I am going to order a 2009 Mini this week since 2008's are no longer available. This will be my first Mini and I am very excited about it! I have "inheirited" large cars in the past and held onto them for many years. I have always loved sports cars and am now in the position to buy one.

I have been to one of the Chicago dealers and have chosen the features and color I want. I had planned to just order a regular Mini, but when my friend and I went to the dealer, she thought I should get the Mini S which would be $3,700 more. She thought it would ride better on long trips and had slightly more comfortable seats.

I live in Chicago, will not be racing the car and take public transportation to work. The mileage on my current car is extremely small (around 1,000 miles a year - partly because I don't trust it anymore to drive it long distances).
With a Mini, I'm sure I will be driving a lot more just for the fun of it and to blast my 10 speakers. (Who says 55 year old women don't want to have fun! )

Anyway, does anyone have an opinion as to whether the S would be a better choice for me? With the way I hold onto cars, I might have this car for 10 years!

Thanks,
Kathy

 

It just comes down to test driving them both and seeing which YOU like better.

 

Hi,
I just bought me a 2002 standard. I have never driven an S but my standard flies so good that I'm very happy with it. My best friend has another standard but his has the suspension handling package on it and it rides really stiff. If you're going to be racing it on a track or on the open road, then it helps but for everyday driving and long cruises, the mini's with the regular suspensions ride smoother and more confortable on long rides in my opinion.

I have a tech business and my customers ask me if they should spend the big bucks on an expensive pc. I tell them what are you going to use it for and they say, emails and the internet. I tell them to save their money and buy a pc that has adequate power and memory for their needs. Why pay for stuff you never use, right?

Get what you feel you need and want. If you like the extra power of the S, go for it. if you think the standard rides so nice and you don't think you need more power then get one of those with some nice add on's instead!
The most important thing to remember is go with your gut feeling and be yourself.

Good luck!

John

 

I agree with both Adam and JB. They are both nice cars, and have a considerably different feeling. If power and performance is important, get the S. if economy (both initial cost and fuel efficiency) is a strong consideration, get the regular Mini. You will be happy with either. You can order the regular with the Sports seats, so don't let that be a deciding factor.

 

Hello All,

I was in the same boat about 3 weeks ago when i was trying to decide on buying the Mini Cooper or the Mini Cooper S. Well after test driving both I settled on the Cooper S '08. Car is an amazing drive. I just recently drove from just east of Toronto to Windsor which is about a 4 hour drive. With rush hour traffic standard becomes a bit of a pain, but still best fuel economy.

The Cooper S is fantastic for dodging in and out of traffic. It get me about 700+km's on gas depending on how much "fun/hard" I drive the car....and recently I have been driving the hell out of it just for the excitement of the 172hp turbocharge engine.....just thinking of it makes me want to go for a drive.

As for Comfort I found little to NO difference between the cooper and the cooper S. So if roominess is what your looking for then you may want to look at a big car otherwise your going to have a small car with little room. Although the front seats have more than enough room for you and one other person...hence 2 seater. Tonnes of space in the front, and very comfortable. Just remember with bucket seats and being closer to the ground your going to feel more of the bumps in the road. Also depending on tire size, the bigger the tire the bumpier the ride. I might suggest getting a seat pillow for long rides because your butt will get a little sore.

All in all I suggest the Cooper S. Much more fun and exciting than the basic cooper.

Just my opinion....Good luck on your purchase

 

I have never driven a Cooper S, but my '03 Cooper is an absolute slug when it comes to acceleration. It revs happily and will run as fast as I want it to, but getting there takes longer than I would like.