Quote:
Originally Posted by berettafan
What do you like better on the mini?
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Cant speak to the old ones, but mine is rock solid. It feels like a tank. No rattles, all materials feel nice and has actual real buttons for everything. It feels like a BMW, not a VW. MY VWs never felt like a BMW or Audi, they felt like a VW....which to me means slightly crappy materials everywhere that eventually fall apart. The Mini just gives me a feeling of fun...sounds stupid but it puts a smile on my face. My GTIs never did that. The Mini just has this unusual personality that you might find in an old 911 or VW Bug. Its not really anything objective I can point to. At the end of the day, my GTIs probably could outperform it but they never left me with the same feeling.
The GTIs were way more practical though (can put a roof rack on, way more cargo space and back seat space)...and performed well, just much more compliant and refined. The Mini even in its normal suspension setting is very firm - however, I am on the run flat tires still. I dont think the current GTI has a spare (maybe?) but the Mini does not have a spare tire and this is a bummer. Not sure if they ever did???
I like the small size of the Mini. Even though my generation is probably the largest so far, the car feels tiny to me and I like very small cars. The interior is about the same size as the 911 but with a roof line that allows an adult to sit in the back seat but with the same amount of leg room which is none at all. It is very hard to get back there too, being a 2 door. With the seats down, I was able to get a set of winter wheels/tires in my Mini but I do not think I could get my mountain bike back there and there is no way to mount a roof rack...another ding for the Mini.
But to be blunt, if I lived someplace where it did not snow, I would not own a Mini or a GTI. I do not prefer FWD cars. The GTI and the Mini have been a way for me to have a sporty hatchback all year round where it snows 5 or 6 months out of the year. With winter tires, the Mini did fine. The GTI always did fine with all seasons.
If I lived in a snowless climate, my daily driver would be a Cayman.