cdodkin

Ben, stop splitting hairs - I said 'exactly the same aerodynamics as the MINI when it comes to cr@p sticking to the back' and they were all hatchbacks with the same 'issue', hence they all had a wiper as standard on the rear screen.

And your cd numbers are old, the cd value you quote for the MINI is the pre 07 version - the 07 MINI, as stated, has a cd of 0.33

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/14/b...ils-2007-mini/

The Golf cd has gone up from previous versions, again, you quoted an early version's cd value.

It is 0.32 as stated.

http://car.kak.net/Article3301.html

Why would you need to argue a point when I've already clearly stated the cd's for 07 vehicles in my previous post?

OCBen

Well, you addressed me directly in your post and so you obviously were trying to rebut my claim that the Mini has one of the highest Cds in its class, which it does for the '06 models, which is the model I have, which is obviously the model I was relating my personal experience about.

I believe MrBonus is looking for a daily driver, not a car to take to the track or have fun with on the twisties - he's got his 997 for that. And I believe he is looking to buy used since he mentioned his concern about "post-warranty reliability" and that he wants something that won't "bury him in maintenance upkeep." That would make your '07 data irrelevant, wouldn't it? Pay attention next time, it can come in handy.

And so 0.31 vs 0.35 is not splitting hairs.

Also, your statement: "exactly the same aerodynamics as the MINI when it comes to cr@p sticking to the back" is a lot like saying the A3 has "exactly the same" acceleration characteristics as the Mini when it comes to the tires sticking to the road! Fact is all cars accelerate because the tires are able to grip the road. Just as all cars have dirt crap sticking to the backs of them because of their aerodynamic shapes (unless they were perfectly teardrop shaped). That doesn't make them have "exactly the same aerodynamics" because they get dirt crap stuck on the back! I think you just worded your statement poorly. A better worded statement would be something along the lines of "similar" aerodynamics but clearly not "exactly the same."

cdodkin

I forgot, we need to spell out everything in excruciating detail for you ,every time

OCBen

Not in excruciating detail, but in clear precise English. That shouldn't be too difficult for you, should it?

English is your native language, isn't it?

996toomey

Hey Ben:

I think the resale is very good on the Mini and if it is not working well for your needs and comfort you can probably get out of it with very little hit and into something else.

cdodkin

Yep - I sold my 2nd MCS after 3 years, 33,000 miles and only lost $1,500 on the deal.

That's hard to beat!!

OCBen

Thanks Robert.

Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I bought it with very little options, so I wouldn't take a big hit on resale or tradein. Just the xenon lights and the center armrest and headliner in black instead of the standard grey, to better match the black interior, were the only options. The sticker on it was $18,950 I believe.

Yeah, I'll see. I think I'll hold onto it for a year at least and then see if I want to trade it in on something else or just keep it.

OCBen

One more point worth mentioning regarding ride comfort with the Mini, and that has to do with the seats.

I wouldn't necessarily consider myself that tall at 6ft even, but when I sit in my Mini with my lower back pressed fully against the lumbar support and my butt scooted back as far as possible, the bottom edge of the seat comes to about the middle of the back of my thighs, and after a while (especially after an hour and a half in some cases during the trip home) it gets real uncomfortable real fast. It feels like I'm sitting on a bleacher bench. This is compounded by the fact that I have to adjust my seat about as far back as it can go for my leg length, leaving me seated somewhere near the middle of the cabin.

I find myself tucking my left leg in and planting my left foot on the floorboard quite often in an attempt to get comfortable. But after a while all I feel is the seat edge pressing into the middle of the back of my thighs. I realized after a month of ownership that this small car was really designed with small people in mind - which would explain its popularity with teens.

Graygoose997

ben,
you bought the stripper model. the S with a few carefully chosen options is a different car
I wasn't aware 18" were even an option on the standard cooper. must really bog down off the line
even the standard S wheels are 17" boat anchors and along with the run flats are somewhere around 48 lbs each.
the best thing I ever did for the S was to add a set of 16" light weight bbs and yokohama's. changed the whole dynamics
throw a smaller supercharger pulley and a cold air into the mix, and it sings.
bought it for 22 and change and got 17 K on a trade in 3 years later. not bad

Sharptt

The plastic stuff underneath is a lot cheaper to replace than buying and insuring another car, but you already know this. So my vote is for a Cooper S; the other two are definitely very good cars but I doubt you'd enjoy being seen in a mazda or honda.

OCBen

No, the 18s aren't an option on the base Mini. I bought them as take-offs from a local guy who took delivery and took them off as soon as he got home. I still have the original 15s that came with the car that weigh only 28 lbs each with tire. The S-Lites weigh 45 lbs each with tire. I was trying to sell the "Holies" but I may just swap back to them. Maybe I'll see an improvement in "off the line" performance if I switch back to them.

Here are some before and after pics:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...1&postcount=52

https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...9&postcount=62

MrBonus

So, my short list:

Mini Cooper S, Mazdaspeed 3, Mk5 GTi, Civic Si.

Of course, it's going to be 50 degrees here and everything is melting so now I'm thinking I may wait until December and get one of those year-end deals. I want to get the maximum out of my warranty before I buy another new car (I'm such a cheap accountant).

cdodkin

You're a cheap accountant! Sign me up!!

OCBen

Well then, have I got a deal for you on an '06 Mini!

MrBonus

$14,000 FIRM.