MINI (BMW) Sold out!

So, if we disagree with you we're not allowed to express our opinion, we should just "motor on"?

Did I get that right?

Because I don't agree with you.

I'm older than most members on this board, so you would think I'd be the one most resistant to change, but I find change invigorating, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Do I need all of it or buy all of it? No....

But I can't complain about the tech or the development of the car. I don't think I'm going to like the way the F56 looks - I'm waiting till I see it in person - but the functionality of the R53 -R56 dash and interior - while interesting and different - is not well thought out and difficult to use. It needed changing.

I'll be excited to see how the car runs with the new 3 and 2 liter 4 cylinder engines and lighter weight tho.

I think this argument is a lot like those complaining about how the F1 cars look - they look that way to comply with the rules. Same with our new cars - Euro pedestrian rules are at the root of the long toucan noses on new cars - not Banglesque designers. ( I agree that if the public doesn't get it - the designer did not get his point made correctly) Same with the interior, the majority of new MINI buyers did not like the ergonomics of the old cars - hence the changes. First and foremost MINI is in business to sell cars, so their new products need to appeal to more than a small core group. It's difficult pleasing everyone, that's for sure.....

So you motor on in your R-53 and be happy.

I'll do the same, there's plenty of road out there for all of us.

But this continued bitching by R53 owners about how MINI screwed up the new car is just tiresome......

 

Good rant. The first one that is.

It's funny, BMW is doing kind of the same thing that Mini did with the original Classic Mini--when they went to the Clubman facelift, trying to look more "modern", and increasing the overhang--and it looked like crap, and it's the least desirable classic. They eventually went back to a semblance of the original design, and although not quite the same look as the originals, it was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and people still buy the later classic Mini's.

But the 1969-1980 Classic Mini Clubman design represents the black hole of MINIdom, and I fear the F56 is recreating that vortex of poor taste.

I'll welcome the F56 crowd, despite their tragic mistake. And for those who don't like the R53 crowd complaining, they get a big fat Motor On. It's an internet board, if it bothers you, ignore it--if you don't read it, it doesn't get tiresome, and you avoid your narcolepsy issue altogether, and if there's enough ignoring, the thread goes away. There is plenty of space for MINI apologists over at MF, they specialize in that over there. Here, at least you can read both sides.

But opinions is what keep the boards going, and most of this is in fun. People have taken shots at the R53, that's fair, it's a opinion, and regardless how obviously wrong it is, it doesn't bother me.

 

I do have concerns about the proliferation of built in high tech nanny assistants; reliability and reliability. Anvils and crowbars are extremely reliable. As parts are added they become geometrically less reliable.
As drivers come to rely more and more on driving assistants does the opportunity for havoc increase? At what point does that potential havoc become less the fault of an inattentive driver and fall more on the shoulders of the manufacturer...or visa versa?

An anecdotal case in point is what I consider to be a poorly conceived TV commercial by Mazda wherein the lady driver, with children in the car, is focused on a lady standing by the roadside and doesn't become aware of traffic, with children in the back seat, stopped at a red light until her conveyance stops for her.

 

Yeah, but my mom IS ugly. I can handle it though.

 

MCS02 I agree 100%. AMEN

It's about the car company (BMW) effing up the MINI brand not the people that own them.

The R53 will live forever like the true Mini classic.

 

Aw for cryin' out loud, All new MINI's look alike!

I have to look really close an' squint alot, to tell the difference between a series one and a series two MINI.

Dave

 

That coming next......

The 4th gen will not even be a MINI.

The MINI lineup will be putti between the other BMWs.
The JUSTA will be .5 series BMW.
The S will be 1.5 series BMW
The JCW will be a 2.5 series BMW.

I am very glad I got my 1st Gen R53 when I did and I will not sell it unless some comes and offers me a butt load of money. Then I will buy another R53 or original GP and do it all over again.

 

Polar ends of the earth, good posts #1 and #2. We will have to wait and see and welcome the new owners when they find M/A.

I am sure those new 2.0 engines will wax us all.

Don

 

I am not worried about a 2.0 car that's ugly. I will whoop its ass and look better doing it.

 

I agree BMW is making Mini, less Mini like. The people that drive Minis are a great bunch even the ones that are hung up on the R53.

 

Well, it's clear that I completely misunderstood the OP's rant, and I have to say I'm still a bit confused about what his complaint is......

But for my part, I like my Gen 2 Clubby, I liked my Gen 1 JCW, and I'll probably find plenty to like about the F cars....... and I don't see anyone being forced by anyone to like something. If you like it you buy it, if you don't, you don't. Simple enough, right?

The one complaint I have has to do with the extreme escalation of the price........how come no one complains about THAT?

I mean, $40K plus??????

 

Well I think its because a lot of people lease cars and don't buy them and 40K is cheap for a BMW. People now a days don't buy cars because they don't want to take care of them or pay them off and own a car. Everyone wants a new car ever 2-3 years and car payments forever. :mad2:

I also think that leasing was a big driving factor behind the MINI next program. (Lease returns)

 

I never understood why anybody would want to rent a car for 3 years, and have people dictate how far you can drive, what you can and cant do, and where you have maintenance done.

Thats what a lease is...

 

Leasing is what you do for a car thats an appliance. I have done it in the past for cars I considered disposable. Then I only paid for what I used and didn't care about the rest. My other cars at the time are what I cared about.

 

I never leased anything in my whole life except getting a new lease on life after bypass, so answer this question for me. Had my co-pilot and I been leasing Friskie (I doubt we'd have named the wee laddie under those conditions) we would not have been able to take our fantastic trip half way across the country to visit Gettysburg, PA, upper NY, VT and etc. to the tune of just short of 5000 miles? ...all that added to the daily trips to the donut shop for morning coffee with a few other old farts of dubious renown?

 

My wife leased 2 Audrey's. Not my idea, her's. First one was a good car, but the second was a piece of carp. Had we owned it we'd have lemon lawed it. Trouble was in this state you can't lemon law a lease car. God was I happy when that turd went back to Audrey. Since those were lease cars they were never bonded with like a car guy or car gal bonds with their car. Just a rental transportation device. Never again, Audrey or a lease.

 

The gov't is mandating more and more "safety" items into cars each year. Air bags and ABS I can agree with. TPMS, why? Are we really too lazy or stupid to check our own tire pressures? Obviously yes. Now we have back up cameras, park assist, lane departure warnings, adaptive headlamps, and the list goes on and on. Never mind all the while this makes the cars more expensive to buy, maintain and repair. Not to mention MINI could maybe address some of the reliability issues as well.