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- My rating: 0 stars
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15 out of 15 people found this review helpful
5.0 stars
"BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED!!!"
Pros: Feel of a quality built auto, ride, fun-factor, speedy acceleration, & cornering
Cons: could have used a different color for turn signal & wiper knobs
Summary: My Mini Cooper S Convertible is Equipped as follows:
Chili Red Color w/Black Convertible Top
6 Speed Manual Getrag Transmission
Black Leatherette Seats
Premium Package #1: Multifunction Steering Wheel with Cruise Control, Chrome Line Interior, Automatic Air Conditioning, On-Board Computer, Premium Harmon/Kardon Sound System
Sport Package #2: Dynamic Stability Control, Front Fog Lamps, 17" Alloy Wheels with 205/45R-17 Performance Run-Flat Tires, White Bonnet Stripes, & Xenon Headlamps w/Headlamp Power Wash
Cold Weather Package #3: Heated Washer Jets, Heated Mirrors, Heated Front Seats
Chrome Lined Exterior
AUX Stereo Plug
Checkered Flag Mirror Caps
body colored dash & door inserts (this option is not available for all colors but luckily it was for red)
The only options I did not get are:
John Cooper Works which would have added $5000 to the price & (almost) turn the Mini into a race car.
Convenience Package which included rain sensing wipers & an auto-dimming rear view mirror. I wanted the dimming mirror but had heard from Mini owners of problems with the wipers. My dealer said they would not let me order the auto-dimming mirror as a stand alone option so I chose to omit this package.
Chrono Package - I don't know what was included in this package because when I found out that adding it decreased the size of the speedometer & moved it's location away from the center of the dash board I knew I did not want it. I felt that the large speedometer in the center of the dash board added much to the retro look & feel of the car so I did not consider the Chrono option.
Now on to an explanation & review of my Options:
>>>I am very pleased with the black leatherette seats. Adding real leather seats would have set me back around $1500-$1700. My dealer recommended the leatherette over spending the extra money for real leather. The leatherette looks rich & well made. I feel I made a good choice.
>>>The Multifunction steering wheel controls the stereo volume & channel surfing. It also controls the cruise control functions. I have heard some say that the buttons are too small & hard to use. I find them appropriately sized & have had no trouble at all using them while driving.
>>>Chroming the interior included adding chrome rings to many of the interior gages, cup holders, gear shift, & emergency brake. To chrome or not to chrome is a matter of preference. I love it!! It makes the interior look more retro in my opinion. If I had not chosen the chrome options all of the above mentioned items would have been in a finish that matched the dash inlay color.
>>>The automatic air conditioning is working nicely. There is a dial which registers the interior temperature surrounded by a movable ring. Flick to the left to lower temp, flick right to raise temp. There are many other buttons to manually control the temperature but so far I have let the auto control run things.
>>>The on-board computer does plenty (I am still learning). It tells the time, gives you a reading of the temperature outside, tells you your average driving speed, average fuel economy, a how many more miles you can drive before you run out of gas.
>>>I am pleased with the sound quality of the Harmon/Kardon sound system. It includes a CD player. You will notice the sound quality is much greater when listening to a CD than when playing the radio.
>>>The run-flat tires ride surprisingly smooth for this kind of tire. They are low profile, high performance tires which means they last 1/2 as long & wear out twice as fast but this is a sports car after all. I have been told by other Mini owners to expect to pay $175-$200 for each replacement tire.
>>>The Xenon headlights. They are well worth the extra cost & provide a crisp, clear, wide lighted front field.
>>>The heated front seats are great. They warm up very quickly (under 15 seconds) & warm you up on cold days before the heater gets cranked up. I live in the South & don't have to face many frigid days but the seat warmers also come in handy when riding with the top down on days when it is not quite summer.
>>>The chrome lined exterior option adds chrome to the front grill (the grill is normally the body color), chrome mirror caps (mirror caps are normally the body color), & chromes the boot (trunk) hinges (they are normally the same color as the body).
>>>The AUX stereo plug allows you to plug most MP3 players into your receiver. Well worth the price of around $80 (installed) to have hours of your favorite music available for long rides. The plug is located in the glove box (out of sight). Be warned if you have an IPOD it will not work with the standard AUX plug. Mini offers one that will work with an IPOD but it is twice as expensive.
Now on to the ride::
I waited 3 long months for my Mini to arrive. The last month was the worst but I made it. When you order a Mini they give you a production number which allows you to track the progress in the manufacture of your car at miniusa.com. This tracking ability makes the whole experience seem a bit more personal somehow & helped me make it through the last month.
When I first laid eyes on my Mini I immediately knew the wait was well worth it. My new car screamed "cute" & "drive me"! I don't think I have ever seen a more attention-getting vehicle.
The dealer ran through how everything works but I was sooo dang excited & ready to go for a drive that I only absorbed about 1/2 of what he said. Mini Coopers come with so many extras (comparable to a Lexus or other much more expensive car). The best thing to do is learn the basics & read your owner's manual when you get home.
I noticed something I had never heard before in any other vehicle I have owned (I have owned mid-level cars is the past, Toyota, Honda, etc...). When I shut the door the slam sounded so solid. It was a well-built kind of a sound hard to explain but there none the less. The Cooper is a well built quality car & you can tell that plenty of attention is paid to detail.
The interior of the car is so COOL!! Hard to find another word to describe it any better. The gages are so big & retro & reminiscent of the old Mini Coopers. They paid alot of attention to detail on the interior. All controls are well laid out & fairly easy to use (once you learn what all of them do).
The convertible top works with the push of a single button (which also lowers or raises the windows after the top finishes). You push the button & the top will open partially (opening over the 2 front seats only) allowing you to drive as if you had a sunroof. Or...if you keep pushing the button the top lowers all the way down, folding behind the back seats. Lowering the top is pretty fast. Raising the top is a breeze also. Push the button & it closes & locks into place (no manual clamping or locking required). My dealer told me it is best to raise & lower the top only when the motor is running as this action can drain the car battery.
I was a little concerned about having 6 gears (that is new to me) but I found it to be very similar to a 5-speed. The gears are very close together (right-to-left on the shifter, not close RPM-wise). 1st gear through 4th gear are so close that the gears slide into place easily with very little effort from your shifting hand. Shifting to 5th & 6th require a slight push to the right. The shifting is very smooth.(& FUN!!) The car has PLENTY-O-POWER. I find my head sinking into the headrest on take off when I get on it a bit.
(Side Story: I had the top down. I don't consider myself overly aggressive but a jeep pulled beside me & stopped at a red light, 4 guys in it & their top is down. They started talking about my car (guess they thought I was hard of hearing) saying it was cute but small. They said it had a tiny steering wheel & they bet it did not go fast. One guy said his neighbor had one & he heard they were fast. Blah, blah...The light turned green, I was at 50MPH by the time the rear tires of their jeep rolled under the red light. Hope that answered their speed question lol)
Braking seems more than adequate also. I have done plenty of hard stops & feel very secure with the cars braking ability.
On to cornering. I have never been in a car that corners so well. I find myself speeding up at corners just to see if I can get the car to lean. I doesn't lean. The tires dig in on corners. This car is like driving a toy (way too much FUN).
I find the ride to be very smooth for a sports car. It doesn't take bumps like a big luxury car but it's not supposed to. I have run-flat performance tires & they have handled the many bumpy country roads I travel on quite well.
Now for the tinyness issue. The front seats are quite roomy (surprisingly so). My over 6' tall friend sat down in the car & had plenty of room to maneuver. The back seats will sit one person just fine if they angle themselves to the side a bit. 2 people could ride in the back for a short trip if necessary but they would not be too comfy. The back seat folds down to allow items in the boot (trunk) to expand into the rear of the car. There is plenty of room for 2 people & their luggage to fit.
The car comes with remote entry built into the key. The key has 3 buttons. 1st button unlocks doors, 2nd locks doors, 3rd unlocks boot (truck). The remote has a rechargeable battery in it that charges when the key is in the ignition. Pretty nifty!! Just be sure to swap between using each key every few months so the battery will not die out in either one. You are given 2 remote keys & one regular key with you car.
In closing I challenge you to go to a dealership & drive a Mini Cooper S & not develop an interest in owning one. They are fast, fun, eye-catching, unequaled, bargain-priced little cars. I warn you that if you do buy one, you will meet many new people. You cannot drive a Mini Cooper & be shy, left alone, or not looked at. People will approach you in parking lots & talk to you at red lights. They will have many questions & compliments about your Mini. I enjoy owning this little car that brings something positive out in so many people.
Let's Motor
Where to buy
2005 Mini Cooper S convertible:
$17,500.00
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Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price From Edmunds.com
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$17,500.00 |
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