[Dribble]

Made my order what seems like ages ago (Aug) for a Cooper, due for delivery Dec 8th.

Now....

I've just bought my daughter a pony which means loads more extra miles to the stables & back every day, so I'm thinking the diesel might suit me better. I can still get the same spec on min.co.uk (17'' wheels, climate, xenons, half leather, etc) and it costs virtually the same. The only thing I'll loose is sports susp plus, spoiler and the chrome grill.

I haven't asked ther dealer yet (Rydale Oldbury), but I suspect I'll have to wait much longer for the diesel.

So...

My question is - should I wait or bite the bullet?

I've test driven the D & Cooper and (with my style of driving) hardly noiticed a difference (very light footed lady tootler)

Also will my dealer be very p*ssed off with me changing model having changed spec & colour about 200 times?

[GOLDMINI]

Hi Dribble
If the mileage is going to be a big concern then I would def. take a look at the D. Give the dealer a call and find out what kind of delivery scale they have for it anyway.
If your dealer gets p'd for you changing its their problem - you'll be the one driving the car not them!!
Just remember, any MINI is a good MINI

Finally the spoiler is available now for the D I think and the chrome line exterior pack includes the grill.

[oli7]

If with your style of driving, you hardly notice a difference between both, you should go for the diesel. If you change gear at 3000 on both, I think the diesel may even be faster. With my style of driving, the Cooper is much much faster (official performance data are not comparable at all: 165 vs 200 km/h top speed, 13.8 vs 9.2s 0-100km/h, 36s vs 30.8s 1000m start-stop...). If you drive cool and want good mpg, go for the diesel.

[Harpo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dribble

...very light footed...

Not for long.

Remember, in everyday driving neither has an advantage, except at the pumps, (which will be a much rarer occasion with the D), and overtaking on single carriageway roads, which will need a little more planning.

You will be able to lose your licence equally efficiently.

Whatever your choice, you'll be as chuffed as chuffy the choo-choo.

[will&sarah legge]

Hi All

A good friend of mine has a cosmos black diesel and it is really quite impressive - not *my* kind of thing (I just like a petrol in a MINI) but he regularly gets 45+ mpg not hanging around.

I have a golf 130 tdi (the mini is *our* or *the wifes* car!!) and they do get a good rep, but the mini diesel does seem a bit smoother and a lot less noisy (the mini is way slower though), and you still get that trademark handling and go-kart feeling inside!!

Richard bought his with sports seats/chrome (includes grill)/climate/silver uj roof/silver bonnet stripes/pepper or salt (can't remember)/16" wheels/leather steering wheel. To add to this, the car was an '04 spec so he got the computer too!

Hope this helps,

Will.

[stephen_cy_wong]

I had a Mini One D as a courtesy car for a week, while my cooper was at the dealer.

I found the Mini One D was very noisy with the windows down, although soundproofing is very good with windows closed.

I felt the steering is slightly heavier and the 6 speed gearbox is not as smooth as the cooper. I think the main strength of the diesel is the fuel consumption. It is also quieter on the motorway but I think this is due to 15" wheels and at 70mph 6th was pulling at 2k.

What i didn't like was the cold start vibrations felt on the pedals and dash when starting the car up in the morning, although it does go away quickly. What shocked me was after driving the diesel and getting back to my car was how smooth the cooper felt.

I think with my style of driving I prefer my cooper, as i felt the Diesel was slightly underpowered. Then again if you do a lot of miles, the diesel is a wise choice.

[Yellow Belly]

Quote: Originally Posted by will&sarah legge

I have a golf 130 tdi (the mini is *our* or *the wifes* car!!) and they do get a good rep, but the mini diesel does seem a bit smoother and a lot less noisy (the mini is way slower though), and you still get that trademark handling and go-kart feeling inside!!


Hope this helps,

Will.

So what is the the price difference between the Golf and the MINI? How do you rate the Golf's cornering and extra space?

[badboyzbadboyz]

My friend drives a Golf 130 tdi and it it a very nice car IMO. Nothing amazing and certainly a bit blah compared to a MINI (but what isn't ) but I think it has a better engine than that of the MINI ONE D. The 130 tdi golf has performance more like a Cooper than a ONE D in a straightline and it still manages great mileage. Still, the 130 golf is about £6000 more than the MINI D and the golf has nothing in the corners compared to a MINI. If you dont rev cars and like you say are light footed I would go for the MINI D. You will get better mileage and will still get to enjoy the handling.

[will&sarah legge]

Hmm - Golfs extra space is useful sometimes - taking stuff to the tip etc, and the standard ESP (or DSC in BMW language) really does help the handling - you can just throw it in and hear the tyres squeel - I took it off in the dry once and could not beleive how much difference it made

As this is my first golf, I have no idea what other Mk IV golfs are like without ESP but I was really amazed they sold any without.

The problem with the golf compaired to the mini is the lack of soul - you get in a mini and yet can't help but grin - get in the golf and its just plain boring - it does everything ok, nothing too bad but its just not the same. I even got cruise / rain sensor / xenons on mine to try to spice it up a bit but no - still boring - although good for my job (and does do 45 - 50mpg combined not hanging around)

Its a shame really as the oneD was not released when I got my golf - and I think with the right spec it would be the car for me - only 2yrs 5 months to wait (golf's on contract with work) - hopefully I will have had enough pay rises by then to afford petrol for cooper s...

suppose I better go and was that slab of german boredom on my drive ... ho hum..

W

[Prowse]

If I were you, the thing I'd do is the maths: -

Work our how many miles per week/month you'll be driving. Then work out how much this will roughly cost you in fuel per week/month using the average MPG figures (in Technical menu bar at the top of MINI2) for the One/Cooper/Diesel along with the petrol and diesel prices from your local garage. You can then multiply this up to give you a years fuel costs.

What I'd then do is price-up three cars, a One a Cooper and a Diesel.

Add three/four (or however long you intend to keep the car) years fuel costs to the price of the car.

If you really have no preference between the One/Cooper/Diesel, go for the cheapest overall.