Mini cooper r56 or Swift Sport

Akagi · 24 Aug 2020 at 11:48

Depends, do you want a quick car, or not?

Yaris SR is in the same vein as the Swift sport, they're tepid. Not slow, but not quick either. (I suppose that depends on your definition of quick though)

I'd go with the Cooper S, but I'd get an R53. Cheaper. Less issues. More supercharger noises.

Raymond Lin · 24 Aug 2020 at 11:58

Oh, I had a Twingo as a courtesy car once too....its gutless even compared to the Yaris I had. There is a hill around here that I could do it in 4th/5th gear in the Yaris, I recall in the Twingo I had to shift down to 2nd. I approached it in 4th...it was struggling and dropped it to 3rd and it was still struggling...

How about a mk1 Volvo C30 T5

Mine has been very reliable, i've only replaced consumables like tyres, bushes etc. Although i did change the timing belt and water pump on mine as they are at that age. Much quieter on the motorway than the Yaris.

Akagi · 24 Aug 2020 at 12:08

C30 T5 is basically a MK2 Focus ST in a cardigan.

Raymond Lin · 24 Aug 2020 at 12:10

Acme said:
C30 T5 is basically a MK2 Focus ST in a cardigan.

Without the scene tax and boy racer image

There is a manual one for £3k on AT or this auto one for £3.5k with 60k on the clock. Less than mine! It even has heated seats, rain sensor, headlight washer.

Auto is fine, at least I think anyway as a daily. It picks up speed soon as the rev his about 2500k rpm.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202001296707867?advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&radius=1501&year-to=2013&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&minimum-badge-engine-size=2.4&fuel-type=Petrol&make=VOLVO&sort=relevance&model=C30&postcode=hr11hb&page=1

Hades · 25 Aug 2020 at 08:51

Doesn't the R56 have some engine weaknesses?

Toothy1911 · 25 Aug 2020 at 09:07

poosemon said:
'15 Swift Sport Owner here. Think a '11 plate will be the mark 1?
- lack of 5th gear, if you are going to use it regularly on motorways or do long trips in it the lack of 5th gear is particularly grating. Lack fo noise insulation and a few hours at 4k rpm isnt the mlst relaxing experience.

It only has 4 gears? What kind of archaic gearbox is in it lol.

Akagi · 25 Aug 2020 at 09:08

Toothy1911 said:
It only has 4 gears? What kind of archaic gearbox is in it lol.

He means lack of 6th gear. His brain is in the early 1980's.

Fluke? · 25 Aug 2020 at 13:08

Thanks again chaps.
I thought it was the Cooper S that had the problems but guess the Cooper has the same engine sans turbo things so will have the same issues (assuming the issue wasn't the turbo

)

I'm still in a bit of a quandary even though most people are making me lean towards the swift.

Swift - pricey premium fuel, rattily, uncomfortable... fun and reliable. 09 70k one at £3700 ~30 miles away
Mini - a little boring? oil leak probs? basic spec lacking... good build quality.. 58 80k 1 owner for £3000 around the corner
Yaris - rust, bit boring to drive? … cheap.. 57 70k £2000 ~10 miles away.

Akagi · 25 Aug 2020 at 13:12

£3700 for a MK1 Swift Sport is incredibly poor value for money. I'd be looking to spend about this much if I were in the market.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Suz...774514?hash=item2af018a972:g:9ykAAOSwB~BfQ~WO

jamoor · 25 Aug 2020 at 13:49

Acme said:
£3700 for a MK1 Swift Sport is incredibly poor value for money. I'd be looking to spend about this much if I were in the market.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Suz...774514?hash=item2af018a972:g:9ykAAOSwB~BfQ~WO

Yes last time I looked 4K was mk2 money

sovietspybob · 25 Aug 2020 at 14:56

Yeah i'm sure ours is only worth a bit over 3 grand now?! It's a 12 plate MK3 with 72k on the clock.

Edit: actually maybe ours is worth slightly more but not much, cheeky £3500 offer on this one might do it https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008222799187

Raymond Lin · 25 Aug 2020 at 14:59

Fluke? said:
Thanks again chaps.
I thought it was the Cooper S that had the problems but guess the Cooper has the same engine sans turbo things so will have the same issues (assuming the issue wasn't the turbo )

I'm still in a bit of a quandary even though most people are making me lean towards the swift.

Swift - pricey premium fuel, rattily, uncomfortable... fun and reliable. 09 70k one at £3700 ~30 miles away
Mini - a little boring? oil leak probs? basic spec lacking... good build quality.. 58 80k 1 owner for £3000 around the corner
Yaris - rust, bit boring to drive? … cheap.. 57 70k £2000 ~10 miles away.

Btw, I got £2100 trade in for mine when it was 9 years old with 66k on the clock.

£2k and 13 years old...the market for these small hatchback really have gone up a bit. Unless £2k is the rock bottom price.

Akagi · 25 Aug 2020 at 15:02

sovietspybob said:
Yeah i'm sure ours is only worth a bit over 3 grand now?! It's a 12 plate MK3 with 72k on the clock.

Edit: actually maybe ours is worth slightly more but not much, cheeky £3500 offer on this one might do it https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008222799187

I usually automatically write off any advert I find where the idiot that put it up can't even rotate the pictures.

sovietspybob · 25 Aug 2020 at 15:16

Acme said:
I usually automatically write off any advert I find where the idiot that put it up can't even rotate the pictures.

But you miss out on all the bargains that way! not to mention the colourful conversations you can have with people who can't rotate their own photos

FlapR · 26 Aug 2020 at 10:01

If you go for a R56 Cooper S, make sure you get one made April 2010 onwards so it has the N18 engine, much more reliable than the N14 which was from 2007-2010.

I'd probably avoid them in general though as mine has thrown up some pretty big bills. The High Pressure Fuel Pump likes to die, which is 1k+ to sort out.

Akagi · 26 Aug 2020 at 22:17

Yep, R53 or bust IMO.

Begbie · 26 Aug 2020 at 22:33

I'd ignore both options and get the equivlant Renault Sport

Akagi · 26 Aug 2020 at 22:57

Begbie said:
I'd ignore both options and get the equivlant Renault Sport

I used to agree, and in fact wanted one myself, until I had use of a 2009 Clio 1.2T for a few weeks.

It had 70,000 miles on it and the interior was falling apart, and the bits that weren't falling apart still looked and felt cheap and nasty.

The Renaultsport may have a pokey engine and a great driving feel, but it still comes with the cheap nastiness.

The Suzuki is cheap as well, but the Japanese know how to do cheap a lot better than the French.

nas · 26 Aug 2020 at 23:38

FlapR said:
If you go for a R56 Cooper S, make sure you get one made April 2010 onwards so it has the N18 engine, much more reliable than the N14 which was from 2007-2010.

I'd probably avoid them in general though as mine has thrown up some pretty big bills. The High Pressure Fuel Pump likes to die, which is 1k+ to sort out.

2012 onwards for the newer engine iirc. I owned a 2011 JCW with the N14 and 2013 JCW with the N18, both out of budget either way, for good ones anyway !

sovietspybob · 27 Aug 2020 at 07:58

Begbie said:
I'd ignore both options and get the equivlant Renault Sport

We went from a Clio 197 to the Swift Sport, and while yes it is a fair bit slower it's an order of magnitude less French and hasn't fallen to bits in the 5 years we've owned it which really couldn't be said for the couple of years we had the 197..