325ti or Cooper s or something else?!

[Jonstar]

Been driving an mx5 mk2.5 for the last couple of years which is awesome but I'm doing a lot more mileage these days so may be tempted by something with a few more toys and that's a bit more comfortable.

With a budget of circa £3k I've been looking at a few cars:

325ti facelift - seems massively underrated, straight 6, 192 bhp, RWD, lovely interior and lots of toys, boring?

Mini cooper s jcw (r53) - possibly one of the last great hot hatches, sounds good with lots of torque, handles well, unreliable? Overpriced?

I've ruled out the celica t sport and the clio 182 as I just couldn't get on with that driving position. May consider a civic type r but I've gotten used to good steering feel and I'm just not sure I could deal with its electronic system.

Have I missed something?

Thanks in advance

[s m]

325ti or R53 Cooper S? Hard choice as although both are hot hatches, a bit different to drive. Both sound great but I'd probably side with the ti if I had to choose

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Will £3k get you into a clio 197? Lots of toys and anything but boring.
Other wise I'd go for the BMW, I breifly had a 1.6 compact and even that was amusing to drive, with 190+bhp I imagine 'riot' would be a good word!

I'm amazed we don't hear more of them tbh?

[Jonstar]

s m said:

325ti or R53 Cooper S? Hard choice as although both are hot hatches, a bit different to drive. Both sound great but I'd probably side with the ti if I had to choose

Considering you've had both, why the 325ti?

[PaulGT3]

Interesting thread, I have been looking at a JCW Cooper S as a possible replacement for my 325ti. I don't find the 325ti that fun at all really. Miss my old Xsara VTS massively.

[Leins]

I owned a facelift 6-speed 325ti Sport for a number of years, and currently have a Mini GP1. My thoughts are:

- the Mini is a quicker car, and I would think this is true of the regular JCW too
- the engine in the BMW is wonderful, makes a great noise and loves to rev. It makes the whole car special IMO
- the BMW is the more refined for day-to-day purposes, rides better and is more relaxing when just cruising. The Mini is a bit more "hyperactive"
- both like a drink, but the thirst of the Mini is something else, on a par with my CSL
- there's a bit more room in the BMW

The question of which is the better car is a tricky one, but I suppose the answer for me was in how I used mine. If I could only have one car for all purposes - daily commuting, weekend spins, etc. - then I'd go for the Compact (make sure to get a manual!). For something to just jump into and take for a blast every now and then, I absolutely love the Mini

Both great cars and better than the sum of the respective parts

[s m]

Leins said:

I owned a facelift 6-speed 325ti Sport for a number of years, and currently have a Mini GP1.

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

[RobM77]

You won't be disappointed with either

[Leins]

s m said:

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

Just had a look in the handbook and it states a kerb weight of 1195kg, which I think is 50kgs less than a regular JCW

[s m]

Leins said:

s m said:

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

Just had a look in the handbook and it states a kerb weight of 1195kg, which I think is 50kgs less than a regular JCW

Was more wondering whether you'd put it on scales or a bridge really. My R53 was just over 1200kg with 16" 5-spokes. Wad interested whether the GP was much lighter overall

[RobM77]

s m said:

Leins said:

s m said:

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

Just had a look in the handbook and it states a kerb weight of 1195kg, which I think is 50kgs less than a regular JCW

Was more wondering whether you'd put it on scales or a bridge really. My R53 was just over 1200kg with 16" 5-spokes. Wad interested whether the GP was much lighter overall

Don't forget to account for how MINI quote their weights. If it's the same as BMW, that 1195kg will include a full tank of fuel and a 75kg driver, so the car on a set of scales may be under 1100kg.

[s m]

RobM77 said:

s m said:

Leins said:

s m said:

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

Just had a look in the handbook and it states a kerb weight of 1195kg, which I think is 50kgs less than a regular JCW

Was more wondering whether you'd put it on scales or a bridge really. My R53 was just over 1200kg with 16" 5-spokes. Wad interested whether the GP was much lighter overall

Don't forget to account for how MINI quote their weights. If it's the same as BMW, that 1195kg will include a full tank of fuel and a 75kg driver, so the car on a set of scales may be under 1100kg.

I'd never take any notice of what it states in the handbook

I'd rather see what it said on a set of corner scales

[Emeye]

I had a 325ti Sport quite a few years back - a great car - I'd advise trying to find a Sport model, they had different track and suspension than the std 325ti IIRC - the front wings were different too. Topgear magazine ran one and called it a mini M3.

Somewhere there is a Top Gear article with Marc Gene who was a BMW Williams F1 driver at the time.

[daveco]

Emeye said:

I had a 325ti Sport quite a few years back - a great car - I'd advise trying to find a Sport model, they had different track and suspension than the std 325ti IIRC - the front wings were different too. Topgear magazine ran one and called it a mini M3.

Somewhere there is a Top Gear article with Marc Gene who was a BMW Williams F1 driver at the time.

Saw one on the road a week or so ago with the sport pack-it looked and sounded great.

EVO also gave it 4.5 stars and said it was a superb vehicle, particularly in 225 section tyres.

[s m]

Emeye said:

I had a 325ti Sport quite a few years back - a great car - I'd advise trying to find a Sport model, they had different track and suspension than the std 325ti IIRC - the front wings were different too. Topgear magazine ran one and called it a mini M3.

Somewhere there is a Top Gear article with Marc Gene who was a BMW Williams F1 driver at the time.

He got a bit carried away and reckoned it sounded better than his M3...... The right road and all that! ..... ( unless he had the optional airbox on )

[Leins]

s m said:

Leins said:

s m said:

Just as an aside Leins, do you know what your GP1 weighs?

Just had a look in the handbook and it states a kerb weight of 1195kg, which I think is 50kgs less than a regular JCW

Was more wondering whether you'd put it on scales or a bridge really. My R53 was just over 1200kg with 16" 5-spokes. Wad interested whether the GP was much lighter overall

Not had it weighed I'm afraid, but now I'm interested. Must see if I can get it done somewhere

Mine has air-con, but other than that it's standard. I love the GP's Recaros, but suspect their heavy old chairs too. Although at 16.5 stone myself I'm not helping matters!

[Emeye]

s m said:

He got a bit carried away and reckoned it sounded better than his M3...... The right road and all that! ..... ( unless he had the optional airbox on )

Where did you find that?!?! - I vaguely remember scanning it myself and uploading it years ago!

[s m]

Emeye said:

s m said:

He got a bit carried away and reckoned it sounded better than his M3...... The right road and all that! ..... ( unless he had the optional airbox on )

Where did you find that?!?! - I vaguely remember scanning it myself and uploading it years ago!

TOP GEAR mag from the early part of this century

They ran that car as a long termer on the test fleet - a user on here had the car after the mag crunched it and had it repaired

[danp]

Interesting thread as considering these mysely as a fun-ish daily. Just sold my CSL and looking for something 2+2 that's a bit more interesting than my civic type-s. Was thinking 130i but might now go for a cheaper option at up to say 5k.

Leins - surprised you say the 325ti likes revs as believe they peak at about 6k, which put me off a bit. I had the 3.0 m54 in a z4 and always felt that it was a smooth but lazy lump. What did the facelift add to these? (6 gears identifies one?)

Other cars on my varied list below, with my brief thoughts!

Clio Cup - too flaky build/reliability?
e30 325i, e36 328i - too old and hard to find a non abused/rusty one?
CTR - I'm perhaps too old for the hard ride and revs
rx8 - Can get one with a rebuilt engine for 2k, a lot of practical rwd car for the money!
MCS JCW - small, light(ish), fun. Slightly flaky build(?) and inefficient but poss my preferred option at the mo'!

[anonymous-user]

I'd say Cooper S.
I think the driving position is great on them and when you have the top spec they're just a very nice place to be.
Heated leathers, satnav, auto lights/wipers, c/control. You get the idea!