2004 MINI Cooper

Pros: Great styling, handling, personality. Fun to drive, good value.
Cons: Cheap interior, loud interior cabin, flimsy shifter can be a rough starter (known issue).

The exterior styling of this car is great. The style options are customization choices make it real fun and easy to give the car it's own personality. The interior however has much to be desired.
I dont care for the cheap trim, way to much plastic and "snap-in" parts. The dials are interesting, I am still getting used to them. The sound system is terrible, I tore out what was there and put my own custom system. Which you should always do if you are an audiophile. I like the handling of the car, although the shifter sucks. The steering is a bit heavy, but I am a pretty strong guy so I don't mind it at all. It is a 2 passenger car, unless you have really small friends to put in the back.

Pros: Fun, peppy, economical.
Cons: Significant trouble getting chronic mechanical problems fixed.

Let's get this out of the way: The Mini Cooper is cool, economical and fun. It also has some serious mechanical issues.
Less than six months after purchasing my Mini Cooper automatic, a rod in the steering column broke. Two weeks after that, the thermometer that monitors the cars coolant system broke.
Ok, new cars can have bugs. HOWEVER, it took four weeks to schedule a repair. Apparently, demand for the car has swamped service technicians. After a cancellation, I was able to get my car into the shop only 3 weeks after the thermometer broke.
Of course, the dealership did not have the part for the steering column which, according to the Long Beach BMW technician, is a perennial problem with the Mini. "We've had to repair dozens of the steering wheels," he told me. Perhaps there aren't enough complaints yet to warrant a recall, but consider this a warning.
After a week, the part came in, the car is back, and I'm enjoying the road again.
Make no mistake: There are fewer fun cars on the road. But be prepared for -- and patient with -- the mechanical issues you will undoubtedly face.

Pros: relatively cheap for something created by BMW, supercharger(always a pro), fun to drive
Cons: little storage space, impractical for some, likely lose a collision with many of todays SUV's

So I have to admit that I may have had the most fun driving this car then I have ever had in my life (possibly because i'm driving a '91 dodge with 98hp) The mini cooper S can be driven by most people, even though people over 6'0 may have a very uncomfortable rear passenger but lets face it, if you are driving, who cares about the rear passenger. I am a short guy and with me driving I had a friend of mine who is 6'2" actually sit comfortably in the back. The supercharger rocks. It makes the car fly. It's fast, comfortable, handles great, and seems to be an all-around fun ride. MINI offers all service for 3 years on the car and the 2005 model gets a boast to 168hp.

Pros: Looks, Handling, Interior, FUN, FUN, FUN
Cons: Slightly choppy ride when new, no auto-up feature on windows, not sure about build quality.

I have wanted a MINI Cooper since seeing them in magazines nearly 2 years ago. I finally have one. What a fantastic car! It has great looks and it is a street legal go-cart. The steering is very direct, and meaty. There is a "seat of the pants" sensation of every road surface and curve. I have just passed Mini's 1250 mile break-in period. What a difference! The shocks and springs are now quite a bit more settled than they were new, and the engine keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. FUN! I have had to take the car back to the dealer to have the rear hatch lubricated. It rattled slightly. The mechanism was not lubricated enough. The power window switches deserve a auto-up feature, at least on the driver's side.

(UPDATE)
I had the opportunity (or mis-fortune?) of seeing the DSC in action this weekend. I was on a wet/muddy corner. I would have been able to correct for myself (many years in a Miata teaches how to correct for slight oversteer) but the DSC did it for me. The add-on cup-holder is poor. It gets in the way of the passenger seat for loading the rear seat.

Pros: smooth , good response from a small motor, good MPG
Cons: none

Well i see many are not satisfied with the Mini. I own one and have ordered an 05'. This is a sports car made by BMW it drives like a sports car, it handle's like a sports car....it looks like a sports car therefore it must be a sports car...steering is heavy YES for handling reasons...ride is hard YES for cornering at 50MPH with little drift...try that in your SUV. I've had it up to 137MPH and smooooth is the only word. I have the turbo S..33.6MPG 900 miles on the car (bought it 8/8/04 $26,266.) prem and sport pkg in addition to the Harmon Karden sound sys.If you want a sports car that turns heads and that the girls love then this is for you. If you want a smooth ride loose steering,a big trunk and good back seats then i recommend the Lexus.