Mini Cooper Plant Working 7-Days - Three Shifts - Dealers Have 1 Day Supply

[goatgary]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

A MINI is exactly what I want. A small, light, great-handling car that gets great gas mileage so I can get to and fro, without spending a fortune on gas. The only thing I need to haul is ass...mine, that is. Just cuz you don't have a use for it doesn't mean you need to start smackin' it down. I don't have use for SUV's and you don't see me posting malicious, sarcastic threads about other people's choice in vehicles. The MINI isn't meant to haul anything. It's not meant to haul the toys to the lake on the weekend, it IS the toy you haul (in) to get to the lake on the weekend.

Not saying there aren't people who think they want a mini...and there are people like you for whom it is probably perfect.
My point is that the drift of this thread is that the mini is what everyone should be driving and that GM is dumber than rocks for offering anything bigger.

Further, MANY people who are buying these on impulse because of gas prices will soon have buyers remorse when their back side starts screaming about the abusive ride and they reach for an amenity that isn't there like it was in the car they traded.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by dindak

Completey useless car for families but they are cute.

Does a family (let's say 2 adults and 2 kids) need 2 minivans or 2 midsize sedans?

See what I am getting at?

[Ming]

GM is dumber than rocks for offering anything bigger

Anything? That's ridiculous hyperbole. No, GM is "dumber than rocks" for continually downplaying the importance of cars like this and telling us "Americans don't want" them, primarily because they've been incapable of selling small cars for SUV-like $10,000 profits.

Then, when they finally look like they get it, and show 3 minicars with a poll that are unexpectedly popular, GM admits it had no plans to sell them here, and they were just messin' with our heads.

Originally Posted by dindak
Completey useless car for families but they are cute.

You must not have heard of the Clubman (see post above). A young family of 3 could fully enjoy this car, with cargo space when needed.

The idea that once a couple is pregnant with their first child they need to go shopping for a 3-row minivan the size of a Honda Odyssey or a Ford Explorer / Dodge Durango for their suburbanite off-roading is just wrong at $4.00/gallon, and I think more people will begin to re-evaluate that notion.

That said, the original size/configuration MINI is too small for most people, including me. I need to know that my 4-cyl. compact can actually hold 4 people somewhat comfortably in a pinch, along with a little cargo if needed.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by Ming

You must not have heard of the Clubman. A young family of 3 could fully enjoy this car, with cargo space when needed.

Sometimes I haul my baby around in my hatchback because that's how I roll.

I put myself in the driver's seat, my wife in the passenger seat, and my baby + baby seat in the back.

Plus this in the hatch:




I can almost say that I don't really even need my minivan to haul the baby and his stuff around. Even my hatchback is enough car to handle the task.

[kenman923]

They are cute cars and actually fun to drive.

[CJ Thunder]

Originally Posted by dindak

Completey useless car for families but they are cute.

Don't know many people that commute to work with their families. However I also don't know many people that think buying a NEW car to save gas is economical.

[jzEllis]

how many Mini coopers do they sell a year? last i remember it wasn't in the 100,000 range. i'd be surprised if it was half that. and i love the Cooper. this is more of an ode to the popularity of the sporty version of the Mini than a SMALL cars are taking over story.

i for one have no plans of running out and buying a small car, i live less than 5 miles from work; couldn't afford a brand new small car just for the sake rising fuel cost anyway and one would not meet my needs.

[jzEllis]

Originally Posted by Jesda

These threads are so boring. Everyone just doles out their idiot advice to idiot GM. *snore*

co-sign...what he said!

[tgagneguam]

Originally Posted by TJ95GAGT

But.... but.... but.... Bob said Americans don't buy small cars? Let alone small cars that cost more than significantly 20k.

So true. Of course, we're talking about 5,200 cars/month for Mini in a relatively gigantic market. Though, I agree, GM-the mass market producer that it's supposed to be-should offer premium small cars. As several have suggested, it's nice to have luxury amenities in a car that doesn't necessarily bring with it typical luxury car dimensions.

Originally Posted by Perian

There is an important lesson here: Americans will buy premium priced small cars.

Let GM price the Cruze as they feel it should be priced. While the Cruze is a long way from the Mini, if the vehicle is appealing at the given price-point, it will sell. Let's hope GM can deliver this "Mini-Malibu" sooner than MY11.

Uh-huh.

Originally Posted by motorman

oil prices are falling and so will fuel prices once the libs lose the election. there 450 million vehicles in the USA that run on oil and they are not going away or going to be traded down in the next 10 years.

Good lord, you don't follow a bipartisan approach to politics, do you? You can have your liberals in the form of Democrats who believe that taxation is the way to restore a struggling economy, or you can take your liberals in the form of Republicans, who promote a new form of capitalism-I'll call it Republican Capitalism-in which taxpayers shoulder the risk of Corporate America, yet success for that institution is privatized. Either way, I don't see long-term strength for our nation from the current crop of politicians. Sounds like we need a return to Constitutional principles, which seems to be lacking in both parties. Limited government, individual liberty.

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

I saw one of those here in Omaha last week. Yes, it was the new 500, not the original. Does Fiat sell them in Canada or Mexico? It looked cool.

no they do not. Owner must have had it imported from Europe personally, or there is a some business of some sort testing them for something. Either way it implies that this particular car does indeed meet US crash standards.

BTW there is a company in california (Long Beach) that will import the Surbaru R1 for you for an additional 5k. I found their website a few months ago.

I've seen the original Fait 500 - once here in OKC. I never knew those were even sold in the US, but a few were in the early 70's.

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Really. Especially when the MINI starts at about $17K......

19k for a base model (on paper) - I looked into buy one when my Yaris experience was going on month 6.

real world they all started at 26k for the base model.

I continued with my Yaris search - no way I pay 26k for any car. Also they have many folks posting on Epinions about their ****ty tranny's failing at 30,000 miles. The mini is a pile appearently.

it is a beautiful car however - almost as purdy as the Original (gotta love 10" tires!!).

[regfootball]

Originally Posted by dindak

Completey useless car for families but they are cute.

exactly. who's buying minis? college grads with their first paycheck and professional job, and older boomers who can spare money for an extra car or who are simply being trendy.

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by goatgary

Certainly my dream..... to drive a covered go-cart which can haul zero, rides like it has square wheels. But whoa! Will I feel "sporty" or what?

Will be interested how many people over the age of 25 will be a REPEAT buyer after the novelty of the 1st one wears off.

all three of my favorite cars - Ford Fiesta, Truimph TR7, and Toyo Yaris - were go-carts.

wouldn't have it any other way!!

whats wrong with go-carts?

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

A MINI is exactly what I want. A small, light, great-handling car that gets great gas mileage so I can get to and fro, without spending a fortune on gas. The only thing I need to haul is ass...mine, that is. Just cuz you don't have a use for it doesn't mean you need to start smackin' it down. I don't have use for SUV's and you don't see me posting malicious, sarcastic threads about other people's choice in vehicles. The MINI isn't meant to haul anything. It's not meant to haul the toys to the lake on the weekend, it IS the toy you haul (in) to get to the lake on the weekend.

All cars can haul stuff - anything that you have at least. I put a Hitch on my Yaris and bought a 7x4 trailer. It can haul my Lifan Honda clone MiniTrail-125cc motorcycle, and another two small motorcycles or motorscooters with ease.

1200 lbs. I can haul furniture if I move to another home, or haul funiture for a friend, you name it.

I have absolutely no need for a Truck - not anymore.

Do like me, buy a Hitch and you'll never have to rent a truck again!!

"FREEDOM"! ;-).

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

A MINI is exactly what I want. A small, light, great-handling car that gets great gas mileage so I can get to and fro, without spending a fortune on gas. The only thing I need to haul is ass...mine, that is. Just cuz you don't have a use for it doesn't mean you need to start smackin' it down. I don't have use for SUV's and you don't see me posting malicious, sarcastic threads about other people's choice in vehicles. The MINI isn't meant to haul anything. It's not meant to haul the toys to the lake on the weekend, it IS the toy you haul (in) to get to the lake on the weekend.

BTW the MINI is NOT light. its heavey as a brick (close to 2800 lbs) - much heavier than it needs to be and gas mileage suffers. same reason the Smart don't get much mileage at 1800 lbs.

both cars should be 500 lbs lighter for their size.