3rd Gen F56 Cooper Most liked posts in thread: You're not going to like this review if you've already decided you hate the F56

A real love fest I'll bet....

 

^^^^^ I agree. I can't even see a difference in the front from that angle. Truthfully, it took me a while to get use to the blunt, front end on my R56.

 

Well said....
Looks are what got me to drive a mini the first time....
Then the performance and awesome handling got me to stay....
The fact it has been fun, reasonably reliable, AND good looking for years has been great...
But few "ugly" duckling cars survive.... Even if everything else is right....
The fact many say they feel more BMW than MINI is IMO a minus..... Then iffy looks...not saying I hate it....but sure don't LOVE IT AT FIRST GLANCE....and that is WHY I test dove a MINI....

 

Funny thing is....
I get the feeling that r53's and r50,/r52's were mostly paid for cash (or signifigant down payments)by owners who wanted and could afford an extra car....these days, mini/BMW is selling "special" deals left and right....makes you wonder.....
The gen2 cars seem to be mostly leased or sold with longer loans to folks who are reaching...trying to buy style and status... Like BMW... Rather that just getting what they like....and in most cases can afford, costs be dammned with no worries or cares to fitting into a specific crowd. We bought what we liked, what worked and did our own thing....
I can feel and see the differences in the owners... Both on these boards and at events....maybe I am just getting older....but the brand seems to be moving away from the car crowd and more to the "apple" crowd....but that's just me think out loud....
Not saying apple does not make a mint, but It it is just good design that WORKS...

 

I think this all comes down to visual styling and whether or not we like it. Most of us have not driven it, so we can not give any meaningful feedback on that. BUT we can all say with some certainty whether or not we like the looks. And isn't that something that we all can agree is a big part of the buying decision?

 

BMW routinely has THE highest lease vs purchase rates vs ALL OTHER CARS....fact.
And mini (at least from the adds running locally) is going down the same path....
Negativity.... Hm...more like disgust....I TRY to like the look of the new cars....but can't...just goofy as opposed to cool or cute....they might go like "snot" but for $40,000 I want a car I like the LOOK of....and drives well...I don't want to settle for the ugly duckling...she is not having my baby!! Lol.

 

Actually, I have never felt the JCW interior is cheap and plastic looking. I think the brushed surfaces in both our cars have a great look and when I treat them with Formula 303, they give off a very dark, matte appearance..

No, they aren't cowhide surfaces like you would find in a 911, but I like the interiors myself.

 

Amazing what a couple of decades can do....
I just remember the Porsche's of the early 80's with the extra bumper thinggys added due to US RULES...looked goofy...heck...think most folks unbolted them...was pretty easy to do.

 

By apple crowd I was referring to the demographics of that crowd....very much sought after... Not using that term as a slight in the least. The demographics of the typical apple customer makes most marketers drool.....

 

Yeah the R53 did and still do suck but I took them out in put in a nice set of Recaro's. I have sat in the JCW ones and I still like mine better. :devil:

Good luck with your new F series Jim and at least the JUSTA looks better than the S.