[LMB]

There has been a lot of talk on other threads with regards competition to the Cooper S. However, there seems to be very little discussion as to the competition of the Cooper. I was just wondering what other cars Cooper owners considered buying before purchasing their Cooper.

I was originally going to buy a Lupo GTi in August of last year. I found the car to be great fun to drive, extremely well built and pretty good to look at. However, one day I happened to pass a BMW garage totally by chance and I saw that they were now selling the new Mini. I had read about it in the motoring press but to be honest it never really left a lasting thought in my mind.

I popped into the dealership and took a Mini One out for a test drive there and then and I fell in love with the car instantly. It just blew the Lupo out of the water, and that it saying something. I knew immediately that this was the car I wanted. So when I got home that day I logged onto the Internet to see if I could find more info about the car and that was when I stumbled upon this site. And well the rest is history

LMB

[Basil]

Sorry LMB, couldn't resist !!!

Don't want you getting too serious now do we.......

[kibble]

I previously owned a honda s2000.Went to the local BMW dealer to test drive the new M3.Parked the car next to the show room of the mini.One hour later we had our order in for a december build mini cooper and never even took the M3 for the test drive.The mini is loads of fun and i would of lost the price of the mini on the M3 in the first few months.

[Red & White Cooper 2]

I was all set to get a Puma 1.7. Decided on the spec - silver with aircon. Then the Mini was launched. Early press reports said it was good, better than a 1.6 Puma but not the 1.7, at least to drive.

However, having test driven both, the Mini seemed to have more character. Puma residuals were getting weaker and with it ending production were uncertain as an "obsolete" model. My main worry with the Mini was early production faults, which has proved to be right, though my December build Cooper is mainly fault free (it drifts and has a few interior creaks).

[cbrsix]

Was originally interested in a Mini One and also looked at a Fiesta 1600 Zetec S and a Yaris 1300 SR - a drive in the Cooper (the One wasn't available for test drive) decided it there and then!

[Mickey Gem]

I was considering the 206CC.

Went for a test drive in the Mini Cooper, (never got to the Peugeot Dealers) and placed my order for a cooper same day as the test drive!

[smiffy]

I was going to get a Pug 206 Quicksilver
My mum was looking for a new car & we went to Renault & then BMW
I saw the MINI & I had to have ONE (not a Cooper )
I order the ONE & my mum got a Clio Sport

[Rob.]

I was considering a porsche boxster and then I realsied I hadn't won the lottery. The only car I considered was the MINI. I have been looking at it in detail since March. No other cars attracted my attention, well cars that i could afford anyway. Sad I know. I hope it lives up to my expectations

[An_S_4_Me]

One of my mates at work said he had been to the MINI garage and put an order in straightway,
I went along to see what all the fuss was about, test drove a Cooper, paid my deposit for a Cooper S there and then.

Nothing can match it for the price

[R1]

I looked at a Porsche Boxster or a Honda S2000. Very nice cars but could I justify the expense when I already own a sports bike. Do I need a high horsepower car? The answer was no. I was also very interested in the Civic Type R (that will surprise Jakx!) but I saw a picture of one and it didn't look different enough from the original mini-MPV look of the standard Civic. Ford was dragging their heels to long with the launch of the RS Focus!
Saw a MINI Cooper S test car in the car park of my local gym (a guy who trains there works for BMW). I was very impressed (it was all black, bonnet scoop, twin exhausts and de-badged). Went to the launch of the MINI at a local dealer. Went out in a MINI One and that was it. Booked a test drive in a Cooper and placed my order.
As a total package for the price it cannot be beaten.

[MrCooper]

There was no alternative - I wasn't looking for a car until I passed the show room!

Anyone want to buy an over-priced MX-5?

[pob]

I was struggling with the decision - ranged from Lexus IS200 to MG ZR/ZS (currently own an old but quick and reliable Rover 220GTi hence these two being included), but took a Cooper out on a 24 hour test drive and nothing else got a look in!

[PigLick]

Well, being American I'm not sure how familiar any of you will be with these cars (as I know 90% of the cars mentioned in this thread I have no clue about, hehe), here is my current interst list of cars to buy:

MINI Cooper
Toyota Tacoma (truck)
Mazda Protege5
Hyundai Accent or Elantra

MINI is at the top of my list of course, but for the price, it is a very small and less practical car, and I must admit that the problems its had are a bit unsettling. However, the character of the car may be enough to outweigh all those concerns, not to mention I haven't even driven one yet

Toyota Tacomas I really like, are about the same price as a MINI and well, its a truck. The downsides are of course worse fuel mileage and less character than the MINI. However, I have a lot of faith in Toyota quality, and I really do like the way these trucks look. This is a tough call for me, but considering I have an 80 mile a day commute, the better mileage of the MINI may win out...

Mazda Protege5, I'm kind of confused by this one, hehe. I've never really liked wagons, bot for some reason these things are just growing on me...not as much character as a MINI, but they are pretty cool in their own right. They are also about the same price as a MINI, but have much more space, and I've heard good things about the build quality and reliability. Mileage is a bit lower than the MINIs (a lot lower than MINI is supposed to be, but it doesn't seem that MINI fuel economy is up to par of what it should be...) This is slowly working its way up my list, and is almost even with the Tacoma right now....

Hyundai..well, this is my low-cost option. Not a lot of character, pretty bland, nothing special, but dirt cheap. The styling on these is actually pretty decent, from what I've seen and heard the quality is not too bad, and they come with a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty! I hate owing people money, so if that side of me wins out, this will be the option I go for.

Heh, well now that you all know way more than I'm sure you ever cared to about my vehicle purchasing considerations, I'll stop my ramblings

PigLick

[Jonathan]

I looked (fairly seriously) at:

Fiesta / Puma: not enough headroom, which completely crushed the (otherwise excellent) salesman.

Alfa 147: nice car, shame the dealer wasn't interested in selling me one.

Alfa GTV (s/h): 'Don't,' I said to the dealer, 'show me the GTV.' 'OK,' he replied, completely failing to take the hint. Twit!

Audi A2: Apparently I didn't look like an Audi driver when I walked into the showroom. Complete disinterest from staff, and they knew nothing about the car. I asked about pricing; they disappeared 'to find out.' Twenty minutes later I walked out. I really should have written to Audi UK about it - plain rude.

Seat Leon: Was heading there after the BMW dealer. Didn't make it that far.

[Lisa]

Other cars just didn't compare - it's the sexiest little set of wheels ever.... I'm in love.......

[smiffy]

I also looked at getting a Ford Focus but i thought...........Im not that old & dont have any kids

[Basil]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jonathan
I looked (fairly seriously) at:

Fiesta / Puma: not enough headroom, which completely crushed the (otherwise excellent) salesman.

Alfa 147: nice car, shame the dealer wasn't interested in selling me one.

Alfa GTV (s/h): 'Don't,' I said to the dealer, 'show me the GTV.' 'OK,' he replied, completely failing to take the hint. Twit!

Audi A2: Apparently I didn't look like an Audi driver when I walked into the showroom. Complete disinterest from staff, and they knew nothing about the car. I asked about pricing; they disappeared 'to find out.' Twenty minutes later I walked out. I really should have written to Audi UK about it - plain rude.

Seat Leon: Was heading there after the BMW dealer. Didn't make it that far.

Good to hear the BMW crew shared your sense of humour Jonathan.............

[Jonathan]

Quote:

Good to hear the BMW crew shared your sense of humour Jonathan.............

I'm genuinely not sure how to take that.

[Basil]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jonathan

I'm genuinely not sure how to take that.

ha, ha. Take it the way it was meant Jonathan, with a smile..... It was certainly not meant to be taken any other way...... your original post, I found amusing, and I was pleased that BMW took your enquiry seriously, as it seemed most of the other dealers did not.......

cheers

[Jonathan]

Quote:

ha, ha. Take it the way it was meant Jonathan, with a smile..... It was certainly not meant to be taken any other way...... your original post, I found amusing, and I was pleased that BMW took your enquiry seriously, as it seemed most of the other dealers did not.......

Back in the dim and distant mists of Usenet, I adopted the firm belief that, unless proven otherwise, people were just having a laugh. Result: I rarely take offence, even when it's meant.

Oh - remembered another car I looked at. Popped into the local Mazda dealer, was swiftly ushered to a row of MX5s of various vintages. Sat in one. Love 'em (much better cabin than a Z3, incidentally). Then asked for a hand putting the roof up. That was it, really - there's just no headroom in there. The salesman sat me in a new 323, but we both knew it was an empty gesture.

Finally - thought long and hard about buying an old GT6. I love 'em to bits, and they're much cheaper than TR6s, but... well... I couldn't face the (assumed) lack of reliability. Sometime. Maybe.