let me say this site is great !!!! this is my first post so if the topic has been discussed before..please accept my apology.

i am looking at buying either the xa, xb or mini. i know the mini costs about 5k-6k more but price is not the problem. i haven't been able to test drive any of these cars and would like feedbacks of those who had driven them.

please please let me know since i will be in the market in the next month once i am back in the states. thanks

 

Well if money isn't an issue than I would get the Cooper S or Cooper S with JC Works package. Hands down an all around better car than the xA or xB.

 

Ya...get the Cooper S with the Works package... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

Go with the Mini Cooper, but only if you HATE your friends. I trucked 5 people 125 miles last weekend in my 5 door, roomie as all get out xB last weekend, it was like we were all in paradise!

 

Yeah if you're looking to haul people around, xB is the way to go. Minis are mighty small...

 

well, i am only thinking of the regular cooper. the price is around 21k which is about 5k-6k above the xa or xb. i couldn't afford the s with the work anyway.

 

With destination a mini cooper starts at $17k so more like $3k more than the xB. I was also sold on the space of the xB, I'm 6'6" and my wife is 6'7", and we can each sit behind each other without our knees touching in front or back! In the mini, her legs would be hanging over my shoulders if she sat behind me. Not that I would complain about such a position!

 

If you actually need space, get an xB. I've heard that those back seats in the cooper are mighty small; i know a guy whose 8 year old daughter didn't have enough leg room.

 

I don't think Mini has Pure Pricing either, and my friend that wants one was told it takes 6 months due to demand and ordering the accs. So if there's that big of a demand, what's the likelyhood that they are selling at MSRP wit little markup. I don't know but I'm guessing they are going for more than 17k in reality...

 

your wife is taller than you are...
your wife is taller than you are...

j/k :D

 

The Mini Cooper Drinks Premium fuel...both entry level and the S/C version

 

Yeah it does but I think it does get decent mileage. I was considering the cooper myself but the premium fuel kind of steered me away. Especially the way gas prices are going right now. Also the closest dealer to me was kind of far and there was those dumb markups because of demand. Oh well love my xB.

 

DAMM 21k for a regular cooper -- don't do it! if you want to spend that much a a cooper and not a cooper S, save your money and buy the 05 mini convertible coming out this summer (roughly same forecasted price)

we have two minis, one a mini cooper (blk with white roof/wheels) and a cooper s (pepper white).
i have driven all three vehicles (albeit somewhat limited on the xA), and there is a difference.
perceived cachet: goes to mini
IT/IN factor: scions
interior quality: mini
value for $: scions
perceived reliability: scions
better residual value: mini
better resale value: mini
least expense to maintain: scions
least expense to customize: scions
better handling: mini
better braking: mini

you really can't go wrong with either car brand. the way i look at it, mini could be considered an upscale small car (with better materials,etc) and i would probably choose the mini purely on its driving dynamics.

 

Get an xB bro
If u ppl are 6 feet+ tall theres no way u would like a mini
I think the xB is better ne wayz

And xB's r more feul efficient and WAY more customizable. :D

 

I drove the Mini S and the xA a few hours apart....demo's over the same roads. BOTH are pretty fun to drive. The Mini S definitely runs fast and I figured I would get a lot of tickets! I wanted an auto so the Mini S was out. I also figured looking under the hood of the Mini---boy this is going to cost some $$ to repair IF anything goes wrong after the warranty period. The xA is a Toyota, say no more.

What I didn't like AT ALL is the huge $2-4K mark up and ATTITUDE of the sales people at the Cooper dealer. Boy, the Scion people were GREAT and no price mark ups! I had the money for either one....I bought the Scion and now laugh at Mini's. I like the better gas mileage also.

 

Little off there. regular base cooper starts at $16,500. The cooper S starts at $19,900. Nice thing is, you get BMW build quality.

 

thanks for all your comments. i have to drive all three to see which one better suited me. i do have two little girls (4 and 2) so rear seat ingress/egress and leg room are a priority.

i priced mini through its website and with the limited options i wanted, the car did come out to be around $20k before taxes. the xa came out round $14k and the xb came out around $15k with options i wanted. right now, this is the closest i get to the three cars .

 

2 things, THAT'S A HUGE GIRL!

and y would u want her legs over ur shoulders from BEHIND?

just wonderin

Jeff

 

Because he could turn around at stoplights?

:twisted:

 

you two are gonna have some HUGE kids