Since stealthe requested my thoughts on the MINI
The following comments about MINIs are based on my own Indy Blue 2003 MINI Cooper(not S) in the 5 speed manual transmission with the Sport(traction control, run-flat tires, and rear spoiler), Premium(dual pane sunroof, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel), and the Cold Weather(heated seats, heated side mirrors) packages. I also have the MINI iPod connectivity kit for listening to tunes on the road.
Good:
Handling - Granted I haven't driven many true sports cars(though I have driven many of the high performance sport sedans), but the MINI certainly corners as well as any of them. This is due to the use of a modified BMW 3 series chassis(though I'm told that future model year MINIs will not feature this chassis).
Gas mileage - I get 30+ miles to the gallon, though the car does run on Premium. I'm told that the S version(with the supercharger) gets about 4-5mpg less.
German engineering - The car has a very solid construction(I got rearended by a Neon and basically ended up with just a bit of body damage while the Neon got totalled). It's a fairly heavy car for the size, which shows off that it's not a plastic car like many of the others on the market. There's lots of little neat ideas in the car that make for a more pleasant experience. Lots of little touches like keyfob opening the sunroof, auto volume adjusting with the speed of the car to compensate for engine noise, steering wheel controls all contribute to a fun ride.
Space - It seems like a small car, but it's actually fairly roomy inside. I'm not a small guy by any means(6'1"), and there's plenty of headroom for me. The backseat's small, and requires some negotiation between the front and the rear passengers, but it's doable. Plus since the top of the car goes straight back, the people in the rear actually do have a fair bit of headroom even if they don't have legroom. The rear seats can be folded down, so you've got the cargo room of a midsized sedan(I can fit a full size DDR pad flat in the back).
Warranty - The warranty covers all of the service for the car while under it. Oil changes, repairs and such are all free as long as you take the car to the MINI dealership. Oil changes do occur at about 10k miles which struck me as odd, but the car uses synthetic oil which lasts much longer.
Parking - It's easy to find parking spots since it's a small car, though oftentimes it can get hidden behind a hugeass SUV.
Bad:
Engine power - I don't have the S version, and it definately underpowered. The manual transmission helps to use it more, but the automatic is a CVT, so that might not be too much of a difference. The supercharger adds about 50% more horsepower
Price - When it bought it, it was a popular enough car that there wasn't much in the way of negotiation about price. I'm not sure how it is now, but from what I've been hearing BMW has been limiting production to prevent the rapid price drops that hit the new Beetle from occuring with the MINI.
Options:
Sunroof - The dual pane sunroof is absolutely awesome. It covers almost the entire top of the car, plus with windows all around, it almost feels almost as open to the outside world as a convertible. Definatley worth getting.
iPod connectivity - There may be some better options for various cars on the market now, but the MINI was one of the first to have a connector that emulates a CD changer. My iPod is stowed away nicely in the glove compartment, when I start the car, it resumes from when I stopped it. Plus I can use the steering wheel controls to change songs, adjust volume, and such on the iPod. Very much worth it if you're an iPod fanatic.
Run flat tires - Never used them, but it is nice to know that if I'm getting shot at in a high speed car chase that my tires won't blow out under me.
Traction control - Think ABS for engine power. It auto-limits power to your wheels to keep your tires attached to the road. Gives you the ability to push the car hard in a safe fashion. Plus there's a very convenient toggle for it so if you want to skid out of control, it's available at your fingertips.
Heated seats - Teh hawtness. I never thought they would be that nice, but now I don't think I'd buy another car without them.
Overall, I love my car. It's nice to have a distinctive car that sets itself apart from the crowd. While the engine performance leaves a bit to be desired, the cornering is fantastic and is a joy to drive on those twisty back roads. The creature comforts in the car are a bit nicer than what one can find on a Civic or the like, but aren't quite as top tier as true luxury car. The interior design of the car takes a bit of getting used to, as it attempts to defy many of the popular conventions(that don't necessarily have a good reason for existing) with their own twist on things. There's a very passionate following of people who own MINIs, and we always wind up waving to each other when we pass each other on the road. If I were to do it all over again, I'd probably wind up getting much the same car(though likely the S version). As it stands now, there's the huge temptation to join the dark side of ricing to eek out more performance.
Good:
Handling - Granted I haven't driven many true sports cars(though I have driven many of the high performance sport sedans), but the MINI certainly corners as well as any of them. This is due to the use of a modified BMW 3 series chassis(though I'm told that future model year MINIs will not feature this chassis).
Gas mileage - I get 30+ miles to the gallon, though the car does run on Premium. I'm told that the S version(with the supercharger) gets about 4-5mpg less.
German engineering - The car has a very solid construction(I got rearended by a Neon and basically ended up with just a bit of body damage while the Neon got totalled). It's a fairly heavy car for the size, which shows off that it's not a plastic car like many of the others on the market. There's lots of little neat ideas in the car that make for a more pleasant experience. Lots of little touches like keyfob opening the sunroof, auto volume adjusting with the speed of the car to compensate for engine noise, steering wheel controls all contribute to a fun ride.
Space - It seems like a small car, but it's actually fairly roomy inside. I'm not a small guy by any means(6'1"), and there's plenty of headroom for me. The backseat's small, and requires some negotiation between the front and the rear passengers, but it's doable. Plus since the top of the car goes straight back, the people in the rear actually do have a fair bit of headroom even if they don't have legroom. The rear seats can be folded down, so you've got the cargo room of a midsized sedan(I can fit a full size DDR pad flat in the back).
Warranty - The warranty covers all of the service for the car while under it. Oil changes, repairs and such are all free as long as you take the car to the MINI dealership. Oil changes do occur at about 10k miles which struck me as odd, but the car uses synthetic oil which lasts much longer.
Parking - It's easy to find parking spots since it's a small car, though oftentimes it can get hidden behind a hugeass SUV.
Bad:
Engine power - I don't have the S version, and it definately underpowered. The manual transmission helps to use it more, but the automatic is a CVT, so that might not be too much of a difference. The supercharger adds about 50% more horsepower
Price - When it bought it, it was a popular enough car that there wasn't much in the way of negotiation about price. I'm not sure how it is now, but from what I've been hearing BMW has been limiting production to prevent the rapid price drops that hit the new Beetle from occuring with the MINI.
Options:
Sunroof - The dual pane sunroof is absolutely awesome. It covers almost the entire top of the car, plus with windows all around, it almost feels almost as open to the outside world as a convertible. Definatley worth getting.
iPod connectivity - There may be some better options for various cars on the market now, but the MINI was one of the first to have a connector that emulates a CD changer. My iPod is stowed away nicely in the glove compartment, when I start the car, it resumes from when I stopped it. Plus I can use the steering wheel controls to change songs, adjust volume, and such on the iPod. Very much worth it if you're an iPod fanatic.
Run flat tires - Never used them, but it is nice to know that if I'm getting shot at in a high speed car chase that my tires won't blow out under me.
Traction control - Think ABS for engine power. It auto-limits power to your wheels to keep your tires attached to the road. Gives you the ability to push the car hard in a safe fashion. Plus there's a very convenient toggle for it so if you want to skid out of control, it's available at your fingertips.
Heated seats - Teh hawtness. I never thought they would be that nice, but now I don't think I'd buy another car without them.
Overall, I love my car. It's nice to have a distinctive car that sets itself apart from the crowd. While the engine performance leaves a bit to be desired, the cornering is fantastic and is a joy to drive on those twisty back roads. The creature comforts in the car are a bit nicer than what one can find on a Civic or the like, but aren't quite as top tier as true luxury car. The interior design of the car takes a bit of getting used to, as it attempts to defy many of the popular conventions(that don't necessarily have a good reason for existing) with their own twist on things. There's a very passionate following of people who own MINIs, and we always wind up waving to each other when we pass each other on the road. If I were to do it all over again, I'd probably wind up getting much the same car(though likely the S version). As it stands now, there's the huge temptation to join the dark side of ricing to eek out more performance.