mini cooper

[sundog]

Poll question: mini cooper

[Ron Green]

1. I vote for the Original, not the new one.

[sundog]

2. i'm referring to the new ones

i voted no :D

[progmom]

5. i knew you wouldn't like them

because i do.

[FuzzySlippers]

11. I like 'em, too.

maddog is just contrary.

[sundog]

16. yes, i am railing against you

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

28. Thumbs down on the BMW Mini - thumbs up on the classic Austin Mini

The old ones are the real thing. And the Italians made a great Mini Cooper called the Innocenti back in the 60s and 70s under license.

[GOPisEvil]

3. As long as you're riding up front, they're nice.

back seat = luggage shelf

A buddy has a convertible. It's zippy, and it rides ok. Not for me, necessarily, but they're cool.

[FuzzySlippers]

4. I think they're adorable.

Are you thinking of getting one?

[sundog]

6. no

[Archae]

7. My oldest sister has one.

The newer one, red with white top.

I'm 6 feet tall and comfortable in the front seat.
Back seat, for-get it.

[redqueen]

8. Oh yes!

I don't know much about the car - reliability and whatnot... but I love the looks!

[CanuckAmok]

9. I don't get it.

The whole point of the original was to be a cheap ride. Not just economically, but in the sense of the weird British licensing tax at the time, which was based on stuff like wheel diameter and cargo capacity (that'w why there were several three-wheeled British car models in the 70s; they were less to license/insure than four wheel models).

These new ones are basically BMWs. I don't know about the US market, but up here they're, like, $30,000 and up. The key-word here is "exclusivity".

When they first came out, the dealers couldn't keep them in stock. The dealerships "storefronts" in high-end shopping neighbourhoods. The one in Vancouver had two Minis: one in the showroom, and one you could test-drive.

Now the BMW lots are jammed with them, new and used. They flooded the market with what was basically a trendy novelty car.

I mean, I wouldn't say no to one if it was given to me, but put the price on-par with a Civic or a Cavalier, and then we'll talk.

[Susang]

12. They're all over Chicago

Still hard to buy one here, new or used; they're still highly desireable. They're also the safest small car on the market, along with the New Beetle.

[CanuckAmok]

14. It's funny this came up today, because I just counted the...

...ones at the nearby Bimmer stealership.

They have 19 Minis (I don't know how many are "Cooper" models).

Maybe I should start exporting to the US :)

[Susang]

44. Good idea!

Starting with me (if you can get me a good deal, of course). Those babies are boffo for parking in this crowded city! :D

[sundog]

15. just sayin for the price

it wouldn't be my choice

they're everywhere around here now... the first one was ok, the second was like eh, then the third started to get my nerves, & so on

[CanuckAmok]

17. I'd rather have one of these....

Very limited production run of MGs from 1994-1997, with 3.9L Rover V8s.

About $15,000-$20,000 used, and they have to be imported from Japan.





http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&p=emg/rv8buy.htm

[tigereye]

42. sigh

what great cars! I love MGs.

[Susang]

45. You must like car repair bills

Just sayin'. MGs are notorious for being "tempermental". I've known many people who've owned one, at least for awhile. ;-)

[tigereye]

47. no I don't own one

I just like the idea of all those beautiful bug ridden, 60s style cars, liike those great old Jags.

[Susang]

10. Sophisticated, safe, small and fuel efficient; what's not to love?

They're also I voted an emphatic "yes"! :thumbsup:

[JVS]

13. Overpriced

[NMMNG]

18. They're cute and must be fuel efficient

But if they cost as much as I've been hearing they are twice as expensive as I can afford :-( .

[terrya]

19. A convertible, British Racing Green....yes, I would like one, thank you

[Dave Reynolds]

20. Only this kind,

[Telly Savalas]

23. Those things are about half the size of the new Minis

(At least the one I saw last week was.)

They're pretty damn cool and look like they'd be a blast to drive.

[Dave Reynolds]

24. Yeah, they are tiny,

1300 cc engines. They actually have quite a racing history, quick handling but not very fast..

I really want one, see them for sale all the time in Hemmings Motor News.

[CanuckAmok]

31. Side-mounted engine, too. To save space.

We had one when I lived in England as a kid.

Ever see one of these? It's built on a Mini frame. Called a "Moke".







and here's one as the taxi in "The Prisoner":



They were built as prototypes for the Ministry of Defense, in a proposal to replace the Land Rover. Poor ground clearance and an unreliable four-wheel-drive system disqualified them from government contract, but they were made for the civilian market for a few years. We had one of these, too, and I fell out of it as a toddler (notice the absence of doors AND seat-belts!).

I understand they're still made under license in Portugal.

[Dave Reynolds]

32. I have not seen one of those before,

and it looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

[CanuckAmok]

33. Yeah, if you can manage to stay inside it!

Just don't ArmorAll the seats!

[samplegirl]

40. I just saw one of these

redone for the first time at a British car show. LoL
guess this was before every parent put helmets on their
kids.

[CanuckAmok]

41. yup, I still have a scar on my forehead.

Don't remember the incident, though.

[texas1928]

21. My wife wants one REAL bad.

That is her next new car.

[sundog]

22. eh, i like yours better

:D

[texas1928]

34. When she gets one...

I am putting bumper sticker on it that says "This is my Wife's car"

I like mine better too.

:D

[Misskittycat]

25. I think it looks like a clown car. I'm only 5' tall and I'd feel silly

driving one. When I first saw them on the road, I thought they were a joke, and that they must be really really inexpensive or no one would buy them.

I saw a really tall guy in a bright yellow one - it looked ridiculous.

[sundog]

26. hahaha

:rofl:

[CanuckAmok]

30. "Are you making fun of the way I look while I'm driving my automobile?"

"Everybody needs to drive, and this is the largest car that I could afford."

[Beware the Beast Man]

27. I actually saw an original Mini on the road a few weeks ago.

It must have been someone coming back from an auto show. It's tiny compared to it's BMW counterpart.

[brentspeak]

29. They look fun to drive. But does it become a tin can in an accident?

Very small cars historically have been death traps.

[seemunkee]

36. There pretty safe, got good ratings in crash tests

Mine

[noonwitch]

35. Cute for small people, but not for me

I can't imagine people over 5'6" are all that comfortable in it. I'll stick with my Ford Focus.

[atomic-fly]

46. perfect for me.

[CabalPowered]

37. My SO just got hers after a two month wait..

She loves it. It was funning seeing two kayaks on the top but hey it worked. I personally don't like the controls or dash layout but for the most part, it is a very well engineered vehicle. And you can squeeze decent mileage out of em..

[atomic-fly]

38. a mini cooper

[El Fuego]

39. Ha ha!!!

:rofl:

[samplegirl]

43. Heres my little clown car

http://atlas.walagata.com/w/samplegirl/2005_Healey_Show_Fairlawn_007

[AngryAmish]

48. My girlfriend has one

Mini owners wave at each other. When I point out that Corvette owners also do that, she gets mad. But what the hell - she's a White Sox fan.

Actually, they are great cars. Be sure to get the turbo. They are nice in the city because of parking.

[seemunkee]

49. Supercharger, not a turbo.

[AngryAmish]

50. Even better