Mini Cooper S vs. Yaris

[six6two]

Hey guys. I'm JD from SC. I'm getting a new car soon. Two that I'm considering are the Yaris and a Mini Cooper S. I know stock for stock, there's no comparison. What about a decently modded Yaris vs. a Cooper S? Is it possible to get a RELIABLE 160-180hp out of a Yaris? If so, how much would it cost? I'm working with 14k here. So that's my budget. I'd rather have a tricked out Yaris on an equal playing field with a Cooper S than a stock Cooper S like everyone elses.

[JBIZZ]

Unless you plan on dumping a lot of money and time into the Yaris, get a Mini S. In order to compete w/ the Mini S internal engine components must be upgraded (lower compression pistons and piston rods) for a reliable forced induction setup. Even then it will not handle as good as a Mini. Suspension mods are needed and maybe even a Limited slip differential as well. It can be done but is costly. You can bolt on a Blitz supercharger w/ stock components, but it will not generate as much power as the Mini S.

[ctrj]

I would think a stock Mini would be a better platform to build on. Why not save your money and buy the car you really want now and then slowly build it? Why do you have to have it all now?

[six6two]

Well I won't have money to build on a cooper. Whatever I get, I'm going to spend the money I've got for a vehicle on it now, and then I don't plan on spending any more "build" money until I get out of college and get a good job. The Mini does seem like the way to go. I'd also like to to a couple of auto x's maybe, and all the mods to a yaris would throw me into a ridiculous class.

[wooverstone8]

Have you thought about buying a used Mini Cooper or even a used Yaris? I've seen some decent deals around my town.

[DerFlosser]

I would read up a bit on Mini's especially if you are a college student and you are considering the "S" trim. They are not most reliable cars in the world, atleast nowhere NEAR as reliable as a Yaris. I debated a Cooper S and a Yaris for a few month before deciding on the Yaris. I have contemplated selling or trading in my Yaris but at the end of the day, the reason I got the Yaris was for daily transportation and it really delivers on the reliability end of things. It lacks power and grunt, of course but I have a handful of other cars to deliver on that for me.

[rningonfumes]

Looks like you want something now and it doesn't look like you'll have time to do any modding if you're going to school. Just get the Cooper S now. Maybe the S isn't as reliable but think of how much babysitting is needed of the performance components you would put in the Yaris to get it up to the numbers you asked.

Derflosser, I'm not countering your words, it seems he doesn't want just a daily driver. So with this train of thought a supped out Yaris might have the same reliablilty as the Copper as you found out in your research.

[09box]

Coopers aren't the most reliable cars in the world. When things go wrong with them, be ready to pay out the wazoo for them. If they made a base stripped down Cooper with no power anything and no sunroof, i'd take a second look at one but it looks like they won't be doing that anytime soon so my vote is for Yaris.

[why?]

To make a Yaris even remotely competitive with a Cooper anything, I think about $10,000 or so is needed in mods, or maybe not quite that much. But a custom turbo setup with a great tune and all the other associated supporting mods for it are a minimum, and then a good suspension setup and neither of those are cheap. And then you are still stuck with the Yaris' suspension setup problems, and who knows what with the turbo setup, depending on your choices there.

I agree though, for inexpensive sporty cars, go used. You can't beat that. You can spenda few grand, and even if the cars needs a grand or two put into it, you are still saving a ton of money for real modifications.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I would think the Mini Cooper S will have a higher insurance rate compared to the Yaris. I say, just get a base Yaris 3-door, slap on the Blitz S/C, and do some suspension mods. Although, I'm sure these mods will put you in a class well above the Yaris' capabilities in an auto-x.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Have you ever thought about a used STi? Sure, they're not as reliable, but it's a thought.

[scape]

used mr2 maybe?

[thebarber]

if you're a poor college student, get the yaris....itll be better on gas (and you don't need premium) and oil changes will cost half as much.

later, when you have money you could go w/ a custom turbo to get close to cooper S performance...but it won't be cheap

don't get me wrong, id rather have a cooper S over a yaris any day of the week, but when it comes to practicality in your situation, i think you'd be best served w/ a yaris

[JBIZZ]

The Yaris is still fun to drive even w/ no mods.

[jambo101]

Its usually about driving skills as i'm sure there are many Mini owners that i could thrash on the twisties with my yaris..so i'd go for the $12k Yaris than the $30k Mini then throw in $5k of suspension and engine mods and a custom license plate=(Miniklr):wink:

[Kal-El]

First of all, are you looking at new cars?

We're comparing a $23K sports car with a $14K economy car. I understand the idea is to take a Yaris and mod it but I don't think it's a project that makes much sense. Getting a Yaris near 172HP? Geez. Too expensive and turns the Yaris into something it's not meant to be. I'm totally open to modding but if youy looking for the performance of a Cooper S, you might as well go with that. The Yaris hardly has that potential. Remember, it's basically a Mini-BMW.

Are you considering a Yaris just for it's body/styling? Because the Yaris is specifically meant to be low cost, reliable, basic, fuel efficient transportation (although we will all tell you that it's a lot more :smile:). Seems like you want to take away everything that the Yaris is designed for. You would essentially make it expensive, less reliable, and less fuel efficient. Clearly, these 3 main factors aren't your priority so it makes me wonder why you want it.

[advocate]

You can't compare the two cars because the Mini is a lot more expensive and weighs more, even though it's smaller.

You could get a Yaris way past a Mini Cooper with the price difference between the two.

Plus as Barber said the Yaris just makes more sense for a college student.

[auxmike]

I'm working with 14k here. So that's my budget. I'd rather have a tricked out Yaris on an equal playing field with a Cooper S than a stock Cooper S like everyone elses.

Err... 14k buys a Yaris, and nothing more. That's what you told us your budget is, right?
You're about 10k short of a Mini.....:frown:

[why?]

used mr2 maybe?

Ooh, that would be fun. First generation, just make sure the body is ok. Great handling, good on gas, and fun as heck to drive. Should be dirt cheap too, leaving you with tons of cash for mods.

[justgreenenvy]

don't buy a mini, especially a used one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm selling my 2004 mini cooper that only has 52k miles on it because it's a piece of garbage. even 3 months after buying it, i was complaining about the engine, the steering, the brakes, etc. and the problems plagued me for 6 years. i've put a ton of money into a $24k car. it's unreliable!!!! apparently, mini & bmw have been working on the issues of the car but who knows if in 5 years new minis will be ok. i love driving my mini and i'm sad to let it go... but i'm disappointed with it's quality. what a piece of shit!

my parents want me to get a yaris now because they are sure toyota is reliable and will last 10 years without many problems.

go with the yaris! it's cheap, reliable, and cute. in the end, who cares how much style and power the car has... as long as it is safe and cost effective... those are the important things.

[supmet]

^^ You must be living in the past. Consumer reports rates it one of the best

[eht13]

^^ You must be living in the past. Consumer reports rates it one of the best
And we all know that Consumer Reports is infallible. :wink: Besides, it sounds like he's talking based on his personal ownership experience.

[justgreenenvy]

i'm a she. and yes, i'm talking from personal experience. the 2004 mini cooper is my current car...but it's at the shop. they told me it's another $2500 to replace the radiator, the power steering, and to fix a leak in the engine.

i only have 52k miles and have had power steering fixed twice, the brakes replaced, 3 alignments, tire rods replaced... all this stuff!
i'm telling you... it's a piece of shit.

[justgreenenvy]

i've gone to the shop for repairs at least every 6 months... and sometimes i should have gone more often but i'm not rolling in money

[jambo101]

i'm a she. and yes, i'm talking from personal experience. the 2004 mini cooper is my current car...but it's at the shop. they told me it's another $2500 to replace the radiator, the power steering, and to fix a leak in the engine.

i only have 52k miles and have had power steering fixed twice, the brakes replaced, 3 alignments, tire rods replaced... all this stuff!
i'm telling you... it's a piece of shit.
I'd find a different independent mechanic as it might be that your current one could be ripping you off with unneeded expensive repairs,just a possibility..But you are right about the MINI being expensive to repair,a story out of Toronto had a woman paying $11000 to replace a transmission,the dealer didnt want to cover the cost saying the woman never checked the oil level in the tranny.
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip172376#clip172376

[detroiter]

For $23k, why don't you just get a Mazda Mazdaspeed 3? Near the same price as a cooper s, yet it would blow it's doors off in terms of looks and power. And your getting a RELIABLE car as well out of it.

[advocate]

The Mazdaspeed 3 is beautiful imo and definitely underrated.

That said it would be 50x more fun to mod a yaris to be faster than a mini and definitely cheaper.

And consumerreports is definitely crap.

[eht13]

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24556

[ozmdd]

The MS3 is dope, and well worth the money. Mini's are actually rated the LOWEST in terms of new-car reliability, based on the number of warranty claims per vehicle, in a report I read last year. They are expensive to repair and prone to failures in the slave cylinders and electrics. Fun to drive, but poor build quality. A Civic Si woudl also be a nice choice.

[auxmike]

The Yaris could easily outsmart the Mini, here's PROOF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icbKJz-1VJE

[jambo101]

I would not recommend owning a MINI thats out of warranty which relegates you to a new or almost new one and if $14k is all you got then it would be out of your price range..

Re reading the original post i see you arent actually contemplating buying a MINI just wondering if a Yaris can be equipped to run with one,i'd say with some suspension and tuning ($5000) and some good driving skills you would definitely not be left behind in the twisties.

[why?]

The Yaris could easily outsmart the Mini, here's PROOF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icbKJz-1VJE

that is great!

[127.0.0.1]

ya....a friend at work got a diesel VW for mileage...I got a Yaris. his has been in the shop 4 times already for 'new car issues' and yesterday he was stranded at work. wouldn't start.


My Yaris...I plan on what ? changing the oil every 5000, and maybe all new belts and tranny fluid and coolant every 2 years ? with zero other issues ? ayup...a lot like my 4runner. you cannot kill a toyota (individual results may vary)

[DevilGirl]

ya....a friend at work got a diesel VW for mileage...I got a Yaris. his has been in the shop 4 times already for 'new car issues' and yesterday he was stranded at work. wouldn't start.


My Yaris...I plan on what ? changing the oil every 5000, and maybe all new belts and tranny fluid and coolant every 2 years ? with zero other issues ? ayup...a lot like my 4runner. you cannot kill a toyota (individual results may vary)

"Individual results may vary" is an understatement. Both me and my boyfriend have brand new cars (he got his a week before I got mine). Obviously mine is the Yaris. He has the 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (clean diesel). His has yet to be in the shop. Neither has mine (other than oil changes).

The only reason I get slightly higher mpg's than he does is because I drive waaaay more highway than city, whereas his is almost all city driving.

[lms1820]

"Individual results may vary" is an understatement. Both me and my boyfriend have brand new cars (he got his a week before I got mine). Obviously mine is the Yaris. He has the 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (clean diesel). His has yet to be in the shop. Neither has mine (other than oil changes).

The only reason I get slightly higher mpg's than he does is because I drive waaaay more highway than city, whereas his is almost all city driving.

yeah but think about how much he paid for that car and you paid for yours. i got my car used for 10,000 only 40k miles. it runs great and im not one to take it easy on the pedal and i still get an average of 30MPG

[DevilGirl]

yeah but think about how much he paid for that car and you paid for yours. i got my car used for 10,000 only 40k miles. it runs great and im not one to take it easy on the pedal and i still get an average of 30MPG

Both of ours were bought brand new (less than 65 miles on either). His is also the family vehicle for many years to come, whereas mine is just a commuter car since I drive an average of 2500 miles a month.

Oh, and did I forget to mention he was a diesel mechanic in the army? He knows his way around an engine compartment...

[brg88tx]

mini is an expensive overrated pos imo.

[Steveh27]

To replace my 2 dr Tracker I needed a car under 152" in length & wouldn't consider a smart car. That left only the mini & Yaris (unless I missed another). I found the mini to be much more costly with reports of reliability isses & costly maintenance & repairs after 40,000 miles. As I only buy used I was looking at 2004 & 2005 minis w 45-60,000 miles for $11,800-12.500. The reports I mentioned committed me to the Yaris & I got my 2010 used 4,700 miles for $11,990 & am glad I did.

:biggrin:

[CtrlAltDefeat]

To replace my 2 dr Tracker I needed a car under 152" in length & wouldn't consider a smart car. That left only the mini & Yaris (unless I missed another). I found the mini to be much more costly with reports of reliability isses & costly maintenance & repairs after 40,000 miles. As I only buy used I was looking at 2004 & 2005 minis w 45-60,000 miles for $11,800-12.500. The reports I mentioned committed me to the Yaris & I got my 2010 used 4,700 miles for $11,990 & am glad I did.

:biggrin:

:respekt::thumbup:

I really could not afford a mini when I bought the Yaris. I am, however, thankful I bought the Yaris. I thoroughly enjoy modding my Yaris, and feel that with my lower payments, I have more overhead for mods then I would have with a more expensive car. No, the Yaris is not necessarily designed with performance in mind, but neither were Hondas in the beginning. The import modding scene pretty much started with people buying cheep economy cars, and modifying them for more power/better handling...

There is evidence (http://www.modified.com/news/0708_sccp_lateral_g_skidpad_testing/index.html) of the platforms potential (http://www.microimageonline.com/forums/showthread.php/19-Garm-s-turbo-project)...

[Steveh27]

It's all in the drivers viewpoint. Coming from my 1995 2 door Tracker this Yaris is a luxery car with a lot of pep! The only mods I did were installing the adjustable intermittent wiper switch & debadging the rear. The first 5 month owner did the window tinting 7 the rear bumper protection.

I hope I won't miss the 4WD & the high ground clearance of the tracker. I'm a bit leary of how snow & ice may pack up between the rear wheel & the mud flaps. Looks pretty tight.

:evil:

[ChilliwackGuy]

I miss the Geo line of cars! I had a 1997 Geo Metro Sedan - bought it new - and ran it to near death. Was SO hard finding honest mechanics to work on it for me - everybody kept calling it a "Bic lighter car" - in that it should have been disposed of after 60,000 KMs. I also owned a Geo Tracker 1997 - and I swear most of my passengers thought I had paid way more money for it.

[Steveh27]

I really liked my Geo 2 door hard top (a very rare model last made in 1995) Tracker and would have kept it w 142,000 miles, but I had just had to fiberglass 3 good sized holes I just discovered, 1 in each front wheelwell & 1 under a rockerpanel. So I thought to replace it while it was still in good enough shape to get some $. DId get $2,400. I liked the sitting so high up, so much ground clearance, and the 4 WD in the snow.

[D Unit]

Why so much hate for the Mini? If you're looking for a mid ground, get the non-turbo Mini Cooper with a manual tranny. The Mini Cooper S "starts" out at $22K, but once you add up all the options, you're probably gonna be around $26K to $30K at least. From my point of view, life is short and buy it "IF" you can afford it. The Mini Cooper S turbo is a VERY VERY fun car to drive. It's a lot funner than my Dinan e36 M3 and has it's own swagger on the streets. Here's an example of a pretty nice looking Mini (not mine)...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c223/relicskateboards/soundside-1.jpg

Personally, I also REALLY want to buy a 4dr manual hatchback Yaris as my commuter car. Why??? Cuz they look so much fun to drive. I don't expect any performance next to the Mini, but modifying an econo-car like the Yaris and having the ability to receive weekly presents from the Fedex and UPS man has its redeeming qualities too. A 4 door yaris, cool looking hatchback, 35+mpg, coilovers, rims, AND most importantly, cheap & reliable... what's not to like?!?!

[KrazyDawg]

If money is an issue, I would go with the Yaris. The Mini Cooper isn't a reliable car. It uses premium fuel and gets less MPG. The base price is also higher. Its only pros is it's supposedly more "fun" to drive and it fits into even smaller parking spaces than the Yaris.

2010 Mini Cooper S Auto (27 MPG combined) vs 2010 Toyota Yaris Auto (31 MPG combined).

[birdman]

If I had space for a second car it would be a Cooper S Works. The Cooper is a blast to drive and cant be compared to a Yaris in that way. The clever storage compartments, cubby holes, cup and bottle holders, sliding rear seats of my '08 Yaris LB are very useful. On a Mini Cooper S there are few places you can store things like your sunglasses, bottles or a spare tire. Cooper is for play and Yaris is for common sense.

[Jcp123]

I'm not sure about the 152" thing, but a Mazda2 seems like a nice middle ground. Not terribly fast, but feels peppy enough, with a reasonably snappy little chassis. Fuel economy should be fairly well on par with the Yaris, and reliability should prove pretty good, if a notch or two behind the Yaris, I would guess. It's actually currently my favourite car in the seent right now. Hits a lot of the right notes.

[CTScott]

In August I sold my Tacoma and bought a Mini Countryman S All4 to replace it. It was a blast to drive, but turned out the be the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. In three months of ownership the coolant temp sensor failed, the undersized clutch constantly stunk up my garage, and the transfer case started to fail. Doing some serious reading AFTER buying the car, I found out that this was very typical for these cars.

This past weekend I traded it in for a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek, and although it is not as fun to drive, I know it won't have the quirky issues of a Mini.

For the past 25 years I have bought nothing but Japanese cars, and after my Mini experience I am thinking that for the next 25 I may do the same.

[Gogogordy]

In August I sold my Tacoma and bought a Mini Countryman S All4 to replace it. It was a blast to drive, but turned out the be the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. In three months of ownership the coolant temp sensor failed, the undersized clutch constantly stunk up my garage, and the transfer case started to fail. Doing some serious reading AFTER buying the car, I found out that this was very typical for these cars.

This past weekend I traded it in for a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek, and although it is not as fun to drive, I know it won't have the quirky issues of a Mini.

For the past 25 years I have bought nothing but Japanese cars, and after my Mini experience I am thinking that for the next 25 I may do the same.

We owned 2 Mini S from 2005 through 2008....his-n-hers bought and sold at the same dates (crazy idea...20 yr wedding anniversary) and while that was the coolest, craziest, and most fun car I've ever owned I don't miss them and their unstable ECU software, self destructing liquid filled motor mounts, or coolant issues either. Nor do I miss the chip-on-shoulder Mini service department which always seemed to require an hour to "drop one off" for repairs and an hour to pick it up later....as well. My Toyota dealer has that down to about 5 minutes.

We traded those Minis off just prior to the warranty evaporating for a Scion xD and then added the Yaris.

Yeah, the Mini was an interesting ownership experience. Reminds of the wildest girl I ever dated......

Will be interested in your Subaru impressions CTScott.

[bentjazz]

I was wondering how your Mini experience was going, CTScott. Now I know. Thanks for the update and best of luck with the Subaru.

[nookandcrannycar]

In August I sold my Tacoma and bought a Mini Countryman S All4 to replace it. It was a blast to drive, but turned out the be the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. In three months of ownership the coolant temp sensor failed, the undersized clutch constantly stunk up my garage, and the transfer case started to fail. Doing some serious reading AFTER buying the car, I found out that this was very typical for these cars.

This past weekend I traded it in for a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek, and although it is not as fun to drive, I know it won't have the quirky issues of a Mini.

For the past 25 years I have bought nothing but Japanese cars, and after my Mini experience I am thinking that for the next 25 I may do the same.

Very interesting re the Mini. One of my uncle's granddaughters has a 2007 Impreza (purchased new) that you would have to pry out of her cold dead hands, so to speak. The Subaru is a stark contrast to the Mazda Tribute ('a Ford') she traded in when she purchased the Subaru. She got the Tribute new, as an undergrad or law school graduation present (can't remember which one), and the Tribute needed a new engine at just over 60k miles :eek:.

[CTScott]

Before I bought my Yaris I had a 98 Subaru Forrester that I put 110K miles on and then sold to a buddy, who's son then put over another 100K on it.

When I sold the Taco I was originally intending to buy a new Toyota RAV4 or a Subaru Crosstrek. I accidentally found out that Mini had an all wheel drive, turbo, 5 door, and after test driving one I decided on it over the others. I had a feeling from day one that I was making a mistake and quickly found out that I did. I have heard of people having great luck with Mini reliability, but there are just too many stories like mine.

So far I really like the Crosstrek. It is not as fun to drive as my Yaris (or the Mini), but I know I will have no worries with snow with it.

[Jcp123]

I don't understand Crosstrecks, but Subarus are fine vehicles. If I had any need whatsoever for AWD, I'd head straight to a Subie and wouldn't even look anywhere else.

Well...except to find one of the ultimate VW unicorns, a 6-speed Passat W8 wagon...

[nookandcrannycar]

everybody kept calling it a "Bic lighter car" - in that it should have been disposed of after 60,000 KMs.

:laugh:. Before purchasing my 2007 Yaris (new), I had a 2001 Suzuki Swift 3-door hatch that I bought (new) over Labor Day Weekend in the U.S. in 2001. I put over 151,000 miles on that car. Before wearing out the steering rack (unpaved roads with potholes...in Newfoundland...were the 'last' straw :biggrin:), the only work I did/had done = oil changes, 1 battery, 2 sets of tires, 1 set of spark plugs, a clutch adjustment a friend did, and possibly 1 set of brake pads...or zero...(can't remember). Great car. Back in the day, my cousin used to have a Suzuki Sidekick (same as a Geo Tracker, IIRC). That gave way to a Saab convertible, and then a Ford Escape.

[Gogogordy]

:laugh:. Before purchasing my 2007 Yaris (new), I had a 2001 Suzuki Swift 3-door hatch that I bought (new) over Labor Day Weekend in the U.S. in 2001. I put over 151,000 miles on that car. Before wearing out the steering rack (unpaved roads with potholes...in Newfoundland...were the 'last' straw :biggrin:), the only work I did/had done = oil changes, 1 battery, 2 sets of tires, 1 set of spark plugs, a clutch adjustment a friend did, and possibly 1 set of brake pads...or zero...(can't remember). Great car. Back in the day, my cousin used to have a Suzuki Sidekick (same as a Geo Tracker, IIRC). That gave way to a Saab convertible, and then a Ford Escape.
Here in the Southwest, the Suzuki Sidekick/Geo-Chevy Tracker is a coveted catch especially in 4wd trim. They still command good money....especially the clean ones. Seems like many were purchased as RV tow-behinds for the retired desert dwellers.

[nookandcrannycar]

Here in the Southwest, the Suzuki Sidekick/Geo-Chevy Tracker is a coveted catch especially in 4wd trim. They still command good money....especially the clean ones. Seems like many were purchased as RV tow-behinds for the retired desert dwellers.

:thumbsup: A female friend of mine in Southern California had a Sidekick at the same time my cousin (in Northern California) had one. They were even the same color. I enjoyed driving my friend's Sidekick. IIRC, I drove my cousin's Sidekick a few times as well. They seemed to appeal to multiple age groups. My older cousin (by 5 years) is 11 years older than my friend who had a Sidekick.

[Absolutely Red 12]

In August I sold my Tacoma and bought a Mini Countryman S All4 to replace it. It was a blast to drive, but turned out the be the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. In three months of ownership the coolant temp sensor failed, the undersized clutch constantly stunk up my garage, and the transfer case started to fail. Doing some serious reading AFTER buying the car, I found out that this was very typical for these cars.

This past weekend I traded it in for a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek, and although it is not as fun to drive, I know it won't have the quirky issues of a Mini.

For the past 25 years I have bought nothing but Japanese cars, and after my Mini experience I am thinking that for the next 25 I may do the same.


I was wondering what happened to you!!

You still had 2 years left on the warranty, why not use it?

[CTScott]

I was wondering what happened to you!!

You still had 2 years left on the warranty, why not use it?

My nearest Mini dealership is over an hour away and it was really starting to look like I was going to be spending a lot of time going back and forth to it. The clutch was starting to have serious issues and the transfer case was starting to make nasty noises at highway speeds. With only 14K miles on the car I figured it was a losing battle.

I traded it in for a brand new Subaru Xv Crosstrek and fortunately didn't lose anything on the deal, as I had gotten an excellent deal when I bought the Mini.

[Kar98]

I traded it in for a brand new Subaru Xv Crosstrek

Honest yet stupid question: is it pronounced ecks vee or 15?

[CTScott]

Honest yet stupid question: is it pronounced ecks vee or 15?

The dealership people pronounced it the ecks vee way. It stands for "crossover vehicle" as opposed to a roman numeral.

[why?]

It is basically a more luxurious lifted Impreza that looks much better too. Too bad on the mini. I am still saving my pennies on an STi.

[tanka]

Hey guys. I'm JD from SC. I'm getting a new car soon. Two that I'm considering are the Yaris and a Mini Cooper S. I know stock for stock, there's no comparison. What about a decently modded Yaris vs. a Cooper S? Is it possible to get a RELIABLE 160-180hp out of a Yaris? If so, how much would it cost? I'm working with 14k here. So that's my budget. I'd rather have a tricked out Yaris on an equal playing field with a Cooper S than a stock Cooper S like everyone elses.

I have mini cooper normal 2008 buy new close to $33. and Mercedes c230 kompressor two door 2004 new $40 .Yaris 2012 9000 km $12500.And the mini are the most expensive to fix and every 50.000 km have to recalibrate the auto transmission cust$1100 .The mercedes are like new only 41000 km drive only on the summer no problems for now.Before the yaris I have the civic two door hb 1991 new $16 on the road to 2014 over 400.000 km the best car I have on my life time.Scrap the car only because rust drive no problem.Now the Yaris 2012 for wife shopping and winter .I hope are same as the civic. I do oil and small jobs on the mercedes and Yaris. Mini no I don't like to work on the mini

[jess]

Cooper = pos.
Yaris = proven reliable and mechanically sound.

??

I just passed 200k on my 09 htchbach

No brainer.

[attrapereves]

The Mini is a cooler, better quality car. But the Toyota will hold up better in the long run and will be more reliable.

Minis are some of the most unreliable cars currently produced.

[yougojay]

Just catching up here, sorry the Cooper was a disappointment for you Scott. Such cool looking cars, such horrible experiences I've read about. Really glad you were able to turn the situation around without any additional monetary loss...! I am sure your AWD Crosstrek is coming in handy with the weather up in New England this Winter - It's nice, checking out the website now

[fnkngrv]

This is really funny that I went on a 3 month hiatus and come back to folks necrothreading so much :-)