Opinions??

[stevetharlear]

Buying a new car in 2 weeks, can't make my mind up.
Choices are
1. BMW 318ci
2. Mini Cooper S (Bit gay but having driven one, excellent car)
3. Audi S3

Don't know much about the Audi but have always liked them. Anyone have anything bad or good to say about any of the above?

[CommanderCian]

It all depends on what your looking for really, they are 3 totally different cars. The BMW wil look good but will be slower the the other two. What year BMW were thinking? The mini will always be a fun car to own, havent heard anything bad about reliability. They have an excellent FWD chassis and you say you are going for the cooper so it should be nippy. If you can afford the cooper S go for it, it has supercharged power and would beat the socks off the BMW.

The Audi S3 would be my pick of the bunch however. 4 wheel drive, way more power then the other two cars and Audi quality. If you can afford the running costs of an s3 I would definately go for one. They are also a subtle looking car, only a person well up on their cars would tell an S3 from an A3. The mini will be good if you want to grab attention but they are getting common now. What price range were you thinking?

[northsidescumbag]

Personally I'd go for the Mini. The BMW though a nice car, is very common and lacks power. The S3 has more power and the 4WD but it's a very heavy car. The thing with the mini is that it's more than a performance car, if you took the power away from the Audi you're just left with an A3. But with the mini it still has something going for it besides the power.

[mushypea]

audi= holds value!!!

[munkyhed]

Being an Audi A3 owner i would definetely love to get an S3 or S4. Fairly expensive alright but the quality top notch.

[Hang_Sandwich]

audi= holds value!!!

bollixs utter fucking bollix

[Hang_Sandwich]

Buying a new car in 2 weeks, can't make my mind up.
Choices are
1. BMW 318ci
2. Mini Cooper S (Bit gay but having driven one, excellent car)
3. Audi S3

Don't know much about the Audi but have always liked them. Anyone have anything bad or good to say about any of the above?

1. BMW 318 ci - shit slow expensive to maintain generally the car a prat with no clue about cars would get.
2. Mini Cooper S totally gay and not a patch on the older mini cooper - not very fast either casue they aren't very mini and basicially. if you were after a car this size get a pug 106 gti way cheaper way better handline and way faster.
3. 225 bhp car 4wd - if you can afford to run it get it by far the best of the bunch by a country mile. course if you were really up for the quick car you could try for an Rs3 or even better an rs4.

[mushypea]

bollixs utter fucking bollix

Hang! Thats awful talk!

[northsidescumbag]

You couldn't be taken seriously driving a pug gti. Someone who cares about image enough to be considering a BMW wouldn't drive a 206 in any shape or form. IF you can get a John Cooper S Works mini. Nothing gay about that.

[Hang_Sandwich]

You couldn't be taken seriously driving a pug gti. Someone who cares about image enough to be considering a BMW wouldn't drive a 206 in any shape or form. IF you can get a John Cooper S Works mini. Nothing gay about that.

they are still gay no matter what and for the price they aren't actually that great there are other tuning crowds that can make it produce more power and give it better handling for far cheaper. And i still wouldn't want a mini. I mentioned the pug 106 gti as a cheaper and better alternative to the mini cooper cause it is - i wouldn't want one myself though

[northsidescumbag]

they are still gay no matter what and for the price they aren't actually that great there are other tuning crowds that can make it produce more power and give it better handling for far cheaper. And i still wouldn't want a mini. I mentioned the pug 106 gti as a cheaper and better alternative to the mini cooper cause it is - i wouldn't want one myself though
Yeah but the JC works is the only one that maintains the BMW warranty. I suppose it's just a difference of opinion, you're more the performance focused type while I like a good bit of badge and image as well.

[stevetharlear]

Well lads thanks for the opinions.
To Hang, drive a cooper S down a back road and tell me its gay. I'm a bit like you as well where it comes to performance but I'm also looking for something that won't depreciate much over the next 2 years, and that I won't look like a boyracer in. I've more or less forgotten about the mini now and am verging on the S3, but have had my head turned by a Honda s2000 for a reasonable price, a fine car, so back to square one with the procrastinating for me!

[northsidescumbag]

Well lads thanks for the opinions.
To Hang, drive a cooper S down a back road and tell me its gay. I'm a bit like you as well where it comes to performance but I'm also looking for something that won't depreciate much over the next 2 years, and that I won't look like a boyracer in. I've more or less forgotten about the mini now and am verging on the S3, but have had my head turned by a Honda s2000 for a reasonable price, a fine car, so back to square one with the procrastinating for me!
Buy the mini quick before they fuck it up with the new one soon. I

[Hang_Sandwich]

Well lads thanks for the opinions.
To Hang, drive a cooper S down a back road and tell me its gay. I'm a bit like you as well where it comes to performance but I'm also looking for something that won't depreciate much over the next 2 years, and that I won't look like a boyracer in. I've more or less forgotten about the mini now and am verging on the S3, but have had my head turned by a Honda s2000 for a reasonable price, a fine car, so back to square one with the procrastinating for me!

they are gay they aren't that quick and they are overpriced a pug 106 gti would kill it.

now you have quandry over the s2000 is it hartop or softop? personally it depends i'd feel like a bit of a prick in a convertable anyway but it is quicker than the S3 in fact around a track an s2000 is up there with 350z's and and hold its own with M3's aswell - pretty mean feat considering it fwd and way down on power.

[northsidescumbag]

they are gay they aren't that quick and they are overpriced a pug 106 gti would kill it.

now you have quandry over the s2000 is it hartop or softop? personally it depends i'd feel like a bit of a prick in a convertable anyway but it is quicker than the S3 in fact around a track an s2000 is up there with 350z's and and hold its own with M3's aswell - pretty mean feat considering it fwd and way down on power.
Is it FWD??? Always assumed it was RWD. It revs too 8500rpm or somewhere around that though. Grand with a V8 or a flat six but dunno about a 4-pot. If it's FWD I don't think it'd be worth it.

[k974]

its rwd and revs to 9000rpm. audi s3 best out that bunch by far, s2000 would be nicer if you can afford to loose the practicality

[Hang_Sandwich]

Is it FWD??? Always assumed it was RWD. It revs too 8500rpm or somewhere around that though. Grand with a V8 or a flat six but dunno about a 4-pot. If it's FWD I don't think it'd be worth it.

sorry got excited its rwd.

[Hang_Sandwich]

its rwd and revs to 9000rpm. audi s3 best out that bunch by far, s2000 would be nicer if you can afford to loose the practicality

S2000 has a big enough boot, the only practiciality you lose is the rear seats

[northsidescumbag]

S2000 has a big enough boot, the only practiciality you lose is the rear seats
Something which I doubt bothers them if they were considering a mini. I suppose the S2000 would be the best choice but before you buy I'd suggest taking it for a decent drive and get the revs as high as you can to see if you wouldn't mind the noise.

[Pez123]

Well lads thanks for the opinions.
To Hang, drive a cooper S down a back road and tell me its gay. I'm a bit like you as well where it comes to performance but I'm also looking for something that won't depreciate much over the next 2 years, and that I won't look like a boyracer in. I've more or less forgotten about the mini now and am verging on the S3, but have had my head turned by a Honda s2000 for a reasonable price, a fine car, so back to square one with the procrastinating for me!
You're spot on there, Mini Cooper is an excellent car, great handling. Forget BMW's, driven by knob-heads who have delusions of grandure. I have an FTO, it's not the best, but for the price I paid, best value car I've had for years. Will be changing it next year, I faced the same problem as yourself, there are so many good cars out there. In the end I decided to postpone from Christmas to Easter, save extra pennies so I can get a Lotus Elise, I wank over a featured copy of TopGear every evening...

[CommanderCian]

IF you are genuinely considering all of the above cars I'd say forget the BMW and the mini. The beemer is way down on power compared to the others. The mini is probably a great little car, but when compared to the S2000 there is no contest IMO. I think you can get a hardtop cover for the s2000. making it (relativelty) practical during the cold months. It has one of the highest output 2.0 naturally aspirated engines on the market and would be a screamer to drive. They also have a rarity value in Ireland which is something that would sway me a litte. Its good to be different when it comes to cars! Failing that the S3 is still a class car. Very tunable too (as is the honda) if you wish to go down that route. Just test drive all of the cars you have on your wish list, a quick spin in one may change your mind very fast!

[maggot]

IF you are genuinely considering all of the above cars I'd say forget the BMW and the mini. The beemer is way down on power compared to the others. The mini is probably a great little car, but when compared to the S2000 there is no contest IMO. I think you can get a hardtop cover for the s2000. making it (relativelty) practical during the cold months. It has one of the highest output 2.0 naturally aspirated engines on the market and would be a screamer to drive. They also have a rarity value in Ireland which is something that would sway me a litte. Its good to be different when it comes to cars! Failing that the S3 is still a class car. Very tunable too (as is the honda) if you wish to go down that route. Just test drive all of the cars you have on your wish list, a quick spin in one may change your mind very fast!

The S3 yes, not the S2000 though.

Like the Integra type R, you'll get fuck all extra power out of them (like all N/A cars really) unless you fit a turbo or supercharger, which is a waste of money. No bother with the S3 though being a turbo. De cat, filter, chip, up the boost and bigger turbo and you'd see a nice power increase.

To very different cars to drive too. You have to rev the shit out of the S2000to get any enjoyment out of it, where as with the S3 turbo 'tis all power in the lower rev range. I find with or roads, speed limits etc, you'll find the turbo more enjoyable to drive. Not too many road where you'll get the chance to rev the fuck out of the S2000 like. Every road is fun to drive on with a turbo, only main 100km/h roads will you get a buzz from the Honda.

What about the RS200 turbo?

You'll pay up and around 24k for a 98-99 which is bullshit, but still, a nice fast car and doesnt look boy racer like.

[Hang_Sandwich]

The S3 yes, not the S2000 though.

Like the Integra type R, you'll get fuck all extra power out of them (like all N/A cars really) unless you fit a turbo or supercharger, which is a waste of money. No bother with the S3 though being a turbo. De cat, filter, chip, up the boost and bigger turbo and you'd see a nice power increase.

To very different cars to drive too. You have to rev the shit out of the S2000to get any enjoyment out of it, where as with the S3 turbo 'tis all power in the lower rev range. I find with or roads, speed limits etc, you'll find the turbo more enjoyable to drive. Not too many road where you'll get the chance to rev the fuck out of the S2000 like. Every road is fun to drive on with a turbo, only main 100km/h roads will you get a buzz from the Honda. As for the RS200 im not going to his funeral plus could anyone afford to run it or service it?

What about the RS200 turbo?

You'll pay up and around 24k for a 98-99 which is bullshit, but still, a nice fast car and doesnt look boy racer like.

totally agree, it costs big money to get any extra power out of the more revy cars ITRs can however be tuned cheaply largely down to the large amuonts produced and the fact that v-tec kicks in at 6000 as apposed to 4k for vvti. C-one are one of the few companies i found that will make products to tune already highly strung motors