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Author Topic: CTC Review: 2007 Mini Cooper S  (Read 7750 times)
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« on: June 20, 2007, 09:38:49 pm »
Picture Gallery:  2007 Mini Cooper S


Day 1:

2007 Mini Cooper S
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The Mini Cooper S:  the epitome of small car fun, with the gusto to match.  The movie the Italian Job made the Mini Cooper famous; its sports car-like handling, go kart-like feel and great looks have made it into a success.  I'm sure my life is not nearly as interesting as Charlie Croker's or Stella Bridger's but I'll try to put the Mini through its paces just the same.  More ...
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« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2007, 09:56:10 pm »
It looks like a great car but at 32 000$+  Undecided your eyes start to wander at other things.  Grin
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« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2007, 10:07:14 pm »
 I Agree looks like a fun car but at $32K+ there are other cars I would consider.. Miata comes to top of mind   
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« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2007, 10:20:15 pm »
For $32K I'll take this over the Element anyday  Grin

I've driven these twice at the Mini Events and love them...only if we didn't need such a big trunk.  Sad
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« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2007, 10:41:56 pm »
Doesn't $32k get you into a Mazdaspeed3?

BTW, when do you get to test the Speed3 James?  Wink
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« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2007, 02:50:33 am »
Fun little car. Pricey too. And with the 1 Series coming soon it'll also have some in-house competition, at least in terms of price.

I really liked the seats in the MINI.
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« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2007, 06:31:59 am »
Quote from: dorin on June 20, 2007, 10:41:56 pm
Doesn't $32k get you into a Mazdaspeed3?

MSRP = $30,995
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« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2007, 07:03:54 am »
For me personally I just dont think of Mazda 3 in the same class as the Mini... neither better nor worse, just different.   I look at the Volvo C30, the A3, the B200 turbo, the GTI as competitors. That is overpriced unreliable Euro hatchbacks and in that market the Mini is not priced out of line.

I did go off to mini.ca and was disappointed to see no John Cooper works kit for the new cooper S to give  maybe 200-220 bhp... but SOMEBODY will make a new ECU chip sooner or later.
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« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2007, 10:04:34 am »
I have a very soft spot for all minis since my first drive in a 1976 Cooper that my brother's friend owned. They are the ultimate niche vehicle imo. There are some reliability issues however, that owners have to deal with. That being said - I think that driving a Cooper packs more fun than any other car out there. When you wind it up on twisty roads, it's like riding the Wild Mouse rides at the fairgrounds  Burn Out
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« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2007, 10:48:17 am »
Quote from: jww on June 21, 2007, 10:04:34 am
I have a very soft spot for all minis since my first drive in a 1976 Cooper that my brother's friend owned. They are the ultimate niche vehicle imo. There are some reliability issues however, that owners have to deal with. That being said - I think that driving a Cooper packs more fun than any other car out there. When you wind it up on twisty roads, it's like riding the Wild Mouse rides at the fairgrounds  Burn Out

Where did you drive a '76 Cooper? The last year for importation to Canada was 1969. I know because mine was part of the last shipment.  Wink
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« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2007, 10:59:45 am »
What a car!!! LOVE the colour scheme, that would be my pick white roof 'n all.

The hatch looks bigger than before judging by the photos, more than the stated 0.3 cu ft increase. Still, rear seat and hatch space aren't sufficient for my needs. If they were, I'd likely be driving one. The Clubman will solve that issue for others on the fence with regards to space... maybe you Quad? Still undecided with regards to the painted silver accents... worried about how durable they are. But the stylish design really grabs me.

The new engines for the Minis seem to be very fuel efficient as well. Does the base model qualify for an ecoAuto rebate? Maybe not, but has to be close. Wing, be sure to chime in here - you normally do anyhow.

As for pricing, I don't see a problem with it. The base Mini is plenty entertaining and priced nearly $10,000 less to start. Doesn't need lots of options to be fun. They sell consistently well, so someone has to be buying into the value there. Nothing else quite like them.

Can't help but smile at them, and with some real engineering, handling, and charm underneith, they're cars I'd love to get behind the wheel of every chance I could get.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2007, 11:02:36 am by sirAQUAMAN64 » Logged
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« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2007, 11:08:41 am »
Quote from: AVToller on June 21, 2007, 10:48:17 am
Quote from: jww on June 21, 2007, 10:04:34 am
I have a very soft spot for all minis since my first drive in a 1976 Cooper that my brother's friend owned. They are the ultimate niche vehicle imo. There are some reliability issues however, that owners have to deal with. That being said - I think that driving a Cooper packs more fun than any other car out there. When you wind it up on twisty roads, it's like riding the Wild Mouse rides at the fairgrounds  Burn Out

Where did you drive a '76 Cooper? The last year for importation to Canada was 1969. I know because mine was part of the last shipment.  Wink
I believe he started on the other side of the pond.
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« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2007, 11:23:06 am »
So I suspected.  Wink
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« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2007, 11:55:13 am »
Haven't driven the new Mini, and test drove all versions of the previous gen, that lil car is so much fun, and yet so easy to drive.  Smiley Would love to have it as a daily driver. I haven't driven the Mzdspeed3, but the Mini isn't the same as the regular Mzd3.  Smiley

The US price is only slightly more than $20K for the S model, under $24K for the S convertible, well worth the trip down there.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2007, 11:56:46 am by initial_D » Logged
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« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2007, 03:53:50 pm »
There's something about the new Cooper I don't like.  It looks fatter, and there's something odd about the headlights...  I know that the styling changes from the 2006 model were minimal, but something just doesn't look right...

The devil's in the details, as they say...
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« Reply #15 on: June 21, 2007, 07:06:11 pm »
Quote from: AVToller on June 21, 2007, 10:48:17 am
Quote from: jww on June 21, 2007, 10:04:34 am
I have a very soft spot for all minis since my first drive in a 1976 Cooper that my brother's friend owned. They are the ultimate niche vehicle imo. There are some reliability issues however, that owners have to deal with. That being said - I think that driving a Cooper packs more fun than any other car out there. When you wind it up on twisty roads, it's like riding the Wild Mouse rides at the fairgrounds  Burn Out

Where did you drive a '76 Cooper? The last year for importation to Canada was 1969. I know because mine was part of the last shipment.  Wink
Goes back to my late 70s high-school days. The owner found an import in Toronto for a song and snapped it up. Alas - I didn't have my driver's license at the time, and was only a passenger. I recall helping wire a tachometer and temp gauge cluster with him. It was way cool.
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« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2007, 07:09:33 pm »
Quote from: airbalancer on June 21, 2007, 11:08:41 am
Quote from: AVToller on June 21, 2007, 10:48:17 am

Where did you drive a '76 Cooper? The last year for importation to Canada was 1969. I know because mine was part of the last shipment.  Wink
I believe he started on the other side of the pond.

Nope - Canadian born and bred. I only wish I were a native brit. There's a word for that - anglophilia. My family refers to me as being a wannabe  Wink
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« Reply #17 on: June 21, 2007, 08:32:44 pm »
Quote from: jww on June 21, 2007, 07:09:33 pm
Nope - Canadian born and bred. I only wish I were a native brit. There's a word for that - anglophilia. My family refers to me as being a wannabe  Wink

I had that affliction too. Marrying an English woman and visiting England twice cured me.  Roll Eyes Grin
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« Reply #18 on: June 21, 2007, 09:08:00 pm »
I like the MINI. But the lack of dealerships for support scares me. My grand dad had an old classic Mini. Thing drives like a go-kart with roof.
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« Reply #19 on: June 21, 2007, 09:57:23 pm »
Quote from: AVToller on June 21, 2007, 08:32:44 pm
Quote from: jww on June 21, 2007, 07:09:33 pm
Nope - Canadian born and bred. I only wish I were a native brit. There's a word for that - anglophilia. My family refers to me as being a wannabe  Wink

I had that affliction too. Marrying an English woman and visiting England twice cured me.  Roll Eyes Grin

"Anything to declare?"

"Yeah. Don't go to England."
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