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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences MINI Cooper Prices Paid and Buying Experience
1059 messages, Last post on Jul 06, 2008 at 7:17 PM
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Hi I've got my eye on a base, automatic MINI and am wondering which options are really worth it. I'm going to buy a 2006 off the lot from one of the dealers. I'm trying to keep my costs to a minimum, since I want, not need, this car. Also, I have NEVER owned a car (even though I'm 41!) I've lived in London and New York city and have never needed one. (But I"ve been driving since I was 15). Anyway comments on the following would be much appreciated. 1. How good/bad is a sunroof? I read some of these posts that say they rattle or something? And that they are hot and the shade doesn't block the sun...true? Is the benefit of being able to open them that much better--or rather $850 better? Does it help their resale value? I think if I sold in a few years, I'd be selling to someone in New York City, where, because of it's small size, is a very practical car and perhaps easier to sell than in other cities. 2. Is there anyway to add your own ipod connector? Assuming you get the CD option, is there anyway to buy the $15 cable yourself and attach it to the car stereo? Seems like 170-270 that Ive seen quoted for this feature aren't really worth it. I read on the net that you can usually pull a car stereo out and attach these yourself. Anyone done it? (I know you can use a cassette plug but probably won't have that option. Also, I don't think those FM transmitters work well at all, very sketchy reception I've found.) 3. Do they feel scary on the highway next to those gigantic trucks? I'd only occasionally do long drives like this, mostly keep it to NYC, but still, I have some concern about being in truck's blind spot or being trampled and crushed by these monsters....I know about the air bags etc. Anyway, have any thoughts? 4. I'm a little confused on the snow ice situation. These posts have said contradictory things. Is the car OK as is, basic model? What if it doesn't ahve that Dynamic stability control? I might drive to Vermont ONCE during the winter. I guess common sense dictates that if there were a snowstorm, I'd just delay my trip and not drive till it's all over (although I have driven through a blizzard in an SUV--while witnessing many car wrecks along the highway the whole way) 5. Fog lamps I thought I should get these for safety reasons but then one of the dealers said that realistically you don't drive in fog much and these are more decorative options than really that funcitonal. If you ahve lights at all they should be good in the few foggy times you may drive...true? 6. The arm rest seems ridicously small and impractical--not a good enough arm rest to be worth $200 bucks...any thoughts? 7. what is the difference between regular seats and sports seats? 8. If you get the basic stereo can you upgrade on your own with something cheaper than the Harmon Karmon or whatever it's called? Or are the holes/spaces for speakers, stereo only to fit their particular models? 9. finally, I've noticed that a few dealers have a few cars listed that are slightly below the cost if I add up all the options (on their websites). Is this a fluke? I'm looking to buy a 2006 and it's now 17 Nov....any chance that waiting 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, etc. would allow me to get a cheaper car with more options? I was told by a dealer that the 2007s come in February. thanks in advance for any advice tica
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First off, consider the manual transmission - takes a few weeks to learn, but the reality is that the base Mini is hopelessly underpowered. Secondly, wait 1-2 months. Get the 2007 model. The Base 2007 will have a bigger engine and hopefully a better dash layout as well.(plus various small glitches fixed, being a second generation Mini) 1:Sunroof is too far back to be useable, really. And they all tend to eventually leak or wear out(all cars, really). 2&8:Aftermarket is the way to go. Get something with a nice front-panel input jack or one that can be routed to the glovebox. OR, just get the glovebox connector. 3:Welcome to the world all of us face. Semis scare most drivers at first - and well, still do most of the time. Just give them a wide berth. 4:traction control is a godsend in bad weather if you aren't experienced at it. OTOH, it will also make you tend to feel more confident and go faster than you should, so just keep that in mind. 5:Fog lamps are good. Always. And they look cool.  6:I like it, but I can see how it might get in the way. Then again, I highly suspect that this will be addressed with the 2007 models. 7:some fancy trim and a bit of side padding. ie - not much, really. 2007 models are rumored to have slightly better seats as well.(ie - the basic seat isn't quite as basic) 9:The old style/design is going to depreciate fast and MSRP isn't even possible now with the 2007s coming out. Being that this s a very faddish car, you really want the 2007, IMO, as it will hold its value better. |
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Replying to: tica (Nov 17, 2006 10:04 am) 1) I love the sunroof. This is a very personal thing. Some say they are too heavy and too hot. I only got my car in late Oct. so it's hard to say if it gets too hot in the summer. You can get them tinted though. I may do that if I find it too hot in the summer. But on a nice fall day or a nice summer night... it is great to ride with it open! I want to open it more, but it's been raining! 2) I have the Aux input and it works just great. I was going to get the iPod adapater, but at $150 vs. $450, i went with the Aux input. I just plug my iPod in and set it in the cupholder, which holds it fine... either shuffle or playlist and I'm good to go. I can charge through a 3rd party adapter (I use the Griffin iTrip, and just ignore the FM transmitter part of it). Supposedly the Aux input is easy to install, but i'm not mechanically inclined. 3) so far, not much experience here... I have driven it next to trucks. I have to say, the MCS has a lot of power in 5th and 6th gear... so it is good for passing. i imagine the MC would do fine also. i'm more worried about rock chips than truckers not seeing me. I worry about SUV drivers not seeing me! 4) I added DSC at the last minute (+$500) because I heard that all American cars were going to have it standard as a requirement in like 5 years. Figured it would help with resale if I sell it in 5 years or so. 5) don't have fog lamps. If I'd had the money, I would have bought this, just for the extra safety. I've heard people they are a great safety feature in the fog, but not completely necessary. 6) I have the armrest because I always find myself leaning that way when driving. It works fine. Not much storage and the OEM version has a habit of sliding open if you hit it or lean on it wrong. However, it feels pretty strong and I have my arm on it even when shifting, so it doesn't interfere. 7) I love the sports seats... they have a bit of a bolster on the sides of the back and seat. The regular seats are flatter. I was going to get an MC originally and add the Sport Seats, so I'm all for them. Plus I think they look better. Also, leatherette is great... the real leather apparently doesn't fare well over time and is $$$$ 8) I love the stock stereo... no problems. And I have a pretty critical ear, but can't help much on aftermarket. 9) I don't think waiting will improve things much. If anything dealers may start to raise prices as their stock goes down. I would think in late Dec/early Jan., most dealers stocks are going to be slim, while they wait for the 07. My opinion on the 07... it is supposed to be a better engine and ride, but I would be too worried about buying the new production of a car for the first two years. Supposedly the 02-03 MINIs had a fair amount of problems that have been worked out through 04-06 models. Also, although there are some things I like about the new models, I don't like the center stack design as much as the 06 model. good luck... don't wait too long or you might not be able to be that picky about what you get. oh yeah... just to give you a few more things to consider.... i have the hyper blue/black roof, hyper blue interior with chrome line interior (great upgrade) and the anthracite headliner (also a great upgrade). I love the look of my car. AND rubber floor mats are great... especially for wet/winter weather! |
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Replying to: tica (Nov 17, 2006 10:04 am) First thing: I'd strongly recommend a manual. The automatic Cooper is a CVT, and it's a dog. It's almost dangerous the way it accelerates from a standstill. I own an S, but a Manual base Cooper is also a blast to drive--although I prefer the S, the Manual base Cooper is a hoot too, and if the S wasn't an option, I'd get one in a second. 1. I love the sunroof. It's so large, in comparison to the roof, almost like having a convertible when it's open. The premium package is also desirable, and will make it easier to sell down the road. 2. Ditto on the aux/in. Very easy to install; I did it in less than 10 minutes. 3. No problems with semis--the car has such a wide stance, and low center of gravity, I get less blustering than I do with my relatively higher SUV. 4. DSC is great when you're moving, but it makes taking off scary at times, it slows you down so much. Overall it's worth it though, and will help with resale. It's fine in snow and slick weather--the only exception being deep snow. 5. Get the fog lamps if you can afford them, if for nothing else, the cosmetics. The front of the car looks significantly better with them; otherwise you have two black holes, and the car looks unfinished. 6. I have the armrest, and I like it, but it's only good rather than great. It's a little creaky; it's not very good for storage (the european parcel shelf is though, and you might want to consider getting that instead); they could have made it a bit more solid. I use it all the time though; if you're only going to use it occasionally, I'd skip it. 7. Get sport seats. Of all the things you listed, it's probably the single most important thing. The regular seats are dreadful--you feel like you're going to slip out of them; they lack support. The sport seats are good--not great, but good and are definitely worth it. 8. The H/K is significantly better than the stock stereo. Unfortunately the Mini is not the most favorable car to put an aftermarket stereo in--it's not impossible, but it's not as easy as it is in a more conventional car. 9. I don't think there's going to be a huge depreciation--supply and demand are still way far apart. There will be a hit in depreciation, but it won't be dramatic. I'd wait for the 2008's like was mentioned if you want the new model though--BMW's track record with the first Mini wasn't so hot--it took several years for all the bugs to get worked out. And don't forget, there are a number of people who like the 2006's (Myself included) over the new model; and there is a school of thought that the initial generation is going to be the one the collectors go after in 20 years... I'd disagree that the Mini is a fad car. It has a fanatical following, unlike anything I've ever seen; here the 2006's are at the end of the cycle, and demand is as high as when the car was introduced in 2002. It's anything but a fad car--it's here to stay. |
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Hi thank you all for the info. Just a few reply comments-- 1. MANUAL unfortunately, manual is not for me. I've barely ever do it and it terrifies me. Plus I think that NYC stop-start driving, means that it's not a good choice for here. I feel like I'd get into crashes by not being able to react quickly enough. I've had 26 years practice driving automatic though! I did test drive the basic mini and went on the Hudson freeway. I didn't notice any lag or lack of power. I'm no car expert so maybe it was there, but it certainly wasn't anything that was evident to me. So I have a feeling it just for you serious-car people out there... 2. IPOD So HOW did you put your own iPOD in the car stereo exactly? 3. ARMREST I like the idea of having one, but this seemed like an awful one, no storage to speak of, didn't look very sturdy and just didn't seem worth $200 or whatever it is. 4. FOG LAMPS It seems iwth the fog lamps that they have to come from the factory and not many cars seem to have them, (at least the cheaper cars>) So I may hav eto miss those anyway. 5. SUNROOF This still confuses me as there seem to be an equal number of totally opposing opinion in favor and not about them! 6. Now I'm just at the place where I either take the next step and get the thing, or decide that I don't 'need' a car in NYC and should save the money instead! (and just vow to take more taxis or soething) thanks! |
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Replying to: tica (Nov 18, 2006 2:11 pm) If you're not familar with it, CVT stands for continuos variable transmission--it doesn't have gears, like a standard automatic does. When you drive it, you'll notice no gear shifts. In theory, it sounds great, and it works relatively well on some cars, but it's a disaster of a transmission on the Mini. Just wait when you need a quick burst of acceleration--either starting from a standstill, or on the highway merging--and it's not there. It's borderline dangerous. I had some work done on my car, and was given the auto (CVT) manual for a couple of days as a loaner. I talked with the salesman about how bad I thought it was--and he agreed. It's the least desirable Mini to own... On the other hand, the 2007 will have a conventional automatic, with gears--and the reviews I've read have been very favorable, especially in comparison to the older CVT. Again, it's your car, but if you're definitely getting an automatic, I'd definitely get the 2007 (or 2008 if you can wait that long). As for the ipod, there are two easy ways to do this (there are several more ways, but they are more difficult). You can have dealer installed ipod adapter, which is expensive, 150 bucks or so NOT including instillation, but has the advantage of being controlled through the steering wheel. Or you can buy and install a cheap aux/in yourself--that's what I did--or have the dealer do it (albeit for an outrageous fee, considering it takes all of 10 minutes to install. You could also try to negotiate a free installation--the aux/in is only 40 bucks or so (I actually got mine on sale for thirty), and it's so easy to install, I doubt the dealer would want to lose a sale over it). I've also got Sirius, and the dealer installed ipod interface--the one controlled via the steering wheel--isn't an option with Sirius. The aux/in is though, and it works great. The only downside is you have to control your music through the ipod, but you can use anything in that aux/in--it doesn't have to be an ipod. |
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Replying to: cct1 (Nov 20, 2006 4:27 pm) thanks for that info..hmmm...well all this gears and CVT info is definitely boy knowledge--You know, like bugs, tractors and electrical stuff So I REALLY appreciate this feedback. I definitely cannot do manual, but hmmm wait for the 2007..I hadn't thought about that since everyone seems so down on doing this first-year cars. Does anyone know how much more expensive the base price on the 2007 will be?
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Replying to: tica (Nov 20, 2006 7:41 pm) All in all, if you're going for a Cooper, and an automatic, I'd strongly recommend the 2007 over the 2006--you're going to have a much better transmission, and for the other goodies you're getting, as well as an overall improvement in the car, that extra 600 is worth it. Personally I'd wait for the 2008 if I could, but I'd be more comfortable with a 2007 with a standard automatic transmission than a 2006 with the CVT. You'll also do better with depreciation when it comes time to sell, which will offset some of that 600 bucks. Just my 2 cents.... The other advantage of ordering the 2007 is that you'll be able to order EXACTLY what you want, and personalize it to your liking--that's half the fun of getting a Mini! There are some very cool new interior options (many of which are simply choices rather than extras--you can set up a unique interior, and have it not cost you a dime extra). |
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Replying to: tica (Nov 20, 2006 7:41 pm) Okay.... I had to say something in support of the MINI with the CVT transmission. I have a 2006 Mini Cooper S with the CVT transmission. Both my husband and I drive it, and we haven't noticed anything that I would consider "dangerous" in the 6,000 miles we have put on it. I've had previous cars with automatics (Honda, Audi, VW, Porsche, etc.) and think the transmission in my MINI (manufactured in July 2006) shifts good and hard when put into "Sport" mode or when you stomp on the gas pedal in the "normal" mode. However, occasionally I've noticed the "lag" when starting off at a stand-still. Again... I wouldn't label it as dangerous. One bummer thing is that you won't get as good of gas mileage with the automatic. I average about 28 mpg with all around driving. The highest MPG I got was 31 and that was strictly highway speeds (60-80+ MPH). I hope this helps, Brenda P.s. Anyone else out there own a MCS with the CVT transmission care to comment? My new love's specs: 2006 Mini Cooper S, Hyper blue w/white top & bonnet stripes, chrome exterior & chrome interior, Premium/Sport/Convenience/& Cold Weather pkgs, black panther English leather interior, cockpit chrono pack, Harmon Kardon stereo, etc. We've already racked nearly 6,000 miles on it. I had a nice long road trip driving it home from out of state this September... I guess it's not as new anymore. 
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Replying to: tica (Nov 20, 2006 7:41 pm) As far as the CVT goes its far from being dangerous. Again we are talking about NYC roads, you are not overtaking cars on a twisty 2 lane roads in the country. It does have its quirks, however having "gears" is no guarantee of it being better. For example my Audi quattro WITH gears lurches forward after a stop due to all the intertia of the quattro and transmission. I'm not saying that the 2007 won't be better than the CVT, I'm saying that I would reserve judgement until driving it. My recomendation is test drive the 2006 in the city and see how you like it. If you are ok with it and can get a "deal" or don't want to wait go for it. Also remember when you are inching along and 1 MPH it does not matter if you have a 500HP or a 50HP engine. |
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