What would you do???

[AeroJonny]

Guys, I'm seriously considering a new car and I've essentially got two options...

Option A: 05/55 Cooper S JCW in astro black with works wheels and brakes. CF Dash, scoop, tailgate handle and wing mirrors. Satnav & Bluetooth, MFSW, Full black leather and Anthracite headlining. 14000miles @ £16k

Option B: 56 plate R56 cooper s also in black, chilli pack, web spokes, custom exhaust and induction kit and a remap. Think it's got bluetooth and mfsw too. On pistonheads and MINI2 @ £17k, no mileage listed.

What would you do???
I know which way I'm leaning, but i'm swithering, so if you could offer your opinions i'd be really appreciative.

Option C: Leave the mini fold:eek:

[euan]

Guys, I'm seriously considering a new car and I've essentially got two options...

Option A: 05/55 Cooper S JCW in astro black with works wheels and brakes. CF Dash, scoop, tailgate handle and wing mirrors. Satnav & Bluetooth, MFSW, Full black leather and Anthracite headlining. 14000miles @ £16k

Option B: 56 plate R56 cooper s also in black, chilli pack, web spokes, custom exhaust and induction kit and a remap. Think it's got bluetooth and mfsw too. On pistonheads and MINI2 @ £17k, no mileage listed.

What would you do???
I know which way I'm leaning, but i'm swithering, so if you could offer your opinions i'd be really appreciative.

Option C: Leave the mini fold:eek:

Option A for me. Loved the JCW when I drove it. That car seems to have a very good spec and low miles for it's age. Love those wheels. And it's all MINI warrenty approved work.

Option B - it's an early R56 Cooper S and all the joys that comes with that. Decent spec on it too, but it's non-works stuff and that would put me right off it.

[aid]

think about it this way the JCW is a bmw product you know its good and its solid, the R56 is one of the first so prob has the normal first run problem, also how much do you know about the exhaust and induction kit are they quality gear or back street will the remap show up on the service computer at mini..... if it was me defo option A

[Craig]

In a typical sales technique..... YOU COULD BUY MINE!!!! :D :D :D

to be honest with my experiences, I would say go for the 55 plate JCW car. ;) :D The R56 in my opinion still has too many faults. :(

[JCWmini]

R53 all the way, its a much better car all round.

You know it makes sense. :D

[illegalhunter]

Get a FN2 Civic

[KenL]

R53 all the way, its a much better car all round.



No it is not ;)

[The Dogfather]

I'd try an MX5 2.0 sport fitted with the lowered mazda suspension.

[AeroJonny]

Get a FN2 Civic

What's FN2 dude?? Is that what you have?

[Sweeney]

R53 all the way in my eyes

[AndyP & Lenore]

No brainer. Option A. And I speak as an R56 owner. The only problem I would have with the R53 JCW is it sounds like someone has sneezed carbon fibre on it - but that is a personal preference thing. If you like CF, you'll love that look.

The R56 is a nice car - don't get me wrong, we love ours. But the handling needs worked on to get it anything close to the R53 standards. The suspension is far too soft and the steerings too light. Also with the R56, you really don't know how good a quality the mods are.

A.;)

[KenL]

The R56 is a nice car - don't get me wrong, we love ours. But the handling needs worked on to get it anything close to the R53 standards.

Hod oan a minute...:p

Why has nobody who has reviewed the R56 said this?

I am sure I have read reviews that said the R56 handled better (Autocar?).

[AndyP & Lenore]

Hod oan a minute...:p

Why has nobody who has reviewed the R56 said this?

I am sure I have read reviews that said the R56 handled better (Autocar?).

Just our own personal opinion Ken, having owned and R53 and now an R56.

[The Dogfather]

I've driven both an R56 and a R53, there's little to choose between them as far as handling is concerned. However the R56 is softer and as a result you get less feedback from the car either through the steering wheels or through the 'seat of ya pants'.

As a car I had to live with everyday I'd take the R56 setup, but if I'm out for a thrash at the weekend it'd be the R53.

However, MX5 combines the best of both :D sorry couldn't resist ;)

[Scottie]

Guys, I'm seriously considering a new car and I've essentially got two options...

Option A: 05/55 Cooper S JCW in astro black with works wheels and brakes. CF Dash, scoop, tailgate handle and wing mirrors. Satnav & Bluetooth, MFSW, Full black leather and Anthracite headlining. 14000miles @ £16k

Option B: 56 plate R56 cooper s also in black, chilli pack, web spokes, custom exhaust and induction kit and a remap. Think it's got bluetooth and mfsw too. On pistonheads and MINI2 @ £17k, no mileage listed.

What would you do???
I know which way I'm leaning, but i'm swithering, so if you could offer your opinions i'd be really appreciative.

Option C: Leave the mini fold:eek:


Well I would say consider your options very carefully.

1st. do you need to change your car.
2nd. your budget
3rd. Take your time be prepared to travel and get the best car you can for the best money you can. Look south. Make dam sure you get a discount.
4th If your buying make sure it is at Month End.
5th Don't buy a R56 I did and look what happened I left Mini. There not the same.

[KenL]

5th Don't buy a R56 I did and look what happened I left Mini. There not the same.

Yes, they're so bad you bought two within a few months :p :D

[Scottie]

Yes, they're so bad you bought two within a few months :p :D


and sold them even quicker.;) :p :p

[KenL]

and sold them even quicker.;) :p :p

Have you still got the nice Audi you bought?

What's it like?

[Ivano]

Have you done a bit of work on your silver MINI? I Keep missing you on the road. Have you colour coded the arches and fitted new lights?? It looks great

[AeroJonny]

I sure have! Had the stripes removed, colour coded the arches and the edges of the grille, and had the bit behind the lower grille sprayed black...the silver coming through just annoyed me. Also had the number plate holder removed and fitted short plates. Added chrome wing mirror caps (cheers AndyP) and also a chrome tailgate handle (cheers AjamesJ) and also a cooper S filler cap, halo sidelights and had my wheels refurbed (thanks to powdertec for a brilliant job!) There's also the leather/alcantara jcw steering wheel courtesy of Fiona and Allan :D And also the induction kit...but you know all about that ;) So it's looking good right now, I'm going to keep it either way by the looks of things and sell the Cooper.

[AeroJonny]

Well I would say consider your options very carefully.

1st. do you need to change your car.
2nd. your budget
3rd. Take your time be prepared to travel and get the best car you can for the best money you can. Look south. Make dam sure you get a discount.
4th If your buying make sure it is at Month End.
5th Don't buy a R56 I did and look what happened I left Mini. There not the same.

I'm doing just that right now fiona and trying to be as objective as i can about things.

1. We want to change the Cooper before Christmas, Mum fancied an auto R56, but we're looking at sharing a new car until I move away (hopefully just after christmas) and hopefully by that point, there will be more auto R56s around by then. Effectively giving the silver car to my sister.

2. Obviously, the R53 is more within my budget, but an extra thousand wouldn't hurt too much if it was for the right car.

3. I'm happy to travel for a car...I bought my Silver one from a dealer just outside Guildford, it just happens that the R53 I've seen is only 10miles away. I took it for a test drive the other day and was blown away by it. It's the nicest JCW car I've seen at that money...bearing in mind I want a facelifted car with a fairly low mileage. Hehe...I love a good haggle ;)

4. I'm not sure I can wait that long!!! Mind you...it would make a great birthday present for myself :eek:

5. I'm really getting that vibe, I'd love a Mark V R32 or one of the new S3s, but they're pie in the sky in terms of budget right now. Considered a Focus ST3, but I can't really warm to them. And I don't think I can afford one of the new Civic Type Rs. All in all a bit of a conundrum!

Cheers fi :):):D:p

[N12 JLK]

Go for the R56. The fuel consumption is much better and the drive is smoother.

We love our car and have never once regretted changing from an R53.:o :o

It's all about moving on.

[AeroJonny]

Cheers for chucking a fly in the ointment jason :P In all honesty, the fuel consumption has been something I've thought about, but I'm not sure how much it'd sway me. I've only driven one R56 but it was a dooper, so I'm not sure how that handles in comparison with the S. More thinking to do...

[BJN]

Nice Hyper blue S going, going....

going...

[AeroJonny]

haha, I know it's nice! It's not sprinkled with the JCW magic though :(

how come you chose the beemer?

[BJN]

Got the bug, for new car after having an R56 S for 5 days, but just couldn't justify spending over £22k to get a new one the same spec as mine. And it wasn't possible to get the speedo and rev counter together in front of wheel.

Just saw the BM and liked it, plus the Mini was getting a bit cramped in the back now my kids are getting bigger