Someobody say a few bad things about new MINIs.

I don't just mean this year's model, but new MINIs in general. I've been lusting after them ever since they came out. Every time I see one go by (and they're getting common) I get jealous. I know they're a "gay" car. I don't care. I know that they are BMWs and will probably blow my mac-and-cheese budget. I don't care. I might as well talk about a trip to the moon as talk about buying one. I don't care.

Every time one of them hums past in traffic, it's like it sets a little hook in my gut and yanks.

Yet, I've never driven one. Never so much as sat in one. I'll bet I could probably bum a drive off of someone if I asked nicely. Hell, I could just go test drive one from a local dealer. But then what if I really, really like it? Then I'm screwed.

So somebody tell me some bad things about them, help me get rid of this fanboi hard-on I've got for MINIs, at least tell me stories about terrifying maintenance costs or something.

Because right now, the transportation I can afford, I'm pedalling.

I never thought of a Mini/MINI as a "gay" car....not that there's anything wrong with that.

It outperforms a Miata and seats four.

I shall talk bad, how short does the driver have to be for a non-double leg amputee to fit in the back? Every time I look at one the front seats are touching the rears.

If you have a Mac and Cheese budget, you can still get one. I'm seeing them pop up here for $10k and under used at dealer lots. It won't be the "S" trim, but who cares?

Personally? I don't like them enough to pay for something that would get stomped by a CRX/Civic for less than half the price.

The only things that i can see that the Mini has going for it at the moment is interior (i DO like it) and styling. (Meh.)

A guy at work got an early model Cooper S and it was a POS. I drove it and was totally underwhelmed. But I did have a guy in the back seat I didn't want to make sick. The transmission would not go in reverse or first, I can't remember which.

John Brown wrote: It outperforms a Miata....

Maybe in a straight line, but that's all.

John Brown wrote: ... and it seats four.

Well, yeah. But since when was that a good thing? And besides, there's not enough room in the back seat to, uhh, play doctor unless you're too young to know why your parents don't like you to do it.

Is that enough bad? Other than needing a brake upgrade and a sway bar for track use, Teri at Flyin' Miata loves her MINI.

They do the exact same thing that a Civic hatch does for FIVE times the price. Think about it, you could buy FIVE CIVIC's. You'd be half way to making your own Fast and Furious movie.

+1 - And 5x the repair bills of a Civic... Besides the only true Mini is the original - this recent rendition is not "mini"

I'll stick with my Mazda 3...

awebb wrote: They do the exact same thing that a Civic hatch does for FIVE times the price. Think about it, you could buy FIVE CIVIC's. You'd be half way to making your own Fast and Furious movie.

I'd like to see this quote in the magazine. Just sayin'.

They make your fellow autocrossers think you're cheating?

well they dont have a spare tire in the car from the factory.

The Interiors are hideous. The look like a 5 year old's walmart bedroom set. Then a couple of years ago they made them worse.

I guess I could put this in the "cars that disappointed you thread," but I was just underwhelmed. The car performs well and does what you ask it to do, but there was just something about it I couldn't put my finger on that I didn't like.

They have a clownish center gage cluster that they even made larger in the newer new MINIs.

When fitted with wheels over 15" they look like cartoon or matchbox cars.

I have driven a few and like them, but I'm not sure I would ever buy one. The styling seems like a silly caricature of a real Mini as envisioned by a five year old me.

Those little minis are around the SF bay area like gnats. I like the look of them.

My only complaint is the use of two tone white and black paint scheme, I'm a known speeder and that damned two tone paint schme spooks me every time I see it.

I know a guy that's using one as his exclusive family car. Personally, I wouldn't be too comfortable having my kid's head 10 inches from the back window, but to each his own. He also recently had to replace the transmission (approx 70k miles), and it cost "several thousand dollars" in his words.

They are a neat car, but not one I ever see myself owning. Too expensive for a toy, too small (for my personal taste) for a DD. I also don't care for the dash, center gauge clusters drive me nuts.

The early ones need a baffle for the massive sunroof, or the buffeting gets unbearable.

I've spent thousands of miles behind the wheel of both versions, and I love them. My Dad bought an S, and once the crappy OE wheels and runflats came off, he loves his.

If I was buying a new car they would be on my shortlist. Your car lust is well founded.....start saving $$!

A friend of mine bought a low mileage dealer car and had so much trouble with it (transmission, ECU, rear suspension mounts, etc) that he made BMW take it back under the lemon law.

My friend indicated that he had some suspicion that the car had been used for some sort of dealer sponsored track days event so perhaps the reliability issues were due to prior abuse.

Having said that, I know tons of folks that race the same Miata season after season with little more than routine maintenance.

It's a witch!

Ahh. Thanks.

It's the styling that gets me, honestly. I remember having the same lust for the round Camaros when they first came out. Just an irrational want, and all the justified good press from my fave magazine hasn't helped. I'm hoping to hold out a little while longer until my financial sitch improves to the point that I can swing a loan for 9-10k that will buy a turbo MINI. It sucks. I've never, ever, ever, gotten a car I realllly wanted. That wasn't actually a crapheap moneypit.

Except for the free Nissan Hardbody. It was a lowering kit and chassis stiffnin away from awesome.

My current car plan is to pedal for a while and save my duckets. I'm hoping 3K will buy a decent Miata. Or at least a ratty Miata with a hardtop. Then I'm gonna DD it. Hey, I'm single, and I can get away with it. The SO once expressed interest in a Miata. So maybe I can use it to turn her to the dark side.

Then, maybe I'll buy a 240SX to follow that up. I miss Nissans.

Back to MINIs-

That bit about the back seat being a joke kinda helps. What I don't get is why MINI couldn't just pull off the Mk2 Golf trick. You could comfortably seat 4 adults in a Golf, yet they were smaller than the MINI.

Hey, Mazda. Yeah, you guys with the silly grins.

Build me a Mk2 Golf with all the crummy parts out, and I'll give you all my money.

This probably won't help, but a co-worker is selling his turbo Miata: http://www.flyinmiata.com/us/for_sale.asp

Recently arrived in Charleston SC.

A Mini JCW Challenge Car.

I wouldn't buy one, but you could give me this one.

http://public.fotki.com/ezelius/arrivalofminijcwcha/

Keith, that car is an absolute STEAL. You would have a hard time replicating it for 10k. I have far more than the asking price into mine, and it is very much not turbocharged .

I like them. In fact, if you want to buy (OK, lease) a 100% electric car anytime in the next two years, it's probably going to be a Mini. The Mini E hits New York and LA this year. I saw it at the auto show and it looks like, oddly enough, a MINI!

I drove the old Mini S (supercharged goodness) and it was EXACTLY what I thought it would be. I loved it. It didn't have a ton of power, but I didn't expect that from a Mini.

I don't think of it as a "gay" car either.

Honestly, just look at it!

http://www.gtspirit.com/uploads/images/mini-coopers-s-works-2.jpg

http://www.carsonpaper.nl/Mini%20Cooper%20S%20final%20edition.jpg