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Mini Cooper S vs GTI: Driving Dynamics

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peechu

Passed Driver's Ed
TAZZ said:
I own a MCS R53, the car is extremely fun to drive. I have driven 3 GTIs (1 Mk5 and 2 Mk6).
Frankly I would not trade off my mini for any GTI. But for a Golf R (with its devastating performance I experienced) on the other hand....:rolleyes:
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Exactly :) I would have loved one, but when I was shopping and my eyes glazed over with excitement while driving this car, I could lean one of two ways. Be practical, save money and get more usable everyday car, or end up in the upgraded section and see if I could get more fun for my dollar in the price range. If there WAS a golf R in the states, it would of been a REAL interesting decision for me to make (based on realistic pricing of course)
 
K

koen

Passed Driver's Ed
i owned a turbo charged cooper s before and i love the driving feel more than the GTI, i love the steering feedback on the mini, solid and direct, the brakes are a lot better than the GTI ones too (apparently the R56 turbocharged brakes are the same ones as the R53 JCW brakes) great fun to toss around in corner and i can kill TT / Golf Mk5 gti / r32(not sure if its mod or not) in really twistie roads

however, GTI is a LOT more practical, god i love 4drs, bigger boot, more space and more electronic gadgets!also, a very comfortable steering to hold on to! as a 2nd car, i think mini is a great car to own for its fun and fuel efficiency!

here is a pic of my mini
 
TAZZ1

TAZZ1

Ready to race!
koen said:
i owned a turbo charged cooper s before and i love the driving feel more than the GTI, i love the steering feedback on the mini, solid and direct, the brakes are a lot better than the GTI ones too (apparently the R56 turbocharged brakes are the same ones as the R53 JCW brakes) great fun to toss around in corner and i can kill TT / Golf Mk5 gti / r32(not sure if its mod or not) in really twistie roads

however, GTI is a LOT more practical, god i love 4drs, bigger boot, more space and more electronic gadgets!also, a very comfortable steering to hold on to! as a 2nd car, i think mini is a great car to own for its fun and fuel efficiency!

here is a pic of my mini
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Wow nice car man:thumbsup: love the contrasting white/black theme-ing
 
G

gkallis

Ready to race!
I have both a 2010 gti and 2008 mini cooper s in the drive way. They both have their down falls and perks. Mini will destroy the GTI in any handling and i dont care what you say its a fact. If you have money to put into the mini it could be a serious car because its so light. The GTI on the other hand is just an overall quality car. Its quick and handles good juSt not as good as mini but i will say its faster then mini well just because i smoke my brother all the time. Also i hate how with mini everything is an option...BMW needs to give us a little something and as for reliability the mini is good so far engine wise but something with BMW and their windows motors. We have 2 BMWS so far the 740il and mini cooper and both of them had window problems..Basically my conclusion is dont diss the mini because its ALOT of fun and well sure it cant beat us in a straight like it sure can beat us in the corners and alot more funner to drive.
 
johnny_p

johnny_p

Go Kart Champion
I test drove both when I went to get my car, and actually, I preferred the Mini. Driving wise, its the better driver's car. It handles on rails, it changes direction quickly and very confidently. It accelerates with great punch anywhere in the rev range, and the brakes will slam your face into the dashboard if you're not paying attention.

Other than that, the gas mileage is superb, the seats feel great, and most of the interior is actually pretty decent.

That said, they're too damn expensive. I optioned one out comparable to the GTI I was looking at, and it was over $27000. Not fun. Plus, if you have your heart set on any options, you're going to be ordering one because everything is optional. I couldn't take the time to wait to order one, my previous car (Ford Focus) was literally about to fall apart. And lastly, there is zero room in that damn trunk for anything other than 4 small bags of groceries, making it a very impractical car.

Too bad, they're really great little cars. But when it came down to it, the GTI is really only half a step behind in handling, half a step behind in brakes, half a step behind in engine, and a full 10 steps ahead in interior, practicality, and cost.

So in my case, the GTI won :)
 
G

gkallis

Ready to race!
i think u mean a step ahead in engine because my gti will run circles around my brothers mini lol
 
quarantine

quarantine

Ready to race!
johnny_p said:
I test drove both when I went to get my car, and actually, I preferred the Mini. Driving wise, its the better driver's car. It handles on rails, it changes direction quickly and very confidently. It accelerates with great punch anywhere in the rev range, and the brakes will slam your face into the dashboard if you're not paying attention.

Other than that, the gas mileage is superb, the seats feel great, and most of the interior is actually pretty decent.

That said, they're too damn expensive. I optioned one out comparable to the GTI I was looking at, and it was over $27000. Not fun. Plus, if you have your heart set on any options, you're going to be ordering one because everything is optional. I couldn't take the time to wait to order one, my previous car (Ford Focus) was literally about to fall apart. And lastly, there is zero room in that damn trunk for anything other than 4 small bags of groceries, making it a very impractical car.

Too bad, they're really great little cars. But when it came down to it, the GTI is really only half a step behind in handling, half a step behind in brakes, half a step behind in engine, and a full 10 steps ahead in interior, practicality, and cost.

So in my case, the GTI won :)
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Well said. I own both and couldn't have agreed with you more.
I also paid more for the Mini than I paid for the GTI
 
johnny_p

johnny_p

Go Kart Champion
gkallis said:
i think u mean a step ahead in engine because my gti will run circles around my brothers mini lol
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well this is just my take on it, but... I felt the Mini was paired to its engine better than the GTI. The Mini accelerated great, and you couldn't help but smile every time you punched it, at absolutely any rev. I think it has a dual scroll turbo right? The GTI, by comparison, just feels quick without the same WOOHOO! sensation that I got in the Mini. I dunno, probably more weight difference and throttle response than anything.... and by no means am I saying the GTI has a bad engine, I just felt the Mini had the better pair up.
 
falconeight1

falconeight1

Ready to race!
The mini is a great car a retains its value very well. I would buy one, I just have this side of me that likes the more room of the gti and the way it goes thru life on the down low.
 
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