Test drove an R56 MCS

[lemming]

Originally Posted by Jeff_DML

I was very impressed with the strength of my superleggeras,. They seemed a lot stronger then they should be since they are a lightweight cast wheel. They claim they have some sort of process to make them stronger then normal cast wheels. Anyways, assuming the ultraleggas are the same I recommend them.

right on.

i think it's a hybrid process they call spin casting? so they get more density that approximates a middle ground between cast and forged.

anyway, i'd just write "caveat emptor" with regard to MINI reliability. the car is too new to know, but the R53 had plenty of little quirky things.

i'd not go so far as the Joker man, but it's a highly amusing thing to drive to/from places. i did a lot of homework (gasp!) on this car because i never know how long i'll own it --benchmarked heavily against the Si, the MSpeed3, and the GTI. the MSpeed3 was pretty fun, but the quirkiness of the MCS won me over.

the only thing i miss is supreme power. it's got a great power to weight ratio (doing the math of 192ft#'s peak torque/2668lbs) compared to other cars, but absolute corrupting power it has not. just a thought.

[Plaz]

It's shaping up to be a colossal death match between the forces of color and blandness...

I like Lightning Blue, and my wife strongly prefers Pure Silver.

[JST]

Originally Posted by Plaz

It's shaping up to be a colossal death match between the forces of color and blandness...

I like Lightning Blue, and my wife strongly prefers Pure Silver.

A silver Mini? Gack.

I was kind of bummed that you couldn't get Oxygen Blue (which is very retro, almost the color of an old Electrolux) in the MCS, so we settled with laser blue (which was my wife's strong preference). I think a car like a Mini has to be a color; black, white and silver are too blah. I like lightning blue, and kind of dig red and yellow. Black would be OK with a white top, I suppose.

[Plaz]

Originally Posted by JST

I think a car like a Mini has to be a color; black, white and silver are too blah.

Agreed... and a viewpoint expressed by many others as well.

But I don't want to go too bold or loud... red and yellow would just be too much, and push the "cute factor" too far over the edge IMO. One of the blues, or the British Racing Green are the best compromises I think. Of the blues, we both prefer the darker one. My wife has unequivocally vetoed any thought of green.

[Rob]

How long have you had the RX8? It's kind of funny to have watched you keep an e46 forever (seriously - since I came to S.D. - I know I am sick, but I had like 5 cars in that time) and start the process to get out of the RX8 after what . . . two weeks?

[Plaz]

Originally Posted by rwg

How long have you had the RX8? It's kind of funny to have watched you keep an e46 forever (seriously - since I came to S.D. - I know I am sick, but I had like 5 cars in that time) and start the process to get out of the RX8 after what . . . two weeks?

I've had the 8 for nearly a year. Well, almost nearly a year.

I really like the RX. It's a really good car. On paper, it made total sense in terms of balancing what I wanted and what I needed in a car, and I thought I would grow to love it. But it just didn't work out that way. I just don't feel attached to it the same way I did to the E46. I can't really explain it.

Consequently, the trade-offs in driving it just don't really seem worth it to me anymore, so I'd like to cut my losses and move on before its deplorable depreciation and ridiculously thirsty demeanor bite me in the ass even more. Or perhaps more importantly, before it's out of warranty.

I have no idea if I'll "bond" with a MINI like I did with the E46, but it's possible. If any car has a chance of capturing that lightning in a bottle again, it's probably the MINI. But even if it doesn't, I won't feel as if I'm making untoward sacrifices by staying in it for a good long run. In fact, at a minimum, I'll be able to feel good about the economical and ecological ramifications of using so much less gas.

And I guesstimate that given the MINI's depreciation rate vs. the RX's, and the high mileage I put on my cars, the cost of switching now will probably be recouped over 5 years or so.

So if I get an MCS, I definitely see myself staying in it for the long haul... for at least as long as I stayed in the E46.

That's the plan, anyway.

[Rob]

I have plans like that routinely. The never seem to work out.

I am hoping this time though. I am structuring things to give myself an "incentive" to stay in the car for longer.

Have you driven the e90 recently? Just asking - I drove one when I had the cadillac and didn't like it, but I sure was smitten with the ride/handling/turbo burble package this time. Just food for thought - from my outside perspective I can see you loving another 3 series more then I can see you loving a MINI long term.

[Plaz]

Originally Posted by rwg

Have you driven the e90 recently? Just asking - I drove one when I had the cadillac and didn't like it, but I sure was smitten with the ride/handling/turbo burble package this time. Just food for thought - from my outside perspective I can see you loving another 3 series more then I can see you loving a MINI long term.

Too big for my current tastes. Even though I loved the E46, I was constantly trying to make it feel smaller and nimbler. The whole reason I went with the 8 instead of an E90 or a G35 was in an effort to downsize. As nice as the E90 is, for what it is, it's just not what I want now. We have the E46 wagon for when we need a bigger vehicle, and the MINI would be able to accommodate both my wife and daughter easily enough (verified this with a family trip to the dealer), even for moderately long trips (without a lot of luggage).

Also, as antithetical to carmudgeonly philosophy as it is, I tend to like my vehicles fairly optioned-up... so as soon as I price out an E90, a G, or even a 1er with the minimum amount of doohickeys that I find satisfactory, the prices end up being far more than I'm prepared to part with at this time. Even though the MINI I'd configure will probably approach E90/G/1er base prices, I know I'll be happier with an optioned up MINI than I would be with a stripper E90/G/1er. (Please don't burn me at the stake)

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by Plaz

Agreed... and a viewpoint expressed by many others as well.

But I don't want to go too bold or loud... red and yellow would just be too much, and push the "cute factor" too far over the edge IMO. One of the blues, or the British Racing Green are the best compromises I think. Of the blues, we both prefer the darker one. My wife has unequivocally vetoed any thought of green.

I'm color blind, white and black cars suit me just fine.

People tell me how much they like the monaco blue color of my ZHP, but I just don't see it

Ed

[Plaz]

Originally Posted by Sharp11

I'm color blind, white and black cars suit me just fine.

People tell me how much they like the monaco blue color of my ZHP, but I just don't see it

Ed

Wow, didn't know that... that must be PITA with some software packages.

Can you tell when a track is record-enabled in DP, for example?