I had a MCS 2002, fantastic little car. Loved it when I put on some 16" wheels. I recommend the Limited Slip Diff option!

 

I looked at the mini as a daily beater, but for some reason my local PCA chapter has banned it from DE's! Its a great bargain for a very very aesthetically designed car ( I love the toggle switches), but in the end I ended up with a Mitsubishi Evo. It's just a blast to drive.

I have my eye out on the 07's. Are they that much more improved?

 

Here's MrBonus' thread for more info:

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-forum/331610-after-scraping-the-underbody-across-the-frozen-ice-in-my-driveway.html

 

I purchased an '06 Mini-S Cab for the a car that I could drive anywhere and park anywhere. It has been a great street car. Boy the FWD really sucks when you push it hard. Great looking car with awesome handling and decent acceleration.

When the 993 blew up at the track, my wife and I decided to drive home, unload the 993, load the Mini, and drive back to the track (5 hour round trip-a true addicts ) to see how the Mini did on the track.

On track - the front wheel drive takes some getting used to. The 993 (4WD) tended to push and the Mini would turn on a dime so there were some adjustments we had to make visually. Obviously we got our clocks cleaned by the big boys but the twisties were great. In the wet the Mini got some revenge. The FWD, LSD and Faulken Azenis rubber helped pick off more than a few P-cars.

The Mini is a bit pricey for what it is but the resale values are still strong.

Enjoy.

 

MCS is a blast to drive, and seems to fit the Porsche owner mentality well.

FWD is different (obviously) but has it's own features and is a great skill set to master.

Don't forget that the original FWD MINIs won the Monte Carlo Rally 4 times in a row ( the '66 cars were disqualified by the French for having illegally mounted front lights! )



DSC does actually work - and yes you can get your MCS sideways nicely without it!

17" rims do look a little pedestrian, so I went with 18" as an upgrade - well worth it.

MCS #1



MCS #2



Just a bleeping blast to drive and a positive experience all around.

Great community like Porsche, great mods and extras, just like Porsche.

 

cdodkin, are those 2 your Mini's? They look sweet! I like the white wheels.
Did you hear BMW is buying JCW? There might be a ///M Mini in the near future!

 

Yep, they were both mine

#1 was an 02, back in the UK
#2 was an 03 here in California



I bet BMW would love to get JCW in house - they are doing factory warranted upgrades now, so it's a natural progression.

Should have bought a JCW when I had the chance!!!

 

Here's a posted article on BMW buying JCW : LINK

 

If I get one, I want the panoramic roof, LSD, and heated seats. That's it.

 

Don't get the JCW, I can't tell a lick of difference. I had mine installed after only 1k miles, but I've driven a few standard S models to compare to mine...not worth it. Just my 2 cents.

 

There appear to be far cheaper aftermarket alternatives to the JCW kit. Of course, you potentially risk losing your warranty...

 

Just get a pulley upgrade...

 

I drove a standard MCS back-to-back with a JCW and the diference was night and day. More torque low down and better breathing at the top end. It felt like it would pull a train. V.impressed! I'm looking for a used MCS and wouldn't consider one without JCW.

 

new GTi is pure genius. leaps from one corner to the next and rides better than the cooper. also has more room for people and cargo. that being said the cooper looks better IMHO and is still an absolute blast to drive.

 

GTI FTW. Feels like much more of a substancial automobile. Check the mazda forums, there are alot of problems with Mazda3 speed. Its a shame that had great potential. Mini cooper is nice but gotta get cooper works to keep up with the fun of the GTI.

disclaimer: My previous statement is my humble opinion.