Mini Cooper opinions

[J. Crawford]

Looking like I may be getting a Mini Cooper S sometime soon, and am lookng for opinions.

How's the size? Musician friendly? I have an automatic and this will be a manual, and im worried about that part a bit.

Discuss.

[tplyons]

Learning manual is easy enough, just make sure you put the drink, the phone, and the cheeseburger down and it's easy enough. And don't try putting on your makeup while you drive.

Try sitting in one, I'm 5'7" and it feels tight to me, but taller people fit without a problem. I think it has to do with the headroom. As far as musician friendly, couldn't tell you, but the good news is that it IS a hatchback.

[MJ5150]

How big are you? To me, size in an automobile is relative.

-Mike

[warwick.hoy]

I love the Mini Cooper S,...it would be a shame to own one of those in an Automatic

I love driving a manual,.,..I feel a great deal more in control and connected with my car over a Auto

Can't comment on gear hauling but if you are still rocking the 2 x Avatar B210 NEOS and the GK MB2-500 I'm willing to bet you can fit those in there just fine!!!!

[J. Crawford]

6'3".

[dee rob]

I've had my Mini for 4 years and I Love it! It's a really fun car to drive, you get great gas mileage, and you can fit it just about anywhere when you're looking for somewhere to park. In terms of being musician friendly, I keep my back seats down all the time, so I can fit everything I need to in the hatch. On the extreme end, I've put my Berg 610 and double gig bag in the back, with my amp on the front seat. I don't haul that rig out too often, but it fit!

dee

[echoSE7EN]

I owned an '04 Cooper S. Did some hefty modding to it. It was awesome. I loved that car. However, it is not a very musician friendly vehicle. I was never able to fit much; even with the seats folded down for extra space.

[colcifer]

Local AUBist drives one and in addition to a full size bass I've also seen him fit a ton of folding chairs in the back (not both at the same time though) so it'll do fine for schleping so long as you think about how to best pack everything.

[MJ5150]

In the autos section of MSN.com, they have a section where you can do a side by side comparison of cars. You can put in a MINI and compare it to what you drive now for space and so on.

-Mike

[Kwesi]

At 6'3" I feel like you'd hate sitting in a Mini Cooper. I've only sat in the back of one before but they are TINY little cars. I'm 6' and it took everything in me not to hulk out in there. It'd be a tough fit for 2 210 cabs and a bass too.

I haven't looked into pricing but have you looked at a PT Cruiser? Small vehicles with a deceptively large interior. Not a major gear hauler but your stuff should it in there nicely and when your not off on a gig it can seat four easily and 5 if they are small people, lol.

[Pacman]

I'm seriously considering the Countryman when I get back to the states, and my wife is all but sold on a convertible. I wonder if we can get a multi-car discount from MINI....

[hover]

I want the clubman with the barn back doors sooooooo bad. I've tooled around in a couple minis and they are so fun to drive, and sure they are small, but not oppressively so.

[warwick.hoy]

There is a clubman that tools round town here,...while not as cool or fun as the Mini S (they are kinda disproportionate and seem to have a longer wheel base) I can see them being more sensible for a taller lad/gear hauler.

[Mike N]

No idea what they were thinking when the designed the interior of those things. First one I drove it took me awhile to find the power window buttons, I had a hard time getting used to the speedometer being in the center of the dash and the tach being directly on front of you, instead of the other way around. Also, the volume control for the radio wasn't in a logical place (I wound up changing the radio station instead of lowering the volume) and the hood release was on the wrong side of the car.

Based on idiot stuff like this, I'd never buy one.

[JohnMCA72]

I'd love to hotrod one of those! Basically, drop the body (or a reasonable glass facsimile) on a short dragster frame. Big honkin' slicks on the back, shove the driver's position back as far as possible, blower sticking out the hood. That'd turn some heads!

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Pacman

I'm seriously considering the Countryman when I get back to the states, and my wife is all but sold on a convertible. I wonder if we can get a multi-car discount from MINI....

I've thought the Mini was going to be my next car. When they came out with the Countryman, I knew Mini was going to be my next car!!

Hell, if a manly man like Pacman says it's cool, I don't think there's any reason not to get one!

[J. Crawford]

It's my graduation present from ny parents. They said if I get a full ride I got a car, and right now I have a full ride.

I plan on checking some out in person. Thanks for the replies guys.

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by Mike N

No idea what they were thinking when the designed the interior of those things. First one I drove it took me awhile to find the power window buttons, I had a hard time getting used to the speedometer being in the center of the dash and the tach being directly on front of you, instead of the other way around. Also, the volume control for the radio wasn't in a logical place (I wound up changing the radio station instead of lowering the volume) and the hood release was on the wrong side of the car.

Based on idiot stuff like this, I'd never buy one.

Well it is a "British" car. I'm sure a youngin like J. could get used to it. Although I agree with you that I could never get used to the idea of center console gauge clusters,....don't most racecar drivers use tachos as a gauge of speed anyway?,...

[J. Crawford]

Little stuff like that doesn't bother me too much, I haven't been driving long enough for big stuff like that to set in permanently.

[Ziltoid]

I'd get the AWD mini (is that the countryman? idk) but I live in a totally different reality car wise Mountains and 7months of snow a year gives what it gives