Hi everybody! Looking for some input/feedback here... My girl is getting a new (to her) car, and mpg is the main reason for the move. The $500+ we are putting in the tank of her 2006 Acura MDX suv is just unacceptable (friggen gross is more like it), and we've looked at all the sub-compacts we can swallow... Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Subaru, etc... they all look the same and have the personality of a doorknob! Then there's this Cooper thing... cool lookin', that's for sure! Seriously considering one and leaning toward a yellow 2009 Cooper S we found locally for just under $15k 2009 MINI Cooper - Used Hatchback Shrewsbury MA | Foley Motorsports Seems like 50% more power for a cost of 2 mpg along with everything else the "S" offers is a no-brainer! I know there's tons to learn about any particular vehicle, and I'm just flat out ignorant as to what look for in a MINI... does this one look like a good deal? What gremlins/demons do MINIs have? What options are available & what should I look for? LI'L HELP HERE or ideas :idea: would be fabulous!!!! Thx in advance! Whitie & Frog
MINI is a lifestyle not just a car.......MINI has quirks and MINI needs attention..If you just want a gas and go car you might want to keep looking..Don't get me wrong I LOVE MINI , but I see a lot of people buy MINI's because they are "cute" and then when it comes to repairs they freak out at the cost....If you want a new lifestyle get that MINI. Just my 2 cents.
I ditched mine the minute my warranty ran out lol. They are fun to drive, and you can get a very long life out of them, but they are not going to be nearly as reliable as a NA cooper or other little import cars. The 09's have/had timing tensioner issues, and they all seem to have carbon buildup issues from what I gather. If I ever did it again I'd be looking at '06 S, or a newer non-S That '09 appears to be pretty darned clean overall. Looks like you may want a new Passenger taillight since it is full of moisture in those pics, and it is missing the antenna, but those are just cosmetics
:cornut: By 2009, most of the R56(the car you're looking at) bugs had been worked out. Do make sure that there is some reasonable warranty on it. All of the posts above are correct in my opinion. In greater Mass. area there will be MINI clubs where one can get a lot of help with repairs and advice. Here at MA, we have plenty of knowledge but for 'hands on help', joining a local club has many benefits, mechanical and social. We have a list of nation wide clubs at the top of the page. Good luck and that R56 looks very nice. I have had my 2008 R56 now for 5yrs/73kmi. Jason
Something to keep in mind along with all that has been said is, is there a MINI dealership close to you? In the event you need work done to it that the dealer needs to handle, warranty stuff etc... As has been said the Non "S" car will last longer and get better gas mileage, and have been having less problems... but you have less power of course..
It's done... Well, I did it. I bought a '10 Cooper S 50th anniversary Camder Edition, 1 owner, 48k mi... and the girlfriend didn't buy it, I DID! She was too upside down on her Acura MDX that she just bought in Sept., so I traded in my '02 Benz CLK 430. It had 138k mi., so I figure it was time to go. A little squirt car was never my style previously, as you can imaging coming from a truck driver/biker, but this thing's pretty cool! Seems to be put together much better than the Civic and Corolla we looked at, much quicker, and WAAAY cooler!!! Bottom line is, no matter how many times my buddies have asked me, "Does it come in Men's?" or, "Where's the tampon holder?", I LOVE IT!!! (and at 6'4", 225#, I'll kick their a$$ if they don't shut their trap!!!)
Congrats on your new to you MINI... Their jokes will fade as soon as you give them a ride on a twisty road.
Once you give them a ride ....don't let them back into your Mini until they are on bended knee - BEGGING for another ride and offering their best APOLOGY ... darn Girlie Boys - what do they know .... I'd drop them like you dropped the Benz .... welcome to the Cool World of Mini Attics and M/A
Take them for a ride on a twisty road and make them get sick (outside of your car) and then smile and say "yeah my girls car did that".
Sorry we should have warned you that you would end up with a MINI. Once you start you can't stop. The best thing for you to do is just except the fact you will become a MINIac and everything will be ok.....and when your friends end up with MINI's , thats when you can sit back and laugh.
I'm about the same height and weight as you. I don't get too many digs from friends though. The drives on twisties put an end to that right quick. :devil:
(He's scratching his head asking 'What's a Twistie?') MotorcycleRoads.US - Great Motorcycle Roads in the US Also some links every MINI person should have in their Favorites file. Mini Cooper Info. 1st gen. Minis, Mini Parts, Mini performance, Mini specs Top Tier Gasoline Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada LightInSight - Windshield Mounted Traffic Light Lens MotoringFile | MotoringFile | MINI news, reviews and opinion. MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Clubman, Countryman
Congrats on the new MINI! Looks great! If you're interested in a MINI club, check out my club, MINIs of Boston. I'm not sure where about you live but if your South of Boston, you can also check out Southern MA MINIs. https://www.facebook.com/SouthernMAMINIs?ref=ts&fref=ts Hope to see you at a local MINI Meet in the near future!
Keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road; the quick steering can get you into trouble very quickly. It's not that the car is lightning fast; just reacts quickly to the slightest twitch - it's called handling. Love it!
Haha, the first day I got mine my co-workers told me "men that's a girls car" then I offered a ride and now they said WTH you have on that Mini? Damn that thing is fast!!!