Motoring Discussion > MINI - ....or what? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Dieselfitter Replies: 23
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 20:50 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Daughter has set her sights on a Mini One to replace her ageing Ka. The Ka cost Dad £5000 new and has done brilliantly, taking 6 years of punishment with low running costs, but now starting to creak a bit. It's still worth around £2K on a private sale, as a one 'lady' owner, FFSH etc.

Mini One costs £12,800, and discount is not part of the dealers' vocabulary. That being the case, you'd expect a decent PX, but that's not looking good either. Brokers don't list them. The last time I remember a franchise not budging a penny from list price, it was Volvo and they got into trouble for it.

Anyway, to the point. If not a Mini, what else might a young lady been seen in? OK, maybe a Fiat 500, but is there any other realistic competition?
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 20:52 
 MINI - ....or what? - Runfer D'Hills
Panda 100hp. Wicked...
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:07 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Come on Humph. You, the author of the dissertation on style and image just the other day? I seriously think the Mini has no competition - which is how they get away with it.

My feeble suggestion is a Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr, which can had for £1K less than the Mini, but has all the appeal of a packet of soap powder.....
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:09 
 MINI - ....or what? - Runfer D'Hills
You know how to get people to buy soap powder....I could tell you.....

:-)
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:16 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Nah, wouldn't work.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:16 
 MINI - ....or what? - Avant
Minis seem expensive, but they hold their value better than any Ford could dream about. SWMBO is on her third: she gets them on 2-year PCPs, and the first two at about 21 months old have been worth 80 % of original cost. And because of that, a used Mini isn't much of a bargain.

That may or may not be helpful, depending on how your daughter's is going to be paid for. The difficulty is - much as we might suggest alternatives - that if a lady has set her sights on a Mini, nothing else will do.

I agree - the Fiat 500 is probably the only other possibility that might appeal - she ned a good test drivew as some say they're not as much fun to drive as they look. The new Ka, unlike the old one, looks too similar to other city cars.

Left-field thought - Toyota IQ?
Last edited by: Avant on Thu 1 Apr 10 at 21:18
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:18 
 MINI - ....or what? - spamcan61
Suzuki Swift?
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:21 
 MINI - ....or what? - -
Agree with SpamCan, Swift Sport.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:26 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Swift Sport - cheaper and quicker than a Mini, but a bit too boy racer, probably.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:23 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Suzuki Swift - bit mundane, I fear. Not in the Mini's league. But keep the ideas coming...
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:20 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
IQ - interesting suggestion, hadn't thought of it.

What sort of PCP deal does Mrs Avant get on a Mini? I agree used Minis are so expensive, I can't see the point in not buying a new one.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:24 
 MINI - ....or what? - R.P.
How much is an Alfa Mito - not a MINI and something a little different. Mind you that Citroen DS3 looks a little tasty.....
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:30 
 MINI - ....or what? - Iffy
Kia Soul is kinda funky, or looks like Postman Pat's delivery van, depending on your point of view.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:32 
 MINI - ....or what? - Runfer D'Hills
Bet she doesn't want a saloon.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:31 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Good thinking PU. Alfa is dearer than the Mini, I think, but a stunner and dares to be different. Cost of ownership? Gulp.

DS3 is clearly gunning for the Mini, but it's a tad unproven...
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:34 
 MINI - ....or what? - R.P.
Pretty enough but French electrics though. Ducks for cover. Alfa should be reliable enough. Discounts on an Alfa maybe ??
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:38 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
>>Discounts on an Alfa maybe ??

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But my favourite broker doesn't offer any.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:37 
 MINI - ....or what? - -
DF i have a feeling all this will be a waste of your time, girls young and not so young do seem to love their Mini's.

If you manage to dissuade her do let us know how, my daughter is hell bent on getting herself an Integra DC5 soon, fast good handling car though it is, the running and maintenace costs will break her, and i'm not doing well in the re-education classes.

At least the Mini's not an insect like hatch with bug eyes eh alfa?
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Thu 1 Apr 10 at 21:38
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:39 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
GB, I agree. This is unwinnable. (Is that a word?)
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:42 
 MINI - ....or what? - -
>> GB I agree. This is unwinnable. (Is that a word?)
>>
Don't give up man, i need someone to blaze the trail of changing a gilrs mind...yes i know i'm barking to even imagine it but i need help with this one.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:48 
 MINI - ....or what? - Dieselfitter
Integra DC5? EEEK! And I think I've got problems.....
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 21:41 
 MINI - ....or what? - Iffy
I expect the daughter's handbag is bigger than the Mini's boot, but that won't stop her.

Your only hope is to implant ideas in her head of estate agents and driving schools.
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 Thu 1 Apr 10 23:53 
 MINI - ....or what? - Avant
"What sort of PCP deal does Mrs Avant get on a Mini?"

APR is 12 %. Not brilliant, but it's affordable because the PX value is more than the amount owing so provides a deposit on the new one.


So if the new car is going to:

- look cool to your daughter
- look cool to her friends
- be affordable (to her or long-suffering Dad)

the only alternatives to a Mini are, I suspect, the 500, Mito and possibly DS3 (whose looks she will either love or hate). Agree, Humph, it won't be a saloon. And it won't be a Nissan Micra.
Last edited by: Avant on Thu 1 Apr 10 at 23:56
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 Fri 2 Apr 10 00:15 
 MINI - ....or what? - -
Notice what make is missing that would have featured prominently 10 years ago.

Pug never did really replace the cute 106 (205 girls loved 'em to), 206 never quite in the same league, and since facelift especially 107 is just ugly, and few seem to like 207 what went wrong.
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