Anyone w/ a Mini Cooper S Around? - Page 2 - LotusTalk

Chili Red · 08-12-2009, 01:04 PM

FYI, Ive driven both the 07+ and pre 07 cars on track. They drive totally different, both are fun, but the 07+ cars do understeer quite a bit while the previous year cars tend to rotate a bit easier off throttle.. Id say a well driven 06 would probably be a bit quicker on track, but not by much.

tvacc · 08-12-2009, 01:53 PM

We have both a 06 and 05 Mini S's..

Best car I have ever owned. Drive it every day.

CosmosMpower · 08-12-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_beale1

I've also been toying with the idea of a mcs as a dd, but I want to be able to fit my mountain bike inside (not on a rack). Anyone with a mini know if a mountain bike will fit. Note that a mountain bike is usually a few inches longer than a road bike.

It will not fit a mens size mountain bike. We managed to cram my fiances Specialized in with the handlebars turned at an angle but it's not easy, fast or clean anyway. She has a Saris rack that goes off and on in 5 mins.

CosmosMpower · 08-12-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili Red

FYI, Ive driven both the 07+ and pre 07 cars on track. They drive totally different, both are fun, but the 07+ cars do understeer quite a bit while the previous year cars tend to rotate a bit easier off throttle.. Id say a well driven 06 would probably be a bit quicker on track, but not by much.

The last few year SCCA Solo 2 G-stock class champs have been the 07+ I think. The pre-07 are still competitive though but the 07+ extra torque and much better brakes take the cake. The car is also much more willing to rotate with some simple mods (aftermarket shocks, rear set full stiff, front set soft)

Chili Red · 08-12-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmosMpower

The last few year SCCA Solo 2 G-stock class champs have been the 07+ I think. The pre-07 are still competitive though but the 07+ extra torque and much better brakes take the cake. The car is also much more willing to rotate with some simple mods (aftermarket shocks, rear set full stiff, front set soft)

Ive got a rear bar on mine, last time I had it at the track it was in the center position and the car would not rotate at all. Ive got it full stiff now so maybe that will help. Maybe the 07+'s are quicker, it just doesn't feel that way..

The one problem I had with the 06's was the gas pedal seems to be really touchy when trying to manage the car mid corner at the limit. A tad bit to much throttle can easily throw you off line.

Also for anyone with a Cooper S, ditch the stock runflat tires and grab some Dunlop Durezza's or comparable tire. This will really improve the driving experience.

BealeAss · 08-12-2009, 04:02 PM

Well apparently this is an overwhelmingly good idea. I can probably afford to scoop up between an 03-05 depending upon the price. Anything bad between those model years aside from shock towers and possible tranny explosions?

lotusforsale · 08-12-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BealeAss

Well apparently this is an overwhelmingly good idea. I can probably afford to scoop up between an 03-05 depending upon the price. Anything bad between those model years aside from shock towers and possible tranny explosions?

Just stay away from the 03 and 04.

BealeAss · 08-12-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

Just stay away from the 03 and 04.

Good to know, I'll have to shoot for an 05 then.

azskycop · 08-12-2009, 07:23 PM

I just bought an 05 MCS Convertible. Ebay deal but it was only a few miles from my home. Car only had 4700 miles on it and I got it for $18K. Very happy with it, from what I could find the 05 or 06 with a manual tranny is really the way to go for reliability.

Here is the car:

Mini : Mini Cooper S:eBay Motors (item 270421319119 end time Jul-08-09 19:07:35 PDT)

IMHO the convertible is the way to go. I have never been a fan of drop tops but with this car, for some reason, I really love it!

Keeper · 08-12-2009, 07:47 PM

Corey,

I have a Mini Cooper S Cabrio with a 17% reduction pulley. You're welcome to take it for a spin. I drive it often and it's not an Elise but it's a great compromise. I could easily be content with just that car.

Also, there's a mechanic in Worcester, Pete, who specializes in the Mini. He owns one and his wife owns one that she autocrosses regularly. They operate a web site open to all makes but it's mostly Mini. I've attended some of their events and they literally do everything. From drives throughout New England, to blueberry picking, piano bars in Boston, and annual cruises in the Caribbean. I plan on joining them for their VT drive coming up soon.

Massachusetts Motoring Club - Index

BealeAss · 08-12-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keeper

Corey,

I have a Mini Cooper S Cabrio with a 17% reduction pulley. You're welcome to take it for a spin. I drive it often and it's not an Elise but it's a great compromise. I could easily be content with just that car.

Also, there's a mechanic in Worcester, Pete, who specializes in the Mini. He owns one and his wife owns one that she autocrosses regularly. They operate a web site open to all makes but it's mostly Mini. I've attended some of their events and they literally do everything. From drives throughout New England, to blueberry picking, piano bars in Boston, and annual cruises in the Caribbean. I plan on joining them for their VT drive coming up soon.

Massachusetts Motoring Club - Index

Hey Shawn great advice about the mechanic, I forgot you had mentioned you had a Mini in the household at our last get together. I'm highly considering it as a purchase in the near future, maintenance costs were my only concern.

Keeper · 08-12-2009, 08:24 PM

Pete can help with that. Not only does he do first-rate work at better-than-dealer rates, he knows what to look for wrt preventative maintenance as well. Plus, he can install a pulley and one ball the exhaust in less than an hour.

Snowphun · 08-13-2009, 07:58 AM

We bought our 08 MCS new. IMO Mini's hold their value so well that I've never seen a good used buy. Add in the four year warranty, the direct injection turbo's in the r56 and all signs point towards new. An MCS with LSD is pretty cheap and a lot of fun. Dealers are also more willing to budge from MSRP in the market as well.

It is a civilized fwd car, it will not compare to the Elise drive.

texige · 08-13-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_beale1

I've also been toying with the idea of a mcs as a dd, but I want to be able to fit my mountain bike inside (not on a rack). Anyone with a mini know if a mountain bike will fit. Note that a mountain bike is usually a few inches longer than a road bike.

A mountain bike with the front wheel removed should fit in a Clubman. Another option is the new hitch mount Kuat aluminum bike rack. It weighs super light at 17 lbs., folds up small and is very easy to put on and take off. I understand how some people don't like the Clubman styling but the regular Mini is basically a two seater which makes the Clubman a much more useable DD IMO.

CosmosMpower · 08-13-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowphun

We bought our 08 MCS new. IMO Mini's hold their value so well that I've never seen a good used buy. Add in the four year warranty, the direct injection turbo's in the r56 and all signs point towards new. An MCS with LSD is pretty cheap and a lot of fun. Dealers are also more willing to budge from MSRP in the market as well.

It is a civilized fwd car, it will not compare to the Elise drive.

The Dallas dealers are doing 1.9 APR financing too. When we got ours last October there were 0 discounts, 0 incentives we had to beat our sales guy to death just to get $500 bucks worth of accessories thrown in (they don't even include floor mats otherwise!)

Noisycow · 08-13-2009, 03:18 PM

I love this Mini's pimped out interior. Especially the floor mats - JCW "Checkmate" floormats. The red accents also. The Nav is overpriced and not as functional as even a Garmin, but it sure LOOKS nice.

Snowphun · 08-14-2009, 04:20 PM

Too each their own, that looks pretty awful to me. That's an r56 which has an even bigger speedo than the older cars. You can spend many thousands changing interior materials and colors.

FloridaRob · 08-14-2009, 05:46 PM

I've owned an 05 mcs cabrio and 06 mcs and 08 mcs clubman. The 05 and 06are more fun to drive in my opinion. I love hearing the supercharger whine. The 08 Clubby was a complete peice of crap for us. It went through 2 engines in just 8k miles plus other problems with multiple sensors and it had many raddles from the day we drove home from the dealer. The 07 and newer MINIs seem to have a nicer interior but I like the exterior of the 02-06 gens. The 07 and newer will get better mpg's than the previous supercharged motor. We averaged about 23 mpg with the 05 and 06 and we got about 33mpg witht the 08. Check out Northamericanmotoring.com and you will be overwhelmed with advice there. I used to belong to Sunshine MINIs here in Florida and there are a lot of great people in that club too that can offer advice. Their web is sunshineminis.org. Check them out!

Noisycow · 08-15-2009, 06:46 PM

I love the giant speedo. It is campy and fun. Just me I guess. Personal taste.

Also agree about the supercharger whine, a plus on the 06 or previous Minis.

Checkercoop · 09-22-2009, 08:04 PM

MINIs are definitely fun. I have 07 MC non S, but it drives like a champ. I've had a lot of fun in it and it handles wonderfully. It's been driven hard most it's life and honestly must enjoy it lol I don't think you would have more fun in it that the Lotus though. The MINI is fun and gets looks, but more cute looks because of the quirkyness of it. The Lotus gets looks from everyone for every reason, has much higher performance, and is just a blast to be in. The roof of the lotus is level with a mini steering wheel lol

I'll trade you my mini for your lotus if you want

haha

08-12-2009, 01:04 PM	#21 (permalink)
Chili Red Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 2,204	FYI, Ive driven both the 07+ and pre 07 cars on track. They drive totally different, both are fun, but the 07+ cars do understeer quite a bit while the previous year cars tend to rotate a bit easier off throttle.. Id say a well driven 06 would probably be a bit quicker on track, but not by much. __________________ 2007 Exige S - Chili Red 2009 Mini Cooper S - Chili Red Gotham 265, Nitron Sport Pro, Moroso oil pan, RTVBrace, Volk CE28N/R888, Cup Wheels/A048, 2Bular Ultra 4", Rapfix II w/ Sparco P300, S111 CF Splitter, Ultradiscs, Pagid RS42, V-Force Harness Bar, Schroth PROFI II, Fire Extinguisher, Folding Tow Hook, Odyssey PC680, re-ENFORCER, LLumar 30% tint, Traqmate, DashDAQ, Chasecam, Alpine IVA-D100 w/ Backup Camera.

08-12-2009, 01:53 PM	#22 (permalink)
tvacc Head LOONY Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 2,226	We have both a 06 and 05 Mini S's.. Best car I have ever owned. Drive it every day. __________________ Tony Vaccaro 2005 Ardent Red, Katana Supercharger, Touring, Hardtop, Driving Lights, HIDs, Rear Window Shield, Red Mounts, Laser Shifters, V1, LETSLA Shifter, www.lotusowners.com LOONY (Lotus Owners of New York) and the Church of the HolyLotus Supplier of Polycarbonate Shield for Rear Window IN STOCK , Drive Fast Take Chances

08-12-2009, 04:02 PM	#26 (permalink)
BealeAss Dark As Knight Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Boston,MA Posts: 241	Well apparently this is an overwhelmingly good idea. I can probably afford to scoop up between an 03-05 depending upon the price. Anything bad between those model years aside from shock towers and possible tranny explosions? __________________ 05 Starlight Black on Black-Vader Package:Sport/Touring/Black LSS/Black Diffusor/Hardtop/Starshield/Extra Starshield/Leather Console/Tint/HID/Yellow Hi Beams/Micromirror/Carpet Buttons/Stan Shifter Mod/Trunk Bootie/Larini SE/Euro Grill/Fujita Intake/Azenis/ipod mod/4 JL Audio VR525-CXi/Starlight Black A/C Surround/Kemmler Seat Mod/Hardwired V1/Schroth Profi ii ASM/V-FORCE Harness Bar/S111 Harness Hardware/CRDMount/TitanQR/HNT Pad "Stuff sold by the gram is more fun than stuff sold by the pound"

08-12-2009, 07:23 PM	#29 (permalink)
azskycop Fly N Lowr Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 805	I just bought an 05 MCS Convertible. Ebay deal but it was only a few miles from my home. Car only had 4700 miles on it and I got it for $18K. Very happy with it, from what I could find the 05 or 06 with a manual tranny is really the way to go for reliability. Here is the car: Mini : Mini Cooper S:eBay Motors (item 270421319119 end time Jul-08-09 19:07:35 PDT) IMHO the convertible is the way to go. I have never been a fan of drop tops but with this car, for some reason, I really love it! __________________ If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space! www.GoodBodyHealth.com

08-12-2009, 07:47 PM	#30 (permalink)
Keeper Probably Lurking Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North of Boston Posts: 2,291	Corey, I have a Mini Cooper S Cabrio with a 17% reduction pulley. You're welcome to take it for a spin. I drive it often and it's not an Elise but it's a great compromise. I could easily be content with just that car. Also, there's a mechanic in Worcester, Pete, who specializes in the Mini. He owns one and his wife owns one that she autocrosses regularly. They operate a web site open to all makes but it's mostly Mini. I've attended some of their events and they literally do everything. From drives throughout New England, to blueberry picking, piano bars in Boston, and annual cruises in the Caribbean. I plan on joining them for their VT drive coming up soon. Massachusetts Motoring Club - Index __________________ -Shawn (2005 Lotus Econoxotic) Uberpost -- things owners should know - common problems/fixes - rattles, squeaks, noises - read the manual - good ideas? - maintenance - mods - reference - abbreviations Last edited by Keeper : 08-12-2009 at 07:52 PM.

08-12-2009, 08:24 PM	#32 (permalink)
Keeper Probably Lurking Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North of Boston Posts: 2,291	Pete can help with that. Not only does he do first-rate work at better-than-dealer rates, he knows what to look for wrt preventative maintenance as well. Plus, he can install a pulley and one ball the exhaust in less than an hour. __________________ -Shawn (2005 Lotus Econoxotic) Uberpost -- things owners should know - common problems/fixes - rattles, squeaks, noises - read the manual - good ideas? - maintenance - mods - reference - abbreviations

08-13-2009, 07:58 AM	#33 (permalink)
Snowphun All good Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: SE MA Posts: 177	We bought our 08 MCS new. IMO Mini's hold their value so well that I've never seen a good used buy. Add in the four year warranty, the direct injection turbo's in the r56 and all signs point towards new. An MCS with LSD is pretty cheap and a lot of fun. Dealers are also more willing to budge from MSRP in the market as well. It is a civilized fwd car, it will not compare to the Elise drive.

08-13-2009, 03:18 PM	#36 (permalink)
Noisycow Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,468	I love this Mini's pimped out interior. Especially the floor mats - JCW "Checkmate" floormats. The red accents also. The Nav is overpriced and not as functional as even a Garmin, but it sure LOOKS nice. Attached Images

08-14-2009, 04:20 PM	#37 (permalink)
Snowphun All good Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: SE MA Posts: 177	Too each their own, that looks pretty awful to me. That's an r56 which has an even bigger speedo than the older cars. You can spend many thousands changing interior materials and colors.

08-14-2009, 05:46 PM	#38 (permalink)
FloridaRob Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Titusville, Florida Posts: 61	I've owned an 05 mcs cabrio and 06 mcs and 08 mcs clubman. The 05 and 06are more fun to drive in my opinion. I love hearing the supercharger whine. The 08 Clubby was a complete peice of crap for us. It went through 2 engines in just 8k miles plus other problems with multiple sensors and it had many raddles from the day we drove home from the dealer. The 07 and newer MINIs seem to have a nicer interior but I like the exterior of the 02-06 gens. The 07 and newer will get better mpg's than the previous supercharged motor. We averaged about 23 mpg with the 05 and 06 and we got about 33mpg witht the 08. Check out Northamericanmotoring.com and you will be overwhelmed with advice there. I used to belong to Sunshine MINIs here in Florida and there are a lot of great people in that club too that can offer advice. Their web is sunshineminis.org. Check them out! __________________ 2006 Starlight Black Elise/Sport Pack/Hardtop

08-15-2009, 06:46 PM	#39 (permalink)
Noisycow Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,468	I love the giant speedo. It is campy and fun. Just me I guess. Personal taste. Also agree about the supercharger whine, a plus on the 06 or previous Minis.

09-22-2009, 08:04 PM	#40 (permalink)
Checkercoop Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 29	MINIs are definitely fun. I have 07 MC non S, but it drives like a champ. I've had a lot of fun in it and it handles wonderfully. It's been driven hard most it's life and honestly must enjoy it lol I don't think you would have more fun in it that the Lotus though. The MINI is fun and gets looks, but more cute looks because of the quirkyness of it. The Lotus gets looks from everyone for every reason, has much higher performance, and is just a blast to be in. The roof of the lotus is level with a mini steering wheel lol I'll trade you my mini for your lotus if you want haha

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