Oops, I think I made another error (where the mini cooper is made)

The latest car my darling wife is looking at is the cooper mini so I've been doing a little research in to the breed and while the older ones where mopars made in Brazil, the 2007 and newer cars (I think) are a Peugeot/Citroen item made in the UK.

I told Janet we'll go down and visit the dealer and see to this mini thing, the two of us!

We were something at the Honda dealer a few years ago when I thought I had her talked in to a new car then.

The saga continues .............

Of course I tell her to buy a 98 or so 325 stick cabrio with low miles and good service records but what do I know

Thoughts/advice?

Mini has been owned by BMW for a little while not, right? I know a few people that track their mini. I don't know about reliability, but it seems to fall into the "sport with utility" categories that our E30s are in. I didn't like them so much at first, but they seem alright. Probably not my first go to car after my E30, but if I was told I couldn't have another E30 Id at least test drive a mini.

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1989 - E30 - M20 - Manual. Approximately 270,000 miles
2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approximately 110,000 miles

Quote
rkj
The latest car my darling wife is looking at is the cooper mini so I've been doing a little research in to the breed and while the older ones where mopars made in Brazil, the 2007 and newer cars (I think) are a Peugeot/Citroen item made in the UK.

Wait. Are we talking about the same MINI Cooper?!

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1989 - E30 - M20 - Manual. Approximately 270,000 miles
2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approximately 110,000 miles

A friend of mine who once upon a time was a BMW factory/dealer tech opened an independent Mini repair shop. He owns a Mini and swears by them. They do have a few issues but for him, still the car to have. There were a few kinks in the first evolutions, but they are being designed out of the new ones. I am seeing him today and will ask him again and re-post.

He did lend me his Mini when I had him do some work on my E30 and I gotta tell you, they are a kick to drive!!!! For some reason, they feel bigger on the inside than what you see on the outside.

Don't get the factory GPS, it is a nightmare.

alan

We finally went to the Mini dealership and drove a new, 2011, turbo and Janet and I had issues with the car. It's a nice car but I (and J too after driving) are both rear wheel drive people and didn't care for the way the mini felt. It's very darty and will take some time to get used to the visibility, or lack of. There was actually quite a few things about the car we had issues with, even the seat belts....

SO, we're off on the hunt again; next stop is the Mazda and VW dealer. I almost got her in a VW last year but ..... I've been a fan of the M-5 ever since it came out so I'm gona make real sure she gets a drive in that one, she has said a cabrio was in her plans so we'll see what that brings. About the same money as the mini but a lot more car in my opinion.

If anybody can think of affordable cars of today worth looking at (even front wheel drive ones) please speak up. I was looking at the Chevy cruze....

Thanks for any help, Rick



perseverance furthers

Might be a difficult search after driving a BMW. My sister drove several cars in her search and when she got to the 530 iX, she decided that was the one.

We heard at the E-30 picnic from the owner of an M3 he bought new in 1988 and has driven 485,000miles. He says it will turn over 500,000 by the end of the year.

Bob in Lake Havasu