A review by ndf9876 on BMW Mini Cooper December 12th, 2002
Author's Car rating:
Safety
Excellent
Comfort
Satisfactory
Customer service
Excellent
Security
Satisfactory
Looks
Excellent
Advantages:
Stylish looks, solid build quality, great driveability
Disadvantages:
Can be expensive adding optional extras when bought new
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full car review
I bought my MINI just over a year ago, and at that time, the car had only been unleashed on the unsuspecting British public for a couple of months. All the automotive magazines (CAR, Auto Express to name two) raved about the car; I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. That's where my 'MINI Adventure' began.....
There is one particular, four-letter word that leaps into my mind when I look at the MINI.
Cool.
From the curves around the rear of the car to the styling of the front grille, you can tell that Rover's old Mini has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The exterior of the car is a joy to behold, and everything seems well-proportioned. Bodywork is sound, with all the panels fitting snugly - the car just looks solid. No overhanging front skirts or poor fittings here, oh no, you can definitely tell that this car is BMW's baby.
Let's open the door and take a peek inside - immediately we notice the window drop a few millimetres, as this car has no frame around the door - and as soon as we close the door, the window slides back up. Confused? Well this is a feature incorporated in the BMW 3-Series Coupe.....in fact, look hard enough around the car, and you might spot a few other blatant 3-Series Coupe feature...ummm...'exchanges'. Don't think that this is just a smaller version of that Teutonic beast, oh no.....just one look at that rev-counter, mounted above the steering wheel, and the large dinner-plate style speedometer planted in the middle of the dashboard, remind you of this car's Rover heritage. However, I did say earlier that the car had been dragged into the 21st century; the cockpit has undergone radical improvement and here we see a high-tech, stylish dashboard - think Audi TT meets BMW, and you get the idea. Plenty of chrome trim, around the handbrake for example, and instead of buttons to operate windows, foglights etc, we have a neat little row of toggle switches. Good eh? Well, not really - nice idea, looks great, but excuse me BMW, that's not really the most practical place for my window switches now is it, down in front of my gearlever....?
Now we're sat in the car, we might as well take it for a spin....one turn of the key jolts the 1.6 16v engine into life; this Daimler-Chrysler developed engine outputs 115bhp in the Cooper model. Fuel consumption isn't that bad either; returning a combined figure of 40.9 miles per gallon on the five-speed manual car, and 36.7 on the (slightly more expensive) automatic (CVT) transmission model
Hang on.....only 115bhp?
This is not meant to be a hot hatch. As much as MINI might try, it just can't fill those boots - at least, it can't on 115bhp. Or can it.....
It's when you take this car for a good drive, round some winding country roads, that you really get to experience the thrill of driving it. BMW have used their famous Z-axle setup from their M3, and this is reflected in the way the car handles beautifully and holds the road in an almost supernatural way. One flick of the wrist on your steering wheel sends the car scampering off, and although there is considerable driver input needed, you are rewarded with a thrilling driving experience. BMW had a lot to live up to with the Rover Mini's near-legendary go-kart like handling, and I can tell you, they have more than succeeded.
In short - this car, whilst not the fastet on four wheels, certainly handles like a sports car. You'll get in, drive the car, and when you get out, you'll notice something different about yourself....a very big, possible cheesy grin will have spread itself all over your face...
At £12100 the Cooper might seem tempting. But wait, what's this, the optional extras list!!
You will almost certainly be wanting to option your Cooper up, and this does not come cheaply. The basic specification of the car is just that - basic. CD Player, air conditioning, security alarm and even floormats are all optional extras. Pricey extras at that. BMW have made it 'easier' for us to option our MINIs up though, with the oddly named 'Pepper' and 'Chili' option packs, containing such goodies as 16" Alloy Wheels and a rear spolier in the 'Chili' pack, and silver interior trim and front foglamps in the 'Pepper' pack. I am pleased to say that these option packs work out quite well, and anyone looking at the MINI should seriously consider at least the 'Pepper' pack - its price and list of options is extrememly worthwhile, as is its more plentiful £1000 'Chili' brother. Additionally, the burgeoning option list now includes a 'John Cooper Works' tuning package, to give your car increased horsepower and torque, as well as some other 'John Cooper' products such as sports seats and lightweight alloy wheels. In case you didn't know, the 'Cooper' name is (or rather, was) synonymous with Classic Mini tuning. Such luxuries, although guaranteed to make your MINI truly exclusive, come at quite a price - £1299 for the John Cooper seats, and over £2000 for the John Cooper Works tuning package.....gulp!
We can rather forgive BMW for its expensive option list though, when you look at the 'MINI tlc' package - £100, yes £100, for FIVE YEARS woth of servicing. Yes, you did read that right. You take your voucher in, hand it over at service time, and that's it....you only pay for extra parts such as brake pads. Which, over five years, is going to save you a fortune, especially when you look at BMW's prices for servicing......tempted yet?
The new MINI has, invariably, lost the cult appeal of the Rover Mini - its size, for a start - although there is plenty of room for 2 adults (there are four seats, but new MINI is not the most spacious of vehicles - demonstrated by the fact that the boot can manage only five carrier bags before it's full!), 2 adults in the front and 2 children in the back is more realistic. Mini purists have argued that this is not a real Mini; that car ceased production in 1999. This current iteration is just a BMW bearing the name 'MINI'.
To you I say - Who cares! What we have here is a great, fun and ever so slightly cheeky little car. It can handle country roads with great gusto, urban driving with a sense of fun and even motorways with a great deal of maturity and balance. Who said small cars shouldn't be driven over long distances??
There are now aftermarket parts aplenty available for this little chap, from wild large-bore exhausts and air filters to crazy bodykits and badges. New MINI, it seems, has taken on board the ethos of Classic Mini in the modifying stakes - and this, to me, sums up the whole MINI ethos of 'Personal Choice'. BMW reckon there's a 1 in 10000 chance of another driver having exactly the same car as you; with the exer-expanding options list as well as the aftermarket sector, you can be assured that your £12100 is buying you something pretty unique.
A car for all seasons, with just a few flaws...which, let's face it, I think we can all forgive....
For details on the car, visit http://www.mini.co.uk. Further information on the 'John Cooper Works' package and accessories can be found at http://www.johncooperworks.co.uk
Advantages: Fun to drive, sensibly fast, reasonable MPG, great handling, looks Disadvantages: Cost of runflat tyres, space a little limited in the back
...the attention to detail that BMW have paid with all of the interior. The huge dial grows on you the longer you own the car and all the retro switches and touches are ergonomically sound and look very neat. The driving position is perfect and you feel very much at the centre of the driving experience and not sitting "on top" of the car like you can do in a Focus ST for example. There is a lot of room in the front but beware that you may need to move ... ...the way to go for BMW as it's about £220 for two tyres, the ride is a little firmer than without them and all BMW's these days are said to run quite firm as they all have these tyre compounds now. I considered putting normal ones on all round (for only £300 for the four) but then I had no spare so had to abandon the idea. To conclude, this is a fantastic car which really stands out and in gunmetal looks quite expensive (probably the best colour to ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: A drop dead gorgeous car which drives well Disadvantages: Seems to be popular in Bracknell, euro HQ of BMW
My mini cooper – do I love it or hate it? I have had the little beauty now since the second week in January (so around 2 months as it is now mid March when I am writing this).
Mostly I love it, what I hate about it at the moment is the cracked mirror, scuffed wheel arches and scraped door handle that I now have on the drivers side thanks to meeting a white van on a narrow bridge… (although estimates are around £180 all up to fix it)
She is gorgeous ... ...eyes… a drivers seat that you can position how you want to – hunched forwards or way back, up to the roof or down through the floor, upright or laid back, well supported or slouching. This is a car to get in and loose yourself for at least 20 minutes at a time (fortunately my commute is around 25 to 30 mins)
I am not going to give you stats on the car – after all if that is what you want you can go to the mini web site (www.mini.co.uk – what a surprise!) ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: Nippy around town,small enough to park Disadvantages: Lost some character.Price
...and the mechanics at my BMW dealer dont work Saturdays so I had the joy of a Mini Cooper for the entire weekend. It was with mixed feelings that I took it back on Monday morning.
Styling/looks.
Well, I liken the Mini to the concept VolksWagen took to the Beetle. People like it so keep it the same but change it slightly to be fashionable. That is exactly what BMW have done with the new mini. I can see the trademark lights and overall shapely lines ... ...on the lines of the BMW compact in size, manouvreability and performance. The unusually bulbous wings from the original remain but have now become part of the bonnet when lifting it to reveal the powerplant. The back of the car is more sloped than the original which adds much more boot space.
My favourite external styling addition is the addition of 17 inch Alloy wheels. These look huge and give the car a much more sporty appearance.
Interior.
...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: A vast improvement on the old Mini Disadvantages: It's not the old Mini we know and love
...of the all-new Mini from BMW that is due to hit the car showrooms both here in Ireland and in the UK most likely some time next month. (July, 2001)
The car I got a peep at is the Mini Cooper version, and is tagged to enter the Irish market at around the £15,500 (Irish Punts) mark.
What it will retail at in the UK is anyone’s guess, but it will unquestionably be less expensive than here in Ireland.
There is even talk of the entry level version ... ...Stephenson, an American working for BMW in Germany.
In the BMW advertising, Mr. Stephenson says, "The Mini Cooper is not a retro design car, but an evolution of the original. It has the genes and many of the characteristics of its predecessor, but is larger, more powerful, more muscular and more exciting than the old Mini.”
~ ~ Straight away, let me say that I don’t entirely agree with Frank Stephenson’s assessment.
The new Mini ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: Price, looks and performance Disadvantages: Interior space and boot size
...people feel? Buy the new BMW Mini Cooper. Its drop dead gorgeous looks turn heads wherever you go. I picked mine up last week and nothing prepared me for the attention I would receive. Its a Chilli Red Cooper with white roof (a tradional Cooper colour). Wherever I drive people stop and stare. Wherever I park, I return to an audience, my girlfriend is gettin jealous.
So what about the car. Well for a start its not mini in dimensions. Park it next ... ...car that turns heads, handles like a ferrari and is more fun that you would ever imagine was possible in a car. You get BMW back up and opting for the TLC package gives you all major services and oil changes for 5 years for an incredible £100 all inclusive ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: Looks and style Disadvantages: Price and drive
...These are my opinions on my MiniCooper Convertible
I love the look of the Mini it is stylish and a real girls car, yet upon ordering I realised that a lot of the extras on a Mini are exactly that extras at an extra cost and by the time you have added a few items the price has increased dramatically
The drive of the Mini is not as nice or nippy as I expected, it is fine to drive on normal roads but as soon as you are on a motorway at anything over 50/60mph it does just not have the speed and feels loud & sluggish
Also being a convertible may add to the reasons that it is very loud whendriving on the motorway
I have had many problems with the gear stick which doesnt seem of the best quality and has a tendency to stick and getting into reverse is sometimes a struggle
Overall it looks great but for the money a better quality...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Performance; Running Costs; Looks (for some) Disadvantages: Ubiquity; Looks (for some); Interior isn't as nice as the previous model
...The BMWMini is something of a 'love it, hate it' car. People seem to be put off because you see them everywhere, and they appear to have become somewhat de rigeur for estate agents and the like. Personally I love them, and when we decided to replace our 4 year old Mini One it was a fruitless search to find something for around the same price that we thought would offer quite the same fun.
We were looking to upgrade really. The Cooper S was what I really wanted, and competitors were thin on the ground. The Clio 127 is a bit cheaper, with similar performance, but just didn't do it for me. It was a story repeated a few times. The reason we'd started looking at other cars, though, was because our original new Mini (if you see what I mean) was the old new style, and the new styling, brought in a couple of years back, was different enough...
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Advantages: You can definitely fit 4 people in this car...2 thumbs up ! Disadvantages: Could do with a little more horsepower under the bonnet
...Several incarnations later..we have the new mini. Now its engineered in Germany, but still built in Britain. The funny thing about a little minicooper convertible its fun for so many other reasons than other cars I have driven. No it doesn't have 500 bhp, and no it doesn't go 0 to 60 mph in under 4s...but its still fun to drive, it is one of the most engineered, well thought-out convertibles I have ever seen. But first let's "pop the hood" as they say and investigate that very willing small powerplant. Under the bonnet it has a very technologically advanced engine, it didn't used to be that way back in the good old days, in those days when you got pulled over by the Police, they would carry extra spark-plugs, and maybe bulbs to help you change them. Now it has 115 hp and I could probably rattle-off a bunch of other numbers and stats...
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Action & Adventure - Director: Doug Campbell - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Beth Kennedy, Morgan Rusler, Jeanne Cooper, Adam Sutton, Corbin Bernsen
25.06.2009
11.10.2008
