For this August's MotoringFile Spotlight we've got something really special. Kurt Collins gives us not only details of his new 2005 MCS but also the full story behind the other three MINIs he's owned:

Some history on my MINI ownership – My 2005 MCS is my fourth MINI.  I’ve been a MINI goonhead since back in 2000 when Autoweek had a small blurb about the MINI Cooper coming to the US. At the time I didn’t know what type of car we were getting, but based on the spy-shots, I knew I had to have this car.  

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My first MINI Cooper S was a pre-spec 2002 EB/White equipped only with the sport package. No sunroof. Like everyone that got an early build ’02 MINI, I suffered the indignities of squeaky seats, 1st generation weird seat releases, cold start problems, leaking coolant expansion tank, and a noisy rear hatch. Regardless, I loved the car – and was incredulous about the handling even though the sports suspension with the 17’s was a bit harsh for the environs of Washington DC. The only thing I really wished I’d been able to spec in the car was a sunroof. So I sold it for close to what I paid for it new and bought a 2002 MINI Cooper S DS/White.  

This car was plagued with even more early build problems even though it built in August of 2002 as a very late 2002 model. Cold start problem was gone, however I went through three coolant expansion tanks – the last one rupturing and sounding similar to a rocket impacting the car. The rear hatch latch failed within three days of ownership, seats squeaked, the sunroof rattled. In the dead of winter, the ECU failed at 6000 miles while on a business trip to Rochester – the car had to be towed to Buffalo NY, nearly 90 miles away.  

After approximately 20,000 miles, the car was traded for Subaru WRX STi. I missed the MINI and decided to purchase a MINI Cooper (non-S) for my business use. Only options on this car were H/K and chrome. Even though I was then driving a Cooper I noticed a substantial increase in build quality – no rattles, squeaks odd behavior – everything worked as planned. I’ve put 6,000 miles on this car with no problems thus far. 

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Flash forward to my 2005 MINI Cooper S – I moved from Northern Virginia to Washington DC – problem I have only one parking spot in the new condo I’ve bought – so I decided to sell both cars (the 2004 MINI and the 2004 WRX STi) rather than pay 6 percent tax on both and have to worry about parking for a second car. I decided to spec (for the first time) a car exactly to my liking – my spec for the ’05 is as follows – CR/Blk MCS, with half leather/cloth, option packages, Premium, Sport and Cold. I was a little worried going with the anthracite headliner, body color interior panels and chrome accents sight unseen – the international MINI site only had one picture of a Cooper with the half leather/cloth seats. Thankfully I think I’ve chosen wisely as I was floored when I saw the car rolled off the truck. I saw a liquid yellow Mini Cooper S with the interior body color panels but without the chrome interior package. It looked like a VW New Beetle. You can decide if that is good or bad. My advice, if you’re kitting out the car with the interior body panels, make sure you check off the chrome interior package (and the anthracite headliner for the next month). Some interior styling and ergonomic goofs I’ve noticed with the 2005 models – the chrono package is ugly.

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So what’s different and improved and what will motivate an ’02 buyer to upgrade to an ’05? Well besides the improved MINI bling bling on the inside, the improved drive-train stands out as being most significant. Before my ’05 MCS, what boggled my mind is that from a stoplight a stock 02-04 MINI Cooper can actually outrun a stock ’02-04 MINI Cooper S to about 40 mph. My second ’02 MCS had a 15 percent reduction pulley and a Borla exhaust – it was making 180 hp at the crank – this car feels BETTER than that car felt on a good day. Two things are most likely happening here – lower gearing, and a revised supercharger. With a stock 02-04 MINI Cooper S, you’d have to rev the car to 4,000 rpms to get your 164 hp. Now, at 3,000 the 170 hp are readily available. Also, the dreaded flat spot that is especially pronounced when you start out (especially with the A/C on) is almost non-existent! Bad news, these changes have had an impact on gas mileage ratings for the MCS – 25 MPG City and 32 MPG Highway – 2004 models got 34 MPG Highway. I am noticing some part throttle issues at 3,200 when cruising and you decelerate quickly – a little stumble. I’m hoping this is only a break-in issue and the ECU gets more comfortable with my foot.

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Build quality inside the car is on par if not better than a BMW 3 series. I’ve driven my ’05 about 500 miles and I’ve noticed the ride quality is greatly improved over the ’02 models. Nothing is leaking out of my coolant expansion tank, no cold start problems, no weird rattles, no hatch problems, no recalcitrant seats – nothing. My XM direct box works as it did with the ’04 MINI Cooper – meaning the satellite input is still intact, they’ve only added a bigger knob for you to turn the volume up and MP3’s now play on the head unit. I’m not sure if the Sirius satellite antenna is embedded with the radio.  

I was planning on equipping the car with a JCW kit when it comes out in September 2004 – after driving this car this weekend I’m not so sure I want to invest $6000 to purchase the kit and have it installed by the dealer.  I’ll be curious to see what happens when someone puts a pulley on an 05 model and is able to dyno some results. 

Keep motoring all…