[polis]

Greetings-

I am a new user and not yet an owner. I have been reading and researching the MCS and I test drove one last week. I really loved it. I guess that I would buy it in a minute. However, I drive a 1998 Red Mitsubishi GSX Turbo-All-wheel-Drive with only 36,000 mile on it.

I have owned some neat cars which include my first one a beautiful MGA, a Peugeot, a Mustang, a Porshe 924, and an Audi Quattro. So, when I look at the cost of a MCS my mind runs this mantra “great little car fun to drive..handles well…cute…pound for pound expensive.”

My question is should I just buy one because it is fun? Also, I read a number of negatives in the chat about rattles, mechanical failure, etc.

I would like to hear from those who own a MINI S and have owned MINIs.

Thanks,

Still undecided

[buz]

My first car was a Sprite MkIII. I have always been sports car crazy. My current adventure began when when the 20 year old Z gasped her last breath teling me she wanted to rest and not to lovingly repair her. The Sprite was all too fun as have been all my sports cars, then I went on a Cooper test drive, then a Cooper S test drive and a few more drives. Researched many cars, test drove the S again and palced an order. The negative comments and problems posted ao the boards seemed inconsequential after talking with several owners about their likes and dislikes.
Go for a test drive and bring your check book for a deposit.

[dnbmiller]

Quote: Originally Posted by polis

Greetings-

I am a new user and not yet an owner. I have been reading and researching the MCS and I test drove one last week. I really loved it. I guess that I would buy it in a minute. However, I drive a 1998 Red Mitsubishi GSX Turbo-All-wheel-Drive with only 36,000 mile on it.

I have owned some neat cars which include my first one a beautiful MGA, a Peugeot, a Mustang, a Porshe 924, and an Audi Quattro. So, when I look at the cost of a MCS my mind runs this mantra “great little car fun to drive..handles well…cute…pound for pound expensive.”

My question is should I just buy one because it is fun? Also, I read a number of negatives in the chat about rattles, mechanical failure, etc.

I would like to hear from those who own a MINI S and have owned MINIs.

Thanks,

Still undecided

Hi -
I am a brand new MCS driver - I have had mine for about 2 weeks. For me the decision was easy, I have always wanted a Mini, but didn't think one of the old ones was safe or reliable enough. Now that I have one, I am not as worried about all of the things I have heard. As far as I can tell, it is perfect. No rattles, no yo-yo, no coolant bottle leak, no strange window behavior, no weird issues, nothing. Maybe some of these things are yet to come, or maybe the Mini folks have made some serious improvements as time goes on. For now, all of the features work just as described in the manual. The engine seems very smooth, and revs quickly. I love the leather interior and the sunroof. I love the cornering, the six speed transmission, the cute Mini style.

The only thing I am dissapointed about is the too-high insurance cost. I would say look into that as a factor before some of the other things.

[polis]

Quote: Originally Posted by dnbmiller

Hi -
I am a brand new MCS driver - I have had mine for about 2 weeks. For me the decision was easy, I have always wanted a Mini, but didn't think one of the old ones was safe or reliable enough. Now that I have one, I am not as worried about all of the things I have heard. As far as I can tell, it is perfect. No rattles, no yo-yo, no coolant bottle leak, no strange window behavior, no weird issues, nothing. Maybe some of these things are yet to come, or maybe the Mini folks have made some serious improvements as time goes on. For now, all of the features work just as described in the manual. The engine seems very smooth, and revs quickly. I love the leather interior and the sunroof. I love the cornering, the six speed transmission, the cute Mini style.

The only thing I am dissapointed about is the too-high insurance cost. I would say look into that as a factor before some of the other things.

I called my Insurance carrier, Met Life, and they quoted me a lower rate than my present car. So, I save about $70.00 a year. The MINI is rated a 16 on a scale from 1 to 29 where the highest rating is 29. So, it is slightly higher than the average of 14.5.

[SFJAMES]

Hello there, before my wife and I decided on getting a mini, we rarely ever heard of them, just see the classic cruisin around every other year or so. When I first saw and heard of the car being re-released in the States, I got a picture, took it home to show the wifey and the decision was made.
We too took into account that it would be a early production car that it would most likely have a lot of problems and add to that its a BMW/ Euro. car, was very intimidating to us, of course most family & friends also advise against, being trusty honda drivers and all, but in the end we are the coolest of them all, so we might as well have the coolest baddest car of them all as well!! Live and let live man! Brutus is a 7-02 built MCS with 34,000miles and runnin :dark

[SteveM3]

Be careful when using forums you don't get much middle ground.
People either rave about their car or rail against it. I've been with
other forums for long periods and would be easy to believe no one
makes reliable cars but it's just natural for problems to be a big
discussion area. BMW were on a step learning curve with the MINI
despite initial help from Rover and there may have been a few more
problems at the start or it may just have been the MINI2 community
being a talkative bunch. I was on this forum for ages before buying
and in all that time saw nothing unusual in reliability. You say the
MINI is expensive but not when you look at lifetime costs which
include low depreciation. Which is a long way of saying don't worry
about anything but answering the million dollar question of do I want
to own one? Of course you do

[NEMINI]

20k base price is expensive

[rcoffin]

Have had mine for a week, MCS, Sport, Premium, DVD Nav, Electric Blue/White, loving it! No rattles, no flaw noted.

Go for it!