Odd question, if BMW makes Mini....

[wrestrepo]

I have always liked Mini. I would love to have a Cooper S for a daily driver. Anyhow, people talk about BMW all the time, how their drivers are a55hole5, how the cars are a pain to maintain and to top that very expensive, and etc etc.

How come Mini does not have the same stigma? or I am just not aware of it?
To the ones that say they would never own a BMW, would you consider a Mini?

[tojimario]

i would totally rock a mini! though, the only trouble i could think of would be if one would need to take it to a dealer... where im at, id be stuck going to a bmw dealer or driving over an hour to the nearest mini dealer

[awjones]

i would drive a BMW but not a Mini.

[saabhutter]

What awjones said!

[WhiteT5]

Mini owners are drastically different from BMW owners.

That said, I rarely see BMW drivers behaving/driving like pompous jerks here. They seem to use indicators more frequently than the general public, even.

It is usually people in large SUV's or trashed American cars from the late '90s that fit the stereotype of the "BMW driver" that cuts everyone off and drives without respect for anyone else on the road. They are driven by people that are typically quite chav-ish.

But back to the main point of the thread..... go test drive a Mini Cooper S if you haven't. They are an absolute blast to drive, though a bit impractical if it is your only vehicle.

[saab19]

I just don't see minis as being safe enough to drive one, otherwise I might--don't give me crash test nonsense. put it in a real world situation where the bumper on the ram or silverado 1500 is level with the windows--game over.

and the interior (ie dashboard, gauages) annoys the hell outta me. but I'd drive a mini if that was different. I'd also drive a bmw.

[valbowski1980]

I got to drive one a month ago and saw what the hype was all about. This thing just grips. My Aero felt a bit like a boat after that

Wouldn't mind a Mini myself.

[Abarth]

Originally Posted by WhiteT5

Mini owners are drastically different from BMW owners.

That said, I rarely see BMW drivers behaving/driving like pompous jerks here. They seem to use indicators more frequently than the general public, even.

It is usually people in large SUV's or trashed American cars from the late '90s that fit the stereotype of the "BMW driver" that cuts everyone off and drives without respect for anyone else on the road. They are driven by people that are typically quite chav-ish.

But back to the main point of the thread..... go test drive a Mini Cooper S if you haven't. They are an absolute blast to drive, though a bit impractical if it is your only vehicle.

I agree with regards to Bimmer drivers out here on the left coast. The idiots are Camary drivers!

[boon94]

I would drive this mini, and I would take it over an X3 any day. I cannot drive a BMW on principle.

[ivanwakeup]

i dont know where a lot of the hatred for BMW comes from, honestly from the research i've done they are amazingly well built and even very reliable cars. Their motors have been around for decades and evolved to a point where they are near bulletproof. Most of the hype about ridiculous prices seems to come from those who take the car to the stealership, anyway.

BMW is probably my second favorite car make in general. to answer your other question though, i would also drive a cooper S in a heartbeat.

[J-Rod]

Mini's are cool. One of my teachers drives a Cooper S "Checkmate" 6-speed. She loves that thing.



Only hers is white. Searching for that picture made realize good these cars actually look!

[Rennsport1]

Firstly, I think it's difficult to generalize about driver's of the #1 selling luxury car brand. BMW is leading the DAX index, it's stock is soaring, sales up 700%.

I've been amazed at how little maintenance my car requires, I double checked on BMW forums, etc, and the oil change intervals on my car are recommended at 15k miles And these motors, the BMW straight 6s are extremely robust. The N52 in my 328i SPORT is also the lightest 6cylinder motor currently in production. The non-turbo versions of the BMW straight 6 are especially free of any issues. And is ghostly smooth all the way up to redline, just silky, and the handling is so wonderful. But those that see their bimmer as mostly a status symbol are missing the point. And those who would buy my car with an automatic are also missing the point I think, it's so lovely to drive, I mean really drive, but I have read and can imagine that in automatic form it's not near as much fun. The new 335IS is a different story I'm sure though, and Turbos work well with automatics(less dropping of boost between shifts), especially dual clutch autos ! The fuel economy of the 328i N52 is also quite a lot better than the Aero. The Aero V6T was wonderful, the best part was clearly the motor, and the wonderful sounds it made and nice power all over the tach. The 328i is nice too and has nice torque characteristics, but not as much punch that the LP9 had. But the bimmer just feels so damn tight and solid, everything from body structure, to the no noises(sans squeeks, creeks, etc) tomb quite interior, to the steering that is just so direct and responsive, to the fantastic shifter with a lovely heft to it, but still so buttery, and the lovely interior trim, just makes me smile. But I can still see myself driving a SAAB again, with the new 9-3 coming out not too long from now, a couple, maybe three years, I will be looking forward to its introduction, hopefully with some wonderful motors and improved suspension, interiors, etc. But the current 9-3 is still one of the best looking sedans on the road.

[wrestrepo]

Originally Posted by Rennsport1

Firstly, I think it's difficult to generalize about driver's of the #1 selling luxury car brand. BMW is leading the DAX index, it's stock is soaring, sales up 700%.

I've been amazed at how little maintenance my car requires, I double checked on BMW forums, etc, and the oil change intervals on my car are recommended at 15k miles

That's what the interval should be for synthetic oil, and I don't understand for the life of me why people do 3K miles. Waste of money, waste of good oil, waste of time, etc.
Anyhow, saying that all BMW owners are a55hole5 is a generalization and a stereo type. Just like saying that all Saab owners are snubs. Anybody who doesn't see that BMWs are great performance machines is a fool in my opinion....

[Lex Andrews]

From what i've been told by 3 BMW drivers, a 06 5 series, 07 3 series and 07 1 Series, is that everything IS an option inc lane changing indicators (tap once, flashes 3 times). Run flat tyres are horrible for comfort and noise level. Either that or British roads are........
Like to see what US drivers make of the runflats

[wrestrepo]

Originally Posted by Lex Andrews

From what i've been told by 3 BMW drivers, a 06 5 series, 07 3 series and 07 1 Series, is that everything IS an option inc lane changing indicators (tap once, flashes 3 times). Run flat tyres are horrible for comfort and noise level. Either that or British roads are........
Like to see what US drivers make of the runflats

yeah, run flats are horrible in any brand of car...

[stew81]

Originally Posted by wrestrepo

I have always liked Mini. I would love to have a Cooper S for a daily driver. Anyhow, people talk about BMW all the time, how their drivers are a55hole5, how the cars are a pain to maintain and to top that very expensive, and etc etc.

How come Mini does not have the same stigma? or I am just not aware of it?
To the ones that say they would never own a BMW, would you consider a Mini?

your right, it is a bit of an odd question!

would you ask the same thing of a Rolls Royce?

BMW dont make the mini, neither do they make the Rolls Royce, they're just car companies that BMW happens to own. You wouldnt say Proton make Lotus' would you?

[Rennsport1]

My coupe has runflats, I believe they are mandatory with the SPORT Pkg. the dealer just threw new ones on, not cheap $$$$. And since I have the sport pkg., they're staggered 18s on lightweight BMW SPORT pkg. (8X18"FR 9.5X18"RR I believe) alloys, 225/40 and 255/35s POTENZA RE050s (WR 168MPH MAX PERFORMANCE SUMMER nice), and I find the ride fairly nice actually, and the 3series coupe is so quite anyway, it's not much of an issue for me, and I like a sporty ride anyway. It actually has quite a bit nicer ride than the Aero to be honest.. I know the ride will change as the tires wear, and that these are soft compounds and probably won't live much over 12k miles, but I'm fine with that. It's nice to buy a car that comes with really nice UHP/MAX performance rubber. Usually when I buy a new car the first thing I do is toss the crappy OE A/S tires, like I did with both of my new SAABs, my WRX, my Mazda6, etc...

[wrestrepo]

Originally Posted by stew81

your right, it is a bit of an odd question!

would you ask the same thing of a Rolls Royce?

BMW dont make the mini, neither do they make the Rolls Royce, they're just car companies that BMW happens to own. You wouldnt say Proton make Lotus' would you?

I think that you misunderstood the question. Mini was designed and made from the ground up by BMW, I think that RR had it's own philosophy and way of doing things before they were bought and they probably kept that. They were not discontinued and revived by BMW.....I don't know if I explained myself or confused you even more..

[stew81]

Originally Posted by wrestrepo

Mini was designed and made from the ground up by BMW

Rover were working on the design when the entire company was under BMW stewardship, the Rover group was then split-up with BMW retaining ownership and then assuming full control of the mini development team and brand.

I think that RR had it's own philosophy and way of doing things before they were bought and they probably kept that

true, but then that company was bought by VW not BMW.
BMW only bought the rights to the name from the Rolls Royce aero engine company and then formed a new company from scratch.


i really dont think there is any BMW phillosphy in the new mini at all, apart from maybe the pricing.

[wrestrepo]

Originally Posted by stew81

Rover were working on the design when the entire company was under BMW stewardship, the Rover group was then split-up with BMW retaining ownership and then assuming full control of the mini development team and brand.

Well, the common man doesn't know that much....and for some reason Mini is associated with BMW and (despite it's British origins) with the Germans.

And that is really what my question is all about....perhaps there are different views on the other side of the pond....