Anyone w/ a Mini Cooper S Around? - Page 3 - LotusTalk

skottoman · 09-23-2009, 08:00 AM

I was one of the first to get an 02 MINI Cooper S. I drove the snot out of that car for 5 years. While I love my Lotus, I do miss that car very much. I'd love to have an 06. Not to fond of the R56 look. You can't go wrong with a MINI S. Do a few mods, and it's great track car, backroad twisties car, Daily Driver.

I'm pondering finding an 06 GP if I had the room in my driveway...
Cheers,
Skottoman

Snowphun · 09-23-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skottoman

I'd love to have an 06. Not to fond of the R56 look.

We've owned our r56 for over a year now and apart from the subtle visual clues (front grill, rear exhaust) I still can't tell a r53 apart from an r56. They are so similar I'm surprised people could like one but not the other.

Anyway, averaging 35mpg now from an S, feels very plush and well put together after a few days in the Elise.

VicSkimmr · 09-25-2009, 03:22 PM

I've had MINIs for the past 3 and a half years and love them, especially for a daily driver. Fun to drive and great on gas (if you have an R56). Here's my current car.

It's certainly not as fun as my brother's Exige, but for a daily driver it would be hard to beat as far as as finding a car that can balance practicality, performance and mileage.

I would actually suggest test driving a new base model Cooper instead of an S for a daily driver, especially if you have a Lotus for the weekend. They still have some spunk but can get mileage up into the mid 40's.

MikeinAlexandria · 09-25-2009, 03:50 PM

I have a 2007 MINI Cooper S, the one with the turbo. It is my second MINI, the first was a 2002 MINI Cooper. The S is a blast, and frankly, I like the turbo version much better than the supercharged one. You'll get opinions on both sides of the fence on this one. Supercharged MINI fans were really disappointed when the turbo came out. I wasn't convinced until I drove one. There is no lag, you get 100% of the torque from about 1500 rpm all the way to 6000 rpm... and I get over 40mpg on the highway.

The MINI community has been great. I helped start DC Metro MINIs here in the DC area, and it has become one of the largest clubs.

As to safety, the MINI is certainly a very safe car, with no fewer than six airbags, crumple zones, ABS brakes and extreme nimbleness. Go for it, WAY more fun than driving a truck to work. Also, get a stick shift, the autos are a complete waste of money. MINIs drive well with stick in traffic, especially in sport mode!

Here is my MINI on a spring day when I first got it...

lotuselise7 · 09-25-2009, 03:56 PM

You know I've never owned a Mini and never really wanted to but after seeing my buddies 08' I really would love to have one as a daily. They seem to offer so much for so little. Might have to look into one as a daily...

doma · 09-25-2009, 04:51 PM

I have an 06 MCS with the supercharger. I love the car. My main decision in the morning is to drive the lotus or the cooper. The lotus usually wins (except on days when I have a hockey game). However, today looked too foggy/drizzly (and the roof is off the lotus) so I drove the cooper. Great car.

If I can only mention one gripe: the car is very underpowered below 2500 rpm. I have a sequence of stop signs (7 of them) as I move through my neighborhood and approach my house and I always get frustrated when pulling out from these stop signs. I'll pull out and floor it and nothing happens. I slowly watch the needle climb past 2500 and when it hits 3000 suddenly all the power arrives and the front wheels start hopping. *shrug* But it's my only gripe - overall great car.

My 06 MCS is also a lot stiffer than the my 05 non sport elise. It also feels more go-kart ish in turns than the understeary elise as setup from the factory.

ewalberg · 09-25-2009, 05:23 PM

I've had a couple friends that have had them over the years and they have a nice roomy feeling interior. They're also susprisingly comfortable in the back seats becuase of the full height roof that extends all the way back... which is great for a car that's soooo short. Wonderfully short for city parking. Although i would argue that you should be DD'ing the Elise since you WANT to drive it all the time. Not driving the car you WANT to drive that you own, is a bit of a shame if you ask me. If you stop wanting to DD the elise after giving it a go, then i'd maybe consider another car... oh, one detail that is part of why the mini is good as a daily in traffic (or at least when the car came out) is that it has a notably tall first gear so you don't have to shift out of first all the time, you can leave it in first longer... at least this is how it used to be... but in steep hilly cities it can be pretty daunting and you will go the the clutch faster than other cars for how tall it's first gear is becuase you end up burning it a little when parallel parking on steep streets, and when it's stop and go up a steep street.

Whoa!... i'm shocked to hear DOMA say his MCS is stiffer than his base elise... i had no idea the base elise was that soft... or that the MCS was that stiff... my buddies MCS from 2002 i think was definitely not as stiff as my LSS elise. With the original A048's and LSS it would spook my passengers as it banged over reflectors in the road... i've never been in a car that did that before... When he gets in my elise after being in his current TT, his usual remark is "i forgot how stiff your car is compared to mine" and i've got squishy General Grabber Exclaim UHP's on my car for a long while now.

SO while i've pitched why it does make a good DD, to me having a mini and a lotus is rather redundant. But my other DD (i DD both my cars) is a Mercedes G500 which can fit TONS of stuff considering how small it's footprint actually is... it's smaller footprinted than a subaru legacy outback. I feel like if you have 2 cars they ought to serve substantially different purposes. My lotus is my little sporty economy (economy as in it gets double the gas mileage) car. Which is exactly what a mini would be... although the mini might get even better mileage and fit in even smaller spacers... oh well... might serve my purposes even better than an elise... but the elise was a dream car purchase for me so i figure it's a once in a lifetime gig... well the g500 was a dream car purchase too (it's a great vehicle actually, as fun to drive as the elise but in a very different way)... so i'm driving my two dream cars... cheers! That's why i say drive what you love!... especially if you already own it!!!! Save money and love every minute of it instead of spending more money and not enjoying it as much...

Keeper · 09-25-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doma

the car is very underpowered below 2500 rpm.

Have you changed the pulley? I installed a 17% reduction pulley and one-ball exhaust mod and felt a huge difference even down low. I would also really notice the lack of power with wife, kids, AC. Not so much now.

andy7777 · 09-29-2009, 08:46 AM

I have an 05 MCS with an Alta pulley (great, cheap modification) and the JWC brakes, fat wheel and exhaust. It is my daily driver. IMHO the '05 is the perfect MCS. No reliability issues whatsoever, quick, beautiful steering, and surprisingly practical. The slight modifications that I did have added to the driving enjoyment and are simple bolt-ons. The Mini
's steering is, as someone above noted, even quicker from center than the Elise's, though once you are mid-corner, the Elise simply feels better. From what I gather from others, the early MC's had some teething problems. For '05 a number of them were fixed, so the last two years of the R53 chassis (pre-turbo) are really the way to go if you're counting pennies. I happen to prefer the interior styling of the R53 as well, but there are certainly a number of choices in the newer MC's interior that weren't available when I was buying.

Best mod suggestion: ditch the run-flats when you get the car and replace with virtually anything else. It will make the suspension feel less jarring and probably get you superior grip to boot.

09-23-2009, 08:00 AM	#41 (permalink)
skottoman 'Justa' Exige 190 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Scotts Valley, CA. Posts: 902	I was one of the first to get an 02 MINI Cooper S. I drove the snot out of that car for 5 years. While I love my Lotus, I do miss that car very much. I'd love to have an 06. Not to fond of the R56 look. You can't go wrong with a MINI S. Do a few mods, and it's great track car, backroad twisties car, Daily Driver. I'm pondering finding an 06 GP if I had the room in my driveway... Cheers, Skottoman __________________ 2006 AR N/A Exige-Touring pack-Starshield-TopspeedPro1 exhaust-DeSnorked-Green filter-RTD ToeBrace-Shims Removed-CF Diffuser-CF Splitter-CF Wing-CF Scoops w/custom grills-Black Exige sticker-PC680 battery-S111 battery holddown-Rear Lotus badge-Carpet buttons-Painted shift knob-Painted Console-EBrake Gaiter-SilverStealth bulbs-Front S111 towhook-Polk speakers-Toyo R888s-Lamin-x turn signal tint 2008 BMW X3 with some mods 2006 Cayman 'S'

09-25-2009, 03:50 PM	#44 (permalink)
MikeinAlexandria Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 454 Images: 5	I have a 2007 MINI Cooper S, the one with the turbo. It is my second MINI, the first was a 2002 MINI Cooper. The S is a blast, and frankly, I like the turbo version much better than the supercharged one. You'll get opinions on both sides of the fence on this one. Supercharged MINI fans were really disappointed when the turbo came out. I wasn't convinced until I drove one. There is no lag, you get 100% of the torque from about 1500 rpm all the way to 6000 rpm... and I get over 40mpg on the highway. The MINI community has been great. I helped start DC Metro MINIs here in the DC area, and it has become one of the largest clubs. As to safety, the MINI is certainly a very safe car, with no fewer than six airbags, crumple zones, ABS brakes and extreme nimbleness. Go for it, WAY more fun than driving a truck to work. Also, get a stick shift, the autos are a complete waste of money. MINIs drive well with stick in traffic, especially in sport mode! Here is my MINI on a spring day when I first got it... __________________ 2005 Elise in Racing Green with the touring pack 2007 MINI Cooper S in Sparkling Silver 2001 BMW Z3 Coupe in Sapphire Black (sold) 2002 MINI Cooper in yellow (sold) 1996 BMW Z3 Roadster (Racing Dynamics version) (sold) Founder of the Racing Green Confederate Last edited by MikeinAlexandria : 09-25-2009 at 03:59 PM. Reason: add picture of the MINI!

09-25-2009, 04:51 PM	#46 (permalink)
doma '05 SY #0038 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Belmont, CA Posts: 2,260 Images: 6	I have an 06 MCS with the supercharger. I love the car. My main decision in the morning is to drive the lotus or the cooper. The lotus usually wins (except on days when I have a hockey game). However, today looked too foggy/drizzly (and the roof is off the lotus) so I drove the cooper. Great car. If I can only mention one gripe: the car is very underpowered below 2500 rpm. I have a sequence of stop signs (7 of them) as I move through my neighborhood and approach my house and I always get frustrated when pulling out from these stop signs. I'll pull out and floor it and nothing happens. I slowly watch the needle climb past 2500 and when it hits 3000 suddenly all the power arrives and the front wheels start hopping. shrug But it's my only gripe - overall great car. My 06 MCS is also a lot stiffer than the my 05 non sport elise. It also feels more go-kart ish in turns than the understeary elise as setup from the factory. __________________ Braille Battery - Micromirror - Alpine Head Unit & Speakers - HID Headlights - H&T Pad - Snorkel Delete - Non Dust Brake Pads - JL Stealthbox - JL Amps - Sirius Sat - Rudolph Antlers and Nose Kit Astronomy Picture of the Day

09-25-2009, 05:23 PM	#47 (permalink)
ewalberg Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA Posts: 714	I've had a couple friends that have had them over the years and they have a nice roomy feeling interior. They're also susprisingly comfortable in the back seats becuase of the full height roof that extends all the way back... which is great for a car that's soooo short. Wonderfully short for city parking. Although i would argue that you should be DD'ing the Elise since you WANT to drive it all the time. Not driving the car you WANT to drive that you own, is a bit of a shame if you ask me. If you stop wanting to DD the elise after giving it a go, then i'd maybe consider another car... oh, one detail that is part of why the mini is good as a daily in traffic (or at least when the car came out) is that it has a notably tall first gear so you don't have to shift out of first all the time, you can leave it in first longer... at least this is how it used to be... but in steep hilly cities it can be pretty daunting and you will go the the clutch faster than other cars for how tall it's first gear is becuase you end up burning it a little when parallel parking on steep streets, and when it's stop and go up a steep street. Whoa!... i'm shocked to hear DOMA say his MCS is stiffer than his base elise... i had no idea the base elise was that soft... or that the MCS was that stiff... my buddies MCS from 2002 i think was definitely not as stiff as my LSS elise. With the original A048's and LSS it would spook my passengers as it banged over reflectors in the road... i've never been in a car that did that before... When he gets in my elise after being in his current TT, his usual remark is "i forgot how stiff your car is compared to mine" and i've got squishy General Grabber Exclaim UHP's on my car for a long while now. SO while i've pitched why it does make a good DD, to me having a mini and a lotus is rather redundant. But my other DD (i DD both my cars) is a Mercedes G500 which can fit TONS of stuff considering how small it's footprint actually is... it's smaller footprinted than a subaru legacy outback. I feel like if you have 2 cars they ought to serve substantially different purposes. My lotus is my little sporty economy (economy as in it gets double the gas mileage) car. Which is exactly what a mini would be... although the mini might get even better mileage and fit in even smaller spacers... oh well... might serve my purposes even better than an elise... but the elise was a dream car purchase for me so i figure it's a once in a lifetime gig... well the g500 was a dream car purchase too (it's a great vehicle actually, as fun to drive as the elise but in a very different way)... so i'm driving my two dream cars... cheers! That's why i say drive what you love!... especially if you already own it!!!! Save money and love every minute of it instead of spending more money and not enjoying it as much... __________________ 2006 Aspen White Elise. Hard top (never left it's shipping box), LSS, LSD, Traction control, Red leather. Last edited by ewalberg : 09-25-2009 at 05:44 PM.

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09-25-2009, 03:22 PM	#43 (permalink)
VicSkimmr Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2	I've had MINIs for the past 3 and a half years and love them, especially for a daily driver. Fun to drive and great on gas (if you have an R56). Here's my current car. It's certainly not as fun as my brother's Exige, but for a daily driver it would be hard to beat as far as as finding a car that can balance practicality, performance and mileage. I would actually suggest test driving a new base model Cooper instead of an S for a daily driver, especially if you have a Lotus for the weekend. They still have some spunk but can get mileage up into the mid 40's.

09-25-2009, 03:56 PM	#45 (permalink)
lotuselise7 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 92	You know I've never owned a Mini and never really wanted to but after seeing my buddies 08' I really would love to have one as a daily. They seem to offer so much for so little. Might have to look into one as a daily...

09-29-2009, 08:46 AM	#49 (permalink)
andy7777 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 10	I have an 05 MCS with an Alta pulley (great, cheap modification) and the JWC brakes, fat wheel and exhaust. It is my daily driver. IMHO the '05 is the perfect MCS. No reliability issues whatsoever, quick, beautiful steering, and surprisingly practical. The slight modifications that I did have added to the driving enjoyment and are simple bolt-ons. The Mini 's steering is, as someone above noted, even quicker from center than the Elise's, though once you are mid-corner, the Elise simply feels better. From what I gather from others, the early MC's had some teething problems. For '05 a number of them were fixed, so the last two years of the R53 chassis (pre-turbo) are really the way to go if you're counting pennies. I happen to prefer the interior styling of the R53 as well, but there are certainly a number of choices in the newer MC's interior that weren't available when I was buying. Best mod suggestion: ditch the run-flats when you get the car and replace with virtually anything else. It will make the suspension feel less jarring and probably get you superior grip to boot.

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