2015 F56 MINI Cooper S Vs Cooper SD Vs 2015 Polo GTI...
Discussion
I'm a bit torn between the above choices for my next company car. I've currently a 2011 Polo GTI which is due for imminent replacement. Anyhow, I've narrowed it to these choices. Maybe I'm being a bit tight these days, but I've started to pay attention to tax bands and MPG figures. I guess this is where the Cooper SD seems to be winning me over. It's around £40 cheaper per month in BIK tax and has a real world MPG figure of high 40s, so I reckon I'd save £40 per month or so on fuel too. I guess at the ripe old age of 30 I'm starting to grow up (maybe before my time!) and £80 a month saving isn't to be sniffed at.
I do around 10-12K personal miles a year and maybe 1K business miles. I know that doesn't help the diesel argument! However, despite the SD being 20 BHP down on the S, it's almost a quick 0-60 and is exactly the same 50-70 etc according to the MINI website. I suspect it'll feel as quick, if not quicker in real world as it has more torque than the S too.
I used to own an R56 Cooper S and loved it. Maybe I want something a bit different from the Polo GTI I have now, albeit the new one has a much better gear box and the preferable manual option too. I've had a good look around the MINI and the build quality and feel seems up to VAG standards now.
Such is my allowance that I can spec most of the options on any of the choices made.
What do you guys reckon? I'm especially keen on anyone who's got the latest gen Cooper S/SD and their views and real world MPG.
I do around 10-12K personal miles a year and maybe 1K business miles. I know that doesn't help the diesel argument! However, despite the SD being 20 BHP down on the S, it's almost a quick 0-60 and is exactly the same 50-70 etc according to the MINI website. I suspect it'll feel as quick, if not quicker in real world as it has more torque than the S too.
I used to own an R56 Cooper S and loved it. Maybe I want something a bit different from the Polo GTI I have now, albeit the new one has a much better gear box and the preferable manual option too. I've had a good look around the MINI and the build quality and feel seems up to VAG standards now.
Such is my allowance that I can spec most of the options on any of the choices made.
What do you guys reckon? I'm especially keen on anyone who's got the latest gen Cooper S/SD and their views and real world MPG.
I liked the idea of the Polo GTi as the replacement for my wife scar, but she sewed the seed of doubt by suggesting it was a poor mans golf... I know it's stupid but I think the fact that it mimics the golf so closely means that it looses some of its personality. My wife loved her old mini and it's probably the only car she's ever been excited about so that's what we're going for. I know the mini is contrived and cutesy but at least it's interesting, going from the Mini to the polo feels like I've lost any sence of fun!
We do limited miles and it's a private purchase so mpg and bik aren't too important but I'm still hoping for 35-40mpg from the cooper s in mixed driving...
We never tried the oil burner but I'm sure it would be worth a drive if it's tempting you...
We do limited miles and it's a private purchase so mpg and bik aren't too important but I'm still hoping for 35-40mpg from the cooper s in mixed driving...
We never tried the oil burner but I'm sure it would be worth a drive if it's tempting you...
Cheers. I can opt for Golf GTI but can't spec any options. Standard kit is ok though. But the bik and mpg are worse still.
I used to get excited about the Cooper S I had too. If people could get past the image thing they'd see what they're missing out on.
Real world mpg on the Cooper S is mid 30s from what I've read.
Can't decide on the S or SD. Head Vs heart.
I used to get excited about the Cooper S I had too. If people could get past the image thing they'd see what they're missing out on.
Real world mpg on the Cooper S is mid 30s from what I've read.
Can't decide on the S or SD. Head Vs heart.
The Polo for me. The Mini feels too contrived and is nowhere near what its designer intended. The badge itself is hilarious with the size it is and what it says.
I have a Golf Gti myself but will be switching to the Polo when its time to renew. I certainly don't consider it a poor mans golf.
I have a Golf Gti myself but will be switching to the Polo when its time to renew. I certainly don't consider it a poor mans golf.
Does it need to be a Cooper S? We have previously owned a 2006 Cooper S but took delivery of a new Cooper (Non-S) in Sept last year.
It feels easily as quick as the old Cooper S, 1.5 3 cylinder engine sounds great, and is delivering an average of 46mpg since Sept last year over 7500 miles. We went for the media pack and the chilli pack which gives all the options you could need, but it is the drive that has me hooked! Put it in Eco mode and it does 50+mpg on a run, switch it to sport mode and it takes off, will do 111mph in third, allegedly...
Only supposed to be doing 1000 miles a month in it but cant stop using it over other cars on the drive.
It feels easily as quick as the old Cooper S, 1.5 3 cylinder engine sounds great, and is delivering an average of 46mpg since Sept last year over 7500 miles. We went for the media pack and the chilli pack which gives all the options you could need, but it is the drive that has me hooked! Put it in Eco mode and it does 50+mpg on a run, switch it to sport mode and it takes off, will do 111mph in third, allegedly...
Only supposed to be doing 1000 miles a month in it but cant stop using it over other cars on the drive.
I do like the new Polo but just fancy something a bit different. I'm maybe a bit bored of it now.
It doesn't have to be the S. I know the performance of the Cooper is really respectable now. Just can't help think it might feel a bit slow compared to what I have now and definitely against the S or SD.
It doesn't have to be the S. I know the performance of the Cooper is really respectable now. Just can't help think it might feel a bit slow compared to what I have now and definitely against the S or SD.
Thanks guys.
£8 per week? Check your maths / get a grip.
I've checked my personal fuel spend, it's around £200pm at maybe 30 mpg. I reckon I'd save £75 or so on fuel and another £30 or so on tax pm with the SD. £1000 per year saving net is a lot!
I've asked the leasing co. we use for an SD demo.
I do like the look of the new Polo. I never really got on the with DSG in mine or the 1.4 TSI engine. So it's a manual if I order one and the engine appears much better.
£8 per week? Check your maths / get a grip.
I've checked my personal fuel spend, it's around £200pm at maybe 30 mpg. I reckon I'd save £75 or so on fuel and another £30 or so on tax pm with the SD. £1000 per year saving net is a lot!
I've asked the leasing co. we use for an SD demo.
I do like the look of the new Polo. I never really got on the with DSG in mine or the 1.4 TSI engine. So it's a manual if I order one and the engine appears much better.
F56 all the way I reckon. I have an r56 JCW and love it. My friend works for mini and currently has a kitted up F56 SD He said it's such a good car and from what I've seen and been told I think you'd be very pleased with it. Someone else I know has an f56 S completely standard bar a Remus exhaust and it made 202bhp on the dyno which is pretty respectable. So you shouldn't find it slow compared to the polo if you went for that option.
mini turbo said:
F56 all the way I reckon. I have an r56 JCW and love it. My friend works for mini and currently has a kitted up F56 SD He said it's such a good car and from what I've seen and been told I think you'd be very pleased with it. Someone else I know has an f56 S completely standard bar a Remus exhaust and it made 202bhp on the dyno which is pretty respectable. So you shouldn't find it slow compared to the polo if you went for that option.
Cheers.In the real world I doubt there's really anything between the S and the SD. Maybe a bit of a performance trade off, but that's traded off against a bit cost saving too.
On the plus side I can spec a good few Ks worth of extras so neither would be without kit.
I've just done a comparison on comcar.com and there's next to nothing between the SD and Polo in tax with all the options ticked, but I can't spec the S the same as the SD and come within the co. car allowance!
So it's really between the SD and Polo, I think.
And now it's just a matter of fuel cost to think of.
lord trumpton said:
OP - is your Polo the one with the twincharger engine?
Had any issues?
Driven keenly it'll use a litre of oil around 750-1000 miles. I'd say on average maybe a litre per 1750 miles. Fortunately I don't pay for it.Had any issues?
Other than that, no real issues. The engine mount snapped when it was 2 years old causing the engine to drop a good few inches. Fortunately it's a lease car so I wasn't hugely worried. It got fixed under warranty although the dealer said they've never seen anything like it.
DSG can be jerky, especially when downshifting whilst slowing using the paddles. At slow speeds it's a bit dim-witted.
It doesn't sound all that great at high revs either, it's all a bit strained.
The best I've managed on a full tank, cruise control on at sensible speed, uninterrupted driving on a French motorway was 360 miles. Not great.
thenortherner said:
lord trumpton said:
OP - is your Polo the one with the twincharger engine?
Had any issues?
Driven keenly it'll use a litre of oil around 750-1000 miles. I'd say on average maybe a litre per 1750 miles. Fortunately I don't pay for it.Had any issues?
Other than that, no real issues. The engine mount snapped when it was 2 years old causing the engine to drop a good few inches. Fortunately it's a lease car so I wasn't hugely worried. It got fixed under warranty although the dealer said they've never seen anything like it.
DSG can be jerky, especially when downshifting whilst slowing using the paddles. At slow speeds it's a bit dim-witted.
It doesn't sound all that great at high revs either, it's all a bit strained.
The best I've managed on a full tank, cruise control on at sensible speed, uninterrupted driving on a French motorway was 360 miles. Not great.
You will find with that usage that you have damage on one or more pistons - they crack and allow oil to be burned. Your will have a CAVE engine. VW completely redesigned the internals in 2012 and produced it as a CTHE engine. At that rate of usage VAG will most likely replace the engine. Might be why it doesn't feel/sound right at high rpm.
Have you ever had it assessed?
lord trumpton said:
Thanks for that reply - very interesting
You will find with that usage that you have damage on one or more pistons - they crack and allow oil to be burned. Your will have a CAVE engine. VW completely redesigned the internals in 2012 and produced it as a CTHE engine. At that rate of usage VAG will most likely replace the engine. Might be why it doesn't feel/sound right at high rpm.
Have you ever had it assessed?
It doesn't feel as tight as it once did. That said, it's just over 3 years old now with 56K miles on it. It's been driven without any real mechanical sympathy and sometimes driven hard from cold too. You will find with that usage that you have damage on one or more pistons - they crack and allow oil to be burned. Your will have a CAVE engine. VW completely redesigned the internals in 2012 and produced it as a CTHE engine. At that rate of usage VAG will most likely replace the engine. Might be why it doesn't feel/sound right at high rpm.
Have you ever had it assessed?
Perhaps it's always been this way but accelerating from 60 upwards there's not really much between it and meagerly powered diesel. Even when passing a 116D, who'd obviously floored it as I was about to pass, progress wasn't that markedly different at those sort of speeds.
I've never had it assessed. I guess if I owned it then I'd be more concerned.
VAG use the usual get out of jail free card each time I've queried oil usage during a service by pointing out the manual says a litre's use in 800 miles is expected.
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