333

Looking to get the wife one of these as a surprise birthday present (June)

was originally looking at a one now decided a cooper would be better.

Any good deals about or are they much of a muchness, whats the best accessories / packs / deals to go for.

MPG ? Insurance ? best to buy new or S/H ?

any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Richard

Simon S3

333,

Try www.mini2.com there are loads of interesting things on that site. Make sure you look at the faults and fixes forum though, I had an early Cooper (Sept `01) and the quality was very poor.

If you really want a Cooper then they are all of a muchness price wise from BMW stealers. BMW protect the residuals pretty well.

TVR Gary

333 We will be soon. Have a cooper S cabriolet on order for when they are launched. Hopefully July delivery

Student Phil

Pretty poor pics but heres mine:







Chilli Pack and A/C are a must for resale purposes.

Chilli Pack is an awesome options pack comprising bits like half leather sports seats, 16s (I upgraded to 17s), Sports Suspension Plus, silver interior trim, crome bits for the outside etc.

I also opted for tints and clear side repeaters.

If its for the wife and shes not much into the performance then don't go for the Sports Suspension Plus. In combination with the 17" Runflats it makes for quite a hard ride. Having said that the handling is a dream.

Make sure you go for the TLC pack aswell, 50k/5yrs servicing for £100 is a mega bargain for a BMW main dealer. Also get to laugh at the BMW drivers who are paying a fortune for the same thing.

I personally opted to buy brand new on the grounds that I would have paid exactly the same if not more for a year old model off the forecourt. However, I expect the used prices will come down soon as supply increases.

On the whole I love the car to bits. Looks good, drives superb, should hold its value and is on a different league to its class rivals. Insurance is reasonable, even for me at 20. Only thing which has dissapointed me has been the fuel economy. The trip computer reckons 32MPG over the first 3k miles. I was hoping for something a bit better, expecially considering it hasn't been driven hard.

Fianl thing, I have had mine about 2 months and I waited 10 weeks for delivery, so that should give you some indication.

Tom Machin

How can you call them MINI's. All they are is a BMW hatchback with a revamped mini badge. I feel that they would have sold a lot better as a BMW series-1. And when the original mini came out it was a step into the future and how car's should look like in the future. The new one is a retro Bmw with a mini badge and if any of you fall for it youre fools! I say, a new micra. why? faster, more reliable, better looking, shaper handling, more kit. Oh ,and for half the cash!
Cheers, doughnut man!
P.S. Sorry if ive offended anyone.

Student Phil

Congratulations on the biggest load of nonsense ever.

Also, might be worth you noting that there is a BMW 1 Series due to be released very soon and as for the Mini selling better if badged as a 1 Series, demand already massively outstrips supply and has done since the launch.

As for the Micra comment all I can do is laugh.

[Edited by Student Phil - 1/7/2004 5:18:30 PM]

Brendan Hughes

FWIW, my mate sold his only as the child seat in the front was incompatible with the f/PX airbag.

There are loads of owners and ex-owners on here. When they first came out it seemed all of scoobynet was getting one for the wife.

Dog Man

About not to be a Mini owner..............

For Sale as Mrs Dog Man wants a bigger car (Make way for the new A3).

Mini Cooper (Reg Sept 2002).
13k on the clock.
Red with white roof (White Bonnet stripes and spots).
TLC (5 year servicing pack)
Pepper pack (This included chrome bits, additional interior lights, fog lights, storage nets and other boring but useful stuff).
Sports seats.
Leather steering wheel.
Single CD player.
One owner (The missus).
NO A/C

Been offered £9,950 by the dealer as p/x.

Best regards,

Shane

Dog Man

My car is now sold.

Best of luck in finding one, my wife has loved hers even though we did have a couple of problems with it (All sorted out under warranty though).

Dog Man

bugeyes

Move up from a Cooper to a Cooper S and buy mine!
Its a 2003 03 Reg with 10K in blue with white roof and mirrors, the extras are 6cd changer, spots, interior lights package, mats and interior/exterior supaguard protection but NO Chilli pack. 33mpg, reasonable insurance, warranty/TLC etc.
E-mail me for pics and a price if you are interested.

Ste

Bobby Peru

Great cars, here is my GF's

jcullen

Bought a cooper for the mrs back in march and have been very happy with it. Drove down to the south of france in it in the summer, (ton all the way) and it didn't miss a beat, although mpg was pretty poor. Don't think u can go wrong for looks and handling, just don't expect a thump in the back when u put your foot down.

James (cooper, silver/black, 17"'s, chilli pack, tlc etc, etc

333

Guys, thanks for the feedback.

I don't want to spend a fortune on this as it will be a second car (although it would be a good excuse to keep the miles down on the scoob) so was thinking Cooper + Pepper + stripes in

White / Black
Yellow / Black
Silver / Black

Not my choice of colours, but must say the white one looks superb is this like an old white on the old 60's sports cars ?

Any one got a yellow / black ? & have the photos to post.

Looks like a trip down the dealers is in order...

Thanks
Richard..

mn_angrybeats

Hmmmm

This any help

http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/gallery_1646.html

Just use paint shop pro for the white roof to make it black...

I had a Cooper before my Cooper S and although my tuned Cooper S is quite quick the Cooper always felt more nimble a cracking drive..

J S W

My company car is a cooper, I have had quite a few cars and I do really dislike it.

No point to rear seats, i am told it is a poof's car???, handles like a go kart, not a proper drivers car.

Having not had too spend the money on it I think the money they want for a mini is crazy and I would thinkvery carefully before buying one as second hand prices will crash as the market gets flooded.

IMHO of course

James

mn_angrybeats

You pays your money you takes your choice etc

Bobby Peru

With regards values, well specced Mini's will always get good money.

As for not being a 'drivers car', I have a modded P1 and believe me, the MINI puts a smile every bit as big on my face as my P1.

Ask most motoring hack's about the Cooper not being a 'drivers car' and you will be greeted with scorn, and quite rightly.

Student Phil

With regards to your options 333 and although its only a second car, I would still strongly reccommend you go for the Chilli Pack and A/C. It'll make it so much easier to sell on with a decent spec for a much better price.

With regards colour, I quite fancied the yellow until I saw it in the flesh, looks kind of faded for some reason. Again, that colour would also be a nightmare to sell on. Silver with black roof is a sure winner!

Scoobydick

A great second car, fun to drive, engine loves to be thrashed, brilliantly balanced - no understeer/oversteer. It does wheelspin quite easily though. Excellent sat nav system. Not much room in the back but neither does any small car that I've seen. Nice low driving position. The 2003 build has been extremely reliable apparently there were lots of niggles with early ones though.

DJNafey

My dad (well, the whole family actually) has been into Minis for years and years. He is now keen on getting a new BMW Mini cabriolet when they are launched. Well, it takes all sorts I suppose He reckons that he went down to the BMW garage to test drive a Cooper because he had already ruled out the Cooper S based on dismal fuel consumption. He wasn't impressed with it at all (but he is comparing it to his 1380cc Mini which does 0-60 in around 8sec). He said it was just the same as many other new small hatchbacks and it wasn't worth the money.

So then he took out a Cooper S and said it was fantastic - couldn't believe how good it was! He says he can't get hold of one until the end of the year (are you sure they are coming out in July, TVR Gary?) but he is really up for it.

(Unfortunately, he's still keeping his 1380cc soft-top (factory prototype) as well and not selling it to me, the greedy bugger!)

J S W

Depends on what you class as a drivers car. The mini is great if you don't want any trouble and be able to fly round every corner.

Personaly I prefer a car that I have to work where the power needs controling, take a cossie and a mini I think I know which one is a drivers car. I guess that is why people drive P1's instead of an evo. Same difference.

DJNafey

lol, easy mate, that's a bit harsh! I'm a Mini man through and through but I know what he means. Most people would agree that the Mini is a real fun car but an old Cosworth might be a better all-rounder (e.g. motorways). If I was travelling the length and breadth of the country, I probably would prefer not be in a Mini (and I should know, I did travel the length and breadth of the country in one for a couple of years!).

.....or maybe he has just never owned a Mini

si_kosta

If u dont fancy a cooper or cooper S, thy're knocking out a tiddly 1400cc Diseasel!!

A lad i know has been thru several driveshafts, and 3 gearboxes in his mini cooper, its a 2001. But then again, it is slammed on 18s, with dyno rod van paint, so hes a typical joy boy!