MINI says it all - compact, tight, and chock full of fun -- NEWLY UPDATED
Written: Dec 27 '03 (Updated Dec 07 '04)
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Pros: TOO MANY to list!
Cons: small size- not great for fat people like me, no spare (run flat tires)
The Bottom Line: Just get one. You'll love it more every day. Fun, inexpensive when considering all the features like SAFETY.
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| gr8chef2b's Full Review: 2004 MINI Cooper |
The MINI COOPER S is the coolest car on the planet! I'm getting right to the point. MSRP is a very generous number that most dealer's won't budge from because it is still being limited in imports. Don't expect that you can talk them down because you may get a free set of floor mats out of the deal at the most; don't hold your breath. It's priced to sell if you know anything about cars. This car is made to last for generations ... not five years and then turn it in! This is not a car to lease ... it's a car to own. Here's what you get besides what they tell you on the website.
In the MINI Cooper S, you get a six speed transmission that is electronically assisted ... that means it's a no brainer to drive so even if you are afraid of a stick shift, it's designed to be user friendly.
At 75 MPH you are barely taching 3000 rpm! That's amazing considering redline is somewhere around 6500. That means in english that you have plenty of power left to do whatever you want. In a fully loaded car with about 800 pounds of people and cargo we were going uphill (a two mile hill) in 6th gear ... at 75 without a sweat. Not even my Jeep Cherokee 4.0 L High Output engine can match that performance. And this is a very small engine in comparison. At only 164 HP it's very impressive.
You get cool features like a remote key that you never have to change the battery on or worry about forgetting to change it because the battery in the key charges everytime you put it into the ignition and run the car. That's amazing! I got caught outside in the rain once (with my Jeep) because my alarm would not deactivate and allow me to start my car because the battery in the transmitter was dead. That caused the car battery to die ... that was a pain in my butt! I ripped the alarm out so that I would never worry about that again but MINI has made it very practical.
When you leave the car, should you forget the passenger side window open or the sunroof (sunroof optional for about $800 - but it covers practically the whole roof) , just turn the key and the windows close without you having to get back in or walk around ... they thought of everything.
The interior lights dim and glow rather than flash on and off when you come in. There's nothing like getting blinded trying to come into your car when it's dark out or when leaving your car after a long drive at night. They softly dim on or off and it's very soft on the eyes.
The wipers when put on intermittent speed, get this ... they adjust to the speed of the car ... that is the faster you drive, the faster they cycle to wipe .. that means you turn them on and forget about them ... no readjusting ... leaving you to concentrate on the important things ... driving!
My father is a mechanic. He used to work on the Ferrari racing teams in ITALY in the sixties. He remembers the quality of the MINI back then. They were very reputable and for what they were they put on a mean competition. This car has not changed in it's integrity.
Although owned by BMW today, the car is distinctly MINI in appearance and heart with the soul of a BMW. This car is so precise that everything is fine tuned and it lets you know everything .. even when to change the oil. Every time you start the car it takes into account your driving habits and estimates the life of the engine oil (fully synthetic)so that you don't have to think about it. It reminds you promptly so that your engine will live healthy for years.
One of the most impressive features of the MINI is it's flawless design for safety. The car is designed to sacrifice it's life, should the need arise to save yours, the driver and passengers. In a crash test (the most rigorous crash test that MOST manufacturers do not do) the MINI was tested against the most popular vehicle in the USA; the Ford F150.
SEE: www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/CrashTestingMINICooperVsFordF150
from the above page: "All you have to do is look at the dummy's legs and you can get an idea of what would happen if you hit a wall in either car. The MINI had almost no intrusion which "indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well" - the F150 on the other hand had "Major collapse of the occupant compartment that left little survival space for the driver."
I don't care how you read that - it sounds pretty scary to me.
Here's one ... every time you close the door, the window automatically senses the need to open slightly to allow the cabin air to escape and then closes tightly. What does that do you ask? I'm glad you did ... it allows you to close the door without having to wind up and slam it closed. Trapped air in the cabin builds in pressure as the window seals in the air. With the window open, the excess air escapes allowing the door to close with less effort and much less stress to the door post, the hinges, your arm, the window ... etc. Get the point? They thought of everything!
I could go on with all the little details that MINI thought about in order to make your driving experience superb. All the rest are bells and whistles that make beautiful music. If you love to drive, if you care about your life, if you want to feel happy (the car has a magical quality where no matter how bad a mood you're in ... once you sit in the driver's seat, roll a few feet - you become a new person ... you motor your way into a smile ... and you suddenly feel great.
The MINI COOPER S is the best car on the road for the money HANDS DOWN! We've owned the car for about three months. In the last snowstorm (handles very will in snow being front wheel drive with all wheel traction control system active at will) we had a few weeks ago, someone slammed into us into the rear of the MINI. They were traveling at least 20mph and we were stopped at a red light. The damage to the other car was massive. They require a new front bumper, bumper cover assembly, grill, one headlight, header panel, hood and one fender need to be straightened and all has to be painted. Let's say ... off the top of my head they need about $2500 worth of work. The MINI sustained only minor injuries. Two small holes in the bumper cover from the nuts that hold the other guy's license plate (which was found on the floor) and the rest is fine. The bumper cover costs $501.93 to repair only because it has metallic paint otherwise it would have been cheaper.
Folks, what else can I say. There are many cars out there that you could say are the car of a life time - Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Porche etc ... The MINI COOPER S is the car of a lifetime that you can actually afford and drive!
GO GET ONE!
Just be cautious and make sure you take one for a test drive to make sure it's the one for you. I love it and for as long as they make the MINI, I will own one.
MOTOR ON!
By the way, the price below includes taxes, options of a sunroof, metallic paint and fog lights.
UPDATED 12/7/04
Since I last wrote this I'm afraid my opinion has changed. This car is MUCH better than I had written about previously. Since then here's what happened.
One Monday night I was driving home from work in a terrible rain storm ... upon exiting my vehicle ... Jeep Cherokee, began hydroplaning and instead of turning with the ramp the vehicle kept going straight .. inertia I guess. I slammed into a rock at around 45 miles an hour after accelerating on the water for about fifty feet. The Jeep hit a huge rock about one quarter the size of the vehicle and caused my truck to flip on it's side. Fortunately for me I had my seatbelt on and the airbags deployed .. but he auto was wrecked. The chassis was twisted and there was some breeching of the cabin. Needless to say I'm glad to be alive.
What does this have to do with the Mini Cooper S you ask? Again, great question. My father, proud owner of this marvel of machinery, had a similar if not worse accident. About a month later, and if you remember last summer it rained a lot, was driving to work and went into a puddle about one inch deep but about three feet long ... he was on the highway so you could say he was traveling highway speeds but not more than 45.
The car began to swerve, his right rear quarter hit the center concrete median causing him to spin and when his left front quarter hit the median the car began to travel up the divider causing the car to crash on to the passenger side, continue to spin and slide of course. But here's the remarkable part ... like a weeble wobble the car ROLLED OVER and landed on its wheels. If I told you the car was drivable I would be lying. The car would not roll because the left rear tire and wheel broke away so that it would not roll well ... however the rest of the car was demolished. Hood, fenders, mirrors, roof, wheels ...all damaged. The car was totaled.
What happened to my father is further proof that this is the greatest car on the road. He opened the door and walked out unscathed. A miracle of engineering. All the air bags deployed softening his ride, if you will, and the seat belt kept him in place.
What's the real big deal here? If you know anything about cars, often times when a vehicle gets into an accident the doors and other hinged parts become difficult to move and open. That's because the car has twisted and the car moves out of alignment meaning the parts don't fit where they should because everything moves out of it's originally placed and bolted or welded position. When the car door opens without any sign of difficulty that means the cabin, or the box that you sit in, when you drive ... stays in tact. It does not bend, twist or crunch. That means you keep all your limbs and you walk out alive.
I do not work for MINI nor does any of my family. I don't get paid for this and in fact I SHOULD be asking for money from MINI for endorsing their product so strongly. But I believe that car saved my father's life. I know what kind of power an accident of that speed has .. I had just been through the same thing, and believe me ... that was NOT the first accident I've had. The difference was that I only hit and turned on my side and stopped. I suffered a lot of pain and bruising from the impact. He, on the other hand, kept spinning, sliding and then ROLLING. Folks, believe me when I tell you this is a GREAT car.
Since then my father has bought a new 2005 Mini Cooper S and I have my eye on the new 2005 Mini Cooper S John Cooper racing edition. I couldn't feel safer on the streets of NEW YORK.
Motor on .. safely.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 24000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: Cooper S for Sport
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Epinions.com ID:
gr8chef2b
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Member: Al
Location: NYC
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I'm a professional chef
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