OT , Need compact car , Mini Cooper , Thoughts please

[Smiley]

We are retiring our Team Van , our 1995 Ford Windstar with 187,000 miles on it , the parts are just rotting off . Our new Team Van will be my wife's 2001 Ford Escape with less than 27,000 miles on it . I want to buy my wife a small car to take her to the subway and run errands on . Any good or bad experiances with the Mini with 4 cyclinder automatic , I am open to any good gas mileage city car suggestions , what about Scion the A series , need advice . Thanks to you my forumite buddies .

[Ozz]

I don't think Consumer Reports has ever been too keen on the Minis, other than they handle nicely. Reliability has been suspect. The new convertible jobs look pretty nice though.

I like the look of the Toyota Matrix. Pretty decent mileage in the 2WD version. Fairly roomy. Same for the Prius...if you can find one at a dealer these days. Very roomy in the backseat. rear seats fold down for 16+ cu ft of cargo...

Scions look nice also, but don't know much about them....basically they are Toyotas, so if you like the look, they are probaby reliable.

[rnhood]

I thought that mini cooper was an expensive car. But maybe not. Anyway it looks a bit small and perhaps sightly awkward to me. I like the Toyota RAV4 for a small car. It has a bit of utility too. And reliability, and appeal, and quality, and resale, and.......well, you get the picture.

[Rapid Tourist]

Smiley, I'd like to propose an official forumite moment of silence in honor of your van, a machine that has nobly blazed the trail to many great cycling adventures, including serotta owner's weekend. :banana: Ride on, Windstar, in the great van hereafter!!

Check out the mazda three.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/handleHomeFlash.action?vehicleCode=MZ3&modelYear=2005

There really is something to the slogan "zoom, zoom." These babies are fun to drive, and cute as a button.

If she wants to drive the same car forever, and i do mean forever, a good ole handa civic can't be beat.

[JohnS]

I'd also suggest the Mazda 3. It's the same platform as the Volvo S40, only cheaper. The Mini is scary-small if you were to get in an accident.

[Ken Robb]

I've had the opportunity of driving both normal and supercharged stick shifts on racetracks and they are both lots of fun and excellent handling and braking. I thought the one w/o supercharger might be marginal with an auto gearbox. They are surprisingly roomy considering how small they are on the outside.
It doesn't sound like your wife is "into" agressive driving so the idea of a Mazda, Honda, Toyota has a lot of merit to run to the subway.

[dave thompson]

....<snip>.. Any good or bad experiances with the Mini with 4 cyclinder automatic...<snip>...
Smiley, you will need two. One for each foot.

[Bradford]

I test drove the Mazda 3 and loved it. My wife went with something bigger, but I really loved the Mazda 3.

[Needs Help]

Since all the soccer moms drive SUV's, and their 16 year old teenagers are taking them out for joy rides, you have to plan your defense. A mini Cooper isn't an appropriate defense.

[andy mac]

many people are fooled into thinking suv's built on truck platforms are safer that a well built car. for interests sake check out this crash test between a merc and a tiny smart car (both built by DC).

http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccustom/smart/safety/event_clips.cfm

or at:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5217861

i bet the mini built by bmw would be safer than many crappy cars/SUV's on the road.

and for some crazy car wrecks check out:

http://xo.typepad.com/blog/cars/

cheers,

andy.

[csm]

check out the honda element. I thought it was goofy too until I got one.
much better mileage than my grand cherokee.

[Bruce K]

Actually, Mini crash ratings are bettere than you would expect.

We have an early Cooper S with the 6-speed. It has been VERY reliable, lots of fun, and with the back seat down it carried a bike, wheelset, and 2 duffles easily to Saratoga for a weekend, no rack required.

My lawyer/freind just got a Cooper S with the automatic and loves it.

The convertibles are actually a little heavier and a little stiffer than the hardtops as the frame is reinforced to compensate for the missing roof.

BK

[Fixed]

bro I don't own a car but my wife the art prof. does she has a Scion xb, it's pretty nice as far as cars go, it's got a good sound system with sat. radio.and gets good gas mileage. I hope that helps dude cheers :beer:

[Sandy]

Your wife is tough. Buy her a pair of roller skates or roller blades for the nicer weather, and buy her a pair of snow boots for the winter. She will be even tougher, you will save a bundle of cash, and you can buy me a nice pair of Jeremy's wheels.



Super Smart Super Slick Supersonic Speedy Serotta Sandy


PS- Darby the Wonder Dog says hello to Blizzard the Coolest dog!

[Sandy]

I have an excellent book that reviews 2005 cars. Rapid T used it. I will bring it by your house and visit with Darby the Wonder Dog.

Sandman

[Ginger]

Smiley,
As you know I've been shopping the Mazda3 in a big way. It's a shame you missed that one that I spotted out by you, it was a good deal. Good standard equipment, fairly good price, fun to drive.

The story is supposedly that Mazda is actually lowering the price a bit or giving you more stuff for the buck for 2006. I decided on the Mazda3 5 door, manual trans, side curtian air bags (important! it ranks better in side crash tests with those babies) ABS, etc. (Winning blue...it matches my Kirk :banana: ) It hasn't landed stateside yet...but I think I'll be very happy with my Zoom ZOOM Zoom!

[BumbleBeeDave]

I know a woman hike leader for ADK here that has had her Scion Xb (??--the one that looks alike a shoebox on wheels) for a year now and she LOVES it. Mucho room, great gas mileage, looks funky and interesting--the perfect city run-errands car!

BBDave

[Louis]

Smiley,
As you know I've been shopping the Mazda3 in a big way. It's a shame you missed that one that I spotted out by you, it was a good deal.

M-A,

What service / seach methods have you been using?

Louis

[Climb01742]

hey, bruce--to get a bike into the back of a mini, one wheel needs to come off, do both? i'm seriously intrigued by the mini s. how's the stick in traffic? is the clutch smooth?

smiley, other options to consider...new audi A3...volvo V50, a very neat small wagon...if you can wait, a new VW golf is coming that is supposed to be very good...i too have heard good things about the scion that looks like a refrigerator box on wheels, very inexpensive but with toyota quality/reliability. the matrix is pretty zippy looking too.

[emiljay]

The Scion xA would be an excellent choice for around town. The Scion brand is a marketing experiment, and thus the value on all 3 cars is unbeatable. The 1.4L engine is the same as in the Prius (with a 4sp automatic instead of the hybrid transaxle). The gas mileage will be terrific without the hybrid premium. This car is called the "ist" in Japan, and it is very popular.

I have no idea if you can fit a bike in it.

Finally, the ride quality of the Mini scores very poorly in evaluations. Design-wise it is a great car, and I'm glad it opens the US market to more sub-compacts. BMW has super engineering, but they don't know how to get performance at low cost. It just isn't their thing.

[Bruce K]

Climb;

I had to take both wheels off to get the Ottrott in. They make a roof rack system but it bolts to the roof and I wasn't going there. I think Yakima now makes a roof rack that grabs the gutters, but they are plastic and I wouldn't trust a good bike up there on them.

I believe Da'Lan makes a hitch that will accomodate a hitch mounted rack system and that would be good for any bike with a metal top tube (I personally don't trust carbon top tubes on hanging racks).

The stick is OK in traffic, but I wouldn't want to do it every day. The clutch is very smooth. I am not a big fan of the "fly-by-wire" accelerator, but I can live with it.

My wife has custody of the Mini about 90% of the time. My freind with the automatic S says the sport shift (kind of like Audi's Tiptronic but it uses the lever) is pretty good so that might be a good compromise.

BK

[Smiley]

Bruce K , I heard to stay away from the run flat tires on any Mini since that makes the ride harsher . Was the gas mileage better in the stock car or the S version . I am looking to buy a mini used since there are so many of them listed . Any other thoughts ?? I know the Mazda 3 is a great buy and I am fasinated by the scion A version . Thanks

[Tom]

I hear the 2006 is very good.

I'm a Honda guy, but the Toyota Prius is also a great car from what I hear.

[xlbs]

for a fuel efficient, fun, safe (check out the crash test ratings on the institute for highway safety web-site: five star) car. The hybrids may be fuel efficient for city driving, but the batteries will be extraordinarily expensive to replace in the future. Some argue that the hybrid technology, while fuel-efficient, is an ecological disaster waiting to happen at disposal time because of huge problems with those batteries...My TDI gets me about 55 mpg on the highway--no exaggeration here...

[Tom]

...Some argue that the hybrid technology, while fuel-efficient, is an ecological disaster waiting to happen at disposal time because of huge problems with those batteries...

Sounds like if I want to make a million dollars I start a salvage business for those things. Rip 'em apart, refine the materials and slap 'em back together.

Me smell ax grinding from thems that's arguing?

[kenth]

I've had an MCS for 2 years; 6spd stick. Best car I've ever had by more than I can measure. No problems of any kind; not even high insurance - safety ratings are great (6 airbags). I even have the run flats which some believe are harsh - seem great to me. I had the factory roof rack installed and a Thule fork mount on top of that - works beautifully. I'll put a kayak on it next season (longer than the car by a few feet). I still sometimes throw my Ottrott in the back (rain, long drive, etc.) - front wheel only needs to come off). Can't just be me:

"For the fourth year in a row, the MINI Cooper ranked highest in the Compact Car Segment in J.D. Power and Associates latest Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The study measures owners' delight with the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles."

[pjm]

Just looked at the new Civics the other night and was very impressed. Roomier now, more horsepower and even better fuel mileage. The auto gets 40 mpg hwy. Really cool new dashboard design and the full compliment of airbags and ABS standard equipment.

I also like the new Jetta and Passat. Fit and finish are just outstanding. Being an old VW guy, I'm hoping thay have fixed their reliability problems.

[Skrawny]

I had the pleasure of a test drive in a Mini in a place where the new roads had been laid down for a condo community, but no houses yet built. It was the most fun I have ever had in a car at speeds less that 40mph. Roomier inside than you would expect, ride is probably a little harsher than many cars, but what fun.

Test ride one. Even if you don't end up buying, it's worth the fun.
-s

[Serotta PETE]

Agnes and Lori had a MINI with AUTO. You might want to ask Lori about it. I think it might be a little sluggish performance wise BUT then you know me and speed.

Another good choice is the MAZDA 3. Honda CIVIC just came out with a new model that is getting great writeup...THE Corolla S is also a bullet proof car. None of them have the MINI pizzaz but they are very reliable and fun cars.


Good luck shopping\\\

Get a party going up in DC so I can come up....PETE

[christian]

It was the most fun I have ever had in a car at speeds less that 40mph.

Clearly, you dated the wrong kind of girls in high school. :cool:

- Christian

[Bruce K]

if you don't go with the run flats you better have AAA and lots of patience.

There's not a lot of room for a spare.

The MPG is definitely better without the turbocharger and the car is fun. The S with the turbocharger is just more like FUN.

There are other good options out there if you need something roomier, but for just plain yuks, every time you get behind the wheel, I wouldn't go anywhere else.

If there is more than one dealer around, check the ratings on some of the Mini websites before you buy. It might be worth a few extra miles of driving or even a dollar or two more spent (as is the case around here) to go with the dealer with the higher satisfaction from owners.

BK

[Skrawny]

It was the most fun I have ever had in a car at speeds >1mph but <40mph. :p
-s

[spiderman]

a midlife crisis
and getting a sports car
to go along with my ottrott st
...i'm looking at this...

http://bridgewaterboats.com/a1120.htm

it's not a mini
but it is smaller than my suburban.

[Serotta PETE]

Smiley, I have the perfect car for you. A 2002 M3 with 24K miles on it. Karen would love it....Just keep Sandy away from it. maybe even sandy can come drive it back from NC....It will hold two of SPOKES bikes!!!!! :cool:

[abqhudson]

You will love it - for 6 months.

Jim

[jerk]

it's a great car. but don't be an idiot. that car has to be a manual.

jerk

[Smiley]

Thanks for the informative answers . It looks like I'll stay away from the Mini as I have read too many complaints from the car review web sites . The small car market is evolving and Nissan has a new hatchback to be introduced soon call the Verge or something like that www.nissanusa.com which has great hope since its a hatch back with 4 doors !!! Anyway we really need a very good gas mileage city car , I have a Maxima and a Ford Escape for the highway .

[oldmill]

Smiley - Another consideration for you: The Pontiac Vibe, which is literally a Toyota Matrix in a different body. It has a Toyota Corolla engine, is a 4 door hatchback/small wagon and is rated at 30/36 mpg. I think you'll get a better deal on it than the Matrix because of the way the U.S. car makers are offering rebates etc. these days. These are probably functionally very similar to the xA, but with a bit more room. They have some pretty creative cargo space, and get high reliability ratings, too. You're welcome to test drive mine if I can have one of your bikes.

[Ahneida Ride]

Smiley ....

My concern would be with maintenance.

I have the feeling that even if you secure a great deal on the car,
the maintenance will be exorbitant. :eek:

Check on the maintenance prices before purchase !!!!

Remember that certain items, like brakes, may not be under normal
maintenance. what is the cost of a brake job and alignment ?

Always speak to a mechanic before purchase. They will tell you stuff
the sales-geek and owners manual never will.

[emiljay]

Smiley - Another consideration for you: The Pontiac Vibe, which is literally a Toyota Matrix in a different body. These are probably functionally very similar to the xA, but with a bit more room.

Vibe is a cousin of Corolla and Matrix. It is quite different from the xA.

With Vibe/Matrix I think you can still get the 2ZZ engine with a 6sp manual -- same as the Lotus Elise. Add an aftermarket supercharger and you'll blow 4-doors off of a Mini :) .

[Rapid Tourist]

Karen and Blizzard should await this offering from Honda

http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/24hr_business/story/2780223p-11396051c.html

Too bad I just bought a car, Molly and i are lusting after this.