbs up
b) Get the coop trade in later for S, 2 votes
c) forget it keep the coope, 2 votes.

This is fun!

[Hat]

b) £1800 for a toggle switch? are you quite mad!

[nickworld]

Even stevens. Chalk mine up to trade it later if you need to. That way you have the best of all possible worlds. No?

[NED]

B) and save like mad for some options on the S! Good luck!

[No Golf Clubs at all]

a = 4
b = 5
C = 2

Concern is how much it will be to get the S next year. now I get a new shiny one, chilli pack and 17-s's for £1700 diff. Next year nearer £4... not that I want to sway the voting

[bobnobski]

go for the S while the gap is close! The used market is becoming flooded with Coopers and this will only drag the values down further. Grab the S - me thinks the residuals will stay stronger on them as most Coopers aspire to gain an S one day.

[Steevo]

If it's performance you're looking for then the S is the only option. But if it's fun on the twisties (i.e. up the sides of Loch Long/Loch Lomond ), then the Coop provides that in spades.

I'm no slouch and have yet to put the Coop out enough to make me wish I had some sort of traction control. And forget about the blank toggle - you will never notice it because you'll be too busy watching for the needle passing the '5' on the rev counter

[Hickster]

Are you seriously considering nearly 2K for the sake of a switch?

c) Stick with the coop and buy a toggle switch for £50.

[MarkW19]

I've got a Cooper and IMHO it's more than fast enough. The S isn't THAT much faster, it's more insurance, more cost, more petrol money.

I'd get the cooper - a lot of people I know have thought about getting the cooper and trading up in a year or two, but then have decided to keep their cooper. At the moment the S isn't that much better than the cooper. And 7 insurance groups higher?? The cooper is faster off the line too.

I'd get the cooper, and then wait (if you really want to) for the NEXT generation MCS coming out in 2 years or whatever - now that WILL be a different kettle of fish.

[No Golf Clubs at all]

a=6
b=7
c=2

Don't be silly guys its not for the switch!! its for the speed man!

Also, first I'd heard about the new MCS. I thought the MCS was like muck off a shiny shovel compared to the coop.

You can cetainly see from the results thus far it is not an easy decision.

I could even just finance the diff for about another £60 a month. Thats one night out with the lads!

I dunno what to do, will all hinge on my good lady, who will hit the roof tonight when I mention it. Does anyone have a place for me to kip for a few days.....tee hee. I might just do it and not tell her till I drive it up to the house! Can you imagine the scene, like something from George and Mildred! Sorry those of you too young or not from our shores to understand.

Back pawing thro the catalogues as we speak, AINT LIFE GREAT WHAT A PROBLEM TO HAVE!!!

[No Golf Clubs at all]

Just checked out insurance it is only about £50 extra per year, not too bad considering the group jump.

I will only do around 8k miles per year so addtional fuel costs wont be that bad.....
better resale....
....guys help me, I am trying to get my arguments together from when she comes home from work.

[xplode]

personally i'd go with c, but it sounds to me like your heart is really with the MCS, and then it seems pretty simple: go with a - i'm with the "you only live once" crowd, no point delaying pleasure.

then of course the complicating factor seems to be the wife... i have no advice for you there, i'm happily unmarried.