[Nathant]

Greatings..
My name is Nathan, I am 15, and want to buy a MINI in 2004. I was talking to my parents about going to the MINI Dealership in Kansas over Spring Break. But they wanted to know the price tag before anything could happen. They can afford about $21,000 if I push it(with the MINI Select Plan .
I was comparing the Cooper and the Cooper S, both Manuel. If I want to get the MINI Cooper S it will cost a little more than the limit, but I can lay off on some of the options. But with a MINI Cooper I can stay way below that with some more "non-nessary" auto AC, windsheild sensor, etc.. options.
Does the MINI Cooper have enough power for a normal driver who likes to be the first one off of the green light? Or is it worth the extra money to get the S?? I would go and take a test drive, but Kansas is WAY to far away "just" for a test drive.
I really like the centered tail pipes on the S, and the overall style but,.,. I can live without it. What options were "not what you expected", and which ones are a "Need to have"?. Is the Xenon lights REALLY worth 500 dollars?(Things like that.)
And.. one more thing. Is the dealership installed Security System worth it? or is the standard safty and secutiry that comes with it good enough. And how much does it cost? My mom says "No one in their right mind will want to take that ugly thing"

Thank you so MUCH (your information will really help to convience my parents, i hope)
Nathan

[MINIAC]

Welcome to MINI2

Quote:

They can afford about $21,000 if I push it. If I want to get the MINI Cooper S it will cost a little more than the limit, but I can lay off on some of the options.

Since the base price for a 2004 'S' is $19,999, tax and license will put you at $21,000 without ordering any options.

Quote:

Does the MINI Cooper have enough power for a normal driver who likes to be the first one off of the green light?

The MINI, whether it be the Cooper or 'S', is about having fun in the twisties and not racing from one stoplight to another.

Quote:

But with a MINI Cooper I can stay way below that with some more "non-nessary" auto AC, windsheild sensor, etc.. options.

That's the ticket ... you'll want to spend more money after getting your MINI on other goodies:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=35551

[MarkW19]

Better still, for your first car, get an old banger then you'll REALLY appreciate how good the MINI is. Use the old banger to practice on and have the inevitable scrapes/accidents in. Then when you can, buy the Cooper yourself, and be proud of what you've got with the money you've earnt yourself If you get a stunning car like a Cooper for your first car when you've barely left highschool that your parents have bought you, where do you go in your life? Only thinking of you, you'll appreciate your MINI more then!!

[stuartkey]

With MarkW19 on this one. I'm 'only' 30, but it does amaze me the number of teenage-20 year olds that seem to be able to afford (or have bought for them ) BRAND NEW MINI's, of whatever variety.

My first car cost £200. I smashed it into a wall, spent £100 repairing it, ran like a dream for 6 months then I sold it when I could afford to buy something nice, which I then appreciated more BECAUSE I'd saved hard to buy it.

Kids!
Who'd have 'em eh?

Edited twice due to typos, due to frustration at rich kids

[miniyup]

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkW19
Use the old banger to practice on and have the inevitable scrapes/accidents in. Then when you can, buy the Cooper yourself, and be proud of what you've got with the money you've earnt yourself If you get a stunning car like a Cooper for your first car when you've barely left highschool that your parents have bought you, where do you go in your life?

Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but I completely echo this view, as have many other threads on this site that have hosted similar discussions in the last year about teens. My 16-yr old son who received his DL in June is now driving what was MY daily driver car (1987 Toyota Camry with 142K on the clock, but still runs great) and I, as of this spring, at age 48, have a new MCS. Need to wait at least a few years, if nothing else but to hone those driving skills so you don't bang up a brand new, really nice car.

[Mattely]

I'm 19 and the MINI is going to be my 2nd car after my current car (saxo) and I've saved all the money for the cooper which I collect on Sep 1st. So I know I've worked hard for mine.

[stuartkey]

Well done Mattely, respect is due

Picking up from Cotswold aren't you? Might bump into you there!

Maybe 'bump into' was the wrong phrase

[chiph]

Quote:

Does the MINI Cooper have enough power for a normal driver who likes to be the first one off of the green light? Or is it worth the extra money to get the S??

1. You may be first off at the green light in a MINI, but you won't be the first to get across the intersection. What that calls for is torque, and the MINI's 1.6 liter engine just doesn't have it.

2. Do that real often, and you'll be looking at buying a new clutch and/or transmission and/or expensive engine parts. Doing smokey burn-out launches is fun, but is not conducive to owning the car for a long time.

Quote:

I would go and take a test drive, but Kansas is WAY to far away "just" for a test drive.

Not for a MINI, it isn't!

Quote:

Is the dealership installed Security System worth it? or is the standard safty and secutiry that comes with it good enough.

Unless you live in Manhattan, or other high-theft area, the standard security is fine. The keys have a transponder chip in them that prevent the car from being hot-wired. You're still vulnerable to the car being loaded on a roll-back, or a window being smashed out, but you would be anyway even if you paid the extra for the optional security system.

Quote:

Is the Xenon lights REALLY worth 500 dollars?

Yes they are!

Quote:

your information will really help to convience my parents, i hope

Do you plan to go to a university or a college? If so, I wouldn't take a MINI there. I've seen some awful things done to cars in dormatory parking lots by drunk students. I'd buy a beater (5+ year old Honda or something) to drive until after you graduate. Something that you won't get too upset over when someone keys it, jumps up & down on the roof, or yaks on the hood, or something else gross/disturbing.

Chip H.

[NEMINI]

It's a damn shame someone comes here to ask assistance and more people jump on the stereotypical all teenagers crash and bang. I'm 30 years old now and have never hit anything, I've had a nice car since the day I turned 16 and got my learners permit. Not all the young people in this world are as incapable as some.
Theres absolutely no way to know whether Nathan is ready or not but obviously his parents think he is (considering they are willing to spend $21,000) and they know him much better!

*jumps off the rant podium*

Welcome to MINI2 Nathan!!

As for your question(s) Nathan I concur with what MINIAC had to say

[MINIAC]

My recommendation of getting the Cooper was based on the assumption that Nathan's parents felt he was responsible enough to have a new car.

If I was a parent paying for a teenager's first car, it would be a reliable used car.

[Mattely]

cheers Stuartkey, yeah I'm picking up from Cheltenham, I'm dealing with Todd! Only 3 weeks to go, wahoo!

[MarkW19]

I'm only 20 myself, this is my 2nd car. I've been in a good job for a few years, and my first car which I bought myself was an old Fiesta.

I got my cooper 3 weeks ago, which I paid every penny for myself. The issue isn't age - it's that:-

1. You never appreciate something that's given to you as much as something you've worked hard for, you're never as proud of it and it never feels as "personal" or special.

2. How can you appreciate the MINI for what it is, and how can you compare it to anything, when you've not had a car before and are barely at the legal age for driving?

Nathan:- welcome by the way. It's just that all of us here love our cars, and are proud of them and REALLY know how special and unique they are. I'd hate for you to miss out on what we're all experiencing and think that every car is like a MINI!

[Spy Car]

Quote:

Originally posted by GMINI03
It's a damn shame someone comes here to ask assistance and more people jump on the stereotypical all teenagers crash and bang.

It does give one pause, however, when said 15 year old describes himself as one who "likes to be the first one off of the green light."

Frankly, I would be quite concerned about putting a Cooper S in this kids hands. Sorry about that.

Plus if Kansas City is way too far to even test drive the cars, how is he going to get it serviced? Especially if it is one of the unlucky cars to develop niggles?

Sorry but alarm bells are going off in my head.

[minimadness12345]

Nathan I am about close to about two years older then you. But it is cool to see more teenagers interested in the cooper. As I went for a test drive with my parents I came to realize the cooper doesnt have the acceleration that you are looking for if you want to try and beat people of the line, however the cooper is one of the funnest cars to just drive. It really comes down to your choice in teh end though.

[DeniseK]

Go for it, Nathan, and good luck. Get the Cooper. I bought an S because of the altitude where I live (7,500 feet), but they're both good cars. Enjoy yourself. Youth is totally cool. Good for your folks for buying you a new car.

[Z1GZAG N]

Nathan, I say go for the S! You'll get much more enjoyment out of the six speed and supercharger than you'd ever get from the Auto AC, Windsheild sensors etc. You know you want the S. If you get the Cooper, you'll be wishing you'd got the S from day one. You'll never really be satisfied because what you really wanted was the S. Even if you don't have to pay for the car, no dought you're going to have to pay for the up keep and maybe the insurance. It will be much easier paying for this for a car you want than a car you really didn't want.

[Nathant]

Hell0 again
I have made up my mind, and I am going to get the MINI Cooper S, with enough options.
Just to answer some of your concerns:

1.) I said "first off of the green light", meaning I like to accelerate. Not to speed and to weave through traffic. I have lost people really close to me because of speeding.(I was not the driver, a friend was the one who speeding, and I was not the one in the car just in case you take it the wrong way)

2.) I am planning to pay my parents every penny back when I start to make money.

Anyway, I can not blame you for some of your assumptions most males are that way, that is why my insurance is so high .

Thanks for your responces, some how they comvieced my parents to get me the MINI
Thanks Nathan

Also Thanks to GMINI03 and DeniseK

[GBMINI]

Nathan,
As was said before - neither MINI nor S has great acceleration in the low revs, which makes "first off the light" difficult. If that is your priority, I understand that the WRX/etc is the way to go.
Have you test driven a MINI? Make sure you do and see how it pulls from a stop. Make sure you won't be disappointed.

The MINI is about handling, styling, etc. Not about dragster performance. Remember even the MCS has "only" 160hp.

[nickworld]

... and that the costs won't end at $21,000 - I shudder to think what the insurance is going to cost you (or your folks, I should say)...

Good effort on choosing a Mini in the first place though! Wish my folks would have bought me something that cool and expensive way back when I passed my test. As it was, I had to serve my apprenticeship fighting my sister to borrow my mum's 975cc Fiesta. And then at Uni I was a 'posh kid' because I had a car all the way through.

Incidentally - bear in mind the earlier comment about taking your shiny new S to college with you... its true that other folks will have no respect for your motor, even if you do!

[jacobsen1]

Nathan,
I won't get into the whole age/new car thing... I have a wrx and you should here these debates over there....

One thing to consider though... The cooper and cooper S both accelerate very similarly up to about 45. This is probably the max acceleration you will really be feeling anyway, so "off a light" the are very close to even. You get much better top end with the S, but there are a few things to consider.

If you are paying your parents back in full, then I am assuming that you are at least paying for your own gas and insurance. If this is true, you will save quite a bit on both if you go with the cooper instead of the S. This could make a huge difference for you, or it might not, but take it into consideration....

Also, whatever you get, BE CAREFUL. I know from experience. I totalled a car one month to the day from getting my license. It was my fault, but I was not doing anything to push it. I was inexperienced, and drifted a hair too far to the right and hit the curb. Well what should have been a blown tire turned into a telephone pole into the front right corner thanks to the very small streets here in Newport RI. I was going the exact speed limit, being as careful as I could, but I just drifted slightly right and BANG, all done..... Nothing will ruin your new found freedom of driving like that! Also I was "lucky" enough to just have my first new car totalled due to an idiot not paying attention. They turned left at a green light. I was coming the other way, but they "Didn't see me!" Well that totalled another car completely unavoidable and not my fault.

I am sharing this with you to help you realize that you must be careful. Not matter how good any of us drive, we all make mistakes. Hopefully yours will be in places without consequences, unlike mine, and that you can steer clear of others mistakes.

Good Luck, and enjoy!

Ben