Mini Cooper vs Mini One

tinkerbell

Hi everyone,

I love the Mini and would really like to get one. I was at Joe Duffy's there during the week and they let me test drive the new Cooper (it was fab!!), but the price was insane. It's €25k without any extras.

For that reason, I was thinking of going for the One instead, as it starts at €23k and I could throw on the Pepper pack onto it then, so it'd be just over €24k.

What are the differences between the two cars? Is it just that the Cooper is a 1.6 and the One is a 1.4? I'm used to driving a 1 litre so to be honest, it doesn't really bother me that the One is a 1.4, if anything, tiz a huge hike up to what I'm used to! The main thing here is the price, I don't really want to go over the €24k mark.

What are your opinions on it? Also, I'd probably go for getting a 07 one, rather than second-hand since the price of the older ones is roughly the same price anyway.

Thanks

Seth Brundle

Cooper S FTW!

tinkerbell

No way! I can't afford the Cooper S!!

Guy:Incognito

tinkerbell wrote:

No way! I can't afford the Cooper S!!

Well not to be smart but what was the point of the thread if the one is your only option?

unkel

What kbannon said ^^^^

But seriously, if you want the look and the feel but aren't interested in a fast car, you could opt for the Mini One

Base list prices are

Mini One: €21k
Mini Cooper: €24k
Mini Cooper S: €30k

All Minis keep their value well, so in that light are good value for money. Great wee cars!

tinkerbell

Stekelly wrote:

Well not to be smart but what was the point of the thread if the one is your only option?

It would be preferably the One but I could look into the Cooper (the normal Cooper). The Cooper S is far too expensive though - €30k compared to €25k for standard Cooper. Can't spend €30k on a car right now

Thanks unkel for that. That's what I kinda want, the look and feel of it, I'm not too bothered that the others are more engine powerful than the One, but I just wanted to check if that was the only difference?

unkel

Best of luck, tinkerbell, buying your new car

Let us know if / when you get it!

Owen

The new 1.4 MINI One isn't launching until April 14th, along with the Cooper Diesel, and the Sidewalk limited edition of the Convertible Family. As it isn't launching until April 14th, it will be the end of April/start of May before Dealerships have stock. Here's the current breakdown of models.

MINI One 1.4 95 Bhp, 6 Speed, 42 Mpg, € 22, 200 O.T.R.
MINI Cooper 1.6 120 Bhp, 6 Speed, 48 Mpg, € 25, 250 O.T.R.
MINI Cooper Diesel 1.6 110 Bhp (260nm Torque), 68 Mpg, € 27, 250 O.T.R.
MINI Cooper S 1.6t 175 Bhp (260nm Torque FTW!), 6 Speed, 40 Mpg€ 30, 500 O.T.R.

The new MINI One is about 100Kgs lighter than the old one, with 5 Hp more. This gives it a power to weight ratio which is very close to the previous Cooper model. Suspension is softer this time, and the ride is quieter.

Differences between MINI One and MINI Cooper? You can get the roof in a different colour in the Cooper, alloys are standard on the Cooper, and the engine goes from a 1.4 to a 1.6. That's all. Size wise, they're identical, as is the interior trim. You can service either for 5 years for € 250.

OP, you're right about the residuals, MINI's depreciate the least in their class, making them one of the most sensible purchases available at the moment.

The Pepper Pack on the MINI One will be approx € 2, 500, and will include :
Front Foglamps
Trip Computer
Floor Mats
Chrome Exterior
15" Alloy Wheels
Passenger Seat Height Adjustment
Interior Lighting Package (Ambient lighting with 5 switchable colours)
Leather Steering Wheel
Manual Airconditioning
And the Storage Compartment Package which won't be available until after March production.

The SCP will include extra cubby holes, extra 12v point, storage nets on the back of the front seats, and the ability to adjust the rear seats to increase boot space when you have no rear passengers.

A MINI One with a Pepper Pack and Metallic will be about € 25, 250.

Hope all this helps!

Oh, one last little thing, the word Mini referrs to the older classic cars, and the word MINI refers to the BMW built ones. Take a look at the miniclub site in my sig too, plenty of friendly MINI and Mini owners there who will help you out, and you'll also get to see the social side to owning a MINI!

tinkerbell

Wow, thanks ned78 for all that! I appreciate your reply

Ah I see now about Mini vs MINI! So I shall use MINI from now on I saw a really cool MINI there before Christmas out in Dundrum with an amazing paint job. It was a kinda greeny colour that changed colour when the light reflected off it? Any of you seen this one?

The MINI One not coming into stock til May anyway is just perfect because I will probably look it into getting one after that, so tiz perfect timing.

What kind of a MINI do you drive yourself? I'll check out the website! Hopefully I can be a member soon too

Owen

I drive an R56 MINI Cooper (Laser Blue, White Roof, White Stripes, Chili Pack, Leather upgrade, MFSW, Panoramic Sunroof, Brushed Aluminium Dash) and I'm the Sales Manager for a MINI Dealership, in case you hadn't guessed We just had 8 MINIs out today for a spin to Kerry, organising our clubs big three day MINI event coming up this summer. Perfect roads for a MINI down there!

Best of luck with it Tinkerbell, and maybe we'll see you on the road someday. Oh, and I've edited my previous post too, the Pepper Pack also includes Aircon.

Owen

tinkerbell wrote:

I'll check out the website! Hopefully I can be a member soon too

You can join the site without having a MINI, having a passion for the cars is the only pre-requisite.

embraer170

We just had 8 MINIs out today for a spin to Kerry, organising our clubs big three day MINI event coming up this summer. Perfect roads for a MINI down there!

How do they take the potholes?

endplate

embraer170 wrote:

How do they take the potholes?

Not too well I damaged a good year run flat tyre with only 2000kms on it outside Navan a few days ago. About €150 to replace:(

Owen

embraer170 wrote:

How do they take the potholes?

Very well indeed. The new suspension on the R56 has much more travel, allowing it to soak up the bumps. 4th generation run flat tyres now are much more comfortable, and have virtually no road noise. At the MINI factory, we drove a car with ordinary tyres, 3rd generation run flats, and 4th generation. Couldn't tell the diff between ordinary tyres, and the run flats, but the 3rd generation stuck out a mile.

Then we watched a video of driving with a runflat tyre vs standard tyre when a blowout happens. With the runflat, there's a bit of a wiggle, and the driver keeps it straight with very little input. Without, the car spins out of control, and stops facing back the way it was.

BostonB

Whats the service deal?

Richard Hammond could have done with some run flats.

tinkerbell

What's this three day event that's happening? Sounds fun

I've always wanted to get a MINI, thought they were the coolest cars ever! What's the lighting thing like that you get in the Pepper pack, I heard that it's loads of different colours, like purple n stuff?

Also, I didn't realise the Pepper pack was €2,500, I thought it was €1,500?

This service deal as well sounds good, could you tell me a bit more about it? Thanks for all your help

Dundhoone

Sorry about the thread jump here, but as we have a MINI salesmanager....

Who is the OEM manufacturer of the diesel engine ?

The MINI website is very flashy, but its hard to get decent info there.
What are the other "packs" apart from the pepper one?

How many years warranty? 2?

And I second tinkerbells service deal, whats that?

MercMad

The new MINI One is about 100Kgs lighter than the old one, with 5 Hp more. This gives it a power to weight ratio which is very close to the previous Cooper model. Suspension is softer this time, and the ride is quieter

..........my Cousin has a Cooper "S" and I drove it when new. I could not believe how stiff the ride was. I couldn't live with that on a daily basis !!

I had a Clio 16V year ago, which had a terrific ride yet IMO handled better than the Cooper !

tinkerbell

Dundhoone wrote:

Sorry about the thread jump here, but as we have a MINI salesmanager....

No worries, jump away! The more info, the better

Owen

The new Diesel Engine is manufactured by Peugeot. The packs break down as follows :

Salt Pack - MINI One only
Pepper Pack - MINI One and MINI Cooper
Chili Pack - MINI Cooper & MINI Cooper S

2 Years unlimited parts & labour warranty, 3 year's roadside assistance. The service deal is out for a long time, MINI subsidise services in order to get you to buy one. For € 250, you can buy 5 years, or 50000 Miles services, which ever happens first. When that runs out, you can upgrade it to the 8 year/80000 Mile package for a further € 350 Euros if you wish. The service pack is transferrable to the new owner of the vehicle if you choose to sell it.

To Tinkerbell : The Lighting pack is great fun, it's like having a disco in the car with changeable lights. The Pepper Pack is € 1740 on the MINI Cooper, that'll be rising to € 1900 approx soon with the inclusion of the Storage Compartment Package, but will cost approx € 2500 on the MINI One, as the pack for the One additionally includes alloys.

Owen

MercMad wrote:

..........my Cousin has a Cooper "S" and I drove it when new. I could not believe how stiff the ride was. I couldn't live with that on a daily basis !!

I had a Clio 16V year ago, which had a terrific ride yet IMO handled better than the Cooper !

Yes, as stated, the older R53 Cooper S did have stiff suspension. The new R56 S, and all new R56 MINIs have much softer suspension, but still don't roll in corners. There's a world of difference in the new cars.

Anan1

ned78 wrote:

Then we watched a video of driving with a runflat tyre vs standard tyre when a blowout happens. With the runflat, there's a bit of a wiggle, and the driver keeps it straight with very little input. Without, the car spins out of control, and stops facing back the way it was.

Do they not have ESP?

Owen

Anan1 wrote:

Do they not have ESP?

ESP? I don't know what that anagram stands for, but I assume it's some form of traction. Traction isn't going to do much in the event of a blow out. MINI Ones and Coopers don't have traction control, they're not really powerful enough to give the front wheels any hassle - having said that, if you feel you really need it, it's only about 200 Euro.

The Cooper Diesel and Cooper S do have ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control + Traction) as standard. ASC+T includes Brake Assist which will brake much harder than a person can in an emergency situation. There is also the option to upgrade that to DSC (Dynamic Stability Control, with Hill Assist - so there's no need to use the handbrake on a hill start).

Anan1

ESP is electronic stability control, a system that can brake each wheel individually in order to recover the car from a slide such as could be caused by a blow-out. I think DSC is the same system.

tinkerbell

ned78 wrote:

To Tinkerbell : The Lighting pack is great fun, it's like having a disco in the car with changeable lights. The Pepper Pack is € 1740 on the MINI Cooper, that'll be rising to € 1900 approx soon with the inclusion of the Storage Compartment Package, but will cost approx € 2500 on the MINI One, as the pack for the One additionally includes alloys.

Wow, it's even cooler than I imagined

I'll have to start saving even more so, didn't realise the Pepper pack was €2,500. So worth it though

endplate

And tinkerbell for the the real girls at heart there is changeable mood lighting inside. My other half treated herself to a new cooper with chilli pack and she loves it. She picked it up early Jan and is still smiling. She's convinced it's the best thing ever;)

Go on treat yourself you won't regret it

tinkerbell

Hi endplate - yep I would love to treat myself! It'll have to wait for a few months though

What's the story with unusual paint jobs for the MINI? Does anyone know about the one I referred to in Dundrum - a weird greenish type paint that reflects different colours in the light? Thought it looked amazing, probably cost me an arm and a leg though

turbo

tinkerbell wrote:

Hi endplate - yep I would love to treat myself! It'll have to wait for a few months though

What's the story with unusual paint jobs for the MINI? Does anyone know about the one I referred to in Dundrum - a weird greenish type paint that reflects different colours in the light? Thought it looked amazing, probably cost me an arm and a leg though

i've seen it around, its not cheap, i heard it was something like 5000Euro's, though i think thats a bit too much. MINI have a few variations to pick from. TBH i didnt think it looked too good. It only looks good on a TVR

Owen

turbo wrote:

its not cheap, i heard it was something like 5000Euro's, though i think thats a bit too much. MINI have a few variations to pick from.

Correct! There's 4 variations to choose from, the car is built at the factory in black, then sent to a different part of the factory, and resprayed. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of these flip paints though, it'd be too easy to bore of them, and you'd end up looking like a corsa driver, who's paint job is worth more than his car.

FuzzyWuzzyWazza

I'm a bit dubious of the ol flip paint myself, except when it is on a TVR as turbo said.

That service deal is flippin' great, I like the MINI, but wasn't thinking of getting one, but with that kind of service deal I am starting to sway!!!!

Now, who can I hit up for 25 grand................

sarachryan

Hi there Ned etc.
Not exactly on mini one v. mini cooper debate.
I've a 2004 Mini Cooper with very low milage and I am thinking of getting a new model. Is there really that much of a difference in the new one?
Two problems I have are
1. Is it crazy buying new and getting hit with first buyer depreciation when I could wait 6-9 months and get second hand 2007 Cooper?
2. If I'm buying one anyway should I just go the extra 5k and get the Cooper S? I presume Cooper S plus pepper pack and metallic paint is 5K more on top of list price. List for Cooper, Pepper with metallic is working out around 27,350.

Dealers are all pretty scabby about knocking much off list price, lots of chat about low margins etc. Not really too convincing.
Got offered ok trade in but think it'd probably be better to sell privately. Bound to be worth more.
Any thoughts?

p.s. They should really have called the Cooper S - the Sooper. lol

Owen

sarachryan wrote:

Is there really that much of a difference in the new one?

Yes. Everything is different, every panel, every nut and bolt. It just has a similarity to the old one. It's safer, lighter, slightly larger, faster, quieter, and has softer suspension.

sarachryan wrote:

1. Is it crazy buying new and getting hit with first buyer depreciation when I could wait 6-9 months and get second hand 2007 Cooper?

Not really. As you've said yourself Dealers have already informed you of the tiny margins on MINI, Demo margins aren't much better. You'll probably make a saving of a few hundred Euro in going for a Demo model a few months down the road.

sarachryan wrote:

2. If I'm buying one anyway should I just go the extra 5k and get the Cooper S? I presume Cooper S plus pepper pack and metallic paint is 5K more on top of list price. List for Cooper, Pepper with metallic is working out around 27,350.

The Pepper Pack is not available on the S, it's only available on the Cooper at the moment, and will be available on the One when it launches later in the year at a higher price.

sarachryan wrote:

Dealers are all pretty scabby about knocking much off list price, lots of chat about low margins etc. Not really too convincing.

No one's asking you to be convinced, but quite simply, by the time a trade in is involved, most Dealers have trouble clearing 600 Euro profit on a MINI Deal. Dealers don't hold back discount, it isn't there for them to give in the first place.

sarachryan wrote:

Got offered ok trade in but think it'd probably be better to sell privately. Bound to be worth more.

Well that goes without saying. It doesn't matter what car your buying - selling your own privately is always the sensible thing to do financially. Think of it this way, if a Garage wants to sell your car for 20, they must buy it at 16, service it, buy a warranty, tyres, bodywork (Even if you think it's fine, a stone chip on the bonnet warrants a re-spray, etc), make a grand for themselves, and have a grand of a buffer in there to prop up someone's trade in who's interested in yours.

In contrast, you can sell it for 20k. 4 grand up straight away! And you can negotiate a straight sale discount on your new car, but bear in mind on a MINI, that won't be much. Little discount at the front end, means high residuals on the back end when you're finished on it - and let's not forget that MINIs have the best residuals in their class because of this, and because of their high demand.

sarachryan wrote:

p.s. They should really have called the Cooper S - the Sooper. lol

Inspired, I like it!

Owen

Here's a quote from my site, miniclub.ie on the subject of Trade-In allowances, and why people get suprised. Hope it helps!

After a phone call today from a friend looking for a valuation on his MINI, I decided it would be no harm to give people an insight into how part exchange valuations work, especially now that the new MINI is on the way.

Let say you buy a MINI, and the new MINI comes out later this year. You eye up the shiny new car, and decide "Yes, I'm having it". You have an idea in your head what your car is worth, because you've seen them on Carzone, approach your Dealer to wrap it all up, and get the shock of your life ... your Dealer is offering you a lower price than what you felt the car was worth. So why is that?

Well, a private sale on Carzone can dictate it's own price - and people who want to sell their own cars want top dollar for them. But a Dealer? Well, if you see a Dealer's price of € 21, 500 for a similar car, it could probably be bought without a trade in for € 20, 000. Factor in Dealer profit, and the car is costing perhaps € 1k less? Nope. Even when you factor in Dealer profits, you're forgetting about overheads and warranties. And they're not cheap. This is before tyres @ 200 Euro per corner, Bodywork, etc. So a car retailing for € 21, 500 could be originally traded in for € 17k!

So why the warranties and overheads? It's because, quite simply, if you expect a Premium used car to come in pristine condition, and be every bit as good as a new car, then Dealers are obligated to put the car through very thorough checks. That .5 inch scratch on the bumper is acceptable to you? It won't be to the next owner, and painting a panel can cost anything up to €300. So you can quickly see that everything must be accounted for. And this isn't exclusive to MINI, it happens in every brand in the world.

So the next time a Dealer gives you a panic attack by valuing your car for less than what you feel it's worth, ask them to explain it. You'll see most Dealers are reasonable, and the costs will be justified. And of course you can still haggle aftewards, but the Dealer's job is to sell more cars, and the only way we can do this is to give you the best value possible for your own car, to encourage you to continue your MINI Adventure.

Hope this helps!

sarachryan

In fairness to Ned, I see where you're coming from. The dealer I've been on to hasn't been too bad either. Just would love to getthe extra few grand froma private sale.
Here's another quandry for you - I've seen 2006 Cooper S (not R56 , or whatever new model goes by) with very low milage for a very nice price on the Net. Private sale.
Would I be cracked to go for this? Is there really much difference between this and new Cooper S - enough to justify loads of cash?

Ned - can you say what list price of Cooper S is with sunroof?

Apologies if this feels like you're in work.

turbo

sarachryan wrote:

In fairness to Ned, I see where you're coming from. The dealer I've been on to hasn't been too bad either. Just would love to getthe extra few grand froma private sale.
Here's another quandry for you - I've seen 2006 Cooper S (not R56 , or whatever new model goes by) with very low milage for a very nice price on the Net. Private sale.
Would I be cracked to go for this? Is there really much difference between this and new Cooper S - enough to justify loads of cash?

Ned - can you say what list price of Cooper S is with sunroof?

Apologies if this feels like you're in work.

supercharged is better, more fun
the new S seems to be more refined though and easier to live with on a daily basis

endplate

sarachryan wrote:

Is it crazy buying new and getting hit with first buyer depreciation when I could wait 6-9 months and get second hand 2007 Cooper?

I had that attitude too but when my girlfiremd was looking around for a secondhand MINI they were worth so much that it seemed silly to buy secondhand when for only a little extra you could own a new one with no history so that's what she did and no regrets

Dundhoone

MINI site seems to have been updated yesterday or today.

Theres a MINI one D.......it seems to be a 1.4!!!


Wheres the MINI Cooper D 110BHP?

Has it not been added to the irish site yet or have MINI gimped the diesel for us poor paddies :?

Henry Ford III

I drove (and did a track day in a rented) Cooper S

It was pretty zippy, and handled well, but the supercharger whined a lot, and it ate fuel.

I'd always go with a MINI Cooper over a more mundane one btw.

Owen

Dundhoone wrote:

MINI site seems to have been updated yesterday or today.
Theres a MINI one D.......it seems to be a 1.4!!!
Wheres the MINI Cooper D 110BHP?
Has it not been added to the irish site yet or have MINI gimped the diesel for us poor paddies :?

Don't worry, the MINI One D has been discontinued since July 2006. The Cooper D is launching April 14th!

turbo

Henry Ford III wrote:

............

It was pretty zippy, and handled well, but the supercharger whined a lot, and it ate fuel.
.........................

arent superchargers went to whine alot :rolleyes:

Owen

turbo wrote:

arent superchargers went to whine alot :rolleyes:

isn't englosh spoke to people alot? Yes, Supercharges whine considerably. It's intoxicating to listen to them, they're almost sitting on your shoulder screaming "Hurt me, hurt me Goddammit!".

sarachryan

ned78 wrote:

Don't worry, the MINI One D has been discontinued since July 2006. The Cooper D is launching April 14th!

Any body any idea what the Cooper D will be like?
Will it be pretty similar to Cooper to drive?

Thanks

Dundhoone

Yes and have you any details of the trim level.....as in will it be the same as the petrol Cooper?

Also have you had a spin in one yet Ned?

Oh and how much is that chili pack now, still €2500 on the cooper D?

April is ages!!!!

sarachryan

Chilli pack on all of them is now E 3540 so don't think it'll be any less on Cooper D. Far as I know they haven't released figures for extras on the D.

I think I am finally decided on getting new R56. Drove a 2006 Cooper S yesterday, great car but far too stiff on the gears for me.


I only do around 6,000 miles a year so I am not even sure I need a Cooper D. From what I hear though, you're getting a hell of a lot of car as well as great fuel efficiency.

Too much choice.

Owen

Don't forget Sarah, the Cooper now returns 48Mpg, which the old 1.4 Diesel only barely bettered. So for your mileage, it'll be fine. Dundhoone, the trim level should indeed be similar to the Petrol Cooper.

The Chili Pack is currently € 3540, but will be increasing March 1st, due to the addition of the Storage Compartment Package, and the small increase in the price of Leather.

Oh, and MINI launched discounted MINI Insurance today, go to MINI.ie and get a quote! Plus, if your get a quote, and don't take it, you still get 7 day's Insurance F.O.C. - once your MINI is bought from a MINI Dealer. EDIT : It's not on MINI.ie yet, but it will be soon.

tinkerbell

Have they put the insurance on the website yet?

I think I might go test drive a MINI again tomorrow for the craic

tinkerbell

Hey ned78, any idea on when the price of the One will be released?

Also, what would be the price of the Cooper + Pepper or the One + Pepper? Also with metallic paint

Owen

Dealers were supposed to be supplied with prices last Tuesday, but it didn't happen. Here's the estimate for you Tinkerbell :

MINI One - € 22, 200 (Inclusive of all charges)
Metallic - € 550
Pepper Pack - € 2, 500 (Approx)
Total - € 25, 250

MINI Cooper 0 € 25, 250 (Inclusive of all charges)
Metallic - € 550
Pepper Pack - € 1940 (Approx, when it goes up March 1st, it's currently € 1, 740)
Total - € 27, 740

Enjoy!

tinkerbell

Cool, thanks ned

Dundhoone

One last MINI question from me,

The chili pack for €3540

includes:
Half leather sports seats
16" 5 star alloys
3 spoke leather steering wheel
Chrome line exterior
foglights
Interior lighting pack
rear spoiler
storage compartment pack
trip computer
mats

& basic air con????

is there anything else in there now, that list is from the MINI.ie config thingy, when the pack was only €2700.

Can you fill the gaps in Ned? I've been to 2 dealers so far and neither had a printed out list of accessories/packs and prices for these. Which was dissapointing!

Owen

We got confirmation of prices this morning Tinkerbell on the MINI One :

Standard Car : € 22, 200 O.T.R., including all charges.
Metallic : € 535 (Normally € 550 on Coopers)
Pepper Pack : € 2, 400.

Total RRP : € 25, 135.

Launching April 14th.

Enjoy!