Mini - convertible or not .

alfmurph

I am a vauxhall man but my wife wants a change .
Getting a new mini in august  - 2 door ..I can either pay a few grand more and get a convertible or a higher spec hard top . Any thoughts .
Only ever had convertibles on holiday in florida . At traffic lights could never hear radio for noise of traffic alongside and the fumes were terrible . Also during winter i drove up freeway with hood down since sun was out and i was frozen .
Is it really worth it in uk for the few days the sun is out . Posing value perhaps .

Stubod

We have an MX5 soft top and love it, (had a soft top car since I started driving / for as long as I can remember), but it is very much a second "fun car". Would I want a convertible as a main car?.....probably not, (particularly if you live in a city environment).

ishouldbehappy

run a mile, the most unreliable car i have ever owned, very poor , get an mx5 far better

[Deleted User]

Join a mini forum and read the joys of owning a mini.
Or ask you local garage about them and how much money they make from all the faults.

MX5?
No thanks buy an MR2 and enjoy driving a convertible.

AdrianC

alfmurph said:

Only ever had convertibles on holiday in florida . At traffic lights could never hear radio for noise of traffic alongside and the fumes were terrible . Also during winter i drove up freeway with hood down since sun was out and i was frozen .
Is it really worth it in uk for the few days the sun is out . Posing value perhaps .

What's your driving?

If you're almost entirely urban and trunk route, then probably not.
If you do any rural driving, then - gawd, yes.

daveyjp

Friend had one for three years.  It had a new roof under warranty every year!  She no longer has it.

angrycrow

I have know a few people who owned various versions of the BMW Mini, longest any of them kept one was 18 months. Dreadful heavy and cramped were the normal responses to why they were getting rid.

That said do get a drop top they are huge fun in the sun, just don't get a mini. We have a a4 cabriolet and with the top up it is quieter inside than our hatchback car due to the acoustic hood lining. 

motorguy

angrycrow said:

I have know a few people who owned various versions of the BMW Mini, longest any of them kept one was 18 months. Dreadful heavy and cramped were the normal responses to why they were getting rid.

That said do get a drop top they are huge fun in the sun, just don't get a mini. We have a a4 cabriolet and with the top up it is quieter inside than our hatchback car due to the acoustic hood lining. 

Newest variant - from 2014 - is a lot bigger than the previous cars.  I'd one for a year - a Cooper S - and loved it.  Brilliant car.  A real hoot to drive.  

I'd strongly recommend one.

Herzlos

Personally I'd take the higher spec hard top - you'll get more space, it'll be better heat insulated, quieter etc.

You'll find it a pain with the roof down most of the time.

SallyDucati

I have a 68 reg Cooper S hard top.  Considered a convertible but decided against it due the number of times I would realistically have the roof down, and having had one as a courtesy car found it noisy to sit and drive in (wind/traffic).  i love my Mini, had a Paceman previously and would have had another one if they were still making them.  
They are small though - fine for just me but for a family no way.

k3lvc

I've just done 2.5yrs in a JCW Convertible - it did commuting, airport runs and a trip to Monaco and searched for 3 months for a newer version to replace it with ending up with an S3 Cabriolet instead.  I still yearn for the fun of the mini and had no issues with it during 30k miles