Yup, more waffling... - Page 13

*Plaz* · 02-03-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemming

i was responding more to the fact that you were apparently pissing all over Plaz's decision and as far as i can recall, no one really does that sort of thing --esp. to you. ergo, i was questioning your logic and the veracity of your blanket statement.

Don't worry about me. equ's entitled to disagree with my decision, and believe I'm out of my senses for making it. I won't hold his complete wrongness against him.

ff · 02-03-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

Does Honda still insist on hobbling the Civic Si with horrible tires?

Of course. It wouldn't be Honda if they didn't. Mine came with the all-seasons. And even in a state where it's always summer, it still very difficult to find an example with the optional, slightly better Pilot Exaltos.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwg

In particular, I like ff's comment about how MINI resale is going to tank (evidence please? everything I have read and experienced says the opposite)

The MINI's resale is very good. But that's not my point. My point is that the market for a used $30K econo-hatch MINI, I'll bet, is going to be almost non-existent. Which would result in taking a healthy loss on resale.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwg

and equ's comment about the MINI not being any more fun to drive then the Civic Si - umm - ok, if you say so.

To quote you, "Evidence please?" I realize that the Si isn't German (golly gosh dang bummer...), but it's possible that it might be just as much fun to drive as the MINI. Maybe even more so. The fact that I've already kept and enjoyed my Si for 12 times longer than I kept [and loathed] the MINI, speaks volumes about which I think is a more fun car to drive and own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

But if everyone in this board is going for an MCS without even considering an Si for daily driving, it is the success of marketing (colors, options, "motoring", etc. etc.).

Exactly.

*Plaz* · 02-03-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ff

The MINI's resale is very good. But that's not my point. My point is that the market for a used $30K econo-hatch MINI, I'll bet, is going to be almost non-existent. Which would result in taking a healthy loss on resale.

Hunh? The resale's good, but the resale isn't good? You're contradicting yourself here. If there's no market for something, then the price comes down. You can't separate the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ff

The fact that I've already kept and enjoyed my Si for 12 times longer than I kept [and loathed] the MINI, speaks volumes about which I think is a more fun car to drive and own.

The new MINIs are totally different cars. Completely. Both figuratively and literally. I wouldn't have considered the old ones.

John V · 02-03-2008, 03:52 PM

For giggles, I optioned a MINI how I would get it if I were buying one. It came to $23,600. Cold weather package, LSD and sport suspension. Done. I don't dig the interior, but to me that's a decent amount of fun little car for $24k.

...

... until I built up a Mazdaspeed 3. For $23k (no options needed - it comes with the good stuff standard) it's a better value proposition to me than a MINI.

FC · 02-03-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

For giggles, I optioned a MINI how I would get it if I were buying one. It came to $23,600. Cold weather package, LSD and sport suspension. Done. I don't dig the interior, but to me that's a decent amount of fun little car for $24k.

...

... until I built up a Mazdaspeed 3. For $23k (no options needed - it comes with the good stuff standard) it's a better value proposition to me than a MINI.

I think everyone here knows this, but since this topic spawned off my waffling thread, it's worth reiterating. I can't see me ever buying an MCS for myself. Well, maybe if I had to drive into the city everyday since the dimensions and tiny overhangs seem to make it breeze to park.

Nope, this car is to make my wife happy. That it handles well enough to make it tolerable and possibly even fun to drive, well, that just makes the purchase feasible at all. My wife wanting a Mini is not too different from me wanting a boat (I don't - this is just an example). I'd never (or almost never) use it. My wife never drives unless she has to, and she has never said, "great, I can take the BWM today." She couldn't care less. She wants the Mini for one reason only: Because it looks cool and she thinks she would be so cool driving her Mini.

So, much like a boat, you either find a way to use it to make it worthwhile, or you have to be very rich to own a boat and not mind it only being used a handful of times a year.

John V · 02-03-2008, 04:20 PM

My girlfriend wanted a Mini until she saw the Mazdaspeed 3.

She agrees that the Mini doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

lemming · 02-03-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

My girlfriend wanted a Mini until she saw the Mazdaspeed 3.

She agrees that the Mini doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

i'd agree to a certain extent.

FC · 02-03-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

My girlfriend wanted a Mini until she saw the Mazdaspeed 3.

She agrees that the Mini doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

We cross-shopped the vanilla Mazda 3 when we looekd at Imprezas. She thought the Mazda looked stupid and had no AWD, so it was out. We wound up with the much better looking (than a base impreza) Saabaru Linear. Knowing my wife, she couldn't care less that the Mazdaspeed 3 is fast. It would still look stupid to her.

lemming · 02-03-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC

We cross-shopped the vanilla Mazda 3 when we looekd at Imprezas. She thought the Mazda looked stupid and had no AWD, so it was out. We wound up with the much better looking (than a base impreza) Saabaru Linear. Knowing my wife, she couldn't care less that the Mazdaspeed 3 is fast. It would still look stupid to her.

i really liked the Mspeed3 when i drove it.

but i agree, for most intents and purposes, it's a guy-mobile.

that said, the ones sitting on the lot cost more to drive off the lot than 22k.

seems like the number was 27k on the sticker.

JST · 02-03-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

My girlfriend wanted a Mini until she saw the Mazdaspeed 3.

She agrees that the Mini doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

I couldn't find one to test drive, and the Mazda dealer never called me back, so I can't speak to this. On paper, certainly, the Mazdaspeed 3 is impressive, but that's all I have to go on at this point.

I understand what ff is saying. Resale on Minis is strong, but with any car the resale value of options is typically a fraction of their cost (things like leather, sunroofs and automatics excepted). Ff, I think, is saying that a 32K Mini is going to take a big hit compared to a 24K Mini, and I think he is probably right.

02-03-2008, 03:52 PM	#124
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	For giggles, I optioned a MINI how I would get it if I were buying one. It came to $23,600. Cold weather package, LSD and sport suspension. Done. I don't dig the interior, but to me that's a decent amount of fun little car for $24k. ... ... until I built up a Mazdaspeed 3. For $23k (no options needed - it comes with the good stuff standard) it's a better value proposition to me than a MINI.

02-03-2008, 04:20 PM	#126
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	My girlfriend wanted a Mini until she saw the Mazdaspeed 3. She agrees that the Mini doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.