This video led me to buy a 2002 Mini Cooper s. Watched this a couple years ago, checked autotrader and there was a really cheap one 50 miles from me. Bought it two days later. Thanks guys!
When we get a car to our shoot locations we replace the actual license plate with the one for the show. We have "EVRYDAY" for cars costing under $50k, and "EXOTIC" for when we occasionally review cars costing well over $100k. Thanks for watching and commenting so much of our work!
@kfr19 - Keep in mind that the guys have driven every incarnation of the MINI. Including driving a 2011 Mini & 2011 CRZ on the track back to back. They know from experience how the MINI handles and that it beats the CRZ and Fiat. So, yes, the MINI won here, but not just because the guys drove this MINI. In fact, when they both first drove the 500 (before we had the MINI we used for filming) they both concluded right away that it didn't handle as well as the MINIs they'd driven in the past.
Bought a 2013 Mini Cooper in large part to this review. Great review guys. I bought an auto (left leg strength issues) its not a CVT thank goodness! :D Its a blast to drive and the seating position like you said is wonderful. After a year I still have to look for the window switches and things though that's my only complaint. So if that's all that I've got to complain about then well that's minor. Wonderful car to take into the corners!
@sofleye23 - The short answer is... price. Most enthusiast focused Mercedes cost above our 50k limit for the show. Both the E63AMG and any version of the SLK are above 50k. However, with our upcoming introduction of "Exotic Driver" it will open up our options to get in a hot Merc now and then. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yes... that was our first time to venture above the 50k limit o this show. Now we are doing a few cars a year under the "Exotic Driver" title. Our latest video is a Ferrari California, for example. We will never make this our primary focus, but we enjoy the experience of these cars - even if owning them isn't realistic for most of us - and we enjoy sharing it with you guys.
@TheThedragonwarrior - Most of our shoots happen in Southern California, within 50 miles of LA. This particular shoot was in the Malibu area. In fact, you can see Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, a few times in the Fiat piece. Lots of amazing roads in that area.
Drove an 850cc Mini when I was 8. Starter button on the floor, stepping on it caused mechanical contact to the starter just inches below. Had no inner door panels, windows slid sideways so no guts in door just fabric glued to inside of outer door skin. Map pockets in doors were the inside of the doors. Inside door handle was a cable that you pulled, rear suspension was rubber cones. Engine oil was also the transmission oil so both got changed every time. Speed-O was always in the middle.
I'm genuinely impressed that you found a CVT non-S Cooper with that much mileage that still...works. Most of the time the CVT craps out. That car's pretty much just a ticking time bomb.
I'm very happy that at some point during your channel's development, you learned that all three reviews should just be in one 23 min video, and we'd be more likely to watch it. Also that you learned how to record sound better. 😆
I can understand why they chose the Mini Cooper in the end. It was all about balance. Though I have to wonder if the scales would have been tipped if they had a CR-Z with the HPD Kit in it...though that will never happen now considering the fact that the CR-Z has been discontinued.
@Grantoc14 - The GTI is a better all-arounder. Better interior and a great powerband from it's engine. Because it's smaller, the MINI will feel a bit more like a gocart, but the cars are fairly similar in the handling department. The GTIs DSG gearbox blows the MINI's auto out of the water and makes the GTI realistic for stop-and-go and canyon carving. Both are solid choices, but if you'll ever need back seats then get the GTI.
i have the same mini. 2003 non-s automatic ( :P i wish it was stick). but still, 8 years old and my car is still kicking ass and showing this new crop how it should be done...
Nothing wrong with a Mini, I just didn't feel like it was 'me', I know that may be hard to understand or explain, also I was driving in a lot of stop and go traffic with a 6 speed, didn't like that.
could you guys PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a review of the 2013 or 2014 MINI coupe John Cooper Works? Please? I really like it and am considering it as a daily driver. Only thing that's keeping me from it is a lack of reputable reviews for them.
solid comparison and i have to agree with you, i've driven a mini and they are awesome fun. only problem is they're a little expensive especially the S models
the 500 along with the smart are suppose to be city commuter cars not diving through corners and doing 90 down the highway. but in saying that they are still fantastic for what there built for.
@kfr19 the mini they are testing has no mods the car is designed to handle better than almost any other car out there in its class as well as most other classes
@EverydayDriver Hey! Thanks for the reply! Now a follow-up to the original question. For a Floridian (aka no canyons to carve or interesting roads at all. lol) who is planning on getting a manual regardless of car and who is also single and only 22, which means I have no need for a backseat in the near future, for your money in my situation, would you still buy the GTI over the Mini?
PLEASE TELL ME EVERYDAYDRIVER where did you film this? It is so beautiful I am going to visit California this winter and would like to visit this area.
@Grantoc14 - Sounds like you need to go drive them both! In your situation it's probably going to come down to which you prefer to sit in, and be seen in. The GTI has a far better hang out interior, but the styling is bland inside and out. The Mini is all about it's style and attitude, so if it speaks to you then the GTI will probably seem uninteresting by comparison. Try to test drive a MINI cooper S and GTI in the same day, ideally back to back on some lot, and you'll probably know quickly.
@kfr19 i dont need to google an image to show me what a mini cooper looks like i have one sitting in my garage that i use every day as my daily driver and just because the didn't disagree doesn't mean that it is modified they could have just been trying to avoid an argument with some one who is ignorant on the subject
so where i am with a step. 2011 mini cooper classic non-turbo semi-automatic and i love it....lots of power, but what would this car be like with a v-tec engine for a honda??
i have to disagree with them saying the exterior of the mini is clean though. it has those wheel arches with a different colour, chrome bits everywhere and the different coloured side skirts
how do you compare a 2011 crz and 500 to a used, previous generation minicooper? the new one is not that different in spirit and would be cross shopped with the honda and fiat
@kfr19 also that mini isnt lowered what so ever thats stock ride hight and those tires are the same tires that the factory puts on and those are also factory wheels
@Chingonshushu No I admit that I don't know a lot about the Mini, so THAT'S WHY I'M WATCHING THIS VIDEO IN THE FIRST PLACE. But as a general viewer looking for information and feedback on a production car, I don't expect to see a comparison between stock cars vs. a modified car? Get it, yet?
I wish more auto testers tested used cars. There is a huge market for used cars. I dont know if the new or used car market is larger but I know most automotive magazines and car shows only concentrate on new cars and thats a shame
@EverydayDriver That's understandable; however, it is difficult to appreciate this fact based on this particular presentation of this comparison. I understand that mentioning this fact would cause the video to drag on, but any person expecting a comparison between these cars in their stock setup will be mislead by the modified Mini.
@Chingonshushu Why am I a hater? I have nothing against the Mini. I love cars in general. But this is not a fair comparison because the Mini is clearly modified. They say how the Mini out-handles the CR-Z and the 500. Well, duh.... because the Mini has AFTERMARKET PARTS TO MAKE IT HANDLE BETTER. How can the results not be skewed in favor of the Mini? Apples and oranges "mate".
@guitarteacher1993 Nope, just Google an image of a stock MINI Cooper - even a Cooper S - and you'll be able to tell that the ride height, wheels, and tires are not stock at all. Even EverydayDriver responded to my comment and did not disagree that this MINI is modified.
Minis are fun and pretty solid. Build quality is good, but I don't think the materials are the nicest. I'd even go so far to say the materials are pretty cheap. Also, I both the base and S model engines sound way too harsh to me. Still, Mini wins hands down. I don't know how Fiat is still in business.
@igrenade I see this repeated everywhere and the reality is that if you've watched the early seasons of top gear, it was STILL better than the trash that is Top Gear US. At this point, their challenges are essentially just identical copies of what Top Gear did, and without the entertainment value of their personalities, it's completely worthless. I'd love to see Top Gear US succeed, I really do, because the US has a very healthy car culture. I don't intend on deluding myself though.
@kfr19 You clearly have minimal knowledge of the Mini because even without the aftermarket parts it still can out handle a 500 and CR-Z, I hate it when people like you argue over cars you clearly don’t know about…now jog on “mate”
This video led me to buy a 2002 Mini Cooper s. Watched this a couple years ago, checked autotrader and there was a really cheap one 50 miles from me. Bought it two days later. Thanks guys!
When we get a car to our shoot locations we replace the actual license plate with the one for the show. We have "EVRYDAY" for cars costing under $50k, and "EXOTIC" for when we occasionally review cars costing well over $100k. Thanks for watching and commenting so much of our work!
@kfr19 - Keep in mind that the guys have driven every incarnation of the MINI. Including driving a 2011 Mini & 2011 CRZ on the track back to back. They know from experience how the MINI handles and that it beats the CRZ and Fiat. So, yes, the MINI won here, but not just because the guys drove this MINI. In fact, when they both first drove the 500 (before we had the MINI we used for filming) they both concluded right away that it didn't handle as well as the MINIs they'd driven in the past.
Bought a 2013 Mini Cooper in large part to this review. Great review guys. I bought an auto (left leg strength issues) its not a CVT thank goodness! :D Its a blast to drive and the seating position like you said is wonderful. After a year I still have to look for the window switches and things though that's my only complaint. So if that's all that I've got to complain about then well that's minor. Wonderful car to take into the corners!
We just got it, and it's the best thing we've ever bought
@sofleye23 - The short answer is... price. Most enthusiast focused Mercedes cost above our 50k limit for the show. Both the E63AMG and any version of the SLK are above 50k.
However, with our upcoming introduction of "Exotic Driver" it will open up our options to get in a hot Merc now and then. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yes... that was our first time to venture above the 50k limit o this show. Now we are doing a few cars a year under the "Exotic Driver" title. Our latest video is a Ferrari California, for example. We will never make this our primary focus, but we enjoy the experience of these cars - even if owning them isn't realistic for most of us - and we enjoy sharing it with you guys.
Lol That was fast, Part 1 29 Jun, Part 2 29 July, Part 3 Aug 19, You guys are improving.
Mine is same color as that one you guys have, it's 2005, it's the best car I ever have in my life.
@TheThedragonwarrior - Most of our shoots happen in Southern California, within 50 miles of LA. This particular shoot was in the Malibu area. In fact, you can see Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, a few times in the Fiat piece. Lots of amazing roads in that area.
so excited to get my mini cooper next week
I got a 2004 for 2000$ put about 1000$ into repairs and now runs fantastic
I paid £900 for my 2002 Mini with £1350 repairs.
Drove an 850cc Mini when I was 8. Starter button on the floor, stepping on it caused mechanical contact to the starter just inches below. Had no inner door panels, windows slid sideways so no guts in door just fabric glued to inside of outer door skin. Map pockets in doors were the inside of the doors. Inside door handle was a cable that you pulled, rear suspension was rubber cones. Engine oil was also the transmission oil so both got changed every time. Speed-O was always in the middle.
The roads you guys test on are really amazing to look at.
Mini coopers always bring people together
...but not too mini. 4 at the most, 3 comfortably, ;)
Dialogue towards the end between you two was good and funny. Again, Love the vids, you guys do my favorite reviews.
I'm genuinely impressed that you found a CVT non-S Cooper with that much mileage that still...works. Most of the time the CVT craps out. That car's pretty much just a ticking time bomb.
I'm very happy that at some point during your channel's development, you learned that all three reviews should just be in one 23 min video, and we'd be more likely to watch it. Also that you learned how to record sound better. 😆
I can understand why they chose the Mini Cooper in the end. It was all about balance. Though I have to wonder if the scales would have been tipped if they had a CR-Z with the HPD Kit in it...though that will never happen now considering the fact that the CR-Z has been discontinued.
@rspagan - We distribute to Roku through Blip.TV, so search around under there and you should find us. Thanks for watching!
ED just keeps getting better! Awesome vid.
@Grantoc14 - The GTI is a better all-arounder. Better interior and a great powerband from it's engine. Because it's smaller, the MINI will feel a bit more like a gocart, but the cars are fairly similar in the handling department. The GTIs DSG gearbox blows the MINI's auto out of the water and makes the GTI realistic for stop-and-go and canyon carving. Both are solid choices, but if you'll ever need back seats then get the GTI.
i have the same mini. 2003 non-s automatic ( :P i wish it was stick). but still, 8 years old and my car is still kicking ass and showing this new crop how it should be done...
Great review, just bought a Mini, love the way it handles, gas mileage, well, we just have to see...
Actually I sold the mini, it was a nice car, handled very well, just wasn;t for me.
+primostoy Wow, why not? Im in the same boat! I bought a 2014 Mini 3 cyl turbo but im bored with it already!
Nothing wrong with a Mini, I just didn't feel like it was 'me', I know that may be hard to understand or explain, also I was driving in a lot of stop and go traffic with a 6 speed, didn't like that.
primostoy I get bored very easily and trade cars every 1-2 years!
could you guys PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a review of the 2013 or 2014 MINI coupe John Cooper Works? Please? I really like it and am considering it as a daily driver. Only thing that's keeping me from it is a lack of reputable reviews for them.
mom had an 06 cooper s with white body paint, and black wheels. I missed that car. It was very fun to drive. She had it 3 months before my license :/
solid comparison and i have to agree with you, i've driven a mini and they are awesome fun. only problem is they're a little expensive especially the S models
Woulda been nice to see the second gen Mini in the comparison, despite that I understand why you went with the first gen. Great stuff guys!
He predicted correctly about the CRZ at 6:25. Unfortunately the car has sold poorly in North America. I sorta want one, myself!
the 500 along with the smart are suppose to be city commuter cars not diving through corners and doing 90 down the highway. but in saying that they are still fantastic for what there built for.
@EricKYR3 The second generation is said to have more annoying ESP that cuts power when you turn the steering wheel which can never be turned off.
@kfr19 the mini they are testing has no mods the car is designed to handle better than almost any other car out there in its class as well as most other classes
MINI MINI MINI MINI MINI UMMM I WANT MINI.
Proud owner of a 2006 Mini!
I have a 2002 Mini
@EverydayDriver Hey! Thanks for the reply! Now a follow-up to the original question. For a Floridian (aka no canyons to carve or interesting roads at all. lol) who is planning on getting a manual regardless of car and who is also single and only 22, which means I have no need for a backseat in the near future, for your money in my situation, would you still buy the GTI over the Mini?
i am driving a 2003 mini cooper ( still, yea in 2013 ) and is having great fun.........
PLEASE TELL ME EVERYDAYDRIVER where did you film this? It is so beautiful I am going to visit California this winter and would like to visit this area.
@Grantoc14 - Sounds like you need to go drive them both! In your situation it's probably going to come down to which you prefer to sit in, and be seen in. The GTI has a far better hang out interior, but the styling is bland inside and out. The Mini is all about it's style and attitude, so if it speaks to you then the GTI will probably seem uninteresting by comparison.
Try to test drive a MINI cooper S and GTI in the same day, ideally back to back on some lot, and you'll probably know quickly.
@kfr19 i dont need to google an image to show me what a mini cooper looks like i have one sitting in my garage that i use every day as my daily driver and just because the didn't disagree doesn't mean that it is modified they could have just been trying to avoid an argument with some one who is ignorant on the subject
The exact model you guys tested is the one I want , In that color , with those aftermarket wheels and 6mt mmmmmmm
Great video! Thanks guys!
Hey what happened to the Cute-o-meter? XD
so where i am with a step. 2011 mini cooper classic non-turbo semi-automatic and i love it....lots of power, but what would this car be like with a v-tec engine for a honda??
oh and the gas mileage....wow, i live in canada in the prairie ok , i can get 1000km per tank of fuel, on the hi way, open best drive ever
Question: Would you prefer a Mini S or a GTI?
Why dont you guys do old cars as a series like Rx-7's , honda Ek9 hatchbacks, and Toyota AE86's?
The early Mini's were great. Then they had to change them and now they look like a mini on steroids - not good, more ridiculous.
The base model is almost unchanged in it's exterior design. If you don't want a Cooper Works or S don't buy one. I didn't.
where do you guys get these cars to test? do you like rent them or something? im really interested in finding out
Can someone explain the license plates, how do you use the same one on every car
tes it is really a cute car....i wish toyota or honda can make beautiful cars like that
i have to disagree with them saying the exterior of the mini is clean though. it has those wheel arches with a different colour, chrome bits everywhere and the different coloured side skirts
@sspope I have a 2009 S model that I track and I haven't noticed anything of the like.
What about reviewing the r53?
Was my first car and loved it.
how do you compare a 2011 crz and 500 to a used, previous generation minicooper? the new one is not that different in spirit and would be cross shopped with the honda and fiat
@kfr19 also that mini isnt lowered what so ever thats stock ride hight and those tires are the same tires that the factory puts on and those are also factory wheels
do a comparison of the Mini Cooper S vs the Ford Fiesta ST
even though this is old id love to see that
Can we Please get a video on the Mercedes E63 AMG or SLK???? Why no Mercedes?
what location is this ?
@Chingonshushu No I admit that I don't know a lot about the Mini, so THAT'S WHY I'M WATCHING THIS VIDEO IN THE FIRST PLACE. But as a general viewer looking for information and feedback on a production car, I don't expect to see a comparison between stock cars vs. a modified car? Get it, yet?
who gives afuck how long it takes... there vids are such good quality!!!! keep doing what ur doing guys!!!
Where are these roads at, may I ask??
I wish more auto testers tested used cars. There is a huge market for used cars. I dont know if the new or used car market is larger but I know most automotive magazines and car shows only concentrate on new cars and thats a shame
Mini hands down
@EverydayDriver Thank You!
Is this good for a first car
How reliable is a Mini?
Loved it!
@DrRockso2395 golf is considered a hot hatch because of the turbo. none of these have turbos.
I had to watch the other two videos first to remember what this was about
so, tune in next year for the next episode
@EverydayDriver That's understandable; however, it is difficult to appreciate this fact based on this particular presentation of this comparison. I understand that mentioning this fact would cause the video to drag on, but any person expecting a comparison between these cars in their stock setup will be mislead by the modified Mini.
@Chingonshushu Why am I a hater? I have nothing against the Mini. I love cars in general. But this is not a fair comparison because the Mini is clearly modified. They say how the Mini out-handles the CR-Z and the 500. Well, duh.... because the Mini has AFTERMARKET PARTS TO MAKE IT HANDLE BETTER. How can the results not be skewed in favor of the Mini? Apples and oranges "mate".
@guitarteacher1993 Nope, just Google an image of a stock MINI Cooper - even a Cooper S - and you'll be able to tell that the ride height, wheels, and tires are not stock at all. Even EverydayDriver responded to my comment and did not disagree that this MINI is modified.
Thanks
I rode this and it feels like a fun car but the customization price of this car comes out so expensive.
I don't think you guys should have tested the first generation Mini. You guys should instead test the cars according to the year they were made.
can you guys redo this video now that the new beetle is out. Or even get an Abarth, Cooper S, and a beetle turbo.
Yeah, it's a good first car, their relatively cheap, easy to insure and fun to drive
i enjoy your reviews, but the music is so loud, its hard to hear what you guys are saying
Love mini.
when fiat makes a properly good car that won't fall to pieces after you breath on it, and won't rust from a gentle sprinkle, I'll shit bricks.
why are they comparing to older mini
and yet prior to this video you guys reviewed a GTR which costs well over 50k
Mitsubishi Colt CZT..150CP-8.6L/100KM (27.3mpg)?... 0 to 80 kph- Ƽ‚2 s it has a lot of functionality and power too..it shoul be fun then...
you didnt compare with the vw beetle
You should a fiat abarth vs a mini cooper works mini or an s vs a miata or something
Whoa! ED rated all the cars same number AND pick the same cars from best to worst! This is illegal!
Minis are fun and pretty solid. Build quality is good, but I don't think the materials are the nicest. I'd even go so far to say the materials are pretty cheap. Also, I both the base and S model engines sound way too harsh to me. Still, Mini wins hands down. I don't know how Fiat is still in business.
Fiat is still in business because the 500 is an outstanding car....2 million plus sold since its intro in 2008
lol they brought in an older Mini with after market rims and lowered suspension
So this is what spoony has been doing all this time.
mini ftw
At 6:19 watch out! some one is trying to snipe you!
@EricKYR3 It's explained here nicely
watch?v=ryWy8XNu0S8
^^Watch it and you'll get the idea.
Poor mini has the CVT.
+Max Connelly Wrong...
No he's right. All R50 Coopers had a CVT. The R53 Cooper S Had an Aisin Automatic.
@igrenade I see this repeated everywhere and the reality is that if you've watched the early seasons of top gear, it was STILL better than the trash that is Top Gear US. At this point, their challenges are essentially just identical copies of what Top Gear did, and without the entertainment value of their personalities, it's completely worthless.
I'd love to see Top Gear US succeed, I really do, because the US has a very healthy car culture. I don't intend on deluding myself though.
I would rather have my classic mini... thank you!!!
@kfr19 You clearly have minimal knowledge of the Mini because even without the aftermarket parts it still can out handle a 500 and CR-Z, I hate it when people like you argue over cars you clearly don’t know about…now jog on “mate”
quality > quantity
EverymonthDriver
should compare mini cooper to volkswagen beetle
+Qooyi Wu There is no comparison!