Volkwasgen Golf or Mini Cooper

Sully

Hey,

I'm interested in buying a car the next few months.. either a Golf or a Mini Cooper. I tested my sisters Golf and I liked it a lot. Also tested the Mini, and I liked that a lot to :P

But im undecided. What should I go for? Anyone experience both, and preferred one over the other?

Id appreciated any advise. Thanks.

Kevin

Little-Devil

Sully wrote:

Hey,

I'm interested in buying a car the next few months.. either a Golf or a Mini Cooper. I tested my sisters Golf and I liked it a lot.

Personally i would pick the VW Golf.

Sully wrote:

Also tested the Mini, and I liked that a lot to :P

As much as i actually like this car, i think its classed more as a girls car, my personal opinion.

Its your choice, your the one going to be driving it the end of the day.

unkel

Which Golf or Mini are you going for, Kevin? What's your budget?

There's nothing in your post to help us determine if it's a '77 or an '07 you're thinking of buying

Quint

Little-Devil wrote:

As much as i actually like this car, i think its classed more as a girls car, my personal opinion.

There was a post on this before and I think we all agreed that the Mini was a girls car! I think the new Golf looks pretty cool, I'd go with that.

jimmyjoe9

Golf without a doubt...

Had 3 new golf cars since 2000...

great car.

what engine are you thinking of...

Biro

Mini is leaps and bounds ahead of the golf in terms of driving dynamics, and that applies to whether it's the old cooper or new! Mk1 GTi a possible exception.
Golfs are boring. Mini's are exciting, new mini is a tad girly alright, but the John Cooper Works one is the job. If you get a good colour you can "male-ise" it a bit maybe.

Owen

As stated in the other thread on 'Girly cars', the perception that MINI is a girls car is only an Irish one. It doesn't exist in reality, or in any other country. I can honestly say, I sell 50:50 men to women. Did you know, in the UK, it's 63% male, and 37% female who buy MINIs, and in the States, it's 81% male, and 19% female? Bet not. But the men of Ireland shall beat their fists, grunt, and say "Sure that's a girl's car", even though it'll out handle, out perform, and hold it's value far better than the competition.

Yes, you're all probably sh*t sick of thinking, it's a MINI thread, here's Ned! Think I'm talking as a salesman? Probably. But tonight I actually bought (As in paid for) a MINI Cabrio for herself, and next month I'm buying a Cooper S (With all the JCW toys) for myself, to go along with my company MINI. They're just a kick-ass car, no matter what the sexually-insecure on here say.

Having said all that, the Golf kicks ass too. I love them. Especially as Biro said, the Mk1 GTi was just such a sorted car.

bazz26

Strange choice as both cars are aimed at completely different markets.

The GTi is probably as close as you'll get in the Golf range to compare to the MINI Cooper. Unless you are looking at a GTi then the choice is easy.

From a looks and driving perspective the MINI Cooper wins hands down imo. If you can afford the Cooper S then all the better.

Owen

bazz26 wrote:

If you can afford the Cooper S then all the better.

Weird as it sounds, I had a Cooper S for the first 6 months of the year but I'm driving a Cooper Diesel now, and it's 90% as fast, but even with me driving the bejaysus out of it, I'm getting 54 to the gallon. Apparently if you drive it nicely - as if - it'll do about 65mpg. It's also 3k cheaper than the S.

jame5_b

what jcw toys are you getting? im also in the process of kitting out my MINI. its pricey though.. that stuff doesnt come cheap...

Owen

Oh. All of them

drdre

Golf is the best.Mini is just over priced and just more classy (for some)

I have had a golf before and drove a mini.I love the golf

jame5_b

even the shift indicator and the auxiliary gauges? why not go for a gp?

Owen

Shift indicator is sitting on my desk here next to me. A GP? Not a chance mate. I'm building something with more optional equipment, more power, and less weight. The GP is a bit spartan for my requirements.

jame5_b

how much did you pay for it? ive been lookig for one but there around £250!! what tuning kit are you going to use ? gtt or jcw?

Owen

I get things a bit cheaper then the average bear ... I'll be using the JCW Tuning Kit, with the MTH re-map, supercharger pulley, and manifold to up the power.

jame5_b

i wish i had an S...:( being only 18 the insurance is a killler on the cooper as it is. at least i have the s look.. ive put s bumpers bonnet and exhaust and alloys on the car.. all i need is a supercharger under th bonnet...

Sully

My budget would be around the 26k mark, and I wouldnt be getting it straight away. Im looking at my options now, and would be considering it at the earliest August.

Mini Cooper 1.6 4-Cly 16V.

Oxygen Blue with black bonnet stripers, Roof & Mirror Caps in black also. 15" Rotator Spoke Alloys and a Panoramic Glass Sunroof. Using the "Cloth Cosmos Black" interior.

€26,825.00

jame5_b

what about a second hand S?? you could bring a really nice one in from england for that money...

drdre

jame5_b wrote:

what about a second hand S?? you could bring a really nice one in from england for that money...

my friend got a mini cooper s from uk last year for 21k and was inc leather and looked amazing.He sold it here for 28k.good profit but waited afew months to get the right price

Henry Ford III

I like the MINI, paricularly Cooper and Cooper S models.

I also like the Golf but only early and most recent GTI models. Forget about cooking versions - they are average enough.

whippet

Before buying my GTi i thought about the CooperS and popped down to Joe Duffy's for a test drive.

While the driving dynamics were excellent I just knew I couldn't live with the car as a daily driver. The ride was very very stiff (running on 18's) and the cabin is very cramped (I'm not even that tall). The missus loved the way it looked and handled but after opening the boot she also realised there was no way she could live with it !! I do prefer having proper back seats aswell!!

Also the fact that when we speced the car we wanted the price came to about €42,000 and at first ask there was no discount (straight cash deal) .. after pushing I was offered €150 off. I laughed at him and told him I was on the way to test drive a GTi, he shrugged his shoulders and laughed .. 'so you'll be calling me in an hour with an order'.

I test drove the GTi, the spec came in at about the same price and got a cash discount of over €2500 and ordered it there any then.

About a week later I got a call from joe Duffy's asking if I was ready to place an order, I told him I ordered the Gti and was informed that 'you must know nothing about cars then'.

The two cars while both sound similar on paper are totally different cars for totally different markets.

Owen

whippet wrote:

The ride was very very stiff (running on 18's)

I made that mistake too with a few of my MINIs. The 18's on Irish roads don't do it any favours at all ...

whippet wrote:

Also the fact that when we speced the car we wanted the price came to about €42,000 and at first ask there was no discount (straight cash deal) .. after pushing I was offered €150 off.

That's the norm. There's no discount on MINI I'm afraid. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a Dealer though

dodgyme

In relation to image the mini is regarded as a flash car. Probably why it is looked at like a girls car. The styling is a bit girly too. The golf can be a flash car too but doesn't seem to get the same stick for it. I mean when I see a golf gti I still give the nod of approval. But with the mini I just look and think the person is vain. I mean it may as well be a 2 seater - there is literally no room in the mini, which is ironic because all I see driving them are fat ugly people.

whippet

ned78 wrote:

That's the norm. There's no discount on MINI I'm afraid. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a Dealer though

But that is my gripe, obviously the dealer has a profit margin, i'm no expert but I would hazzard a guess at about 15% gross (before overheads etc). Therefore it is up to the dealer to decide if he wants to take the full 15% or drop to 10% to be more competitive.

Where you say 'There is no discounts on MINI' leads me to form the opinion of a cartel operating, whereby all mini dealers stick to the RRP and avoid all competition. They might operate this using the excuse that BMW tell us not to discount on the MINI range. To me that is irrelevant and i would imagine under inspection have a few questions to answer to the competition authority.

As regards to the 'bad' experience with a MINI dealer, it was a 'bad' experience with Joe Duffys .. the attitude of boys selling the BMWs are as bad if not worse !!

Owen

whippet wrote:

But that is my gripe, obviously the dealer has a profit margin, i'm no expert but I would hazzard a guess at about 15% gross (before overheads etc). Therefore it is up to the dealer to decide if he wants to take the full 15% or drop to 10% to be more competitive.

Not anywhere even close. The margins you're discussing are related to other marques. I wish we had margins like that!

whippet wrote:

Where you say 'There is no discounts on MINI' leads me to form the opinion of a cartel operating, whereby all mini dealers stick to the RRP and avoid all competition. They might operate this using the excuse that BMW tell us not to discount on the MINI range. To me that is irrelevant and i would imagine under inspection have a few questions to answer to the competition authority.

There's no discounts on Ducati Motorbikes, or Porsches, or Milk, or Bread. It's nothing to do with 'price fixing', or a 'cartel'. The competition authority would do bugger all - retailers are entitled to sell a product for the RRP, you're not the first person to jump to conclusions and think the same thing.

Owen

dodgyme wrote:

I mean it may as well be a 2 seater - there is literally no room in the mini

Interesting you should say that. The MINI has more rear seat space than the new Beetle, which is built on a Golf Chassis, the boot is also more practical.

craichoe

ned78 wrote:

Interesting you should say that. The MINI has more rear seat space than the new Beetle, which is built on a Golf Chassis, the boot is also more practical.

That means nothing, the Octavia is built on the same chassis as the golf and has very little space in the back seats, huge boot though.

whippet

ned78 wrote:

Not anywhere even close. The margins you're discussing are related to other marques. I wish we had margins like that!



There's no discounts on Ducati Motorbikes, or Porsches, or Milk, or Bread. It's nothing to do with 'price fixing', or a 'cartel'. The competition authority would do bugger all - retailers are entitled to sell a product for the RRP, you're not the first person to jump to conclusions and think the same thing.

that actual %'s that I quoted were more or less random figures .. but what I am getting to is that the dealers have some sort of scope for selling at a price of their choosing.

A MINI dealer who has a 40sq foot showroom in dublin and a MINI dealer who has a 20sq foot showroom in Cavan have totally different overheads and therefore different margins .. if both are selling at the same price it is because of some sort of anti competitive price arrangement between the dealers which is probably organised by BMW .. and in effect anti competitive!

I am not disputing that dealers are entitled to sell at the RRP, but when you hear something like 'No discounts on MINIs' it would lead me to believe that they are all selling at an agreed RRP as there is an agreement at some level that eliminates any type of competition based on the biggest competitive factor - Price, despite the fact that every dealer has a different cost structure.

It wouldn't be the first time that car dealers would be accused of such activities and in the last few years there has been a lot of evidence from certian marques to support the accusations!!

Who sets the RRP, BMW or the dealers? or is it BMW in conjunction with the dealers?

Owen

craichoe wrote:

That means nothing, the Octavia is built on the same chassis as the golf and has very little space in the back seats, huge boot though.

I don't get how it means nothing. Someone was complaining that the MINI wasn't practical, and you couldn't swing a cat in it. I regularly have 4 people inside mine, and was using the Beetle as an example of a direct compeditor car that has less interior space, and a less practical boot.

Besides, the MINI Clubman coming out at the end of the year will have enough space, and boot space for a family!

MarkN

Can't believe people are comparing a Mini Cooper to a MKV Golf GTI !
The GTI pisses all over it in every aspect bar possibly handling and you're talking on the limits where the Mini would have the advantage.

I've covered nearly 40,000 kms in a MKV GTI and there is nothing you could do to make me want a Cooper over it.

You can actually swing a cat in a GTI, it goes faster, stops better, has a FAR nicer interior, looks better, has nicer wheels, FAR nicer seats, won't depreciate like a rock and you WON'T look like a girl driving one.

As for no discounts, that's rubbish. It's true that BMW don't have anything near the margins VAG dealers have but saying there's no discounts is just factually wrong.

Owen

whippet wrote:

A MINI dealer who has a 40sq foot showroom in dublin and a MINI dealer who has a 20sq foot showroom in Cavan have totally different overheads and therefore different margins

No they don't. The margins on the product are the same.

whippet wrote:

if both are selling at the same price it is because of some sort of anti competitive price arrangement between the dealers which is probably organised by BMW .. and in effect anti competitive!

You're getting pretty libelous now. Go sue Supervalue for selling milk at the same price in all their shops and see how you get on. There is, and let me put this in bold so you can understand it no price fixing, so it's not anti-compeditive. A Dealer is entitled to sell the car at whatever price they choose, just like any Ducati Dealership, or any Porsche Dealership. Because the retained margins are low, discounting doesn't happen often. It does happen the odd time though.

dodgyme

Well I have been in the mini and the golf and the golf has more room. The mini has none but that could be down to the fact that most owners are fat ugly people and hence take up more room.

alias no.9

I always laugh when someone calls one car a womans car and follows up with advice to buy golf instead. Most people I know who have golfs are women. They've bought them because they don't wan't to have a 'womans car', but they've unwittingly turned them into a womans car by buying them like sheep.

Owen

MarkN wrote:

Can't believe people are comparing a Mini Cooper to a MKV Golf GTI ! The GTI pisses all over it in every aspect bar possibly handling and you're talking on the limits where the Mini would have the advantage.

Actually, we had the Golf GTi on a disused RAF airfield in the UK, along with the Clio 197, and the new Cooper S. Guess which one won the drag race? Then guess which one won the slalom test, and then guess which one won the 0-60-0 test? Here's a hint. It wasn't the Golf.

MarkN wrote:

As for no discounts, that's rubbish. It's true that BMW don't have anything near the margins VAG dealers have but saying there's no discounts is just factually wrong.

We're not discussing BMW, and trust me when I say I have my facts right.

sesswhat

alias no.9 wrote:

They've bought them because they don't wan't to have a 'womans car', but they've unwittingly turned them into a womans car by buying them like sheep.

Wouldn't that make them a sheeps car?

Owen

I'm finished with this thread now, as it's gone completely off topic. OP, drive both cars, and buy the one you like. It's not about what I like, or any other poster on boards thinks, or what Clarkson writes in the times, all of these opinions are that. Opinions. Yours is just as valid, it's your money, and your life.

MarkN

ned78 wrote:

Actually, we had the Golf GTi on a disused RAF airfield in the UK, along with the Clio 197, and the new Cooper S. Guess which one won the drag race? Then guess which one won the slalom test, and then guess which one won the 0-60-0 test? Here's a hint. It wasn't the Golf.

So what?? They're not even in the same class, the Clio and Cooper weigh a lot less.

ned78 wrote:

We're not discussing BMW, and trust me when I say I have my facts right.

And it's just out of kindness that BMW let Mini set up shop in their showrooms is it??! :rolleyes:

endplate

MINI FTW all the way great fun to drive and fantastic economy 47mpg. I've been driving one since January. It's a bit girly inside with the mood lighting but other than that it's great.

Oh and buy it in Joe Duffy's from Elaine she's seriously hot

unkel

dodgyme wrote:

the fact that most owners are fat ugly people and hence take up more room.

Are you trolling or is that just a pathetic rant? Either way, less of that or you'll be gone from this forum for a bit...

Henry Ford III

MarkN wrote:

....GTI....won't depreciate like a rock......

Erm actually compared to the MINI it will. In fairness MINI's retained values are excellent.

MarkN

Minis do, Cooper S models don't seem to! A girl I work with has one and she can't sell it at the moment as she would lose so much on it - her own words.

On the other hand, I lost just the extras on a GTI in a year and sold it on for €3,000 less than I paid for it a year earlier.

JoeA3

I think the higher end models of any of these cars will depreciate quite a bit in the first year or two, people get scared off (legit or otherwise) by the fuel, insurance, tax bills! I have a 07 GTI myself, very happy with it, but I try not to think about how much cash I've lost in it!!! There's quite a lot of 05/06 GTI's on the used market now.
I love the Mini Cooper's too... I was trying to get the missus into one, but her first reaction was - where will the shopping fit?! The boot is tiny, make no mistake - still a cool car though IMO.

unkel

MarkN wrote:

Minis do, Cooper S models don't seem to! A girl I work with has one and she can't sell it at the moment as she would lose so much on it - her own words.

Minis have the lowest depreciation compared to any other car in the class. That's valid across the range, but obviously the normal rules apply. Optional extras depreciate seperately from the car. Especially expensive Chili / Silly packs etc

MarkN wrote:

on a GTI in a year and sold it on for €3,000 less than I paid for it a year earlier.

Perhaps the fact you traded it in for a high margin new car from the same manufacturer played a small role there too?

MarkN

Ah yeh, but Unkel point is, it can be done!

I have found GTIs to be fairly good on residuals though, I've owned 3 now in total and never lost a huge amount of them.

38psi

Go with the Mini. IMO the Golf is a boring car also judging by the thread on MSL service could be a hassle too.

dodgyme

Just saw an advert there for the new polo GTI. And infact when you think about it, it is probably the size wise more in line with the original golf GTI. You might go with the polo GTI?

.Longshanks.

endplate wrote:

Oh and buy it in Joe Duffy's from Elaine she's seriously hot

I'll second that......:D

SouperComputer

Golf is, well, a Golf IMO, it makes me yawn which is great if thats what you want.

Otherwise go for the Mini. Maybe go back a year or two and go for the cooper S? The diesel is a great option too.