Fiesta ST vs Mini Cooper S

Soldato
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I think for about £500 you can get a nice power increase with the CooperS too. I was looking into them not so long ago, and it seemed quite easy to get to about ~200-220bhp.

Also, the Mini will most likely be worth far more than the FezST come selling time.
 
Soldato
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zain said:
Quality and reliability would be mini.

I know loads of people who have Mini's or have bought them for their wife or girlfriend, and I don't recall any of them using those words to describe their experience.

"Its in the dealers for warranty work" comes up far more frequently.
 
Soldato
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Minis have been ridiculously good for holding their value too, not sure if this is still the case but it certianly should hold its value better than the Fiesta.

If you are going new, Id have to say the light blue with a white roof would be my personal preference. :)

Edit - Just realised that its 2nd hand, well, Id look for a blue one with a white roof :D
 
Suspended
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If you can get the Fiesta without those ridiculous stripes, go for it. Minis are everywhere and that has to have an effect on the value when everyone decides to sell up for the next fashionable car.
 
Soldato
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Fiesta plus (IMO)
Not so many on the roads
Cheaper and parts
Lower insurance group
Use less fuel
More room

Fiesta minus (IMO)
1 thing which niggles me with the ST, which is why I brought the Focus MK1 when I chopped in the 1.4 Fiesta Zetec was no option for Xenon lights.

Mini plus (IMO)
Xenons (option)
Quicker
Interior is better
Good tuning potential (swap the charger)

Mini Minus (IMO)
Every other Mini on the road is a S
Expensive compared to what you could purchase with the same money because the Mini has the 'cool' image factor.
BMW are going to rape you when it comes to parts/service (I may stand corrected)

But with all said if i had the money for either it would be the Mini, but the ST is also a very good car.
 

FTM

FTM

Soldato
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I hate to bring this up..but is the mini not a slightly gay mans car...or is that the cabrio?

I just think seeing blokes in the mini cabrio looks odd..or perhaps its the whole cabrio that looks odd!
 
Soldato
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2nd hand prices of Minis are starting to slide a little as more and more come up on the used market.

I would have one in an instant, if it where not for the fact I need a bit more practicality. I tried to get the GF to get one when she was looking for a motor last year, but she got a 206cc instead (she wanted the roof thing).

THe best thing about them is those flippy switches, up is off and down is on. Can't beat that.
 
Associate
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When I was buying my car I went for the ST opposed to the cooper s, this was mainly because when I was buying my £12k got me a brand new ST but £12k would've got me a 52/03 plate mini with not a lot of kit and lots of mileage.

Things have probably changed now though with more cooper s's on the market for less.

Do I regret getting one instead of a cooper s? No way, it's still an awful lot of fun and enough power for me (at 18 anyway) and I have since had it lowered with some eibach pro springs and handles like a dream. Although spending more money people with other ST's have managed approx 190bhp with a new exhaust, manifold and decent induction kit (probably for around £800-900) but then again you might be able to get similar gains with the Mini with the same spare cash.

Build quality wise I wouldn't say there's much in it and the fiesta has lots more room than the Mini, but the best thing to do is just test drive them both and see which you prefer :).
 
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Gotta be the mini S, lovely cars. I hadnt ever heard about the reliability issues tbh. Whoever pointed out every other mini is a cooper S must be from somwhere other than bristol, i see about 1 in 30 is an S.
 
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blueboy2001 said:
I know loads of people who have Mini's or have bought them for their wife or girlfriend, and I don't recall any of them using those words to describe their experience.

"Its in the dealers for warranty work" comes up far more frequently.

So true! At one point I didn't have to clean mine for about 3 months, because the dealers were washing it every time it went back :(

I'd go for the Cooper S though :cool:

thepharcyde said:
BMW are going to rape you when it comes to parts/service (I may stand corrected)

Most Mini's are purchased with the TLC Pack - which is free servicing for x amount of years - certainly something worth checking out when purchasing :) It's done by a token booklet, so is transferrable between owners.
 
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Associate
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spaz is right about the ST tuning. Apparently a milltek manifold and exhaust combined with an induction kit will get a genuine gain of about 20bhp. Not bad a bad gain for just bolt-on stuff.
 
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Cybershot said:
Most Mini's are purchased with the TLC Pack - which is free servicing for x amount of years - certainly something worth checking out when purchasing :) It's done by a token booklet, so is transferrable between owners.

5 years on my Parents one I believe :eek:

I think it is still on all 4 original tyres at 46k miles too :confused:
 
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