STILL car shopping...........................

[Yaris Revenge]

I've been comparing cars for, what.... a year and a half now? in anticipation of ditching my Vibe this winter. Currently I've narrowed it down to really 2 cars.

1.) Toyota Yaris
2.) Mini Cooper convertible

How's that for opposite ends of the Tiny Car Spectrum? The Cooper's only, oh, $10k more than the Yaris! :laugh:

I might be interested in a Scion xD, but I'll have to see one in person first. If I like it and the price is right, it may hedge out the Yaris.

~YR

[staticorex]

If you want the coop take it. I love my Yaris but come on. Like you said they are different leagues.

[Yaris Revenge]

If you want the coop take it. I love my Yaris but come on. Like you said they are different leagues.

Yup. I'm (very) lucky in the fact that right now the price difference isn't really an issue. It's more of a decision about what I want in a car: super-frugal, local sevicing, and fun, or just super-fun? I'm undecided... for now.

My wife and dog want the convertible. :laugh:

~YR

[RShatchback]

I'm going to be trading my yaris in soon, and one of the cars I test drove recently was a Cooper S. Its a world apart from the yaris in all respects..wanting to save money would be the only reason i'd take the yaris.

But after having driven this yaris around for the past several months i can say that the " i saved money factor will wear off real fast, and you'll wish you got that cooper in the long run"

[nsmitchell]

The Mini Convertible is awesome, but you will have nowhere near the practicality of the Yaris liftback. No storage whatsoever. That is fine for a second or third car, but as primary transportation the Yaris is king. The MPG of the Mini is impressive. The base model gets Yarislike MPGs.

[Yaris Revenge]

The Mini Convertible is awesome, but you will have nowhere near the practicality of the Yaris liftback. No storage whatsoever. That is fine for a second or third car, but as primary transportation the Yaris is king. The MPG of the Mini is impressive. The base model gets Yarislike MPGs.

Yeah, mpg is important, and the Cooper does do that well, though the Yaris still reigns. Storage isn't really an issue... our other vehicles are a Hyundai Tuscon and a Chevy Z-71 extended cab. I just need something to carry me back and forth to work, but it'd be awfully nice to have something really fun for the weekends! I think the Cooper could fit both bills.

~YR

[nsmitchell]

Yeah, mpg is important, and the Cooper does do that well, though the Yaris still reigns. Storage isn't really an issue... our other vehicles are a Hyundai Tuscon and a Chevy Z-71 extended cab. I just need something to carry me back and forth to work, but it'd be awfully nice to have something really fun for the weekends! I think the Cooper could fit both bills.

~YR
So it is a third car. I say HELL YEAH! Get the Mini for fun sake!

[vodkalush]

well if funs a factor why not just get a miata

[Yaris Revenge]

well if funs a factor why not just get a miata

Fun's a big factor, but sometimes it might be nice to have fun with more than just one other person along for the ride. If I had a Miata, where's the dog gonna' sit? :biggrin:

I DO like the Miata, and was considering one, but I think a convertible with a back seat full friends would be much more fun, and a Cooper has a certain "mystique" to it that I don't think a Japanese car will ever achieve.

~YR

[ECHOKnight2000]

Yeah Coopers are nice. I personally wouldn't get the convertible, I think it looks gross on the Cooper but each to his/her own. Yeah the regular Cooper looks nice but but is requires premium. If I were in the financial situation to get it I would go for the base model. I wish at least for the base model it can run on regular but oh well. I talked to the sales man at a MINI dealer near me and he says he runs his on mid-grade and I read some other owners doing that as well. I guess the only flip side to MINI is cost of ownership, reliability, sure they have improved but I read the forums from time to time. Also since its a niche car not only prices are inflated but also parts can be hard to find as you would have to order most major parts and that can take awhile which screws you but if you have other cars maybe not a big deal. I'm NOT trying to scare you or be a A-hole about it just from what I read on forums and what not. Kinda look at the whole picture. MINI is a great car, I haven't test drove one yet but I do love small hatches, especially if they can handle like a dream.

Miata is a great car too but I don't think the dog would like the trunk. But my dad has a previous gen one and its very nice!!

The xD rides on the Yaris platform, although a little bigger, but that could be a great value considering you get lots standard for under the price of a MINI although I know they are in a different class all together but from a price for value point of view its a bargin! If you can hold out till August test drive the xD. I'd say since your in the market test drive cars that even might be low on the list of cars you want, you never know, I don't know about you but I'm a car nut so I will take advantage of test driving cars I probably don't even plan to buy, not to say I will test everyone, no but ones in a similar catagory or just above for the sake of it, why not, life's short...test drive it!

[Yaris Revenge]

Just a little, totally useless update.

I just discovered, quite by accident, that for a mere $1000 more than the Mini I built online, I could own a new Ford Mustang convertible decked out to my liking. Sure, the mileage blows (28 hwy), but what do you expect with a 200+hp V6?

Back to the age old debate, I guess: what's more important, fuel economy or horsepower? :laugh:

~YR

[jdium]

Yeah Coopers are nice. I personally wouldn't get the convertible, I think it looks gross on the Cooper but each to his/her own. Yeah the regular Cooper looks nice but but is requires premium. If I were in the financial situation to get it I would go for the base model. I wish at least for the base model it can run on regular but oh well. I talked to the sales man at a MINI dealer near me and he says he runs his on mid-grade and I read some other owners doing that as well.

Do some quick math and rethink the premium slant...if you drove 10,000 miles a year and average just 30 mpg, premium is only going to cost you about $66 more a year (based on $.20 more per gallon premium versus regular) Thats $5.5 a month...if that's what you base your $15,000 (or $25,000 in the case of the Mini) car purchase on, it's time to rethink...

[ECHOKnight2000]

^^^I'm a cheap bastard, leave me alone:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :thumbsup: