Test Drive - MINI Cooper

[annissamazing]

Thanks to our nifty alternative work week I am free on Friday afternoons. No hubby, no baby. Usually I spend that time leveling up my character in FFXI (it's really the only block of time I have to devote to video games), but last Friday I drove up to Classic MINI in Mentor to take the MINI Cooper for a test drive. I was told it was a 40 minute drive. It's actually a little over an hour. If I got a MINI I would have to drive up to Mentor to get it serviced.

The sales woman, Tiffany, asked me if I was interested in the Cooper or the Cooper S. After getting a thorough description of each, I decided that the S model wasn't necessary. We took off on the freeway with the Cooper. After a while she asked how I felt about the "pick-up." I said in all honesty, "Actually, I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting a lot more." She asked if I wanted to try the S. I had several hours before Dominic and Justin were expected home, so I decided to try it. As soon as I hit the gas on the S, I started giggling and I didn't stop giggling until the test drive was over. That car *goes*. I got on the freeway and got mad at the other drivers. They were in my way! The Cooper S is so much fun to drive!

Other notes:
5-star crash rating. MINI is, at it's core, a BMW. The engine breaks away and you're left with one big roll cage. It's tiny, but still feels solid and safe.

I was right that the dinner plate-sized, center-mounted speedometer was useless. Thankfully there is a digital speed display mounted in the dash just above the steering column (Thanks Chris!). The dash and stereo components looked and felt flimsy, plasticky, and cheap. The sound was mediocre. I'd definitely pay the extra $500 for the upgraded sound system.
I liked the car, but I can't say I'm a fan of the interior styling.

I hated the turn signal clicking sound, though I can honestly say I wouldn't forget to turn it off. I asked if that could be disabled. It can't.

A MINI may not be a very practical car for me. Granted, I'm not really going for practical this time around. This car gets great gas mileage (even the S is good). There's plenty of room for a car seat. The back seat splits 50/50 and if I fold down the back seat that won't be holding a car seat, there's plenty of room for groceries. However, if another baby comes along, I might have space issues. There seems to be plenty of room for a rear-facing infant seat, but there is definitely not enough room for a travel system.

MINI also has an extended version called the Clubman. With the Clubman you get an extra 8 inches of cargo space and an extra 3 inches of space in the back seat. The MINI is already an unusual looking car and the Clubman just looks weird. Plus, the 8 inches of extra cargo room doesn't justify the substantially higher pricetag. The barn doors on the back are kind of cool, though.

Classic MINI is not a car lot. They have 3 MINIs in their show room and a Cooper and a Cooper S for test driving. They are completely sold out of MINIs. If I ordered one today, I might be able to collect it at the end of October. Here's a major plus. Any MINI I bought would be built specifically for me. If I wanted to lease a MINI, it would still be built specifically for me. That's pretty darn cool.

Comments

[somabrak.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm just not a fan of the look of the Clubman. If you were to have another child, I can't say for sure that a Mini S would be enough room; sometimes I get irritated at the lack of space, and I don't even have kids!

[annissamazing]

It's hard for me to plan buying a car around the possibility of another kid. At this point in my life, I have no desire to get pregnant (in fact, I desire strongly to *not* be pregnant). But I know I'll have the car for several years and I don't want to grow to hate it because it's impractical. Y'know? Still, what a fun car!

[zeitgeist.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I have the same complaints you mentioned, except for the grocery thing. I'm always surprised how much grocery shopping we can fit just in the boot of that car without dropping the seats. The trunk organizer thing probably helps, so we can put the heavy stuff somewhere where it won't move.

On the interior styling, I don't know many cars that *don't* feel plasticky and cheap these days, though if you're comparing to a Volvo, maybe that's fair. :) Unless they've redesigned since 2006, there are some strange bits leftover from the cars rally racing (and Euro driving) roots. The center-mounted speedo is one; also, the hood release is on the passenger side.

I haven't driven many small cars (the WRX, for instance, if I were in the market), but I'd almost certainly buy another Mini. I would, though, definitely spring for the S.

[annissamazing]

I was surprised at how much space there was behind the seats. I didn't think there'd be any room back there! I'd venture a guess that I could fit 75 - 100% of my weekly shopping back there. But sometimes I go a little overboard and buy way too much (dinner parties and holidays for example). It has about as much cargo space as my Sephia does when I'm also carrying Dominic's travel system.

Maybe my impression of the MINI's console was unfair. It's the first car I've test driven since 2003. I just wanted to get all of my impressions down before I forgot them. I'm actually saving the Volvo for last. It's the most expensive (I am *this close* to being able to afford it; if I had a better trade-in it would be mine!) and the one I want the most. I don't want the other vehicles I'm looking at to have to compete with it. lol I'm getting anxious to test drive it, though. Maybe I'll get crazy on Friday and test drive two cars! I think I'm going to test the Mazda 3 next and after that... I dunno. Maybe check out Honda or Hyundai?