MotoringFile Most liked posts in thread: MINI Not Too Worried About The Fiat 500

I'm still interested in taking one out for a test drive. Especially the Abarth edition.

 

What else would they say....

Found it interesting in the comment section how some were debating the statement: "premium", and weather or not the Mini was truly a premium vehicle. First one must consider that premium is not luxury. The Mini, especially when it first came out is a premium small car with features unheard of in small cars before our little car changed the market. Before the BMW Mini small cars were seen as basic transportation with few advanced features like ABS, DSC, 6 airbags, great brakes and suspension components and geometry, etc, not to forget an interesting interior with some more upscale features and surfaces....

The new Mini Cooper made the Fiat possible......but I'll keep my MCS, thank you very much.

 

I'm concerned that MINI is "premiuming" itself right out of the market it created. Don't forget, a large part of what made the MINI attractive was the affordability quotient - that's been largely moving quietly out the door the last few years. When the Coupster, Paceman and Roadster hit - and I think each one will be progressively more expensive - you could see $40K MINIs as the norm!

If (when) that happens, it leaves a lot of market room underneath for Abarth 500's and iQ's to pounce on.

I seriously doubt there will be any Countryman sold for less than $30K, and most will be $35K or more....they're easing us upward....

 

+ 1

The bang for the buck that MINI once had is gone.

 

Couple of ways to look at it.....

Without competition.... the natural progression is to continue to raise prices.
If competition becomes fierce, cost cutting will take place...
The issue then becomes, will we like what gets eliminated from the MINI in the future?

 

MINI....Premium brand?... :lol::lol::lol:

 

Back in the day(mid 70's) I had a chance at a Fiat, but I got a classic 67 Mini instead. That will likely be a pattern with me unless I can get a;


Mark

 

The 124 Spyder is one nice Fiat.

Nice car if you can find one without tin worms living in it.

 

Thanks Mark Just seeing green grass has made my grey, overcast, snow covered ground day a lot better :cornut:

 

Yeah, it's gray here too. Isn't it time for spring.

Mark

 

......spring...YES!!!!

 

So that's what grass looks like. You mean it isn't white? :lol:

Jim

 

To bring us semi back on topic.....

I present old FIAT's on parade.

Old fiat ..: Digital Photography Review

 

MINI like many other types of products can distinguish itself not only by charging a premium price but also delivering premium product. Its nice to have bells and whistles and bowling shoes you can drive with but when you have repeated problems like cold-start problem, blown clutches, HPFP and dealers that refuse to give the driver the benfit of the doubt, MINI are only going to call itself a 'premium' only because it refers to itself that way, not because reviewers and customers refer to them in those terms.

Premium goods that are built to last backed by premium service makes for good value.

 

Very good point about premium service. Our experience with the service department while under warranty started out well and went to crap very quickly. Now I'd just about rather take a stick in the eye than go there for any work to be done....

 

The dealer experience IS important, and contributes hugely to the over all "premium" experience - just ask any Lexus owner what their service experience is like.

I feel very fortunate that our local MINI dealer is top drawer, I've never had reason to give them anything but 5X5's, but when I read about the travails others have, I wonder how it all could have gone so wrong.

Rixter has it right..."Premium goods that are built to last backed by premium service makes for good value."

And I might add, repeat and referral customers too...

 

From what I have read on line tends to indicate that some MINI's have a number of problems and some do not. Some dealers are really bad and some are not. The rattle and window dipper problems were design flaws and were corrected. Is all this really any different with other brands?

Jim

 

What about the MINI would be considered premium? It's BMW's entry-level car....not exactly premium. It's a fun, stylish econo hatch....not that that's a bad thing. It's hardly a premium brand though, IMO.