Shoofin

Keep my Mini

Or

Either of these two colors


Or

Order a factory JCW the way I want it



Or

Get one of these equipped like this in stock locally (price is better than I thought, too) - it's a 6 speed..


Or

As much as I don't want to say this is now the last choice due to pricing and fuel consumption issues

rossv1

My pick would be either the Volvo or the V with the V being my first choice.

Mr. Maker

iTrader: (4)

:jerky:

ttribe

1. V
2. Volvo
3. R
4. JCW
5. Keep current Mini

MarbleGT

I dont get the point of this poll.

How many polls/threads have there been where a "V" has been mentioned and everyone didnt go apeshit over it. Seems silly to ask, "should I get a mini or a cadillac with 500+hp."

If you can afford the car...in ADDITION to a Lotus, you can afford the gas.

Whatever you get...make sure you can rev-match downshift it.

Ken1997TL

Vee Dub, in white

Shoofin

LOL - you're mistaking me for trance...

And I've already driven a V and got the rev-match down to a science already...I even have it on video if you care to see it, but it was a blip only once..

MarbleGT

I'll take your word on it.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

v /endthread

Shoofin

Oh, and as far as being able to afford a Lotus, it isn't that out of reach, heck it costs as much as your MX-5 you got there (used, at least). So even though I have more than one car, it isn't a matter of whether I can afford it or not, I still have to watch the pennies and the MPG's, considering it's going to be a DD and I drive a decent amount in it. The DD would be a work expense, while the Lotus is a personal expense. I'm not as concerned about the price (though it is a hard pill to swallow when I've been spending half that for the last 5-6 years). I can't ignore it, I still have to watch the pennies and fuel prices

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Save your money and buy a house with a garage

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/ever-had-bad-feeling-about-parking-certain-spot-848079/

Ken1997TL

And a shotgun. Plus you won't have to smell the skunk weed.

Shoofin

LOL...I was actually thinking as I saw his car back and parked on the street again, could it have been a setup on his part to make some money to buy more weed? And the plot thickens

myron

iTrader: (4)

golf r

MarbleGT

I just view the Lotus as a "toy."

If you have to watch pennies for gas, a CTS-V is an illogical choice.

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

I voted Golf R.

If you didn't have a Lotus, I would say V, of course.

pttl

Get rid of the Lotus and the Mini and buy the Supercar. That way you can have the monster car AND put gas in it. V all the way!

AZuser

Majofo

Where's the Whisky option?


CTS-V.. screw modesty.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

you only live once... Vee!!!

ZhenyaF

iTrader: (6)

Sell the Lotus and get a Vagon
(if selling the lotus is a possibility)

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Sell the Lotus AND the Mini and just get the V wagon. It's fast and has plenty of room

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

Just saw a CTS V Coupe at the parking lot..

Dude, you gotta sell everything and just get it. It's the most manly looking car on the Earth, seriously. I was staring it for good 3 minutes.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I voted Golf R. I love the interior. It is a bit expensive though.

What is maintenance like on the Mini once youre out of the warranty?

Shoofin

I have 4 years bumper to bumper, and 3 years on maintenance. I have a few months left of the maintenance. Don't know how it's going to be after this. But in the almost 3 years of having it, the only service they did was change the oil 2x and brakes all around. That's it, as far as maintenance. I had to make a few unscheduled stops for other problems, but nothing crazy, and the bumper to bumper warranty covered it.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

So you have a year and a few months left on the bumper to bumper warranty. What are people saying on the Mini forum regarding out of warranty work? How much do you have left to pay on the Mini?

neuronbob

I would say to get the V if you want the experience of a high-potential V8 now, before peak oil hits and we are all forced to buy electrics. We will remember this as THE golden age of ICE performance in 10 years. That was part of my logic in purchasing a V three years ago. I just wanted the automotive equivalent of a cheeseburger after being a Honda/Acura person (e.g. vegetarian) for many years.

If you are concerned about cost or, perhaps saving for a house, I would buy the GTI every day of the week. I have driven one and it is simply a brilliant small car with super-duper handling for a FWD and a pretty decent interior for a V-Dub. The Golf R should be even better.

i am in a similar boat to you, Eddie, except I am considering moving on from my V not because I can't afford it and not because I can't afford the coming $4.50/gal gas (my income is such that I have no problem with either), but because my personal financial priorities have changed. In fact, it's time for my own thread so I won't jack yours with my concerns. (PS--Eddie, thanks for your help last week.)

doopstr

If you get the Volvo there is a good chance that you may never see another one on the road, so yours will be unique.

Saintor

Is your lease on your Mini due any soon or you just want to buy out early?

I would wait for the GTI Mk VII.

Will Y.

The only one I've driven is the C30 with a manual-- I liked it and the interior when optioned all the way.
However, do NOT get the Volvo if you carry boxes or bulky stuff in the back of the Mini now-- the C30's hatchback opening is dinky, just big enough for a banker's box to fit through.

Shoofin

I've read some online mag reviews on the R-Design and most walked away not as impressed as they expected to be, saying it's not much of a driver's car, doesn't get the pulse going..But then again, consumer reviews say the opposite.

As far as carrying stuff, that does become a little it of a problem, as I do on occasion carry stuff. Biggest problem is that I have about 80lbs of bowling balls and equipment in my trunk 95% of the time.

Lease is up in June, 3 payments left. I could get out of it anytime I want at this point, though I'll probably wait until I get closer to the time UNLESS something irresistible comes up that can't wait.

I thought about that, but I need to really drive it and assess the space situation before further consideration. I did drive a more base automatic model a few months back, wasn't so impressed. I did open up the trunk to look at the space but don't remember what my thoughts were on it, because I wasn't really thinking about getting a C30 at the time. What I would get would be the 227hp motor, WITH the Polestar power upgrade, and 6 speed. Haven't heard such great things about the shifter, but then again, a few of my previous cars shifters I never loved (except for the Miata and S2k), but got used to it with time.

Majofo

Want to trade it to Majofo for some waffles and bacon?




Fixed.






Such a shame..

Will Y.

You should be fine with bowling balls-- as long as it's one ball bag at a time going through the hatch.

The 6 speed shifter/clutch on the C30 (I tested the equivalent of the Premier R-design trim) was less vague/rubbery and better coordinated than the 2009 335i, but not quite as nice as the one on the A4 and nowhere near the RX8 or Miata manuals.
The shifter/clutch is not far off from that of the 2010 G37, IIRC, but without the G37's annoying shifter vibration.

I didn't drive fast enough around the Santa Monica streets to really get a sense of how much of a driver's car the C30 was, but it felt better than a GS350 or Jag XF, but not as good as the A4.

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

stangg172004

1. V-Wagon
2. R
3. Volvo
4. Keep current Mini
5. JCW

I really don't like the Mini, V-Wagon is my wet dream but the cost of ownership could be unmanageable, Volvo has a less than inspiring driving dynamic.... So R.... which is a contender for my next car... between the R and the STI...

Shoofin

Fixed!

I think I can handle that!

njzprettyboy

Ed, how many miles do you drive per year?

Shoofin

I had a GTI in the past and hated the shifter. Then again it was at a time that I had both the GTI and S2000, and going from one to the other was like having to re-learn how to drive each car because the shift feel was so much different. It took me some time to get used to the shifter in the GTI, I can't say I enjoyed it, but at the end of the day I didn't hate it anymore. Can't say I loved it, but I got used to it. The Mini shifter is very close in feel to the GTI. Also not a favorite but i've gotten used to it enough to get a good shift 99% of the time. I've driven a '10 335 and was surprised at how short and assuring the shifts felt compared to the last BMW stick I've driven before that, which was my friend's E46 M3 convertible...absolutely hated the shifting in it in the short time I drove it. As far as the G37 is concerned, the shifts are short and crisp, but aside from the crazy vibration and bad relationship between the shifter and clutch, makes for difficulty in getting a smooth shift every time. I felt the same way when I drove an STi and WRX, maybe I didn't drive it enough, but it was also difficult to get a consistent smooth shift out of it..

At the end of the day, each shifter is different in it's own way that with time, you would get used to it and get more accustomed to the feel to get it right every time..I still hate the shitty shifter in the Lotus, I compare it to the imprecise notchiness of my '05 Scion xB that I had. Oh well.

Shoofin

If it isn't for the fact that I sometimes go weeks without driving my car because I'm driving customers cars to them and using their lease returns to go back and forth, I'd be doing a lot more. I didn't drive my Mini all of last week because I was delivering cars to customers every night and bringing back their lease returns, so I didn't need to use it all week. But I am doing about 10k miles under these habits. I'm 3 payments away from the end of a 3 year lease in the Mini, and I have about 26,400 on the clock now. If I didn't have a bunch of other cars to drive, I'd easily be putting 15k+ per year.

ThermonMermon

IMO, the C30 is an awesome, awesome looking car inside and out. something about 6 spd volvos give me a hard-on. ive contemplated one for quite some time. simple exterior mods will make that thing a big head turner.

...and...there are very very few on the road. for a guy with a lotus and a mini, im sure you arent quick to turn down an attention-getter

6 spd, swedish hatch ALL the way.