Next car...

Randomjim

Randomjim

Registered User
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
2,749
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Sussex, Uk
Im seriously contemplating getting rid of my a4. Over 100k now and looking for something quicker, newer and more practical. Don't think there's any Audis in my price range that i want. So i'm gonna be making a some phone calls about a few mini cooper S's i've seen. Does anyone have any experience with them? And tuning possibilities... Thanks in advance
 
I've driven quite a few Cooper S's (i assume you dont mean the facelifted one) and to be honest i dont really rate them.

They feel very average in terms of power, certainly not what i'd call a fast car, easy to chuck around but to be honest i'd have a cooper as soon as a cooper S.

Drive a couple you should see what i mean, i do like the minis in general but they are a bit small.

What kind of price range are we talking?
 
I've never really thought about them before but my mates girlfriends got one and i liked it. Yea im talking about the supercharged one. I've seen a grey one 40k miles, all the bits i want (i think) for £8999 trade. Hoping they might take mine in part exchange too.
 
I take it you've thought about all the usuals too....

Elise

Type R (civic or integra or accord)

S3

325 / 328

ST170

Ibiza / Leon Cupra R

Astra GSI

etc etc

As for tuning the Cooper S - either try and find a works version or they can be remapped to about 185bhp from memory, shouldnt cos more than the usual £4-500
 
Elise - 22 so doubt i would get insured, plus can't imagine them being very reliable

Type R - My mate had one and it just wasn't for me

S3 - test drove an a3 1.8t and found i didn't like the driving position so i guess it's the same

325/328 - Only like the E46 shape coupe's and then it starts getting expensive

ST170 - Hate fords

Ibiza/ Leon Cupra - Thought about these two, but im not a huge fan of the looks or the interiors

Astra Gsi - Too much plastic
 
audi upgrades
I can totally vouch for an Elise.

I had one when I was 21 (Full no claims insurance fully comp 1500) and it was brilliant, ran it for two years and didn't have one problem.

Servicing can be steap and I would steer clear of anything that has been near a track but for smile driving it can't be beaten!

Pop out for milk and I would be away for 3 hours!
 
I had a mini cooper S back in 2003 and didn;t get on with it. I'd say it depends what sort of driving you do. Do you need to carry anyone else in the car and if you use it for your commute how much stuff do you carry? A laptop bag and gym bag used to fill the boot in mine.

Coincidently I am in a mini cooper at the moment as my cars gone in for some body work. The latest mini is a lot better, nicer to drive, better interior, definateyl better screwed together.

Dirving my old MCS if I went down a bumby B-road giving it some beans the interior used to shake itself apart and trim would pop off.... Driving it was like driving with a 1000 mice in the car it squeak so much. And that was with a car that was brand new...

J.
 
ever considered an evo ? 4 doors and all that !
 
Not a big fan of jap cars to be honest. Plus i really don't need 4 doors. Rarely use the space the A4 gives me. So i think i should act my age and get something small and fun. Instead of my family car lol.

I'm gonna test out a cooper s on saturday and go from there. And i fit in them as a passenger perfectly so i would have thought driving it will be fine. But i'll find that out on saturday. Might make it a very easy decision if i don't fit in it lol.
 
My mates Leon interior is very similar to my Audi? Leon 1.820VT Cupra are a bargain on around an 03/04 plate

Mini Cooper S dont do it for me, dont like the interior and far to small but can see the attraction to them, handle like they are on rails, I had a play with one in my 200sx and on the corners he left me dead but on the straights I caught up and overtook him like it was nothing, depends what you want really, they look like a fun car to own
 
LottieA3 said:
What about a R5GT?
Click to expand...

How about no. But then i could get one of those sun strips like out of ali g lmao.

I don't know what it is about the leons. Just something i don't like about them. Maybe because it's a 5 door.

I'm not too bothered about the power because i can fiddle about an squeeze more out of it. At the moment i drive a tank with only 125bhp so it's gonna be a big step up. But they just seem like a lot of fun.
 
Plenty of French stuff for that price:

'05 Megane 225
05-55 Clio 182
05-55 206 GTI 180
06 C4 VTR+

Then there's Italian:

05 Stilo Abarth 2.4
06 147 2.0TS
 
Mini???? gay (sorry everyone)! Screams estate agent.
French - avoid! Nice handling, goes ok, but just not there! Cheap!
Italian? mad, then do it.
Old school - depends on what!
Spanish. I like LCR's. Go well, and look nice.

Once youve had an Audi, i think IMO there's no going back.
 
I think the Mini is a cool car, for a bird.

I've had 3 of the original shape mini coopers and they were such a crack to drive with so much character.

For 8995, i'd get a 225 bhp TT.
 
True true they are a bit of a girls car, but if i got one i'd make it look good. I thought about a TT aswell but isn't that worse? lol.


I will be coming back to audi but only when i can justify buying an S5 or an RS4. And when someone will insure me lol. For now i want something small, practical, fun and nippy.
 
Yeah those 1.8T Polo GTI's look really really nice, dont see many on the road either
 
I like the Lupo and Polo Gti's but i know if i get one of them i'll have it on coilovers and scraping the floor in no time. Which will mean i have to avoid speedbumps and multi storeys again. Plus i'm really liking the idea of a supercharger.

I'm 90% decided on a mini. Just need to drive one now to confirm it. Do you think a dealership would let me borrow one for a few days to get a better feel of it?
 
I had a john cooper works mini from work, hated it.
Was noisy and the seats were almost dead flat on the base so it was difficult to stay seated when giving it the beans around a corner.
Awful on long journeys as well, noisy and canes off fuel.

BTW the Evo is group 20 insurance....
 
Decided i'm not gonna get one. The salesman was the biggest **** ever ha ha. He put me off them completely.

So the new plan is either a b6 sline 1.8t or a similar age a3. Gonna keep it audi.
 
Randomjim said:
Decided i'm not gonna get one. The salesman was the biggest **** ever ha ha. He put me off them completely.

So the new plan is either a b6 sline 1.8t or a similar age a3. Gonna keep it audi.
Click to expand...

:applaus:Well done dude, good choice....after all, no non Audi allowed at Audimeets!:no:
 
I quite like the cooper s. Handling is decent on the mini's.

What about a Golf GTI anniversary? They hold there value well, look nice and can get either the TDI or 1.8T engine.

385352-5.jpg
 
Not sure I like the poo-brown leather interior to be honest!
 
Its baseball glove leather, very rare. Looks much better in the flesh.
 
Think I've seen this colour leather in the flesh too. Does look much better than in those photo's. Does it have the fancy stitching too?
 
Nice. I quite like that. Looks very warm.
 
Yea i really like it too, plus i like that nimbus grey too. I know TT's are a bit of a posers car but with BBS Ch's and 300bhp i think it makes up for it.
 
That is the best coluor combo. :o.k:

I used to hate TT's but they have definitely grown on me. I'd certainly consider one.

My mum has got a black TT roadster! :arco:
 
300bhp you say. Has it been err fettled in any way. Iirc standard is about 225bhp unless its a 3.2.
 
Anyway, i thought you were worried about high insurance costs???
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Audi s3 next car
Replies
5
Views
997
yaya
Y
M
Deciding what car to get next
Replies
1
Views
583
Raiden
Raiden
DaveA3
What car shall i get next?
Replies
20
Views
2K
shariain
shariain
Just Plain Old
I may have found my next car?
Replies
12
Views
849
benw123
benw123
a4quat
your next car is gonna be a............
Replies
35
Views
2K
Oranoco
Oranoco
Top
Back