Please share any Mini Cooper experiences

[jcjcf1]

I'm planning to get a 2005 MCS with the limited slip differential which is supposed to be available starting 1/05.

A lot of what I read about the Mini is that there are plenty of bugs BMW has not yet worked out but, for the most part, people find the car so much fun that they are willing to put up with the small problems.

Anyone living with a Mini care to share their experience? Thanks.

John

 

[lemansnsx]

I'm planning to get a 2005 MCS with the limited slip differential which is supposed to be available starting 1/05.

A lot of what I read about the Mini is that there are plenty of bugs BMW has not yet worked out but, for the most part, people find the car so much fun that they are willing to put up with the small problems.

Anyone living with a Mini care to share their experience? Thanks.

John

If you have not seen it already you should check out mini2.com.

 

[jcjcf1]

If you have not seen it already you should check out mini2.com.

Yeah, mini2.com and motoringfile.com are good for Mini info and news. Any other sites anyone likes or visits frequently?

 

[vtecNSX1]

My stepdad has one and i have to say i am unimpressed. The handling is pretty decent for a fwd car but it just isnt very fun to drive. I dont like the interior, but i guess that is just preference. My dad drove my friends srt-4 and then the mini cooper and he said that he liked the srt-4 alot more and i have to agree. Also i know its a little thing but the shifter is like the size of a baseball .

 

[jcjcf1]

i am unimpressed. The handling is pretty decent for a fwd car but it just isnt very fun to drive. .

Well gee, you must be the only person on the planet who doesn't like the Mini. Just kidding. Just like this site where you seldom hear much criticism of the NSX, most Mini sites are populated by rabid Mini fans with very few dissenting opinions. But I agree that the Mini is not for everyone.

 

[vtecNSX1]

not saying its a bad car but for the money there are soooo many other cars i would rather have.

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Believe it or not, they are a very fast track car right out of the box. I saw several run 2:50 lap times (Road America) and one break into the 2:40's with aftermarket parts. This is a very fast time for a street car!

 

[Dtrigg]

Get one of the origional ones. They have more class and are a BLAST to drive. In fact, I am looking into importing the origional ones.

 

[jcjcf1]

Believe it or not, they are a very fast track car right out of the box. I saw several run 2:50 lap times (Road America) and one break into the 2:40's with aftermarket parts. This is a very fast time for a street car!

If you know, what are approximate lap times of other street cars at Road America? With its length, I'd think Road America would be a much better track for cars with higher top speed. I've been there several times but never driven on it. Great track!!

 

[jcjcf1]

Get one of the origional ones. They have more class and are a BLAST to drive. In fact, I am looking into importing the origional ones.

I'm sure they are a blast, but with our roads and SUV culture I might as well be riding a motorcycle as far as safety is concerned. And besides, I don't need another project car.

 

[RP-Motorsports]

If you know, what are approximate lap times of other street cars at Road America? With its length, I'd think Road America would be a much better track for cars with higher top speed. I've been there several times but never driven on it. Great track!!

A bone stock Z06 will only beat it by 5-10 sec. A C4, Z28, Cobra, ITR S2k etc about the same lap times.

The mini (and new elise) is so quick, due to power to weight ratio, and supurb handling.

 

[X-spdfrk]

Here is a pic of my mini. Of course its an original 1971 pickup. 1380cc and it can leave alot of V8s laughing at the line. Come get some.

 

[SaberX]

My stepdad has one and i have to say i am unimpressed. The handling is pretty decent for a fwd car but it just isnt very fun to drive. I dont like the interior, but i guess that is just preference. My dad drove my friends srt-4 and then the mini cooper and he said that he liked the srt-4 alot more and i have to agree. Also i know its a little thing but the shifter is like the size of a baseball .

Considering one as a DD, I test drove a mini cooper S a few weeks ago. Granted I had driven my NSX that morning and just dropped my 300zxTT off for shipping... so the CooperS felt a bit slow. It handled well and stopped really well- I had to jam on it hard even to get to ABS. I would describe the car as "tossible" into the corners. I just really wasn't impressed with the pickup (there were 2 other ppl in the car). I brought it to redline in multiple gears - but I just never felt like it really pulled hard. However, compared to an automatic non-S, the 6sp S felt fast. ;-)

 

[jcjcf1]

x-spdfrk

It's a cute little bugger. But can it haul 4X8 sheets of plywood?

 

[jcjcf1]

Considering one as a DD, I test drove a mini cooper S a few weeks ago. Granted I had driven my NSX that morning and just dropped my 300zxTT off for shipping... so the CooperS felt a bit slow. It handled well and stopped really well- I had to jam on it hard even to get to ABS. I would describe the car as "tossible" into the corners. I just really wasn't impressed with the pickup (there were 2 other ppl in the car). I brought it to redline in multiple gears - but I just never felt like it really pulled hard. However, compared to an automatic non-S, the 6sp S felt fast. ;-)

As far as acceleration goes, I could say the same thing about my NSX versus my Corvettes. But I'm thinking of using the MCS for an autocross car where good handling and a short wheelbase are virtues. I have a shifter kart, and the MCS seems like the closest automotive equivalent. And the aftermarket is already addressing the horsepower issue. But mainly, the MCS just looks like a barrel of fun to me.

 

[X-spdfrk]

Might be a tight squeeze to get that sheet of plywood in there. I originally bought it to pull a yellow jet ski. The jetski ended up being larger than the truck so that didnt work. Being front wheel drive it can still pull the rear wheels off the ground in reverse though. Looks funny to see anyway, guess you have to be there.

I will stop messing up the thread now.


www.minimania.com Tons of info and forums to talk minis

 

[vintagecarman]

There was a thread about two month’s back that had a link to web site of the designer of the Mini. He has been in Robotics and built a 20ft robot that stopped at truck in its tracks. I down loaded the clip, so I thoght.

Is any one aware of that thread?

 

[nsx13]

I've had mine for over a year and a half as a daily driver and I'm very pleased with it. If performance is important for you and you get the sport pkge with the S-lite wheels and runflat tires, I recommend getting rid of them for some lightweight wheels and non-runflats. Losing 16 lbs at each corner made a huge difference. I also installed a shortshift kit (my only real complaint with the car), the rear foglight activation, and a Magnaflow exhaust.

I agree with TBell about their potential for quick laptimes - there was an '02 or '03 at Lime Rock with r-compounds, 15% reduction pulley, intake/exhaust and he was right with a 993-generation 911 lap-after-lap, and that 911 was pretty quick and using r-compounds as well. Last year at the Vintage Festival @ Lime Rock, there was one turning 1:03s to 1:04s beating up on some Mustangs, Vettes, and Camaros.

 

[jcjcf1]

If performance is important for you and you get the sport pkge with the S-lite wheels and runflat tires, I recommend getting rid of them for some lightweight wheels and non-runflats. Losing 16 lbs at each corner made a huge difference. I also installed a shortshift kit (my only real complaint with the car), the rear foglight activation, and a Magnaflow exhaust.

I'm planning to get mine with whatever wheels and tires come standard and immediately replacing them with non-runflats and lighter wheels. Any specific reccomendations? Thanks.

 

[nsx13]

I'm planning to get mine with whatever wheels and tires come standard and immediately replacing them with non-runflats and lighter wheels. Any specific reccomendations? Thanks.

I bought a set of 16" Rota Polished Slipstreams w/mounted 205/50/16 Falken 512 tires (since the MCS doesn't see any track time and is my daily driver, I went with this highly rated all season tire). I bought them from www.rspeed.net, and I believe each wheel is 13.4 or 13.6 lbs vs. the 25 lb 17" S-lite). Kosei K1 Racing is also pretty lightweight and along with the SSR Competitions. You might be able to find some info on www.northamericanmotoring.com.