[gorant]

I've seen numerous posts that compare the cooper and the S and just as many differences in oponion when it comes down to this sort of a comparison.

My dilema is rather simple. I drive a 1.9 TDI Audi A4 and really like the way it works. The leather and wood orgy of an interior has made many a day transform from hell to heaven on wheels. But I'm 25 and although I spend lots of time in expensive suits, I can't help but feel somewhat older then I'd like. Plus I really have no need for an avant, the sw version of the car. If when then now is the time for something smaller.

I would never have come to this state of mind had it not been for that one afternoon I stopped by the mini dealer and asked if they could explain how the cooper is a great girlie car. My girlfriend is a really big fan and I figured I'd setup a test drive so she either decides to buy or shutup.
But that plan didn't work out all too well. I ended up wondering how the hell did that little cooper manage to leave a similar impression on me as a porsche boxter made a few weeks ago.
The next shock was the fact that it does 0-100 in 9 seconds, which is a seconds faster then the TDI I drive. Not bad at all for a non S model. But it's not quite on the mark with the 100 - 180 acceleration. Although I wasn't dissapointed. Quite on the contrary, I felt really cool and dangerously addicted to that 'lil devil on wheels.

For me the choice is really simple. I'd go with the S for more then one reason, the 0-100 in 7 seconds and 6 gears being at the top of the list. But I can't get rid of the Audi at the moment and can't reach for more then a solid cooper.

The obvious answer would be to just wait a few months and get the S. But I dare anyone who falls asleep with the mini blues and awakes to another miniless day to just wait for a few more months.

The question....is Mini life without the S logo all over it just a compromise between phantasy and reality or does it in its own right provide that carefree ear to ear grin usually reserved for cars you want at 10 but can't buy before 50?

[matt21]

welcome to mini2

basically if i wanted i could afford a Cooper S but just could not insure it

i have no regrets with my Cooper. Its pretty quick and I have Cooper S spec so all is good only thing i found is it lacks a bit of torque of the S ie u need to rev it more but when u do in real world isnt far behind the S tbh

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

We've got the standard Cooper and love it.

Almost as soon as we got it we thought about changing to an S. I took one out a couple of times and each time preferred the standard Cooper, although slower (but by no means slow) it just seemed more nimble and much lighter to drive. I can now get the Cooper to go just as fast as I want to go.

I say this not to try and talk you into a standard Cooper but to show it's a nice car in its own right and not just a second best to the S.

With this in mind you are going to need to take them both for a long test drive. Work out which suits you best and then get the Cooper now or wait for the S. If, in the end, you really do prefer the S and you buy the standard Cooper (just to get it sooner) you're not going to be happy.

Tigger.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by gorant

The question....is Mini life without the S logo all over it just a compromise between phantasy and reality or does it in its own right provide that carefree ear to ear grin usually reserved for cars you want at 10 but can't buy before 50?

Oh yes, the standard Cooper will provide that ear to ear grin, with no problem at all

Incidentally, the car I drive for work is a 163bhp Turbo Diesel that's quicker than the Cooper but no where near as much fun to drive.

Tigger.

PS Please let us know how you get on.

[fred3]

the Cooper handles better than the S and that's reason enough for me. There are tons of very fast cars on the road. I'll take handling over power any day.

[-=cHiLli=-]

Quote:

the Cooper handles better than the S

Really??

"gorant", I had the same dilemma as you apart from that i initially intended to buy a MiniDiesel. My previous drive was a ford focus TDI, although not a audi, it was a good economical drive. So to pick my mini a weighed up a few things (and i think in this order): MilesPerGallon, purchase price, grin factor, looks, handling, purchase price again, insurance.

Pro's of the S:
Grin
Low down grunt (like TD)

Con's of the S:
Hard ride... watch out for pot-holes
insurance.

Best thing is to go to the showroom and ask to drive a Cooper and an S (seriously try a one, it's not as bad as you may be thinking), but see if you can ask for a drive in a mini with a similar spec to one you would buy, as wheel choice etc can effect handling .

MD

[ALD0]

I have gone from a Cooper S to a Diesel MINI-Still just have as much fun as I had before

[Hat]

i've never thought of the cooper as a compromise. i've been on plenty of runs & had high-speed blasts with cooper s's & never struggled to keep up. i think the cooper looks more of a mini than the s - i've never liked the bonnet scoop or bumpers as much as the cooper. the s is still a great car, but for me i'll take a cooper.

[matt1584]

Hey,
I must disagree but only due to my own personal experience....had always admired my mate's Cooper and was interested in one but when I spotted the Cooper S I now call mine in the dealership, I just had to have it and there would be no way I could settle for the Cooper!!!!
Don't get me wrong, the Cooper is a great car but the S stole my heart and that was that....apart from having to save the extra pennies for Mr. Insurance Man
Hope this helps,
Matt

[matt21]

i think what these responses have shown you is that there is no right or wrong answer. people with cooper's are very happy with the cooper and people with the S happy with the S. however i think this also shows that you will not regret getting a Cooper. If someone offered me an S i'd take it but i never really wish id waited longer. And with pretty good residuals u could always change in 6months/1 year

just remember tho an all new model is up in about 18 months

[dansmini]

I agree with all of these posts. If you have driven an S and a Cooper and widely preferred the S, you will never be happy with your Cooper and always wondering "What if...". But if you drive the Cooper and love it, get one! I bought my Cooper without even test driving an S because when I bought my Cooper, I was looking to stay under $20,000, which obviously could not happen with an S. No regrets for me. I plan to keep my Cooper for a long time.

[Ernie]

Quote: Originally Posted by gorant

I've seen numerous posts that compare the cooper and the S and just as many differences in oponion when it comes down to this sort of a comparison.

My dilema is rather simple. I drive a 1.9 TDI Audi A4 and really like the way it works. The leather and wood orgy of an interior has made many a day transform from hell to heaven on wheels. But I'm 25 and although I spend lots of time in expensive suits, I can't help but feel somewhat older then I'd like. Plus I really have no need for an avant, the sw version of the car. If when then now is the time for something smaller.

I would never have come to this state of mind had it not been for that one afternoon I stopped by the mini dealer and asked if they could explain how the cooper is a great girlie car. My girlfriend is a really big fan and I figured I'd setup a test drive so she either decides to buy or shutup.
But that plan didn't work out all too well. I ended up wondering how the hell did that little cooper manage to leave a similar impression on me as a porsche boxter made a few weeks ago.
The next shock was the fact that it does 0-100 in 9 seconds, which is a seconds faster then the TDI I drive. Not bad at all for a non S model. But it's not quite on the mark with the 100 - 180 acceleration. Although I wasn't dissapointed. Quite on the contrary, I felt really cool and dangerously addicted to that 'lil devil on wheels.

For me the choice is really simple. I'd go with the S for more then one reason, the 0-100 in 7 seconds and 6 gears being at the top of the list. But I can't get rid of the Audi at the moment and can't reach for more then a solid cooper.

The obvious answer would be to just wait a few months and get the S. But I dare anyone who falls asleep with the mini blues and awakes to another miniless day to just wait for a few more months.

The question....is Mini life without the S logo all over it just a compromise between phantasy and reality or does it in its own right provide that carefree ear to ear grin usually reserved for cars you want at 10 but can't buy before 50?

There is no perfect answer to your question. Let me give you my perspective.
I always love driving and had many cars in my life. I am now 70 years old and I drive a Cooper to work and a Jag S type to visit the doctor. When I placed my order I changed it initially from and S to a Cooper because I did not want to wait. Last November the dealer called me to pick up the car and said that because of some mistake the S and the Cooper had arrived together. He gave me the choice to pick either one. Money was not my consideration because I rather spend it this way than choosing a better nursing home so I went and tried them both again. It was a difficult decision but I finally choose the Cooper.
My reasons were that I like to rev up the engine to get performance rather than have the smooth muscular acceleration of a big engine or the kind that kicks in only after the initial lag of the supercharger. In my previous experience throttle response, balance and agility were more important than raw power. My most fun to drive car was my first, a 1960 NSU Prinz, ( basically a motorcycle engine in an all fiberglass body ) which was not fast at all but jumped ahead of anything on city traffic. My second favorite was an Alpha Romeo spider, (very underpowered), my third favorite a 1988 M5 beamer (fun only when going really fast) and the dullest was perhaps the fastest of them at the time, a 12 cylinder 1976 Jaguar S coup. I also thought that a faster car like the S does requires a younger driver with better reflexes than this old foggy. Next consideration was that the suspension is softer in the Cooper which is important to my wife if she is to come with me on weekend drives. Originally my Cooper was good and I was happy and I had a grin on my face when driving on the tail of some 50 year old kid on a Porsche on California's HWY 1 but most of the fun came after I did the "unmentionable German chip modification" and tried some octane booster which I hope will not be damaging to the engine. My car performs now better than what I remember of my driving the S, at least on the twisty roads I use to commute to work.
If I were you I probably would get the S, because I still wonder once in a while if I should have done it to begin with. I cannot wait until this August when my daughter in law will get delivery of an S convertible, to test it and see what I missed, now that I know the Mini better.
Good luck
Ernie

[jggonzalez]

I'm wondering about the same question. I originally chose an S, but then the bank called and said my loan wasn't going through. After I secured alternate financing, the amount I could borrow had dropped by $5K. I might have been able to make up the difference, but it would have been hard, so I changed my order to an S. I test drove a base MC first to make sure I liked it. I don't think I'm going to have any regrets. I've driven cars with up to 650 hp, so I know what HP feels like. I'm just more of a handling guy. I admit the S was faster, but with the MC I can run through the gears without having to worry about getting pulled over for speeding. I did get the SS+ package and the sport seats, so I think I'm set. First thing I plan to do is put the wife and kid in the car, turn the A/C on full blast, and hit this really steep hill that I know about. If the car handles that I'll be just fine. I don't mind downshifting, I just want to get up the hill smoothly.

Now I just want the bloo$y boat to get here! I have to wait until August!

[beken]

I have a Cooper S. When I brought my car in for service, the dealer gave me a Cooper to drive for the day. It was a near exact duplicate of my car (including colour) except for the engine and transmission (5spd instead of 6). It was actually more fun to drive because you have to work the gears more to get on the power. But power was perfectly adequate, just comes on differently.

So for a few thousand less, and definitely a lower cost to insure and run, I probably would have been perfectly happy with a Cooper and spent the money on additional options.

Having said that, when I was looking to buy a MINI, I had no intention of buying a Cooper S. I only intended on buying a Cooper. The dealer didn't have any Coopers in for me to testdrive at the time. So I testdrove a Cooper S. The dealer I eventually bought my car from brought a Cooper to my office for me to take for a testdrive....great customer service. But he didn't have a Cooper configured the way I wanted in stock, which meant a 3 month wait. But he happened to have a Cooper S pretty close to what I was intended on ordering so discounted a bit for me to talk the S. I also happened to have enough money to take the Cooper S at the discounted price at the time.

Though ownership of the S stretches my budget a bit, I don't regret getting it. But I would be just as happy if I bought a regular Cooper and spent the money on a few additional options. In either case, you get good value for your money.


If you're anything like me, you'll find that as you age, 0-60 times becomes less and less important. I find I just want a quick car that I can drive fast, especially in the bends. As long as acceleration is good enough to get me out of dangerous situations (like passing trucks on the highway).

Good luck on your choice.

[gorant]

I really appreciate all the experiences being shared here. Buying the Audi was a much more individual experience, with more people loathing then loving me for doing so. The kind response by the lot of you and the sincere reflection on your choice of car sure is a nice change from all those tuning freaks you bump into on Audi/VW forums

My impression of the cooper was one of great impact and the price tag goes a long way. I haven't felt so naughty in a car since I drove a porsche boxter a few years ago. I suppose my only reservation is the fact that I spend quite a few kilometers on highways and I usually flirt with the 200 km/h (125 or so mph) mark on the clock. But constant speeding isn't my thing. The 130 to 200 acceleration is the one I feel particularly touchy about. And getting the Cooper up to 190 on my test drive didn't happen as fast as I am used to.

That was the reason I started wondering how the S would master this task and weather there would be a huge difference.

BUT....the Cooper test drive turned the try or buy dilemma into the Cooper or S question.

I gather then if all of you had to decide between the two by only pointing with your finger and then money would come raining from the skies while you start her up, the S would be the obvious choice. Although the Cooper is a helluva ride in its own right. But still...it's like asking someone if they would take a Porsche 911 Carrera or a 911 Turbo. You win both ways, but only if you're not a 911 Turbo addict.

So how about that acceleration I mentioned? And how about the summation I just made? Bear in mind...I'm a Mini newbie

[mendel williams]

Buy either dump the AUDI get a MINI U R 25 NOT 65
Have fun in life don"t think to much
I am 48 and still a big kid at heart

[gorant]

heh...encouragement is always welcome and does wonders for increased shopping resolution

[Eric_Rowland]

Cooper is great, S is great. The S upgrades are a steal for the money, but you won't be disappointed in the Cooper. Drove my friends Cooper for a couple of days, and I was left only wanting the sport seats. Did end up with the S, though.

[beekman]

there's also the driving a "fast car slow" or "slow car fast" thing.

in the cooper, you really have to stir the gears and keep it in the power band, which is totally fun if you're in the mood.

with the S, the power difference is most notable above 60 mph, making speeding tickets readily attainable.

both are great cars, but once S lust sets in, it's almost always terminal . . .

[DeadCanDanceR]

If I were a millionaire..., I'd keep my Cooper for everyday city driving and I'd buy a Cooper S to enjoy during the weekends!...


...along with a Lamborghini Murcielago or an Aston Martin...